Disappearing WP7 camera settings is a feature, not a bug

February 15, 2011 | By Surur

WP7Camera-538x300 One of the major bugbear of many of our readers is the Windows Phone 7 camera returning to default settings every time the app is launched. From the latest emulator release we know that this issue will not be fixed, and now we know why.

According to Brian Seitz, senior marketing manager on the Windows Phone Communications team, it is in fact not a bug, but a feature.

Responding to a comment on the Windows Team Blog he writes:

Thanks for the feedback vanmardigan. Regarding the camera settings: it was a decision by the team thinking that if you pulled the phone out to take a quick pic, it would be better to know it was always in a default setting rather than having to remember what the settings were the last time you took a picture, so shooting for predictability. That said, feedback from folks like you has the team seriously looking at that option to see if there is a more optimal option. Thanks again..

Well, there we have it. Maybe we will see a “fix” in a year’s time after all.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged camera, microsoft, windows phone 7

Ramon

That's funny! How is it predictable to have turned of the flash earlier and it now being turned on by itself! I hope they make an option whether to remember the settings.

Joseph Heath Wallis

If you as a user are too stupid to remember the settings you saved last, don't get mad at Microsoft get mad at yourself for being a dumbass. Furthermore don't make the rest of us users suffer by having Microsoft dumbass proof the phone.

raidenn

Whats this? After-Valentines day anger?
gullygod

Is this necessary? It is a very big annoyance and most people would like to record videos in HD (720) NOT VGA (default) and take clear pictures NOT blurred ones (anti-shake OFF is default).

And if it is a feature shouldn't the user have a way to retain their own changes after exiting the camera app?

Soosan

It reverting to default is brilliant imo.
But like you mention, I'd like to define default.

KennyB1234

Ridiculous. Horrible research done. All we needed was a "Set as Default" button in the camera settings, and then it could forget the changes you made from there, like it does now. The default settings suck.

I guess NOT shooting in 720P by default was a feature as well?

I'm so angry that this clearly isn't going to be fixed in NoDo. #%&@!#(^

pronguy

Go kill some kittens!
guest

get over it, its not that big of a deal

Physboy

If you are a camera user and you don't use the default settings, it will be incredibly annoying and time consuming. I love it when people blindly defend platforms.

@KennyB1234 Totally agree, how difficult would it have been to do the following, place a default settings button and allow one to choose default their own default settings as well.

Poorly thought out decision by any stretch of the imagination.

tjarren

You know, I agree with your point somewhat but the way you presented it isn't coming across very well. Its an annoyance, but not something that demands this kind of vitriol. They are listening and it sounds like a compromise will come. Chill.

http://x-volt.com Workshop2

The ads on this site must be breeding!
Peter Schott

I have to agree that the research done was horrible. Let the users choose their own defaults. Save those. Start with those settings. How is forgetting what the user likes a good design? I understand that it _is_ by design and kind of get their reasoning, but letting the users choose those default startup settings for a camera just seems like common sense.

Is there anywhere we can comment to make sure the developers and product team understand that this is kind of a big deal? It really defeats the purpose of the whole start-up-and-take-a-picture functionality. It's start-up-change-settings-through-bunch-of-awkward-steps-then-forget-about-it-as-the-moment-has-passed. And yeah, there are bigger things, but you would think this should be a somewhat reasonable change to expect. Hopefully it doesn't get pushed off to 2nd half 2012 before we see anything.
Keith

If it is a feature it is a bonehead feature and needs to be fixed.
Mesonto

It has become a featured bug that needs to be fixed.
http://twitter.com/EJ1024 @EJ1024

Fix the video,, and please let me send my god damn videos!!!! How come this issue is never talked about,, I WANT TO SEND MY VIDEOS,,, HELLLLOOO. CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME???????
http://twitter.com/EJ1024 @EJ1024

If you all listen to the keynotes of MSFT, Steve SAID" FIRST FREE UPDATES"…
I went and checked windows secrets by Paul thurrot, he mentioned it as well, we will start paying for updates, then he said ZUNE will disappear for good, bug or feature,, we all have to pay for it.

GP007

The only update we'll probably have to actually pay for will be the whole new WP8 version. Any 7.x updates should be free. And even then paying for WP8 shouldn't be zomg crazy. Look at what Apple charges for upgading your iTouch, it's like what? $10?

Guy

What's so horrible about the default settings? Its a phone. I like that the camera is always ready to take the best shot based on lighting, pixels,auto focus,anti shake without me having to think.

Peter

Except that I'd really like Anti-shake to be "On" by default, I'd tend to agree. This is the sort of thing that people want changed. We want to set our own defaults, not have them chosen by MS.

Sempiternel

NO WAY.

Please Fix it.
Choco BN

Is it so complicated for Microsoft to simply add in the Settings:

- Do you want the camera to always remember your settings when you exit? YES / NO

???

GP007

Probably not, but he did say that with all the feadback and noise we've made that they're going to look into it. This is much the same like the noise about copy and paste, people should be happy that they're listening now. We just have to wait for the update to come, that's all.
tjarren

I'd imagine that coding is VERY simple. But then it has to be tested extensively with all devices and also each of the other updates that have already been confirmed for NoDo to make sure there is no conflict. Then regression testing to make sure it doesn't conflict with anything else. Then it still needs to be coordinated with the carriers. While I'm sure the team's QA department has a comprehensive testing environment, it still takes time.

Depending on when Mango is coming, they may decide to just hold off until then, especially if the carrier approval process is proving to be cumbersome.

GP007

The best thing to do is add a "save settings" checkbox but leave it off by default, I don't see why much testing is needed, but hey, a bit is fine just to be on the safe side.

WP7Fan

Add an option: "Save camera settings as default"
Problem solved.

Ujelly, UX designers? *trollface*
Erik

Anti-shake is off by default.
720p is off by default, ist vga :S
I just want to film but it goes back to photo every time I colt start the camera, not smart MS
I want my phone never to flash, it's off by default, jeeeeZZZZ MS

Please make some settings for the camera CUSTOM!!!

At least the 720P pretty please.

When comply I still love wp7 Yes it is a Threat
TriAxis

Why I do understand their reasoning, and I always thought it was by design. I do think it needs a System default and a User default, then let us pick which default opens. But I'm sure if they didn't do this you would have the dumbass people change their picture to Macro and everytime they tried to take a normal picture it would be all fuzzy, and they would blame the phone or Microsoft.
Shelby

My camera is a camera, my phone is a phone.
Roblo

We should be able to make our own default settings and save it.
roach_779

Feature!? The purpose of having a quick cam button is so user can take photos quickly. But having to set the settings to what I had previously before I can take a picture looses the reason behind quick cam button. I don't get it.

David N Martin

Or more to the point, having to turn off macro and other settings that you left on last time etc. means that it isn't a quick camera button after all.

mrtimsmith

Instead of overreacting and acting like Microsoft murdered your parents, just keep bothering them about it on twitter, facebook, email, the microsoft forums, etc…. There is nothing to be gained by throwing tantrums and OMFG CAPS LOCK AND LOTS OF PUNCTUATION!!!!

bobbycannon

ROFL, so true.

Cool bastardo

dumbcustomer

What a horrible decision. The mind-trusts who decided on that behavior should be forced to resign. How about doing a little research before forcing a horrible user experience on your customers?

My Focus is awesome, but the camera app is the weakest link (next to the constantly crashing marketplace, of course)
Runningman51

I guess this can become our online petition to Microsoft to get this changed as soon as possible. I have really impressed people with how fast I can get the camera ready to go even with the phone turned off and then have to ask them to be patient for two minutes while I change the settings so the photo is actually useable as the default settings are terrible. Even one custom setting to start with would make all the difference in the world.
Mike

The way to fix this is to have a way to change the default settings.
SOULd OUT

Just give us the option to set the default that it reverts to. I think it's a nice feature, I just want to choose things that stick.
Rolfski

This is my single annoying WP 7 feature as it nullifies the use of the quick cam functionality.
It needs to be fixed.
Bob

It should take a junior programmer all of two hours to add a "save as default" menu option and have the camera read the settings from protected storage upon initialization. Get it done, Microsoft!
Wayne

Just allow the user to set the default settings and the system remembers it so that next time, a quick shot will be using the SAVED default settings defined by the user! Is just so simple!!!

C'mon MS….. Don't tell me you are so dumb to understand that??!! Now with lots of users complaining, I think MS should fix it and stop telling us that it is a feature. Because this is the feature which we DO NOT like at all.
syrinx

This makes me so MAD!! Come on, Microsoft. Throw us a bone, here.
4GLTE

if M$ thinks it such a great feature why not have the entire phone reset to factory default upon reboot/battery pull etc… Heck someone might want to have to re-setup their email / twitter and other accounts every time the phone restarts, or a call ends LOL this is too funny!
tditty

The settings I set ARE the damn defaults that I want to use next time I take a picture. This platform was released way too early.