Frustrated with SX10IS

[marnie2005]

I have the Power Shot SX10IS and I am just about ready to scream!!When I am in Auto mode the camera seems to have a mind of its own and 75% of the time it wont take the picture. I raise the flash if its required but still wont take the pic...Any help would be greatly appreciated:cry:

[Jon]

Can you tell us what you're trying to photograph, and where?

[pwm2]

Does it aquire a focus lock?

[marnie2005]

It doesnt seem to matter if its an inside shot or an outside shot...I always thought if its in AUTO MODE the camera picks the settings and you should always be able to take a picture...

[Jon]

But what, specifically? People? Pets? Landscapes? Day? Night? We need something to go on.

[Digipanther]

You are among friendly folks here Marnie,

We hope the solution has presented itself by now but if not - ...

when you press the shutter button half-way - does it give you a green bracket indicating its locked on for focus?

I have the Power Shot SX10IS and I am just about ready to scream!!When I am in Auto mode the camera seems to have a mind of its own and 75% of the time it wont take the picture. I raise the flash if its required but still wont take the pic...Any help would be greatly appreciated:cry:

[Hasitha]

Also flash take few seconds to charge. You can it the flash button indicating that in yr panel.

[pwm2]

The most common reasons for a camera to refuse to take a picture is problems with focus or with exposure.

Getting a focus lock requires that the target is enough lit, and has enough contrast, and isn't moving too fast.

If dark, the camera may figure out that it needs to use the flash to get acceptable shutter times. Some cameras can take a very long time (or sometimes fail) to fully charge the flash if the battery level i a bit low. That mostly happens when using older battery technologies where the voltage in the battery drops significantly when the battery level drops.

Another thing that can surprise users is if they have managed to turn on any auto-timer function, where the camera may wait 10 seconds from shutter press until it takes the picture, allowing the photographer to run around and get a picture of himself/herself.

But to be able to help you, we really do need more information from you.

[marnie2005]

When the camera is set to AUTO MODE and I want to take an outside pic without the flash, it shoud work..The problem seems to be intermitent. Its almost like its got a mind of its own. In AUTO MODE I was under the understanding that I should be able to take a pic in any conditions...with or without flash. I have also reset all the options . I just got the camera in May.

[Digipanther]

Hello -

Its true, with any camera set to Auto - you should in virtually all cases be able to press the shutter button and take a picture - even when you skip the 'press half-way' for auto-focus.

Have you had a digital camera previously? We do not have enough information as to what you mean by "75% of the time it wont take the picture". Without more of a description - we are only able to vaguely guess as to what questions to ask you - never mind give solutions.

Although we could suggest you take it back to the camera store you got it from and ask them to spend a few moments with you - then at least you will know if it is working properly.

When the camera is set to AUTO MODE and I want to take an outside pic without the flash, it shoud work..The problem seems to be intermitent. Its almost like its got a mind of its own. In AUTO MODE I was under the understanding that I should be able to take a pic in any conditions...with or without flash. I have also reset all the options . I just got the camera in May.

[Jon]

When the camera is set to AUTO MODE and I want to take an outside pic without the flash, it shoud work..The problem seems to be intermitent. Its almost like its got a mind of its own. In AUTO MODE I was under the understanding that I should be able to take a pic in any conditions...with or without flash. I have also reset all the options . I just got the camera in May.
What, specifically, are you trying to photograph when this happens? When it doesn't? Really, without more concrete answers to the questions we're asking you, we can't answer your question. Merely reiterating what you said in your first post doesn't give us anything to work with.

[marnie2005]

I was taking pics yesterday of a cruise ship in my town...Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't...This is in AUTO MODE. I have had digital cameras in the past so I do know how they should work. I would get the green square on the display once its focused, press the shutter, nothing happens..than I would give it a minute and try again and it would work. It might continue to work until I turned the camera off but when I turned it back on again to take more pics...same thing, wont take a picture...very frustrating! Its going back tomorrow...I purchased it at Sears so hopefully they will take it back.

[JustShootin']

Sorry, but if you bought it back in May, I don't believe Sears will take it back.

[Jon]

Make sure the AF point is over something that's got good contrast. A cruise ship, unless the AF area's over one of the boat decks, won't offer a lot to focus on - even large portholes are pretty small. Try on something that has a lot of detail and see if you can take several shots in a row there.

[Litespeed]

What you might want to try is contacting Canon via e-mail. Go to their website at www.usa.canon.com or call them at 1-800-828-4040. I contacted them for a problem I thought I was having and they were very helpful. Let us know if they solved the problem for you.

[marnie2005]

Hi Jon...Im pretty sure when the camera is in AUTO MODE it should take a pic no mater what I am focusing on, and sometimes it does work, other times not. I will try calling Canon tomorrow to see if they haveeany idea what the problem might be...thanks

[Jon]

It'll only take a picture if it has good focus. The first rule of trouble-shooting is to find out exactly what conditions cause the problem. Selecting a subject with clear and obvious targets for focusing lets us see if the AF is behaving properly. If the AF is working properly then we have to look elsewhere. But let's see if it really is working right.

[pwm2]

You have four times written that you are pretty sur that it is in AUTO MODE it should take a picture, no matter what.

We other people in this thread are however pretty sure that that is not true. That is why the issue of focusing has been brought up a number of times. With a camera with manual focus, and manual exposure, the camera will take a picture whatever you point it at, as long as the there is batteries and room on the memory card. But a camera in full auto has been told by you to make all decisions. And one very logical decision is to <u>not</u> take a picture unless the camera finds that it has anything to focus on. A dull gray war ship is designed to be hard to spot in the distance. Having a target that intentionally tries to hide, it will then be up to you to make sure that you point your camera at details that will show enough contrast.

Would you really be happy with a camera that always takes pictures, even if the camera has already figured out that it hasn't all required input data to produce a meaningful photo? Would you feel better if you hear the camera take the picture, and when you get home, you find that the photo is pitch black because there was too bad light or everything was out of focus because the camera could not find a detail to adjust the focus on? A manual camera would take the photo even if producing a disaster. A camera in full auto will use the power invested in it by you to decide to covardly refuse to take a picture if not all requirements are fulfilled.

Note that full auto means that the camera has been given the responsibility to decide on exposure and focus. What it leaves up to you is to figure out if the subject is interesting or not. But it is not enough for you to find an interesting subject. You must also make sure that you fulfill the requirements set up by the camera, i.e. enough contrast and a scene lit within the limitations the camera can handle.

[Tinmann]

If you have it in Auto... hold the shutter botton down 1/2 way... read what is written in red on the bottom portion of the screen. It will tell you what it wants.... then go from their.. but only hold the shutter button down 1/2 way... don't take a picture.... :)

[Digipanther]

Ok - I just took about 6-8 pictures with my SX10 in full Auto mode with the flash up - and it had No Issues taking pictures no matter what I was aiming at and at what speed I continually pressed the shutter. even when it does not have a solid autofocus lock - it still took the pictures.

I was even able to snap shots while I was quickly moving the camera all about me in clircles, laterally and vertically. No issues.

I also did the exact same thing with my SX110 - and in full Auto - I could not get a circumstance where the camera would not take a picture. EXCEPT when the flash was "recharging" between shots.



You have four times written that you are pretty sur that it is in AUTO MODE it should take a picture, no matter what.

We other people in this thread are however pretty sure that that is not true. That is why the issue of focusing has been brought up a number of times. With a camera with manual focus, and manual exposure, the camera will take a picture whatever you point it at, as long as the there is batteries and room on the memory card. But a camera in full auto has been told by you to make all decisions. And one very logical decision is to <u>not</u> take a picture unless the camera finds that it has anything to focus on. A dull gray war ship is designed to be hard to spot in the distance. Having a target that intentionally tries to hide, it will then be up to you to make sure that you point your camera at details that will show enough contrast.

Would you really be happy with a camera that always takes pictures, even if the camera has already figured out that it hasn't all required input data to produce a meaningful photo? Would you feel better if you hear the camera take the picture, and when you get home, you find that the photo is pitch black because there was too bad light or everything was out of focus because the camera could not find a detail to adjust the focus on? A manual camera would take the photo even if producing a disaster. A camera in full auto will use the power invested in it by you to decide to covardly refuse to take a picture if not all requirements are fulfilled.

Note that full auto means that the camera has been given the responsibility to decide on exposure and focus. What it leaves up to you is to figure out if the subject is interesting or not. But it is not enough for you to find an interesting subject. You must also make sure that you fulfill the requirements set up by the camera, i.e. enough contrast and a scene lit within the limitations the camera can handle.

[JustShootin']

Basically the same AF system has been used on most cameras for more than twenty five years now (button half way down). I would think if you had used an auto focus camera in recent years, you would know if the camera is not working properly, or if it's you. As mentioned above, in full auto, you still have to have something with contrast and enough light for the camera to achieve focus.

[marnie2005]

When the camera was working properly(and still does sometimes) in auto mode I could take a pic of a door knob in poor lighting and it would "take the picture"...it didn't matter. I tried everything and it still only works part time...I feel bad cause I really was happy with the results, quality of my pics when it worked .Will be calling Canon tomorrow:cry:

[skid00skid00]

Betcha the memory card is out, or full! :)

[exwintech]

Marnie2005 - As a check on whether the camera itself is functioning properly, select P-Program, not Auto. Set the ISO to 80 - it's on the Right-Arrow part of the 4-way button. Now press the Func-Set button. The White Balance is on the top of the column on the left of the LCD. Use the Left-Right arrows on the 4-way to select Day Light. Then press Func-Set again to set it.

To find how the camera is "seeing" brightness, you can set the Histogram to always show in Program (or Tv and Av) - by pressing the Menu button (bottom right one on the back) - Down-Arrow to Custom Display, Right-Arrow to the settings. In the box-grid, use the Arrows to go up-down, left-right in the boxes. Histogram is the bottom row. Work across it and in each box press Func-Set until the box has a Tick. Exit by pressing the Menu button.

Program will now show the Focus box and the Histogram box. Now in daylight, in your back-yard (etc) - try the camera, aiming away from the sun. You'll hold steadier if you use the Viewfinder, not the LCD - the display is the same. Aim the camera at your chosen scene. The Histogram will tell you if it is too bright or too dull. Dull has the Histogram diagram bunched to the left, Bright has it bunched to the right. Spread fairly evenly towards the middle will give at least a usable picture.

Press the shutter button half-down - the camera beeps when it has the focus right. Then continue pressing the button down smoothly. In daytime, the above "should" then create a usable image. Of course, for best results ISO and Exposure Bias (middle button beside the thumb-rest, rotate the ring to go +/-. Where I am, -1/3 EV seems best on sunny days) - might need re-setting.

If that doesn't work - and you've checked all of the things the others have mentioned - it might be time to have Canon check the camera under Warranty.

Regards, Dave.