I can manually control, via menus, the 'focus' distance, the 'ISO,' the 'White Balance,' and the 'sharpness' of my shots. I know from EXIF data that it can shoot from F2.8 to at least 10.0. It goes from ISO 100 to 300-some-odd (the menu claims 400) when it autopicks, and often has intermediate numbers between the 100, 200, 300, 400 choice I'm given in the menu. It has used shutter speeds between 1/2000s and 1/30s.
I have no idea how to control these behaviors, though I do notice differences based on what it chose to do, in the final product. I've figured out how to fudge its light meter (aim up at bright sky and push shutter down halfway before reaiming at subject; aim at dark corner and push halfway), and its focus choice, but have no idea how to even begin to try to exert more control over the f-stop and shutter speed. Bathe subject in light? Remove all light?
Yes, the final answer is 'buy a better camera,' and I do intend to do that eventually. I'm looking for timeworn kludges, at this point. :-> As it is, I shoot at night and in conditions far too dark for the poor thing rather often, but I'm learning how to get decent results even when I'm abusing the hardware.
Having a crappy camera makes you rely on "you" more for your shots. That's a good thing in my opinion. It forces you to be more creative. When you finally get yourself a "good" camera, you will have not to rely on the camera's "bells and whistles" so much.
The most important thing with a low end camera is to know its capabilities as well as its limits and to work within them. Move in closer to compensate for short or no zoom,etc.
eloise, have you tried your scences setup, cause these will ajust some of the settings for you i.e. if you use the landscape scene mode, it should automatically use a smaller aperture like F4 to F8, while putting it into portrait mode should give you a wider aperture like F2.
That would at least give you some control over your aperture.
eloise, have you tried your scences setup, cause these will ajust some of the settings for you i.e. if you use the landscape scene mode, it should automatically use a smaller aperture like F4 to F8, while putting it into portrait mode should give you a wider aperture like F2.
That would at least give you some control over your aperture.
The problem is I want to see what I can do to make it do what *I* choose, not wht *it* chooses. :-> Yes, the answer is 'get a better camera,' but I'm looking for things to play with. My camera doesn't have a 'scences' mode, and to it 'landcape' means I hold the camera horizontal when I click the shutter button.
