Beginner needs some advice please.

fenman

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Hi All,
Just started using my Canon xmas pressie.
Its a Powershot A650is, been taking pic's in Auto mode to get know it but all pic's turn out on the dark side.
I've setup what i think is right with the settings but still too dark?
The instructions are very basic & don't say much about sorting my prob out.
A few pointers of thinks to try from you experts would greatly appreciated.

fenman
 
The problem is that your camera is not exposing properly. I have never seen a "basic" user manual however from any camera company. My guess is that it is probably 1/2" thick and you dont know where to begin. That is not an issue. P&S cameras can be tricky when it comes to exposure. The problem you are going to have is if you expose properly you are going to end up with camera shake. In order to solve that issue you are going to need to get a tripod. I am guessing that this issue is happening mostly with indoor pictures and not outdoors.
 
Too dark means your exposure is too low. This could be either a settings problem and/or a poor image selection.

For example using the inbuilt flash to light a large room is unlikely to work without using a faster ISO setting. End result being an under exposed image.

There is a book about exposure that's commonly reccomended by people. I can't remember what it's called but I'm sure something will be along soon with it.
 
We have two Canon Cameras & I can say the manuals are of little help to a beginner let alone someone who understands the basics.

They must have changed something then since I I got my S2IS because I got two manuals and they were both about 1/2" thick. They explained everything.
 
They must have changed something then since I I got my S2IS because I got two manuals and they were both about 1/2" thick. They explained everything.


Yes, both cameras came with two manuals, one thin "basic" & another "advanced" 3/8"/10mm thick that left more question unanswered than answered. Now, I may be a trifle critical being an ex technical manual writer.
 
Thanks for your quick replies, thought best to post pic.
As you see very dark & taken in Auto mode on a dull day.
My other P&S Sony Cybershot seams to sort the light out far better??
Not taken pics indoors yet as still cannot sort outside.
Is it, this Canon will not take good pics in Auto on a dull day?? or is there a prob with camera??
Thanks again

fenman

IMG_0020.jpg
 
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1/500th @ f2.8 and ISO 80 - it's no surprise it's under exposed.

Looks like the flash fired and I wonder if the camera was set to use the flash but being outdoors that was doomed to failure.

Looking at that image 1/125th @ 2.8 would probably have been much more effective.

I'd check to see if it's set to allways fire the flash, turn off that setting and see if that improves things.
 
is that snow in the pic? If so it may be tricking your camera to underexpose. Snow will do this to the very best of cameras. Get back out and just experiment by taking the same picture under different settings. It's may be that the default settings on canons camera differ to your last Sony and they don't suit your needs. If you play with the settings I'm sure you can sort it out. Canon make good cameras.
 
is that snow in the pic? If so it may be tricking your camera to underexpose. Snow will do this to the very best of cameras. Get back out and just experiment by taking the same picture under different settings. It's may be that the default settings on canons camera differ to your last Sony and they don't suit your needs. If you play with the settings I'm sure you can sort it out. Canon make good cameras.

Good catch
 
I have a Canon A590 as my little "going out/bar/accident prone environment" camera...

One thing I've noticed is that, yes, it will under expose quite a bit in less than idea circumstances. Generally, on AUTO, the camera will choose a shutter speed of no more than 1 sec. It will also bump your ISO to 200 if the light isn't bright enough for ISO 80; for whatever reason it doesn't like to shoot at 100, unless you manually specify this setting.

Also, if that's snow I'm seeing in your example pic, the camera is probably taking it's meter reading from that and, as a consequence, under exposing heavily to compensate. Experiment with manual mode and see what you can come up with. Snow's tricky, especially with a P&S when you're starting off.

Hope that helps a bit, although I think I've repeated several other posters to some degree. Good luck! :wink:
 
1/500th @ f2.8 and ISO 80 - it's no surprise it's under exposed.

Looks like the flash fired and I wonder if the camera was set to use the flash but being outdoors that was doomed to failure.

Looking at that image 1/125th @ 2.8 would probably have been much more effective.

I'd check to see if it's set to allways fire the flash, turn off that setting and see if that improves things.


Thanks for your reply, this was my problem the flash was on & being a novice & taking the pic outside i could not see the flash going off!
Now that is sorted i can start taking pics & learning more about the camera. Very snowy here just now & the auto setting giving me false info, so started to play with settings to tone down the subject :thumbup:
Thanks again, i know where to post now when i need help.
 

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