Sure, if you are concerned about security, you can use some of the open source camera apps like Open Camera or GrapheneOS Camera. They provide better quality than the stock app, although still worse than GCam.
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On first launch you can choose that those access are given only when the app is on. And you can use a controller as TrackerControl or Netguard and tell them to block all internet connection for this specific app.
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I use Gcam (Wichaya and Nikita) for long time now and I never had any innternet connection of those apps.
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That GrapheneOS camera is really great (just tested it on my Pixel 3), the quality is really good. Fairphone should maybe fork that one. Also because the UI is much better.
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I tried the .apk on my fairphone. grapheneOS is not necessary.
What does that other API doe exactly? Seems a bit strange, an API is just a way to interact with the software. Unless the different API also calls a different library in the background to make performance and quality improvement differences.
Camera2 API lets you access some more advanced controls like shutter speed, ISO adjusting and the like.
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Yeah that’s the dream. Or Fairphone could support CameraX so that the GrapheneOS Camera can reach its full potential 
How are your experiences with such apps in the following conditions:
- Low light pictures
- Moving objects
- Focus of object near center
To clarify:
My wife (FP4) and I (FP3) are increasingly disappointed with the camera performance. With the birth of our second child we both had a FP to our name and I can tell you, we have next to no nice pictures of the second born.
-Pictures are only blurry in low light situations or moving objects
-Focus on objects behind the person in front of the camera
If we are talking about not moving objects in perfect light, the FP sensor with currently NGCam_7.4.104-v2.0. is fine to use. But for day to day life and normal use to capture funny and nice moments of children, it is not usable at all.
The level of disappoint really let’s us consider to stay on this route, as sad as I know this will be for my consciousness.
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I feel your pain! A bit off topic, but the only thing I can tell people is that nice pictures are a luxury when the planet is slowly dying. Those nice pictures will be in a museum if we don’t change course. We’re actually already overdue for radical change. So, that might give you some comfort, you’re part of the solution by buying a Fairphone. Your newborn would appreciate that too. Or course it’s not just that buying a Fairphone will save the planet. It’s about a collection of actions that can get us on the right path again.
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Appreciate the passionate speech. If I would not give it to the people around me as well, I would copy some talking points ;).
During very bright and rare moments, I still have hope to walk the future with my kids together and can hopefully share nice and not blurred moments from the past.
The other option is to simply use the working phone privately as well, which I anyway need to have. Would cut e-waste in half as well…
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Best you can do is #contactsupport, the more people voice their wishes for certain features, the more likely it will happen. Sounds like you want improvements in auto focus. If you ask this specifically and not just “I want a better camera” then they likely put more resources in making it happen.
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Or use a different camera-app. GrapheneOS camera works better than the stock camera on my FP4.
But alerting the support is a good route, I did it as well
My conclusion of a comparison between stock camera app and Open Camera on FP4 was that picture quality of the stock app is better than Open Camera.
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The new Camera2-API had no effect on the quality with my FP4. The picture quality of the stock app was still better.
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Emphasis mine. Any update on that?
(The OP is from February, so I’m mildly optimistic… 
)
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Yes, ultra-wide camera should be accessible to 3rd party apps in a foreseeable future:
Regarding the 48MP photos, it’s hard to tell:
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AUX camera, wide angle lense, yes, but not 48MP
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Every day I pray that 48MP will be available on Gcam soon. It’s something I really miss, as it currently feels like my phone isn’t living up to its full potential.
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