Re: P880 AE with red dot flashing
Buddy,
The red AE means the camera cannot set the proper exposure, usually meaning that the picture will come out too dark. So if you're in close up mode shooting without flash, you'll need to provide more light. When the lens aperture and/or shutter speed go red, that means the camera has adjusted them to the max allowed in that mode and you'll get an underexposed picture. In that case you should either add more light if possible, or use a tripod or other steady rest, switch to P (program) mode and increase the Exposure Compensation, or use S (shutter priority) or M (manual) modes and adjust the shutter speed slower if you can't add more light. With a slow shutter speed though you really need the support of a tripod or some way of bracing the cam so there's no shake involved to spoil the shot.
In those modes you will need to use Macro Focus and you won't be able to get quite as close a focus as you can with the Super Close-up, but the quality of the exposure will still be there.
Using the pop-up flash on the camera when you're that close would just throw a big shadow onto the subject anyway because the lens basically "gets in the way" of the light from the flash.
The Flower mode on the mode dial assumes that you're taking pictures outdoors or in bright lighting, that's why the flash is turned off in that mode.
--
Mike O'Brien
Eastman Kodak Company