How do I disappoint the wife :(

[Iron Flatline]

That -2EV is a problem. The camera is trying to shoot 2 stops slower. See if you can set it to 0, then see how your results are.

 

[mrodgers]

Set it on your desk & take a picture with the timer & see it it looks good, just to eliminate the possibility that you could be covering something up, and to eliminate movement. If it still looks like crap I would start to suspect the camera, or it's settings. At least you would know for sure that it wasn't you though.

Yup, done that. Nothing I've shot looks good so far. Had a thought from my brother-in-law in batteries. I originally used the batteries that came with it, which were not duracell or energizer (the only alkalines I use). Also switched to my NiMH, which were fully charged, but they are not new. I just popped in a fresh-from-the-package Energizers and same results. Pictures are dark and extremely grainy in a well lighted room.

The photos that you have posted are all taken at close range.

Nope, various zoom levels. Most are 10-20 feet away. The examples I showed here though were approximately 5-6 feet away. Same as my daughter took with the old Fuji that came out much crisper I think.

another thing I just thought of is, are just snapping away? With that camera you hold the button half way down until the green light stops flashing then your camera has adjusted itself....

Nope, I do know about focusing it. That's why the kid's toy on the floor picture of a later post was blurry on one, and better (but still not good) on another. The extremely bad one was focused on the object it's self (using spot metering, which I am guessing is the focus point) and the not-so blurry one is focused on the far wall about 20 feet or so farther away.

That -2EV is a problem.

Mistaken post reply. That was Happy Hour's settings he stated he uses and works fine. I'm mostly in auto mode, but changing some things around. Just not changing everything all at once.

We've given up. My wife saw the photos on the PC and agreed, they look horrible. I even did a "Gage R & R" test on it (I'm originally from the quality department at my work). Took two "display" objects, a Santa and Rudolf singing toy and a manger scene to be exact. I had my daughter take 2 pictures with each of the 3 cameras, then I did the same and we looked at them. Operator showed no variables and the Fuji turned out clearer, crisper, and more focused pictures consistantly for all shots.

We're just returning the camera. I've shot 175 photos around the house and outside and none of them are any good. I have a 3 week break at work for the Christmas holiday to talk my wife into the $180 Canon SD1000 that I wanted before I found out she bought the Sony. I can't find a review anywhere that doesn't praise the SD1000 up and down like it was a pot of gold. DPreview has it as the top seller after moving down through the SLR and larger compact list.

Thanks all for the replies. It was definitely much appreciated.

 

[kundalini]

Hope the holidays are kind to you. I would say walk on eggshells, but at this time of the year, have plenty of eggnog on hand.

 

[monkeykoder]

It could just be the result of buying something from Wal-Mart it isn't like the employees are paid NOT to throw things at walls... Most electronics at stores like that have been thrown at about everything they ever land on.

 

[mrodgers]

Ok, here we go. My wife doesn't like pictures on the internet, so I'll delete this soon, but just wanted to show a representative of 75-90% of the shots taken with the Sony DSC-S650.

This was full automatic, which is what I need for just snapshots at birthday parties and such. Note, red-eye reduction was on, and the camera stated ISO 320. The light in the room was in the evening at dark with a 4 bulb ceiling fan that lights the room quite bright. It was taken zoomed in from the doorway of the room. Full automatic quality is important as I don't want to be sitting messing with camera settings during birthday party type events. It should be capable of just turning on, and snapping a picture. It's the reason the family would like a replacement to the old camera.

[temporary link removed]

My wants, simple landscape/outdoor scenic type photos such as these ones on my old webpage from the Fuji 2 mp is secondary.

I would love to know if it was the individual camera with a problem, or the camera model it's self, since I've read so many bad reviews on it. We are still returning it though, and hopefully I'm picking up the SD1000 that I want (if my "financial advisor", aka the wife approves).

 

[adolan20]

you could try the Sony Cybershot W55, it's a 7.2mp and it has the carl zeiss lens for sharp pictures. I've tried it and it takes pretty sharp pictures. It's priced under $150 online. Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[Neuner]

It's Wally World, they'll take back anything. Exchange it before you waste any more time with it and then see what happens. If a new one does the same, then I would show my wife what is wrong and see if you can find something else - Through the whole process let her know that even though thee camera she gave you may not be working out, it was the whole idea you think is perfect.

 

[mrodgers]

Putting a close on the thread I started here.....

I took the Sony back and returned it. Now, I'm in the market to spend a bit more cash, though it will probably be after the holidays.

Things I am looking for is size (comfortably and easily slip into pocket) and easy "point and shoot" (for the wife). I've been heavily looking at the Canon SD1000 as well as even better (I think), the SD750.

So I thought! I'm not necessarily going to buy at Wally World again, but I was there returning the camera and picking up some final tidbits for the holidays and browsed over the cameras. I saw first hand, the SD1000 and it didn't "feel" right. It seemed to have more plastic on it than the majority of the other similar cameras. So, I've put the SD1000 in the back of my mind to check out the others. I do like the more heafty feel of the models with more metal bodies on them. Some nice Kodaks and Pentax that I want to research now.

So I thought! I browsed through the multitude of tiny P&S models to the end of the row. Hmm, wonder what these larger ones are like? That's when I picked up the Fuji S700 in my hand. The moment I picked it up, it was like it melted into my hands .

So, the little ultra-compact P&S aren't all what they're cracked up to be. 10x optical zoom on the S700, I really liked that. I was playing with the zoom when my finger hit the shutter button and it took a picture zoomed full of the back "advertisement wall behind the camera display. Ended up a picture of the text written on the wall. I looked at the shot on the LCD screen and it looked great! So crisp and vibrant white with rich blue background. I think I'm hooked already, no more thoughts of tiny easy pocket fitting cameras. It seems to have every setting that I wouldn't have a clue about to change.

At $209, the S700 wasn't any more than the tiny little "toy" cameras I was looking at. So, now I'm researching the S700 and other similar cameras while I wait until after the holidays (for payday). In the mean time, I'll continue lurking and reading everything I can here on this forum, as well as play a bit with the old Nikon CoolPix 880 3 mp that I have available, since it has many manual adjustments on it. Just wish I could get some stronger tape to keep that battery door closed up. Those door springs are surprisingly strong.

Cya in another thread, as I will probably have some questions on some manual settings eventually. Especially since I'm done with work on Friday until after the new year!

And thanks again for all the responses. Internet forums are a wealth of information and it looks like I found a good one here.

 

[Rock]

Good luck in your search. While I have no direct experience with the S700, I used a Fuji S3100 until about a month ago and have always been happy with the IQ and ease of use.

 

[hyakuhei]

you could try the Sony Cybershot W55, it's a 7.2mp and it has the carl zeiss lens for sharp pictures. I've tried it and it takes pretty sharp pictures. It's priced under $150 online. Hope this helps, good luck!

Lol, for "Carl Zeiss" read: "Tamron" I hate sony and what they have done with this once amazing Marque

 

[mrodgers]

Good luck in your search.......

Thanks.

And about the S700....

LOVE IT!!!

Since I just got back from the store. Every shot around the house in poor lighting is crisp, clear, and bright to this non-professional's eye.

I have one particular shot at full zoom that I want to look at, but it's on the internal memory and I think I need the software to download it. It's almost bedtime if I could stop taking stupid, uninteresting, and completely useless pics of anything and everything that I see colorful, or far away with the zoom, or in the dark (took a picture of my daughter's bedroom door from in the hallway with all of the lights off, LOL)

Very happy with the initial usage and only using the P mode and keeping it down on ISO 100 or 200. Good feature on the auto-ISO is it can auto to 800, or to only 400. I like that.

Weird, I've read that the S700 is US only and the S5700 is Europe only, but mine is the S5700. Got it at the local Ritz store inside Boscov's.

Time to open up the package on the 2 GB disk and stick my old 64 MB disk back in the old Fuji for the girls.

 

[BPALMER]

MR RODGERS.....
that is awesome news indeed! we have 2 new cameras in the house,cybershot for mama and an e510 for me. we also have been shooting almost non stop for a week now.
have fun
bp