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W1/P100 blurred poll: please tell your story!
- Thread starter french_dream
- Start date
Hi Andrei,
Your reply shows that in low-light cases you switch to
manual mode. I think the Full auto algorithm can handle
higher ISOs the same way we do in manual mode. In many
cases (fast response) and for many users, most photos will
be taken in Full auto mode and as you say, a sharp, under exposed
(and maybe even a little noisy) pic can be improved and can
still be enjoyed. A blurry one (if not intended to be) is irritating.
Thanks,
EAS
Your reply shows that in low-light cases you switch to
manual mode. I think the Full auto algorithm can handle
higher ISOs the same way we do in manual mode. In many
cases (fast response) and for many users, most photos will
be taken in Full auto mode and as you say, a sharp, under exposed
(and maybe even a little noisy) pic can be improved and can
still be enjoyed. A blurry one (if not intended to be) is irritating.
Thanks,
EAS
ANOTHER thing I just noticed (P120)...
I noticed my camera was having trouble focusing in low lighting. It was taking time in a darkened office, and the focus type symbol would flash whilst the focus zones disappeared. I read the manual again to discover what this meant.
With the AF Illuminator set to auto, the camera will usually try to use it in low lighting. It then focuses on the illumination, OVERIDING the spot or multi-focus setting. I set the AF illuminator to OFF and the camera focuses on objects with less trouble and more speed. The test images I took seemed much clearer to me as well.
My theory is that the AF Assist makes the focusing worse unless the camera actually needs to use it. I have no time to test now, but I will leave the AF Illuminator off and see how the pictures turn out over the next few days.
I noticed my camera was having trouble focusing in low lighting. It was taking time in a darkened office, and the focus type symbol would flash whilst the focus zones disappeared. I read the manual again to discover what this meant.
With the AF Illuminator set to auto, the camera will usually try to use it in low lighting. It then focuses on the illumination, OVERIDING the spot or multi-focus setting. I set the AF illuminator to OFF and the camera focuses on objects with less trouble and more speed. The test images I took seemed much clearer to me as well.
My theory is that the AF Assist makes the focusing worse unless the camera actually needs to use it. I have no time to test now, but I will leave the AF Illuminator off and see how the pictures turn out over the next few days.
Interesting, thanks for bringing this up. Let us know how it works out for you. The lack of an AF illuminator on my last camera was one of the things I hated about it -- it absolutely could not lock focus on anything in even moderately low light conditions. I've been pretty successful with my W1 so far by either going into P mode and forcing ISO to 200 or 400, going into M and setting the shutter/aperture myself, and/or using the spot focus. I've left the AF lamp to auto the whole time, and assumed it would result in a function roughly equivalent to spot focus.
Hal Fisher
Senior Member
My first W1 was bad. I was getting at least 20% out of focus shots with it. I replaced it and the new one works great except of course for the slow shutter with the flash on. Why they can't pull their heads out long enough to see what they are doing is a mistery to me.
Hal
Hal
wonderkid
Forum Enthusiast
P120 purchased in London England from ASK Electronics (good shop)
Good question! Unsure, but it has been fairly warm, but not extremely hot. IE, 21 (mid 70s)
Portraits are a disaster. The subject is often blurred.
However, noise reduction makes all of the image slightly blurred.
Apple's iPhoto makes things worse by blurring ALL images and the only way to unblur them is to adjust the Brightness/Contrast controls, then return them to default. However, this is noting to do with the sony (effects any images in iPhoto), and I am only mentioning this so people do not judge the Sony W1/P100 just because iPhoto slightly blurrs their images. My P120 does it too, and iPhoto simply makes it worse, but it also blurrs my older Sony f717 images which were otherwise lovely and sharp.
Has little to do with zoom setting.
All pictures are slightly blurred (I use photoshop to test not iPhoto) and about 20% are very blurred.
I must say that other than the blurring problem (which defeats what I am about to say), the P120 is well made, easy to use, fast, compact and otherwise perfect. But photography is all about capturing the moment. With the P120 I own, this is not possible as such pictures are blurred. The 'it's a small camera' issue doesn't wash. I owned a Sony P51 (2mp) and every shot was sharp, as per all other digicams (and 35mm) compact cameras I have owned. This is a W1/P100 series issue!
I rest my case
Sony? What's the plan?
Artemus Gordon
Active member
Sounds like my first W1...which seemed to frequently short-focus. I exchanged it and the new one is fine. Sony seems to have had some manufacturing issues with this camera. See if your dealer will give you a new one. If cameras come back, Sony will get the message.
Having said that, I am now pleased with camera.
Having said that, I am now pleased with camera.
I do not have blurry pics with my W1. Is it possible that some W1's are defective? Could this be a hardware issue? I also own a 717 and the pics are equal in every way. My only problem with the W1 is not having more manual controls.
ccd219344
Forum Enthusiast
I couldn't agree more! I have NEVER had a problem with blurriness unless I shook....and I knew when I did. It's a small, lightweight camera.....it's going to be susceptible to shaking. I usually use a tripod anyway, but using handheld it has always performed wonderfully in this area.
My problems have been, ironically, with overexposure......not under like the consensus seems to be. Other than that, I think this is the best point and shoot on the market.
My problems have been, ironically, with overexposure......not under like the consensus seems to be. Other than that, I think this is the best point and shoot on the market.
And sometimes it doesn't matter what you do, but you're gonna get totally out of focus images if the camera's no good.
The first picture was shot manual at 1/125 and has nothing in focus in the picture. The second was very sharp and shot in P mode and camera chose 1/50. Shot seconds apart.
While some blurry shots may be due to camera shake it's important to diagnose it properly. I'd love to see samples of what people consider pictures ruined by shake.
The first picture was shot manual at 1/125 and has nothing in focus in the picture. The second was very sharp and shot in P mode and camera chose 1/50. Shot seconds apart.
While some blurry shots may be due to camera shake it's important to diagnose it properly. I'd love to see samples of what people consider pictures ruined by shake.
--
- Bob Redrock
Artemus Gordon
Active member
I've had a few of these back-to-back oddities also. Are you using center or multi-focus? This camera is the little girl with the curl...when she's good, she's very good, when she's bad, she's awful.
The first almost looks like it was in macro.
The first almost looks like it was in macro.
While some blurry shots may be due to camera shake it's important
to diagnose it properly. I'd love to see samples of what people
consider pictures ruined by shake.
--
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
- Bob Redrock
I'm pretty certain it wasn't on macro. I use center focus and spot metering for my shots. I also have set iso to 200. The problem with the blurry photo here is that you couldn't see that it was a stinker till viewed on the PC. It's not bad enough to notice on the camera LCD.
I had the camera in for service at a local shop and they took 10 pictures and found nothing wrong. I'm not getting that many bad ones lately (down to about 5%), but if it persists I guess I have to send it to Sony.
I had the camera in for service at a local shop and they took 10 pictures and found nothing wrong. I'm not getting that many bad ones lately (down to about 5%), but if it persists I guess I have to send it to Sony.
--The first almost looks like it was in macro.
While some blurry shots may be due to camera shake it's important
to diagnose it properly. I'd love to see samples of what people
consider pictures ruined by shake.
--
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
- Bob Redrock
- Bob Redrock
Artemus Gordon
Active member
Actually, 5% doesn't seem too bad. I can easily mess that much myself without help from Sony.
BTW- Keith1200 didn't get your joke on the other post yesterday, did he?
BTW- Keith1200 didn't get your joke on the other post yesterday, did he?
While some blurry shots may be due to camera shake it's important
to diagnose it properly. I'd love to see samples of what people
consider pictures ruined by shake.
--
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
- Bob Redrock
keith1200rs
Senior Member
Macro makes no dfference. All it does is extend the range the camera will try to focus over, so it could take longer to focus. I take a lot of macro photos and often leave it on macro when taking normal shots with no problems.
Keith.
I took eight similar pairs of pictures last night, each with and without AF assist. There was no tripod or any other settings change in P mode because I wanted to simulate normal hand-held use. I ensured that one of each pair used the assist - it was automatic on six shots but I had to recomposed the other two before it switched on. Each shot was allowed to focus before capture.
Without AF assist seven pictures were clear, whilst one focused on a background object, In fairness to the camera, I watched it do this and could have changed it. The same picture worked with AF assist though. One of the other seven AF assist picutes was not quite as clear as it's partner, and one was blurred. Six came out clear.
It's the blurred picture which I am interested in. I need to see if I can repeat the problem using a tripod so that I can eliminate hand shake. 1/40 with flash, f2.8, ISO 100, pattern metering and everything else was the same in both pictures. It looks as if the AF light illuminated a shiny and hard to focus on area. I can't tell from one picture, but it does make me wonder if this is a possible cause of out of focus exposures.
In all cases the focus was quicker without the AF Assist. I read somewhere that this camera focuses well in low light conditions without the AF Assit. I am going to leave it off and see what happens.
A point to note - the Exilim EX-Z30 uses a minimum of 1/60 with the flash, whilst the Sony sets 1/40. Why so different?
Without AF assist seven pictures were clear, whilst one focused on a background object, In fairness to the camera, I watched it do this and could have changed it. The same picture worked with AF assist though. One of the other seven AF assist picutes was not quite as clear as it's partner, and one was blurred. Six came out clear.
It's the blurred picture which I am interested in. I need to see if I can repeat the problem using a tripod so that I can eliminate hand shake. 1/40 with flash, f2.8, ISO 100, pattern metering and everything else was the same in both pictures. It looks as if the AF light illuminated a shiny and hard to focus on area. I can't tell from one picture, but it does make me wonder if this is a possible cause of out of focus exposures.
In all cases the focus was quicker without the AF Assist. I read somewhere that this camera focuses well in low light conditions without the AF Assit. I am going to leave it off and see what happens.
A point to note - the Exilim EX-Z30 uses a minimum of 1/60 with the flash, whilst the Sony sets 1/40. Why so different?
keith1200rs
Senior Member
It should do very well without the AF assist. I almost never use it. The only time I have used AF assist is 1 second at f2.8 at ISO 400 i.e. quite dark. Even then I cannot be sure I needed it on.
Keith.
You almost never use it and you never have blurred shots - maybe there is a link. You have it set to off usually, is that what you are saying?
I feel stupid to even suggest that the AF assist lamp is contributing to focus problems, but I should really try some tests on a tripod.
I feel stupid to even suggest that the AF assist lamp is contributing to focus problems, but I should really try some tests on a tripod.
Artemus Gordon
Active member
Good tip. I didn't know that.
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