Canon G10 macro zoom

I'm having a problem with my Canon G10. When I'm using macro and I zoom, I no longer get the zoom warning box (was it yellow?). Any ideas why I lost it and how to get it back?

Thanks.

You've probably turned the camera's digital zoom feature off (I think the colour is blue btw). Look for 'Digital Zoom' under the first menu option (red).

Thanks, but sadly no, digital zoom is on.

Hmmm.... when you attempt to zoom the 'zoom bar' should be displayed at the top of your LCD screen. If digital zoom is enabled there should be two distinct sections to that bar - the first part being the optical zoom and the second part the digital zoom. When the zoom control is held over the camera should zoom until the limit of optical zoom is reached. Releasing the zoom control and re-zooming should then extend the bar into the digital blue zone. Does that not happen?

I do get the blue bar in digital zoom. No problem there.

But in Macro mode, when I zoom in beyond the camera's ability to focus, I used to get a yellow bar, which is no longer happening.

I played with it some more and found the AF frame flashes yellow when I press the shutter halfway and I'm zoomed in too close. So at least that's working.

The only other thing I can think of is that your referring to the yellow part of the zoom bar which indicates the maximum zoom you can go to without image deterioration when shooting in resolutions other than 'L'. If you select 'M3' for instance and zoom into the digital zoom area, the first part of the bar will be yellow before changing to blue if you zoom too far for the resolution selected. (see page 70 of the manual).

Thanks for trying to help Steve. I'm probably confusing the Safety Zoom with something else. But I remember getting some kind of warning bar when I was trying to zoom in too close in Macro mode. I'll have to take a look at a g-series camera in a store and see if I can find what I was looking for.

Thanks again.

Sorry I couldn't be more help. Hope you get it sorted.

I have the G11, so it uses the same lens and displays the same feedback as your G10. If I'm in Macro, and L resolution, then I will not get the yellow warning color before it goes to blue while zooming beyond the optical limits. If I select a lower resolution like M2 or M3 then I do get a small yellow warning before it goes blue. You have not lost any capabilities, you're just not in a smaller resolution to warrant the system providing a yellow warning before the blue warning. Besides, why would you want to use digital zoom in Macro to start with? I turn digital zoom off to ensure the highest quality results. I also use close-up lenses to allow me to zoom to maximum optical zoom and stand off from the subject to allow more light in, as well as provide better out of focus back ground.

Dennis

Hey Dennis,

I'm not doing a good job describing this. I'm not trying to use digital zoom in macro. In Macro mode, if I zoom in too close for the camera to focus, and press the shutter half-way, the AF frame flashes yellow, and the lower indicator light next to the viewfinder blinks yellow warning that the camera has difficulty focusing. I thought (and I may be confused on this) that there was also an indicator somewhere on the zoom bar (separate from the digital zoom) that indicated when the camera would have difficulty focusing, and that this happened without having to press the shutter halfway.

Thanks for trying to help.

Hi Karen

I certainly can't replicate anything like that on my G10. The only indication I get is the 'focus range' for any given zoom position showing under the zoom bar. Also, the camera doesn't have a 'live' camera to subject sensor to continually monitor the distance to the subject. The camera won't know whether it can focus or not until the shutter button is half pressed.

I think I figured it out. The feature I was thinking of shows up on my old Powershot A710is. Picture attached. There is a yellow bar beneath the zoom bar that I described earlier (notice that it doesn't line up with the digital zoom). For the life of me, I thought I had the same thing on the G10 but I must be mistaken. Thanks for your patience.

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Ah-ha........well at least you now know you didn't image that you'd seen it somewhere! Nice to know the outcome. Thanks for letting us know .

Here's what I see on my G9.
1. with the Macro option 'ON', and with AF 'ON', I have a Yellow bar under the Zoom indicator. It only shows while I am zooming, and for a fast moment after. (I am in 'P' on the Mode dial)

2. If using Macro, and Manual Focus -- then there is no Yellow bar as above. Related to this set-up, when I am zoomed out (say mid-way) then MF will stop at certain limits (will only go to very very close focus when lens is not zoomed at all).

So, technique? Maybe start in AF and get an idea of zoom and proximity/focus-range -- then switch to Manual Focus if desired.

CarloY wrote in post #11299212
Here's what I see on my G9.
1. with the Macro option 'ON', and with AF 'ON', I have a Yellow bar under the Zoom indicator. It only shows while I am zooming, and for a fast moment after. (I am in 'P' on the Mode dial)

So, under the same circumstances, I see distances under the zoom indicator, not a yellow bar. I wonder if I changed some setting in the menu by accident to make this happen? I tried reset all in the menu more than once and it hasn't helped.

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