SPro4 Rear camera issue?

[yogamandan]

Is anyone else having problems with the rear camera and snapping pictures with SP4? While the front camera seems to work OK, I've had limited success with the rear camera - nothing happens when I push the camera icon/button...

Sometimes I can get the rear camera to autofocus by pushing/holding the focus cursor, sometimes not.

In addition, the picture seems to be dropping out on the rear camera when I move it around...almost like colorful "noise" on the screen.

 

[Sher the Love]

My rear camera does the same thing. Middle focus square just blinks, but doesn't take a picture.

 

[yogamandan]

My rear camera does the same thing. Middle focus square just blinks, but doesn't take a picture.

Exactly! It worked for a short time earlier today for a few minutes...now back to autofocus blinking. Switching to manual stops the cursor/square blinking, but still will not take a picture.

 

[Makad]

My rear camera works fine, but front camera won't take any pics

 

[jtuck82]

My rear camera isn't working either. The focus just blinks and won't take a pic. The front camera seems to work just fine.

 

[mtmowl]

I'm having the same issue with the rear cam on my Surface Book.

Also, no printscreen capability.

 

[starstreak]

Dumb question, touching the screen will tell the camera where to focus. Touching the actual camera icon is to take a photo. Is that what you are doing?

 

[mtmowl]

Yes. The focus fn doesn't always take effect, and even if it does, there's no photo (usually), when the camera icon is touched. Once in a while a picture will be taken, but rarely.

Front camera is OK.

 

[jtuck82]

Dumb question, touching the screen will tell the camera where to focus. Touching the actual camera icon is to take a photo. Is that what you are doing?

This is what I did. The focus works but when you try to hit the camera button it won't take a pic.

 

[btreece]

SP4 front camera works fine & screen capture works fine, but rear camera does not work when you press the camera icon. The auto focus square blinks & the picture does get clearer (i.e. focuses), but Does not lock (i.e. quit blinking). I believe because the auto focus does not lock, the software does not allow the picture to be taken? Switching to video does allow the auto focus to lock & videos can be taken & saved. Is this what everyone (including Surface Book) is finding is happening to the rear camera?

 

[yogamandan]

I made an appointment at the Bethesda Microsoft store yesterday, where the rear camera issue I described above was immediately identified as a technical issue and not user error. The staff was unable to reproduce the issue with their SP4 units on display, and my SP4 was replaced with a new unit from their stock. The manager did suggest that this could be a software issue; from time to time he reported that they see different behavior from units of the same model, even with all software updates applied. However, since they were unable to resolve the issue, they were great about just swapping out the unit for a new one.

The first (apparently defective) unit also locked up frequently. The new unit doesn't do this, and the camera works as expected. The only thing I notice are some unusual flashes of tint/discoloration when scrolling some webpages. I think this is likely a driver issue and am not worried about it.

So far, I really like the SP4! I have been using PCs and Macs side by side for many years, and so far all my mobile devices have been from the Apple ecosystem. Now I need a mobile device without the limitations of a mobile OS; I think the SP4 looks like a keeper and perhaps my new go to machine for work!

 

[btreece]

The Santa Clara Microsoft store (near Apple's headquarters!) also said that this rear camera issue is a software issue. They told me to wait a week for a possible firmware fix, so it is great that you posted your experience!
My "bad camera" unit has locked up on occasion and always on web surfing. The pen has stopped working on occasion and has a real hard time pairing with OneNote.

I also wanted an Apple iPad to run OS X and on my PC, skipped Windows 8 & 8.1, waiting for MS to get the desktop / tablet balance figured out. With Windows 10, they did just that & so I waited for what the iPad Pro & Surface Pro 4 features & specs were going to be.

Tim Cook announced the iPad Pro with variable touch sensitivity but running on iOS. He stated that a hybrid Mac/iPad was like mixing a refrigerator with a toaster. Bad move on his part, because like you, I was waiting for the refrigerator/toaster hybrid and am NOT an Apple only/MS only/Android only consumer!

I am happy with the Surface Pro 4 as the hybrid balance is just right. I fully expected some of these issues due to the rush to market. I have waited in those iPhone lines waiting for a product that can't run effectively until a month after you buy it! I will wait it out this week without a rear camera and will try and return it if there is no firmware update.
BTW, MS Maps is not showing a graphical representation of the streets, just the street names! Is this also what you are seeing on the Surface Pro 4?