I have a Iso question about my Powershot a560

[Snappy~Sue]

Maybe I shouldn't have gotten this camera.... It was in my price range so I thought it would take pretty good pics.

I'm having probs with the Iso and having not so clear pics... I usually put in portrait mode and hit the macro button so I can get a clear up close shot but, it ends up looking grainy... sometimes, it looks fine on the Lcd screen but when I download on computer it comes up grainy and not a good quality pic..

Can someone explain how to set the settings for a good clear pic???

And can someone maybe reccomend a camera around $250.00 $300.00 at max where I can blur the pics in the background a bit???



Thanks

[EOS_JD]

the problem with blurring the background is down to the sensor size and the lens on all small compact cameras. The sensor is so small that the depth of field is normally very large.

Can your camera be set to manual mode?

If you want to shoot with nice blurred background, set the camera to its widest aperture (f2.8 probably), set it to its longest zoom and get as close as you can to your subject that composes what you want. It's likely though that even then your background will not be all that blurry.....

Camera's with larger sensors (not necessarily more megapixels),and lenses with large apertures are ideally required.

[cool_dude07]

To get non-grainy pics out of a point and shoot, your iso needs to be set to the lowest setting or two. I had an S2 that was only clear at ISO 100-200. Similar to the depth of field problem, their sensor size does not allow them to capture as much light as DSLR cameras.

[low orbit]

Maybe I shouldn't have gotten this camera.... It was in my price range so I thought it would take pretty good pics.

I'm having probs with the Iso and having not so clear pics... I usually put in portrait mode and hit the macro button so I can get a clear up close shot but, it ends up looking grainy... sometimes, it looks fine on the Lcd screen but when I download on computer it comes up grainy and not a good quality pic..

Can someone explain how to set the settings for a good clear pic???

And can someone maybe reccomend a camera around $250.00 $300.00 at max where I can blur the pics in the background a bit???

Thanks

Morning, and welcome to the forums.

Yes, all point and shoot cameras (and this includes the pro ones) have that same problem where the sensor is so close to the lens assembly you don't get that lovely blurred background.

On your camera, you want to be setting the ISO to the lowest it can go - usually 50 or 100, and leaving it there. Point and shoot compacts are horribly noisy at higher speeds.

For macro shots I usually go full manual, ISO 50, center single focus point, spot or center weighted metering and set the white balance to daylight (assuming you're shooting outdoors).

If you're not comfortable shooting manual, just go to AV - you set the aperture, the camera will handle the rest (either 2.8 if zoomed right out, or 4.8 if zoomed right in.)

In macro you can get the blurred background, the further away the background, the blurrier it is. You can also do this in a fashion with your normal photography as well. Zoom right in, and back away from your subject. You'll get a little blur in the background, but nowhere near as much as a DSLR.

Hope that helps.

You'll be fine. Took me months to start to get the best out my little beast (A75).

Cheers.