A85 picture help

[Shot007]

I just got myself a Powershot A85 and I am very new to digital photograpy...I know the basics but by no means am i an advanced user...what I need help on is shooting a picture of a gold ring with my A85....

I find that it is very difficult to get a clear picture of a gold ring(with a very small diamond)....from far away I cannot see the ring very well and when I zoom in on it it becomes very blurry and lacking of focus. Using flash is pointless(because it shines too much)... my main problem is that i cannot get a very detailed picture of this ring .....this is using auto setting (as this is pretty much all I am good at for now)...

Can anyone help me in getting a clear crisp picture of a gold ring zoomed in...or is it not possible with my A85....or can someone tell the settings I would have to use in another mode (eg. Manual Mode)...in order to achieve such a picture....help needed....

[snowrdr]

Try this:

Put it on scene indoor
macro mode
make sure it is not zoomed at all
turn flash off
get close, under 6 inches

Using center focus, you should be able to get a good focus lock.

You can also try manual focus at it's closest setting and then move the camera in or out for a clear picture.

[Jon]

Get a white Tupperware bowl you can sacrifice and some black velvet cloth. Cut a small hole in the bottom of the bowl off to one side, set the ring up on the cloth (use a small block under the cloth to prop it up, if desired) and put the bowl over the whole thing, poke the camera lens through the hole and zoom in as close as possible. For best results, set up outside in bright sun. The white Tupperware will act as a diffuser, so you don't get sharp shadows obscuring detail.

[Pugdaddy]

Nice trick, Jon. I like that. Boy, is my wife gonna be mad when she pours something in that bowl and it comes out the bottom, though. (j/k)
By the way, the key word is Macro, Shot. These "A" camers get great close up shots, but you have to set it on "macro". Look it up in the index of your manual.