Child Item

The quality of some of my photos is affected when using camera uploads.

Device

Oneplus 13
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)

Android 16, OxygenOs 16.0.2
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)

454.2.2
Syncing Status

OK

Question or Issue

When dropbox automatically uploads newly captured photos by my phone and uploads them to the 'Camera Uploads' folder, I am noticing that some* (NOT ALL) photos are being uploaded with a lesser quality. Resolution of the photo is the same, but the file size is significantly smaller, sometimes 60% less, and the picture quality is visibly very hazy.

Is there some setting which I am not finding to fix this?

*Some photos meaning that for example if I am out taking a set of say 10 photos, #1,#2 would upload with original quality/file size, while #3,#4,#5 will upload with lesser quality/file size, #6 with original, #7,#8#9 with lesser, and #10 with original quality. It's super random.

Find more posts tagged with

Camera Uploads

Photos

Android

Agree

Closed - Duplicate

Comments

Walter

Hey @wertupo - thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Is it possible that you're referring to the previews of the files as you see them in the Dropbox mobile app or the website and not the actual files?

Can you try downloading and/or exporting one of the problematic files and let me know if you notice the same?

Thanks!

wertupo

Hey Walter, thanks for your response.

I am aware that the previews would be of lesser quality from previous posts that I have read. However this is not the case. I am referring to the actual files being uploaded. When viewing the photos on the web, desktop app or the phone app, the files all show that they are of a smaller file size and visibly hazy, lesser quality.

In the link are two files - 1 of which was automatically uploaded by dropbox, and 1 is the original photo uploaded manually. [shared link removed to protect your daily limit of data sharing]

I noticed this issue a couple of weeks ago and found that it has been happening for at least a month. As stated above, this only happens to some photos not all.

Nancy

Hi from me as well, @wertupo. To clarify, does your image (the one that was uploaded to Dropbox via camera uploads) appear the same even after downloading/exporting it to your device?

This will help us isolate the issue a bit more.

wertupo

Hi Nancy, yes. When downloading the image that was uploaded, the quality is also hazy... As previously stated, the file sizes are different. The original photo file size in this case is double that of the photo uploaded to dropbox.

Unfortnately I am not seeing other users with same issue 🙃

Jay

Hi @wertupo, are you using the default Camera app on your phone, or a third party app? Do you have any filters applied to your images?

If you upload an image manually view the Dropbox mobile app, does the image also appear hazy?

Are you also using the Storage Saver option in Google Photos, which removes the original quality images from your device?

wertupo

Hey Jay, yes its the default camera app. No filters, no fancy settings, just normal auto point and shoot stuff.

If I upload manually, it appears in its original quality.

I do not use google photos to back up my photos. I find it very intrusive, hence why I use Dropbox , but this quality issue is driving me nuts

Jay

Could you try disabling the camera uploads feature, reboot the device, and re-enable it again?

In the camera app, are you using any options such as 'High Efficiency Image', or is it converting them from PNG to another format somehow?

wertupo

Tried just now but same result. Yesterday I had also tried uninstalling the app.

Camera saves the photos as .jpg, and dropbox also uploads same format.

In addition, just now I tried to disable camera upload, took a couple of pictures, and then enabled camera upload again. The photos were then uploaded with the original quality.

Is it possible that Dropbox is 'rushing' to snap the photo up to upload before the phone has had the time to process it? Hence the bad quality?

Walter

I'm not sure what could be causing this, but can you clarify if you're still noticing this behavior, even after the troubleshooting steps you attempted @wertupo?

wertupo

Same behaviour yes. Noting again that it occurs on some not all photo uploads.

Nancy

Thanks, @wertupo! Since this is a bit odd indeed, I’ve logged you a ticket.

Please respond back to it, when you get the chance, and I’ll continue assisting you via email.

motoGiS

I am experiencing the same issue. I use a OnePlus 15, and nearly all photos are uploaded to the cloud in very poor quality and appear blurry.

After looking into it, I found that synchronization seems to start too early, while the smartphone is still processing the photo and has not fully saved the final version yet. A setting that allowed users to add a short sync delay would likely solve this problem.

There is also a similar issue in the desktop app. Synchronization that starts too quickly, without any delay, often causes errors as well, especially when deleting files in groups through File Explorer or when the same file is being overwritten multiple times in a short period.

Is the Dropbox team considering a fix for this behavior, and is there any plan to add an option in the settings for synchronization delay?