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S5 - Green line appearing in some photos?

Verizon replaced my first S5 for a small green line appearing in some photos. My replacement arrived, and I'm having the exact same problem. See the link for an example. Can''t figure this one out! Seems to happen about 50% of the time, regardless of zoom or HDR settings.

A link to a photo with the line... Imgur

Comments

Verizon_Support

Hi SHP650!

I'm sorry to learn about a green line showing in some photos. I assume you mean that this is only happening in some photos and not all of them. Do you see this green line on any other screen? Do you notice a pattern as to when this occurs? For example, is it happening only when the flash setting is turned on? Have you checked the pictures after changing any of the settings?

Lastly, is there any physical or liquid damage to the device?

ChristinaB_VZW
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SHP650

Hello!

Correct, this only happens in some photos, I'd say around half of them. It appears to be some sort of metering or focusing line, but it shouldn't be appearing in the photograph. The line never appears in the viewfinder while setting up the photo, but only in the saved image after it's been taken. I never use the flash, but I do find it occurs mostly in photos that I use the zoom feature. I've tried variations of turning on and off the HDR, stabilization, low-light detection, and picture size, but can't find any common link, as it will still randomly occur.

There's no physical damage to the phone - it's not even 6 hours out of the box after warranty replacement. Sort of a frustrating issue, considering it more or less completely "ruins" a photograph.

The only link I've made is that it's only been happening after the Lollipop update, so I'm assuming it's a software glitch.

I'd love some help with it... my job requires quite a bit of photo-taking, and this is making it tough!

Thanks for the help!

Below is the latest appearance of the "green line.."

SHP650

Just visited the Verizon store, and they're sending me another warranty replacement. I'll let you know if my 3rd phone also has the same issue. I spent over an hour with Samsung support, and they were unable to correct the issue. Quite frustrating that a new phone is incapable of taking a picture, but I'm very happy it's under warranty, and I'll continue to do replacements until this is resolved!

caecilia97

I might recommend clearing the cache via the recovery ROM in the device. Hold down volume up, home and power, releasing the power button when you see the blue "RECOVERY BOOTING" in the upper left corner, and maintaining the volume up and home buttons until you see the android icon with a menu on the top of the device display. Highlight "clear cache partition" with the volume rocker, and use the power button to select the option. The recovery ROM will clear the cache from the device, leaving your personal data fully intact. When it completes, push the power button again to reboot the device, and see if that helps with any of the troubles you're having.

I generally do this myself following any large maintenance release, including full OS/kernel changes being pushed. After this is done, it can take up to 72 hours for the OS and all of your applications to optimize, but it corrects a large array of issues that can occur due to corruption of the device cache following updates.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

SHP650

After 3 factory resets, it may just be working now. The first reset was done this morning at the Verizon store, but the green line was still present. After I returned to my office, I spoke to Samsung support, and they remotely accessed my phone, and worked on it for a couple hours. Still no luck with them, so they had me do a factory reset. Another hour of tweaking, and they gave up, and suggested I return to Verizon for a warranty claim. I performed a third factory reset, since I wasn't sure if doing just two was enough. So far, I haven't seen a green line in my photos. I'm not feeling confident that the problem is solved, but I''ll see how the next few days go, until my 3rd replacement arrives. If there's no green line until then, perhaps I'll keep the phone I have, and send the replacement back.

I simply refuse to accept that "it's a software problem" and live with a green line in my photos. I was sold this phone by Verizon based on 'how awesome the camera is!' and "you'll never use a digital camera again once you have this!", and to suddenly have a green line cutting through pictures for work, pictures of grandma, and through the bride and groom at a wedding, it simply unacceptable; especially when the entire selling point of this phone (at least to me...) was the camera.

I'll be patient, but ultimately I'd like to hope Verizon would do the right thing if this turns out not be fixable, and is some sort of software issue with no reasonable solution.

caecilia97

Unfortunately, corruption of cache can occur with any build of android, on any manufacturer's device. I say specifically cache and specifically from recovery because I've seen with my own eyes on thousands of devices that it can fix a problem with SW updates better than a factory data reset without the disruption to your personal data on the device. Factory data resets by their nature are not as complete as one would be from recovery, and very rarely does a FDR *actually* need to be done in place of a cache clear to resolve an issue.

With the camera specifically, you may be able to clear the cache and data from the Camera app if the line recurs without even having to go to recovery. All of your photos and videos are stored in the Gallery app after being taken and saved, so they will NOT be disrupted by clearing the app data from the Camera app itself, though the settings for that app (and that app ALONE) will be reset to default.

SHP650

I spoke too soon. Just took another picture, and the green line has re-appeared. Suppose now I'll wait for my replacement, and pray it doesn't have the lollipop update, as this issue never occurred prior to updating the phone.

I just hope that if my 3rd replacement doesn't work, Verizon will at the least be willing to let me change to a different model phone, so I can have a functional camera.

SHP650

Just tried safe mode, green line continues to appear. I'm guaranteed to get a green line if I focus the camera, then zoom in, and allow the camera to re-focus again. Does not matter what size, HDR setting, etc. Below is a picture of my mouse, that I took just now, at my desk. Just as my last phone, the green line appears at the bottom (or right side, depending on orientation of camera), towards the mid-section of the photo. Incredibly frustrating...

SHP650

Cropped to keep the faces out, but I have an entire gallery of ruined wedding photos, thanks to the green line.

Would love some help with this one, Verizon...

B33

O my that is really Disturbing.. If you take outdoor photos does this line appear.!

B33

I'll add I wondering if the Flash or something in the settings is causing this effect

SHP650

My flash is set to "off". But even with the flash on, or set to auto, this will still occur. I've tried all different variations of camera settings, including different photo quality and sizes, all with no positive results. The issue only appeared after the lollipop update, so I'm going to assume it's a software fault, and something is going wrong with the how the camera functions.

My next replacement phone will arrive on Tuesday, but I'm really not feeling very confident that a 3rd phone is going to be the answer. I suppose all I can do it wait and see.

SHP650

Still have the green line appearing in roughly half of my photos again today. But I did find a temporary work-around, although I'm not happy with it, or willing to accept it as a permanent solution. I downloaded Google Camera, and in identical circumstances where the Samsung camera app WOULD put in the green line, there is NO line present in any photos taken using the Google Camera app. Oddly, when using the Google app, a green "fuzz" will sometimes appear on the screen when setting up the photo, but will never be saved to or appear in the photo. There's definitely something wrong with how the software is processing the data coming from the camera, and Samsung and Verizon are going to have to spend some time sorting it all out.

I refuse to accept a phone that was sold to me on the premise of having the "ultimate smartphone camera", when I can't even use a OEM provided app to take a photo. I hope they either get this sorted out quickly, or provide me a different model phone. Again, I'm very thankful this is happening while it's under warranty!

caecilia97

Yuck. That definitely proves it's software, if nothing else. Unfortunately, that also means that a new device will probably not fix the issue, as it would be replicated until there is a patch for that issue, probably from Google moreso than either Verizon or Samsung.

SHP650

If there's no fix, I expect Verizon to provide me with a different model phone. There's no way I can justify paying the costs associated with this device, only to have something which doesn't work. Whether they want to provide me with weekly warranty replacements, or just do the right thing, and provide a phone that functions, can be their choice. So far this process has put a pretty sour taste in my mouth with how things are dealt with.

caecilia97

I hear you, SHP650. I'm super glad you found a workaround, though. That could help a lot of people having the same problem over and over again if it's an app issue, for sure. :-)

Verizon_Support

I'm so sorry you continue to have this issue with your picture application SHP650. I know its frustrating to use this app daily and see this error on each picture. We will continue to work with you to get this resolved and since your 1year manufactures warranty covers issues with your phone not related to damage, we can replace the phone with a certified like new phone of the same model until its resolved.

KinquanaH_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

SHP650

Third warranty replacement phone arrived a couple days ago, and I'm glad to report it's working perfectly. Now the reason for it working flawlessly... it's running KitKat. This entire cluster began with the Lollipop update, and that update is the ONLY common thread between the problem I was having and the last two phones. I'll save myself the drama and problems of the new update, and keep my new phone running the old 4.4 KitKat OS.

Wish I had a better "answer" to this problem, but it seems keeping KitKat and avoiding the update is the solution. On the upside, my battery life is significantly better on KitKat, and my phone is less laggy. Seems the Lolllipop update really didn't do any favors.

B33

That's a Good Practice.. As that's what I'm doing on my phones as well

greengrass95

Lollipop did nothing but agony to everyone. With very little noticeable changes to the software, it wasn't worth pushing through. It happens every time there is an update. Google and verizon care less if the phones work properly or not. Kitkat was running flawlessly on the phones, until they decided to screw it up.

B33

Yup some OS's are really good and they're hard to let go.. Then good ole Google pushes these Latest and Greatest they call them it get's every one into a Stir to get the update an BOOM the you know what is lowered and the phone goes south I've seen this first hand on one my phones there isn't much you can do I was lucky to be able to DOA the phone I had but sooner or later I will have to update as well because there are so many Apps moving toward the lollipop Design..

Hopefully Bluer sky's are a Head of us on this OS and it's changes..

SHP650

It blows my mind how the updates do more to cause havoc on these phones than they do to provide any tangible benefit. I haven't really read about what the Lollipop benefits may be, but I sort of recall a "promo screen" about changes in how things appear, and smoother animations. Pardon my apathy, but I'm interested in a functional tool, not some gimmicky children's toy that has "fun animations to make things look pretty." If I wanted that, I'd get an iPad to watch Dora the Exolorer, ride in the back of a minivan, and drink a juice-box. I now completely understand why every serious business person I deal with has three phones - a basic flip phone (because it WORKS), a BlackBerry (they seem to work...), and smartphone, which is never a primary tool, but more of a secondary organizational device, or their 'personal line.'

I'm really getting sick of relying on a single device that has more in common with a trendy children's toy, and takes time from my day to figure out why green lines appear, batteries drain themselves too fast, or programs that are loaded from the factory refuse to work.

In retrospect, the updates killed my last phone, a Galaxy S3. After some variety of botched "updates" it would take 8 hours to half-charge, and more or less became a brick which required carrying 3 extra batteries and an external charger. Such a joke.

I think my new strategy is going to be to avoid any updates for as long as possible. This phone is just a business tool for me, and is nothing more than calls, texts, emails, and a camera. Truly could care less for all the "apps and craps" that come with it.

And with that, I wish everybody the best, and hope your phones function the way they were intended and sold.

unknown

So I figured I would bring this up again, I have been having this issue since the Lollipop launch many months ago and it is really getting on my nerves at this point. So many beautiful sunset and macro flowers have been ruined. While it has appeared in all situations and in multiple different photo apps (including stock, Google and Snapchat) it is most common when using zoom and in a low light situation. Please tell me someone has found a fix or there will be an update soon!

Zelda1216

I had this problem on my S3. Lines all through my pictures. All I did, then, was buy a stronger battery and never had the problem again. The battery that comes with the phone is weak.

Tigger92

I have the same problem. I just got back from a trip with family and saw that the group picture I took had a stupid green line through it. It makes my blood boil because it completely ruins the picture. I too, bought this phone because of the advertised camera quality, but it's been crap. Especially for it to cost so much. I would post the photo, but it's not allowing me too. Thanks for letting others know what the problem is.

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