Fog is a common weather condition across the UK, particularly in cities like London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Cardiff. It doesn’t just reduce visibility — it can dramatically affect your Samsung phone’s camera performance. I first noticed this on a Samsung S22 while walking along the River Thames on a foggy morning; my photos appeared soft and lacked detail despite bright daylight. Friends using A-Series devices on Vodafone and EE in Liverpool and Leeds reported the same issue. The blurriness isn’t a defect; it’s a combination of condensation, light scattering, and sensor/software limitations aggravated by typical UK conditions.
Fog consists of micro-droplets that settle on your camera lens, even if you don’t notice them. When light passes through these droplets, it scatters and creates a soft focus effect. This is particularly noticeable in early mornings in London, Bristol, or Edinburgh.
Fog reduces contrast and diffuses light. Samsung’s image processing algorithms rely on distinct edges to focus. In foggy conditions, the camera struggles to detect edges, resulting in blurred or soft images.
Even during daytime, dense fog lowers the effective light reaching the sensor. The camera compensates by lowering the shutter speed. Any hand movement or subject motion increases the chance of motion blur.
Samsung’s Multi-Frame Processing and autofocus algorithms may repeatedly try to focus in foggy conditions. This “hunting” often produces soft or blurry frames until the sensor stabilises.
After One UI updates, some A-Series and S-Series devices show temporary instability in autofocus and exposure in foggy conditions. Background processes, low storage, and simultaneous network tasks exacerbate the problem.
After exposure to fog, mist, or drizzle, use a microfiber cloth. Gently wipe the lens vertically and horizontally to remove condensation without scratching. Avoid circular motions which can smear moisture across the glass.
Transitioning from outdoor fog into a warm indoor environment can cause internal condensation. Keep the phone in a pocket or hand for 2–3 minutes to allow sensors to stabilise before taking photos.
Wide-angle and telephoto lenses struggle in low-contrast fog. The primary 1× lens usually produces sharper images under these conditions. A-Series devices benefit most from this, especially A52, A53, and A72.
Tap and hold on your subject until “AF/AE Lock” appears. This prevents continuous focus adjustments that often result in soft images during fog.
Foggy mornings often coincide with windy conditions. Place the phone against a table, railing, or stable surface to reduce micro-shake.
Apps like WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, and banking apps use processing power that could otherwise aid image capture. Closing all heavy apps prevents slowdowns and focus instability.
Settings → Camera → Reset Settings. Especially after One UI updates, this resolves temporary autofocus and exposure misbehaviour caused by software glitches.
| City | Network | Samsung Model | Condition | Observed Blur | Recommended Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | EE | S22 | Foggy morning, riverside | Moderate blur, focus hunting | Main lens + AE/AF lock + stabilize on surface |
| Manchester | Vodafone | A53 | Foggy commute indoors | Soft images | Clean lens + warm device + AE/AF lock |
| Glasgow | EE | S21 | Misty streets, windy | Blurred moving subjects | Stabilize on railing + use 1× lens + AE/AF lock |
| Bristol | O2 | A32 | Foggy outdoor → indoor | Soft edges | Close background apps + warm device + AE/AF lock |
Foggy UK weather can cause noticeable blurriness on Samsung A-Series and S-Series devices. Factors include lens condensation, low contrast, slow shutter speeds, autofocus hunting, and software limitations. By following these field-tested steps — cleaning and warming the lens, using the main 1× lens, locking focus and exposure, stabilizing the device, closing background apps, and resetting camera settings if necessary — users in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, and Cardiff can restore sharp image quality. All recommendations are grounded in real UK conditions and everyday usage, offering practical solutions aligned with AvNexo’s hands-on guidance.
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