tips for zooming

[emo]

hello,

i have a Finepix S5100, but my problem is that i cannot produce a clear pics. when i zoom it to the max.. 10x zoom but it seems it is useless for me because i dont know how to use it probperly.. please give me some TIPS ho to start..

 

[Meysha]

Is the 10x zoom an optical zoom or digital zoom? Your quality will start to deteriorate as you enter in the digital zoom territory. Try and stick to optical zoom for in camera work and then zoom digitally on the computer.

Also as you zoom in closer and closer any camera shake will show up a lot more. Make sure you try and hold the camera very steady when you're zoomed in close.

Before I looked up what sort of camera yours is I only had one other idea - but I don't think it'll apply coz yours isn't really a cheap camera. But one thing I've noticed with point and shoots with optical zoom is that as you zoom in the quality just simply deteriorates. I dunno why but I reckon it's to do with the build quality of the zoom lens in the tiny cameras.

 

[emo]

Is the 10x zoom an optical zoom or digital zoom? Your quality will start to deteriorate as you enter in the digital zoom territory. Try and stick to optical zoom for in camera work and then zoom digitally on the computer.

Also as you zoom in closer and closer any camera shake will show up a lot more. Make sure you try and hold the camera very steady when you're zoomed in close.

Before I looked up what sort of camera yours is I only had one other idea - but I don't think it'll apply coz yours isn't really a cheap camera. But one thing I've noticed with point and shoots with optical zoom is that as you zoom in the quality just simply deteriorates. I dunno why but I reckon it's to do with the build quality of the zoom lens in the tiny cameras.

it is 10x optical zoom, probably its the camera shake... but is it normal, when i focus to a certain object & extremely zoom it it is already blured on the monitor/viewfinder?

 

[Meysha]

Do you mean that you can't focus correctly on an object?

Does it have a manual focus option? Try that and see if it works then. Also try putting the camera on a tripod and try and focus on something large and 'detached' from its background - like a tree in a plain so it's 'easier' for the camera to focus on.

Also try reading the camera manual to see if you can select a focus area. You may have accidentally selected the upper left corner, for example, as the point it should focus on.

 

[mentos_007]

s5000 has very simmilar problems. don't use the max zoom - pictures have big chromatic abberation and they are not perfectly sharp. even if you focus manually. it's the lens. I've been using my s5000 for 2 years now and I rarely used max zoom. don't even try shooting at digital zoom - it's a crap. but the camera is a really good toy to start with! if you have any questions about it send me a private message or mail

cheers

 

[emo]

Thank you Meysha & mentos 007... i'll just PM you then.. thanks alot, Happy New Year to both of you..

 

[Holly]

I have a panasonic and my highest zoom is 12x.. That is NOT for macro.. MY highest macro zoom is 4x... Check your camera and see how far your macro zoom allows.. Going beyond macro settings will give you a blury photo.. Good Luck

 

[Lumix]

Perhaps as an ex user of the Fuji s5000 I could offer some help here. First I found that the 10x zoom can only give sharp images if the shutter speed is above 1/400 sec and the aperture around F5.6. Main reason for this is camera shake. As a rule of thumb always set the shutter speed higher than the focal length of your lens setting. IE if the zoom is set to 200mm then the shutter speed should be 1/250 sec. Another problem that arises is that the lens can focus closer to an object at wide angle settings than at full zoom, so be sure to stay within the range your camera can focus on for a given zoom setting. I found the Fuji s5000 to be an excellent camera and only upgraded to a Panasonic FZ20 to gain an optical image stabilizer which dose make picture taking at full zoom more reliable. Good tip is turn the digital zoom off in your camera settings. This will stop you from going beyond the optical zoom range.

 

[emo]

Thank you very much Holly & Lumix for the Tips i will try it out.. these past few days i'm thinking of selling my S5100 & try the Panasonic's camera... Happy New Year to all of you!!!

 

[steve817]

I just looked briefly and the 10x zoom on your model is equivalent to 370mm. The general rule for minimum shutter speeds when shooting handheld is 1/ Focal length in your case 1/370sec or the next fastest setting 1/500sec. Some people can go slower. This along with the rest of the advice you have been given, should get you going in the right direction.