Powershot A400 flash problem

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.point+shoot (More info?)

"Rob J" <robj@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:4ddjg1lqqso0gc7f2h64vr43brqrlt06tr@4ax.com...
> See http://www.dcresource.com/forums/s [...] hp?t=11486
> and the attached pictures.
>
> I've been taking photos with digital cameras for years. I have never
> seen this much problems with flash photos. It is something that
> happens consistently - I have a set of test images and these date over
> the entire life of the camera to date (6 weeks).
>
> It's funny we are not seeing a lot of comment from Powershot A400
> owners, either that or it is too new a model so far.
>

I have also had this problem with a Fuji digital camera, with flash but
mostly in very bright sunlight. I also came to the conclusion that it was
reflection, but felt that it was bright spots on the object being
photographed reflecting back at the camera. If the photo had the potential
of being really good, or passed around elsewhere, I removed the spots (or
should I say hid the spots?) by using the clone brush in Paint Shop Pro (by
JASC). I now use an Olympus, and have not had the problem in any light or
situation.

Sheila

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.point+shoot (More info?)

On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 18:44:44 -0500, Frank H. Emens <FEMENS@HIWAAY.NET>
wrote:

>On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 18:43:50 GMT, "shee"
><sheila-e@blueBERRYPIEyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Rob J" <robj@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
>>news:4ddjg1lqqso0gc7f2h64vr43brqrlt06tr@4ax.com...
>>> See http://www.dcresource.com/forums/s [...] hp?t=11486
>>> and the attached pictures.
>>>
>>> I've been taking photos with digital cameras for years. I have never
>>> seen this much problems with flash photos. It is something that
>>> happens consistently - I have a set of test images and these date over
>>> the entire life of the camera to date (6 weeks).
>>>
>>> It's funny we are not seeing a lot of comment from Powershot A400
>>> owners, either that or it is too new a model so far.
>>>
>>
>>I have also had this problem with a Fuji digital camera, with flash but
>>mostly in very bright sunlight. I also came to the conclusion that it was
>>reflection, but felt that it was bright spots on the object being
>>photographed reflecting back at the camera. If the photo had the potential
>>of being really good, or passed around elsewhere, I removed the spots (or
>>should I say hid the spots?) by using the clone brush in Paint Shop Pro (by
>>JASC). I now use an Olympus, and have not had the problem in any light or
>>situation.
>>
>>Sheila
>>
>How close to the lens is the flash unit on that camera? Your spots
>don't seem to be consistent in location as they'd be with dust in or
>on the lens. I've seen this phenomenon before when the flash and lens
>are very close together and particles of airborne dust are floating
>fairly near the camera. The light from the flash reflects back from
>the dust particles to form blurry out of focus disks in the picture.

The lens and flash are very close together, in fact the flash is right
above the lens unit slightly to its left.

There is actually a warning in the manual about white dots appearing
on the picture, which it claims is a phenomenom that occurs with
digital cameras.

But I have been shooting with digital cameras for years and never saw
this problem on any other camera consistently like this one, which
suggests to me either a fault with this particular camera or design
fault - such as you suggest, the flash is too close to the lens.

I have in addition to this camera a Powershot S1 and this camera takes
flawless flash pictures, except for one day when the lens was dirty or
had rainspots on it - never saw that happen again, whereas the A400
has done it almost all the time.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.point+shoot (More info?)

On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 18:44:44 -0500, Frank H. Emens <FEMENS@HIWAAY.NET>
wrote:

>On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 18:43:50 GMT, "shee"
><sheila-e@blueBERRYPIEyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Rob J" <robj@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
>>news:4ddjg1lqqso0gc7f2h64vr43brqrlt06tr@4ax.com...
>>> See http://www.dcresource.com/forums/s [...] hp?t=11486
>>> and the attached pictures.
>>>
>>> I've been taking photos with digital cameras for years. I have never
>>> seen this much problems with flash photos. It is something that
>>> happens consistently - I have a set of test images and these date over
>>> the entire life of the camera to date (6 weeks).
>>>
>>> It's funny we are not seeing a lot of comment from Powershot A400
>>> owners, either that or it is too new a model so far.
>>>
>>
>>I have also had this problem with a Fuji digital camera, with flash but
>>mostly in very bright sunlight. I also came to the conclusion that it was
>>reflection, but felt that it was bright spots on the object being
>>photographed reflecting back at the camera. If the photo had the potential
>>of being really good, or passed around elsewhere, I removed the spots (or
>>should I say hid the spots?) by using the clone brush in Paint Shop Pro (by
>>JASC). I now use an Olympus, and have not had the problem in any light or
>>situation.
>>
>>Sheila
>>
>How close to the lens is the flash unit on that camera? Your spots
>don't seem to be consistent in location as they'd be with dust in or
>on the lens. I've seen this phenomenon before when the flash and lens
>are very close together and particles of airborne dust are floating
>fairly near the camera. The light from the flash reflects back from
>the dust particles to form blurry out of focus disks in the picture.

But then there has to be a lot of dust around. None of these photos
were taken in dusty conditions.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.point+shoot (More info?)

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 00:34:53 GMT, _ <_@_._> wrote:

>Frank H. Emens wrote:
>>>How close to the lens is the flash unit on that camera? Your spots
>>>don't seem to be consistent in location as they'd be with dust in or
>>>on the lens. I've seen this phenomenon before when the flash and lens
>>>are very close together and particles of airborne dust are floating
>>>fairly near the camera. The light from the flash reflects back from
>>>the dust particles to form blurry out of focus disks in the picture.
>
>Rob J wrote:
>> But then there has to be a lot of dust around. None of these photos
>> were taken in dusty conditions.
>
>There's always plenty of dust around; I'm sure you've noticed this when
>a sunbeam enters a dark room. This observation also provides the clue to
>a solution for your problem. Dust is more visible in low-light
>conditions with a single strong light source, such as flash.
>
>Try shooting in better lit conditions (turn on a light), use a larger
>aperture (on the A400, I would test out the various scene modes,
>especially portrait, night scene and indoor) and avoid the flash
>whenever possible (if the above doesn't obviate the need for flash, use
>a mini-tripod).
>
>Still not convinced?
>http://home.fujifilm.com/products/digital/tips/reflect/

Ah well. Pity, it's a very good camera for the money.