Newbie with Grainy Results

[rimealbatross]

I'm new to digital photogaphy, so I'm not really always sure what I'm looking at. Especially when I shoot a portrait on AUTO with the largest resolution level "L", the results look grainy when I view it in Photoshop, Draw, etc.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!

[Pekka]

Use P mode and set the camera (menu) to ISO 50. This should help.

Are you viewing the photos in 16, 24 or 36-bit display mode? If your computer is set to 256 colors you can't see the real image quality in any case.

[rimealbatross]

Pekka,

Thanks for the quick response! It would've taken me a long time to figure that one out. I'll try both of these, and "post back" my findings.

Great! I have a lead to work with here.

Thanks again!

[rimealbatross]

Pekka,

Your assertion that I can't see the true quality of a picture at 256 colors was correct! I went into the "Windows Display Properties Setting" and changed from 256 colors to "True Color (24 bit)", and it made all the difference!

I appreciate your expertise on this. I know a lot about computers --relatively speaking, and I can't imagine how long It would've taken to figure this out.

Just so others know. Prior to making the above changes my "L" "Auto" pictures had a "grainy" appearance --actually it looked like I had a very subtle "fabric" textured background to all of my pictures. Changing the settings to "True Color (24 bit)" seemed to have chased that artifact away.

Thanks again!