S410 - sample pictures and settings used

[flowerho]

Hi, I'm completely new to digital photography and had recently purchased a S410 online. Without much luck, I've received a defective camera and was sent back to Canon for repair. Now I have gotten my camera back and have been taking pictures indoor and outdoor to make sure it works properly. But without knowing much about digital camera, I’m not quite sure what to expect and what is considered as normal. Does anyone know if there’s any place I can find sample picture along with the setting that the photographer used to take the picture? Or simply what settings should be used when taking pictures under different conditions. For example, when shooting pictures of the fireworks, what settings should I use?

I have also encountered the following situations, please let me know if they sound normal:
(1) When zooming to 11x (with the digital zoom), the image on the LCD becomes very coarse. I would also get a blinking yellow light indicating that it couldn’t focus. Does it mean that I should never use the digital zoom to its maximum? Any way to get around it?
(2) When shooting pictures of the moving object (fish), they all came out blurry even using the quick shot mode. Is the only way to take pictures of the moving object is by using the AF lock under manual mode? That means a tripod is required for taking pictures of the moving objects?
(3) When the camera stays on for more than 15 minutes, the camera body would get really warm. I have specified this as a concern to the Canon repair center when my camera was sent for repair, but it seems to be the same as before. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

[Jon]

Hi, I'm completely new to digital photography and had recently purchased a S410 online. Without much luck, I've received a defective camera and was sent back to Canon for repair. Now I have gotten my camera back and have been taking pictures indoor and outdoor to make sure it works properly. But without knowing much about digital camera, I’m not quite sure what to expect and what is considered as normal. Does anyone know if there’s any place I can find sample picture along with the setting that the photographer used to take the picture? Or simply what settings should be used when taking pictures under different conditions. For example, when shooting pictures of the fireworks, what settings should I use?

A tripod, a fairly small aperture and a slow shutter speed - which usually will mean in manual mode. Depending on how busy the fireworks are, maybe a second or two.

I have also encountered the following situations, please let me know if they sound normal:
(1) When zooming to 11x (with the digital zoom), the image on the LCD becomes very coarse. I would also get a blinking yellow light indicating that it couldn’t focus. Does it mean that I should never use the digital zoom to its maximum? Any way to get around it?

Actually, you should never use the digital zoom, period. :{)# It just takes a small part of your picture and tries to blow it up, so you'll see all the pixels expanded to 3 times normal. That's why it looks coarse. They ttry to do some smoothing, but . . . You can do the same thing by post-processing in PhotoShop.

(2) When shooting pictures of the moving object (fish), they all came out blurry even using the quick shot mode. Is the only way to take pictures of the moving object is by using the AF lock under manual mode? That means a tripod is required for taking pictures of the moving objects?

They may have come out blurry either because the camera couldn't focus on them or because the exposure was too slow, and the swimming fish moved. And the camera could have had trouble focussing on them (if it did) either because they were moving too fast, because they were too close, or because it locked onto something else to focus on. Was any part of the picture sharp?

(3) When the camera stays on for more than 15 minutes, the camera body would get really warm. I have specified this as a concern to the Canon repair center when my camera was sent for repair, but it seems to be the same as before. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Depends on what "really warm" is. ISTR that this has been asked about on another thread here, from which I'd conclude that it may be normal, and due to the characteristics of the LiIon battery in the S410.

[flowerho]

Thank you Jon. I'll try to shoot some night shots using your recommended settings.

I've ordered a tripod and it's on its way, can't wait to see the difference when shooting picture using it.