Zenfone 8 - - camera application not working (new details)

[johndalicandro]

Ok..   so I've written before on my zenfone 8 camera not working, and now I've got some interesting data points.

I've downloaded Google camera - what's interesting is google camera launches, but it seems like the "bottom" camera (12MP) works, but the "top" camera (64MP) doesn't.   What I mean by works or doesn't is that google camera let's me select which lens I'm using - so if I use the 12MP everything works, but if I select the 64MP lens - nothing works.

Regarding the native Asus camera app - I guess something in the software doesn't like that the 64MP isn't working and so - you basically see a "black-screen".   However, if you push around where the various camera modes are - you'll eventually find that PANO mode.   What happens is the display now works - - why because by default the PANO mode using the 12MP lens.

While in PANO - I can turn on all the other modes available on the Zenfone 8.   This enables Pro Video, Pro photo, etc.

OK.. here's where things get weird...

There are 2 modes that directly work when going into them:
 - PANO - this always seems to work as PANO defaults to using the 12MP lens
 - VIDEO - this "works" as long as hyper-steady is "on"

What I'm able to do is:
 - go into PANO - which works because it's on the 12MP lens.  
 - while in PANO - I can select the 64MP lens (which now locks up the camera display)
 - select PRO Photo - now works on the 64MP lens...
 - while in PRO Photo - I can select the 12MP lens and it works
 - while in PRO Photo - if I attempt to re-select the 64MP lens - it no longer works (the camera display now locks up)

NOTE: while the camera display is locked up, the camera mode selector works and the tilt sensor work regardless of the camera display being locked up.

However, I can go back to PANO mode, which works on entry because it defaults to the 12MP lens, and I can do this without problem.

What this tells me is that there's something in the software stopping the 64MP lens from working.

Why - because why would the "hardware" ONLY work on Pro Photo, when it comes from having previously been in PANO mode - with the 64MP selected.

I'm looking for someone at Asus who's interested in trying to solve this problem.

My phone is a Zenphone 8 - my system is updated to Android 13:
 - 33.0210.0210.314

Software information is:
 - M3.13.24.85-Sake_000110 (Baseband version)
 - 5.4.210.qgki-perf-g5bebe76057da (kernel version - #1 wed Aug 2 00:30:07 CST 2023)
 - 1.1.26 (extension ROM)
 - TKQ1.220807.001.33.0210.0210.314 release-keys (Build Number)

Best Regards
John D'Alicandro

[johndalicandro]

For those wondering - I've done everything "short" of a full factory reset.

None of the normal steps helped -  force stop the app, clearing Cache, clearing memory...

Rebooting - checking for updates.

[johndalicandro]

Apparently, there are no replies to this thread coming from Asus..   

It's a shame that there's no follow-up

[JohnnyBassi]

Jesus Christ man, everything you said worked out EXACTLY the same for me. It appears to be a common problem, and only fully solved through customer service, but to my luck my warranty expired a few months back and people with similar problems reported that the cost of fixing it outside the warranty is almost more than the price of a new Zenfone 8 in my country and this is INFURIATING. Please keep us informed if a full factory reset changes anything, even though I saw some people saying it doesn't change anything.

[JohnnyBassi]

Further testing showed that while the 64MP camera does open on the PRO mode after coming from PANO, the focus is very botched and trying to adjust just freezes the camera as usual. Maybe this can mean that there's something wrong with the focusing mechanism/software?

From the accounts of people that sent their phones to customer service (out of warranty) in my country, I found out that what the service does is to replace the phone's motherboard and camera module, it takes almost a month to do it and it costs about what a brand new Zenfone 8 would.

I'm very tempted to find just the camera module and try to replace it by myself. Risky, but replacing through official means is cost/time prohibitive.

I paid for a 64MB that worked for just over an year and now I have to settle for a 12MP camera that needs going through hoops to access.