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Some Google Pixel Owners' Camera Photos Aren't Saving (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the lost-memories dept.

Some users on Reddit and Google's support forums are reporting an issue in which taking a photo using Google Camera occasionally fails to save. The issue appears to be widespread, "affecting original Pixel phones as well as the Pixel 2 / 2 XL," reports The Verge. From the report: The issue occurs specifically in cases when the user takes a photo with Google Camera, and switches to another app or locks the phone immediately after. Users are able to see a thumbnail of the photo in the Camera gallery circle, but upon tapping it, the photo disappears. In some occasions, the photo doesn't appear at all at first, but it will reappear in their gallery a day later.

There's also some reports of Galaxy S9, Moto Z2, Moto E4, and Nexus 5X owners experiencing the issue after using Google Camera, so it's unclear whether the issue is limited to Pixel phones or if it's connected to a larger Android bug. For now, users have come up with a workaround for an issue they believe is related to HDR photo processing time. Reddit user erbat suggests leaving the camera app open until HDR processing completes or turning off the HDR function completely.

11 of 47 comments (clear)

  1. I don't think ... by PPH · · Score: 1

    ... my Rolleiflex has ever failed to save a picture.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:I don't think ... by thomst · · Score: 1

      PPH observed:

      ... my Rolleiflex has ever failed to save a picture.

      The differences between your rollie and a Pixel include the fact that the rollie is a one-trick pony (in addition to the fact that your rollie uses actual film), whereas the Pixel is a general-purpose computer integrated with an cell phone and a digital camera - er, sorry, I meant "and digital cameras."

      The rollie takes photos. Full stop.

      You're essentially comparing an apple to a grocery store ...

      --
      Check out my novel.
    2. Re:I don't think ... by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

      ... my Rolleiflex has ever failed to save a picture.

      But neither has my iPhone.

    3. Re:I don't think ... by jareth-0205 · · Score: 1

      Wow, are you really that much of a shut-in loser? The basic nuances of human communications seem utterly lost on you.

      and then

      (AspieTip

      Classy...

    4. Re:I don't think ... by PPH · · Score: 1

      You're essentially comparing an apple to a grocery store ...

      A grocery store that is all out of apples. So if that's what you wanted ...

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    5. Re:I don't think ... by thomst · · Score: 1

      I pointed out:

      You're essentially comparing an apple to a grocery store ...

      Prompting PPH to reply:

      A grocery store that is all out of apples. So if that's what you wanted ...

      It's not, though. The bug described in TFS is a product of users closing the camera app - or shutting off their Pixel - before it has fully finished processing an HD photo. (Note that some users discover that the"missing" photo turns up in their gallery - which is to say "in their Google Camera /pictures directory - "a day or so later." Which very likely means "within seconds," but the user in question didn't actually bother to look there until a day or so later.)

      So the grocery store in my simile isn't "all out of apples," after all. The display case for apples is empty at the time the shopper looks at it, but there are plenty of apples in the stockroom, and all it takes is a little patience - a very little patience - on the shopper's part until the display case is restocked.

      BTW - I wasn't actually criticizing you. If I had had points, I'd've given you a +1 Funny upmod. But I was all out, so I went into Literalist Fuckhead mode, and replied to your post, instead ...

      --
      Check out my novel.
  2. Re:NOTHING OF VALUE LOST by ole_timer · · Score: 1

    either way it's not a story

    --
    nothing to see here - move along
  3. Easy workaround by Guillermito · · Score: 1

    This seems to be related to the battery optimization mode introduced in Android 6 (also know ans "Doze"). It seem that when you turn off the phone screen immediately after taking a photo, Doze tries to optimize the battery usage too aggressively and that kills the camera background process while it is trying to save the photo in the background. This is especially noticeable when the HDR mode is on and extra processing is required. Deactivating Doze for the Camera and Photos applications fixes the issue for me (This can be found in Setting -> Apps & notifications -> Special Apps Access -> Battery Optimization).

  4. not just Google phones by bigtreeman · · Score: 1

    not just Google phones.
    The last picture I took of my Dad disappeared.
    It reappeared days later with the bottom quarter lost.
    Locking the phone immediately seemed to cut off the picture processing.
    Luckily I've still got his last smile to remember him by.

    --
    Go well
  5. Similar problem in Nexus 5X by trawg · · Score: 1

    I had this problem with the Nexus 5X. Was driving me fucking nuts until I figured out what the cause was; I lost a few important photos.

    In my case it was because I had HDR enabled. What would happen (I think) is I'd take an HDR photo and there'd be a small moment after the photo was taken where it would be "processing". There was a little notification in the taskbar as it was doing this.

    What I realised was if I switched applications while this would happening, the final output file would get saved in a corrupted state - it would just show as an all grey picture.

    I simply stopped using HDR at this point. I wonder if it's related.

  6. Re:can we just stop mentioning android altogether? by jareth-0205 · · Score: 1

    Troll skills - poor... too obvious...