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Digital Camera problem

Discussion in 'Community Broadband & Computers' started by Nwfdrool, Jun 7, 2004.

  1. Nwfdrool

    Nwfdrool New Member

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    Not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but, here goes. We have a Canon Elph digital camera with 2.0 megapixels. The problem is, we tend to get many blurred shots. Aside from the low megapixels, is there possibly a setting we should change to correct this or at least make it better?
     
  2. teak

    teak New Member

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    Under what condition? Moving objects in the daytime? Night shots? All conditions? It's not the megapixel. I have a 2.0 canon A40 and it takes great photos in day light. Night pictures can be grainy.

    Are you using "auto" or manual mode?

    -Teak
     
  3. GCyr

    GCyr New Member

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    Are you holding the camera steady while taking a picture? I had a Fuji S602Z before my Canon EOS Digital Rebel and I found myself taking blurred shots because I was looking through the back LCD with the camera held away from my body and I guess I wasn't very steady. The TTL viewer was next to useless because it was too grainy to compose and check the focus.

    I don't have this problem with the Canon because the TTL is the same as a 35mm and the LCD can't be used to take pictures -- only to view pictures already taken. I missed that part when I was doing my homework but it's not a problem because I've always shot 33mm cameras that way and the pictures aren't blurred.


     
  4. Nwfdrool

    Nwfdrool New Member

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    We take shots in both auto and manual modes photographing still objects, during daylight. I can be as steady as can be and still have a blurred photo.:( We've gone through the manual to see if there is a troubleshooting solution, but can't seem to find anything. My husband even emailed Canon for help, but they pretty much gave a useless and nonrelated answer. We thought maybe there was a setting that we needed to adjust. I always thought megapixels had something to do with the quality of digital photos, but I guess not.

    Maybe I'll try using the viewer instead of relying on the LCD screen and see if that helps. Perhaps I'm not being as steady as I think I am.
     
  5. Sunny

    Sunny Chief Advisor

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    We have a Canon Powershot S100 (3MP) and I have found that when I take black & white pics and/or I don't use a flash, I have to be particularly steady and the object(s) must not be moving at all. When I use auto and the flash is on, everything comes out clear.
     
  6. neilz

    neilz New Member

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    What I've found using an HP digital is that the camera has a distinct gap from time you press the shutter button, to the point the shutter actually activates. This may be causing the issue you're seeing.



    Neil Z.
    Resident since 1999
     
  7. brim

    brim Member

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    S100 is 2.11mp
     
  8. Dwarflord

    Dwarflord New Member

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    I have a kodak 4.1 megapixel camera and a lot of my shots are blurry too. But I think the cause of them is the length of time it takes from the time I take the shot and the shutter closes and the fact I probably move a little when I take the shot. I found that if the camera is sitting still (on a tripod or something) and the objects im taking a picture of are still, I never get a blurry shot. I think this is an inherent issue with almost all digital cameras. Just try and not move when you take your pictures....:D

    DwArFlOrD
     
  9. Pictor Guy

    Pictor Guy New Member

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    I think the key word is *almost* all. ;)

    I don't have the problem with my 'old' outdated Nikon Coolpix 950. But as with any camera (digital or not) if you move the camera (or subject moves) while the shutter is open then you'll get blur. Hold the camera still, or increase the amount of light with a flash to reduce the time the shutter needs to stay open will help. Also, some cameras will let you pick an ISO equivalent that's higher. If your camera's default is ISO 100 or ISO200 try picking ISO400 or higher if it's available.

    The same principals in 35mm apply with digital cameras too. And one tradeoff you'll have with small digital cameras is that the lens is generally slower (less capable of gathering available light) and as a result you may need longer shutter speeds.

    I'm guessing there isn't a smudge on the lens? [:eek:)]
     
  10. Nwfdrool

    Nwfdrool New Member

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    Ours is the Canon Powershot (Elph) S330. I too have noticed that when the flash is on, the photos come out clear. I just don't like using the flash because I don't like how the lighting in the photo looks. I'll play with the shutter speeds a little and compare shots.
     
  11. GCyr

    GCyr New Member

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    I think many of the blur problems are caused by holding the camera away from the body to view the LCD and pressing the shutter with an extended arm which probably causes the camera to move ever so slightly. Try taking several shots using the TTL viewer with the camera against your face and see how those come out.


     
  12. Pictor Guy

    Pictor Guy New Member

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    Many people don't like the range finder (no TTL other than the LCD on that camera) because it doesn't give a good representation of what the image will look like. The one upside is that it will save batteries.

    Holding the camera close will help brace the camera to keep it steady but it still boils down to keeping things (camera and/or subject) still durring relativly long shutter speeds. Even if you hold the camera still, if the subject matter is moving, you're going to end up with a blurry photo. The more you zoom in the less light that little lens will be able to gather and the more important it will be that things don't move (less light and more magnification) so another thing to try is to keep the lens wide.

    Also, if you don't like the look with the flash it may be because the flash is washing everything out. Some cameras you can adjust the exposure compensation to compensate for this. Something else often done with SLRs and off camera strobes is to use a gel filter on the flash or warming filter on the lens. This might be hard with an Elph but you might want to check with Penn Camera in Tysons to see if they have anything that can help with that.
     
  13. hornerjo

    hornerjo Senior Member

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    Check the front lens, you may have accidentally touched it. Just barely hitting the lens leaves a nice fingerprint.

    ---------------
    Got Broadband?
     
  14. thenguyens

    thenguyens New Member

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    if you are inclined to invest the effort; try using a tripod or one of those unipods.
     
  15. Twriter

    Twriter Get a Mac!

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    Blurred pictures can be caused by several factors:
    1 - Camera shake
    2 - dirty lens
    3 - lens element out of position

    1 - Camera shake
    Put the camera on a tripod or other solid support and take a picture. If the camera has a self-timer, use that to trigger the shutter. Small cameras (such as the ELPH series) can flex or bend as your finger depresses the shutter button. The self-timer triggers the shutter electronically, and so avoids any flexing or bending. If the pictures are still blurry, proceed to items 2 and 3. If the pictures are not blurry, you need to change how you hold the camera and shoot. Suggestions: support the camera with your left hand and shoot with the right. Exhale, shoot, and then inhale. Your body is its most relaxed after you exhale.

    2 - Dirty lens
    Go to a camera store (such as Abbey Photo or similar) and get lens cleaning fluid and lens paper. Wet the paper with the fluid and clean the lens surface. If that doesn't work, then on to #3.

    3 - lens element out of position
    Most modern lenses are not just a single piece of glass, they have multiple elements and some of them have to move (autofocus and zoom features). If an element is out of position, the pictures will be blurry. The only way to resolve this is to get the camera repaired by Canon. Most likely it will not be covered under warranty because the usual cause of elements shifting is either excessive vibration or rough handling. I have no idea what a Canon repair would cost, but my gut guess is that it would be about the price of a new camera. It can't hurt to ask though.

    --- John B.
     
  16. sonnguyen

    sonnguyen New Member

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    Are you letting the autofocus (AF) lock before you take the picture? On almost all cameras you can hold down the button halfway to let it focus and hang onto that focus. Then when you're ready to take the picture, just press the button a tiny bit more to take the picture. If you just press the button the whole way (this makes the camera focus and take the picture all in one fell swoop), it's a lot easier to shake the whole camera. Try holding it down halfway and see if it'll lock the focus first. This gets rid of almost all of the delay (try locking in the focus on a baby and then keep the button held down halfway--then when the baby smiles, quickly press the button gently the rest of the way and the picture will be taken instantly).

    Another feature most cameras have is an indicator that lets you know if it has successfully been able to autofocus. If something is very dark or shiny (e.g., jewelry), the camera will have a harder time focusing (causing a blurry image). By holding down the button halfway, a camera will let you know (e.g., by a steady green indicator light) if it was successful. If it can't autofocus, there's a good chance the picture won't come out 100% clear. If you want to see how the camera reacts when it can't autofocus, try holding it super-close to a white wall and hold the shutter release button halfway down (or do it in complete darkness).

    Outdoors you'll have more light which means the lens only has to be open for a very short time to take a shot. That means it's less likely to blur due to shaky hands. If you are taking pictures outdoors (in bright light) and it still comes out blurry, then I'd blame it on something wrong with the camera or an incorrect setting on the camera.

    When you enable flash on the camera, it knows that it won't need to keep the shutter open as long. If you're indoors with little light and don't use the flash, the camera might use a shutter speed as low as, let's say, 1/8 second. If you turn on the flash, the camera knows there will be extra light and so it'll use a shutter speed of, let's say, 1/30 second--faster shutter speed means less likely to blur. That's probably how your pics are clearer with the flash on. Or better yet, outdoors you might have a shutter speed of 1/500 second or higher (depending on your camera) so that's even less chance to blur by shaking.

    One of the greatest things about digital cameras is that you can do a lot of trial-and-error without paying a penny :). Good luck!
     

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