Opionions please: Canon A80 pics to low in Contrast?

[blondee_yvr]

I am not getting anywhere with Canon on this one. I think my pics in
general are always low in contrast and "cloudy" even when printed. These are just some of
the pics but the "cloudiness" has been present since I got the camera
last year but I haven't used it much. Also, on some LCD screens, the contrast may not be too low.

http://community.webshots.com/album/389986415NOWqAv (http://community.webshots.com/album/389986415NOWqAv)

TIA.

[flak]

well what settings are you using? the last 2 pics seem low in contrast, but the first 1 is ok imo

[blondee_yvr]

Auto or Programmed Auto on both. Do you think it's the camera? This is my first Digital and I have seen some pics taken on a Sony T3 and they are a little low in contrast but not as low as the pics I have taken.

[flak]

well i don't think it's the camera... the pics seem a little under-exposed, try increasing the aperture or ISO, that's all i can think of

[Moppie]

With out all the EXIF info its hard to tell exactly what is going on, but they do look a little flat, and very heavily pixeliated.

Check your shooting at the highest possible resolution (Large) with the "Superfine" setting. Shows as a smooth quarter cicrle with an "L" in the middle.
The photos look they have been saved with a lot of JPEG compression, are you doing any extra manipulation and saving on your PC?
Also note that Webshots WILL resize your photos, and applies its own compression algarithim to them, its in my experiance not a very good one.
And check your ISO settings, high ISO (above 100) will produce soft photos.

After resizing you generaly need to apply a little sharpening to your photos to remove the soft images created by the resize process.


Also, compared to a Sony T3 straight out of the camera the A80 photos will look a little soft.
Thats because the Sony has in camera sharpening and contrast options, about the only thing it has that the A80 dosnt. Don't worry about not getting the better camera though, compare shot to shot times, and watch the image display on the LCD in the sony and you will know the A80 is better.

[blondee_yvr]

All these shots were taken at auto or programmed auto with no editing. The Pics were either at fine or superfine (can't recall which). Here is the exif data:

portrait: EXIF
Camera
Make Canon
Model Canon PowerShot A80
Orientation upper left
X resolution 180
Y resolution 180
Resolution unit 2
Date/time 2004-09-24 4:49:17 PM
YCbCr positioning centered
Image
Image description
Artist
Copyright
Exposure time 1/500 s
F-number 5.6
Date/time original 2004-09-24 4:49:17 PM
Date/time digitized 2004-09-24 4:49:17 PM
Component config YCbCr
Compressed BPP 3
Shutter speed value 0.001996 s
Aperture value 4.968750
Exposure bias value 0.000000
Max. aperture value 2.968750
Metering mode Pattern
Flash Flash fired [on]
Focal length 7.81 mm
User comment
Colorspace sRGB
Pixel X dimension 2272
Pixel Y dimension 1704
Focal plane X res. 8114.290000
Focal plane Y res. 8114.290000
Focal plane res. unit inch
Sensing method One-chip color area sensor
Custom Rendered Normal process
Exposure mode Auto exposure
Digital zoom ratio 1
Scene capture type Standard
Miscellaneous
Exif version (30,32,32,30)

FlashPix version (30,31,30,30)
File source DSC
Canon Maker Notes
Macro mode Normal
Self timer 1e+001 s
Flash mode On
Continuous drive mode Single
Focus mode Single
Image size Large
Easy shooting mode Manual
Contrast Normal
Saturation Normal
Sharpness Normal
ISO Auto
Metering mode Evaluative
AF point selected Unknown
Exposure mode Program
White balance Auto
Flash Bias 0 EV
Image type IMG:PowerShot A80 JPEG
Firmware version Firmware Version 1.00
Image number 1010-0172


The street picture: C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\My Pictures\PDC 2004\PDC 2004 097.JPG
Make: Canon
Model: Canon PowerShot A80
Date modified: September 24, 2004 2:46:38 PM
Orientation: Top / left side
X-Resolution: 180/1
Y-Resolution: 180/1
Resolution unit: Inch
YCbCr-Positioning: 1
Comment:
Date taken: September 24, 2004 2:46:38 PM
Date digitized: September 24, 2004 2:46:38 PM
Exposure time [s]: 1/500
Exposure mode: Auto
Exposure bias [EV]: 0.0
F-Number: F8.0
Focal length [mm]: 7.8125
Shutter speed [s]: 1/501
Aperture: F8
Max. aperture: F2.8
Digital zoom: Off
Flash: Not fired, auto mode
Metering mode: Multi-segment
White balance: Auto
Colour space: sRGB
Sensing method: One-chip color area sensor
File source: DSC
Custom rendered: Normal
Subject program: Standard
Image width: 2272
Image height: 1704
Components configuration: YCbCr
Average compression ratio: 3/1
Focal plane X resolution: 2272000/280
Focal plane Y resolution: 1704000/210
Focal plane res. unit: 2
EXIF version: 0220
FlashPix version: 0100
Makernote: 10 00 01 00 03 00 2E 00 00 00 74 04 00 00 02 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 D0 04 00 00 03 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 D8 04 00 00 04 00 03 00 22 00 00 00 E0 04 00 00 00 00 03 00 06 00 00 00 24 05 00 00 00 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 30 05 00 00 12 00 03 00 1C 00 00 00 38 05 00 00 13 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 70 05 00 00 06 00 ...
Compression: 6
X-Resolution: 180/1
Y-Resolution: 180/1
Resolution unit: Centimeter
JPEG offset: 2036
JPEG size: 5335
Index: R98
Version: 0100
Width: 2272
Height: 1704
Focus distance [m]: Auto
Focus mode 2: Single
AF point: unknown (16385)
Metering mode: Evaluative
White balance: Auto
Contrast: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Flash mode: Auto
Flash intensity: 0
Flash: Not fired
Flash details: unknown (0)
Macro: Off
Digital zoom: Off
ISO value: Auto
Exposure mode: Easy shooting
Easy-Shooting: Full auto
Firmware: Firmware Version 1.00
Focal length [mm]: 23.40625
Focal length short [mm]: 7.8125
Focal units / mm: 32
Sequence number: 0
Subject distance [m]: 0.097

The Beach:

C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\My Pictures\PDC 2004\PDC 2004 036.JPG
Make: Canon
Model: Canon PowerShot A80
Date modified: September 22, 2004 1:43:38 PM
Orientation: Top / left side
X-Resolution: 180/1
Y-Resolution: 180/1
Resolution unit: Inch
YCbCr-Positioning: 1
Comment:
Date taken: September 22, 2004 1:43:38 PM
Date digitized: September 22, 2004 1:43:38 PM
Exposure time [s]: 1/800
Exposure mode: Auto
Exposure bias [EV]: 0.0
F-Number: F8.0
Focal length [mm]: 11.4375
Shutter speed [s]: 1/807
Aperture: F8
Max. aperture: F3.2
Digital zoom: Off
Flash: Not fired, auto mode
Metering mode: Multi-segment
White balance: Auto
Colour space: sRGB
Sensing method: One-chip color area sensor
File source: DSC
Custom rendered: Normal
Subject program: Standard
Image width: 2272
Image height: 1704
Components configuration: YCbCr
Average compression ratio: 3/1
Focal plane X resolution: 2272000/280
Focal plane Y resolution: 1704000/210
Focal plane res. unit: 2
EXIF version: 0220
FlashPix version: 0100
Makernote: 10 00 01 00 03 00 2E 00 00 00 74 04 00 00 02 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 D0 04 00 00 03 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 D8 04 00 00 04 00 03 00 22 00 00 00 E0 04 00 00 00 00 03 00 06 00 00 00 24 05 00 00 00 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 30 05 00 00 12 00 03 00 1C 00 00 00 38 05 00 00 13 00 03 00 04 00 00 00 70 05 00 00 06 00 ...
Compression: 6
X-Resolution: 180/1
Y-Resolution: 180/1
Resolution unit: Centimeter
JPEG offset: 2036
JPEG size: 3248
Index: R98
Version: 0100
Width: 2272
Height: 1704
Focus distance [m]: Auto
Focus mode 2: Single
AF point: unknown (16385)
Metering mode: Evaluative
White balance: Auto
Contrast: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Flash mode: Auto
Flash intensity: 0
Flash: Not fired
Flash details: unknown (0)
Macro: Off
Digital zoom: Off
ISO value: Auto
Exposure mode: Easy shooting
Easy-Shooting: Full auto
Firmware: Firmware Version 1.00
Focal length [mm]: 23.40625
Focal length short [mm]: 7.8125
Focal units / mm: 32
Sequence number: 0
Subject distance [m]: 0.345
Selftimer [s]: Off
Drive mode: Single or timer
Owner:
Image quality: Fine
Picture info: IMG:PowerShot A80 JPEG
Image size: Large
Image number: 1000-42
Unknown fields: 0

Selftimer [s]: Off
Drive mode: Single or timer
Owner:
Image quality: Fine
Picture info: IMG:PowerShot A80 JPEG
Image size: Large
Image number: 1010-130
Unknown fields: 0

[mdude85]

Can't really tell much from the EXIF data in these point and shoots. f5.6 and 1/500 seconds doesn't really mean the same thing with these tiny focal lengths and etc. Anyway, I have experienced some "cloudiness" as well with an A510 (I'll admit this is the best word to explain it). The colors often look a little bit washed out. It could very well be that your photos are a little bit overexposed. If you are shooting in P mode, I would suggest you do a negative exposure compensation of something like -1/3. This will make your photos a little darker and the colors a bit more true.

Don't rule out various sunlights, daytimes, and actual environment atmosphere (smog) as culprits. In morning and early afternoon air, light enters the lens at a weird angle and may make for overexposed shots. Yours don't look too bad, but underexposing a little bit might do the trick.

[Moppie]

Have you got anyway of showing the orginal pics?

I think the lack of contrast is simply from the environment, I know my A80 has a slight tendancy to over expose in bright light, but its easily corrected with some simple adjustments in Photoshop or similar to brightness and contrast.


However, Im more concerned with the cloudiness, which does seem rarther odd.
It could be a fault with the camera, meaning you need to take it back.
But we need to rule out a few things first.

You need to set up a test shot, and then find away of posting either the complete unaltered image, or an un-altered crop of the image.

Put the camera in "P" (programe Auto), set the ISO to 50, and the file size to large and super fine JPEG (the largest highest quality file size).
Mount the camera on a tripod, or sit it on something and take a photo of anything you like.
Preferably somewhere there is lots of light, and something that will shot lots of contrast.

Then either post the whole image, often your ISP will give you a limited amount of free webspace, or use geocities or one of the hunreds of free hosting services. The file will be about 2-3MB in size, and you will have to post a link to it here, don't embed the image.
From this we will be able to hopefully see if there is a problem with your camera.

At the moment the photos on your webshots site have been changed in size and heavily compressed by the webshots software which unfornatly creates that very soft cloudy effect you see.
What we need to know is that cloudiness comeing from the camera as well, or is it purly a result of things done to the image after it has left the camera (which I think it is).

[blondee_yvr]

Thanks for the input.

Here are some links: http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/bc/7fa8702c/bc/My+Documents/IMG_0166.jpg?bfrOL1CBuTbM196k

http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/bc/7fa8702c/bc/My+Documents/IMG_0162.jpg?bfrOL1CBCkeQWI8T

http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/bc/7fa8702c/bc/My+Documents/IMG_0066.jpg?bfrOL1CBEM0.uFt2

http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/bc/7fa8702c/bc/My+Documents/IMG_0172.jpg?bfrOL1CBCn1.oiFM

[Moppie]

Unforunatly your links are not working :(

[blondee_yvr]

Argh. I am sending you a PM to an alternate webpage.