s100 for group shots

Hi, I recently got a the s100 and have about 3 days to learn how to use it before off to an artists workshop where I need to take photos during the class and also a group picture.

I have been reading the online manual and playing with the camera, but what I need to know is about the group shot. Can someone please tell me what the best settings would be to take an outdoor group photo of about 18 people?

I also want to take an indoor photo looking down on the group from a staircase. Thank you!

Since you are asking about a specific camera, you may want to check out camera threads for that camera. You can see several in the Small Camera section:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdis​play.php?f=15

For outdoor daylight shooting you will typically be good as long as you have the people/subjects well lit. You can shoot at a low ISO, a reasonably fast shutter speed and an aperture that will ensure that everyone will be in focus. You could use the "Sunny f/16 rule" as a "starting point (f/16 and a shutter speed that is 1/your ISO speed), take a shot, check your results, adjust if needed. Or, in excellent light, if you are not comfortable in adjustments with your camera, even Auto will get good results.

Indoors is different, since low light will either "force" the use of a flash or, if a flash is not used you will need a higher ISO and a wider aperture to get a good exposure with a decent shutter speed. Again, if you are not comfortable with dealing with complex camera settings, you may be best off by just doing "snapshots" in the Auto mode.

The S100 is a 1/1.7" sensor, but these figures are (close enough) for a camera with 1/1.8" sensor...

At 15' distance and 5.2mm lens(widest setting), the frame will capture an area of 15' x 20', and at f/2 there will be DOF zone from 5.5' to Infinity. Large enough lens opening that you could shoot without supplemental light in many situations with ISO 400, and still have lots of DOF to capture multiple rows of people in the group!

Even at 6mm (safer for prevention of perspective distortion in the group shot!) and f/2.8, it will capture about 13' x 18' area with DOF of 5.3' to Infinity.