Pics look like TRASH! need help.

by KarlJay Feb 12, 2010 3:25PM PST

I have a 10mp Kodak c1013, I just got it and it took very nice pics of things like my cars, dog...
It's the type where you push down half way, markers turn green, you press down fully, and it takes the pic.

I need to take pics of ME. So I set the timer, set down, aim and I get very poor quality pic, grainy etc...

These are inside pics, with and without flash, added tru-spectrm light, reg light, still sucks.

I'll try some outside too. Settings are 10mp I've tried different settings as well, still not good.

Is this an issue of having to press 1/2 way down, then all the way down? How can you do this with timer?

Where can someone go to get more help about taking pics? I've seen the basics.
No: flash, direct light, shadows...
better to have natural indirect light, set cam on steady surface/pod...
what about background colors, direction of light ...

Why would I have a grainy texture of the pics when inside using lights, this didn't happen when I took a pic of my cars.
Even my 1.3mp phone cam did better.
Thanks, KarlJay

Discussion is locked

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can answer part

by kalel33-20416052469708587370302374692233 Feb 12, 2010 5:32PM PST

The reason why your camera produces grainy photos indoors is because it's raising the ISO level. Most point and shoots don't do well above ISO 400, with some not even doing well above ISO 200. The C1013 seems to fall into the category of showing noise above the lowest ISO level(which is ISO 80).

Here's a section from a review of the camera.
"and once you get over base ISO strong watercolor-like noise reduction kicks in, with lots of noise visible at ISO 400 and above. The problem is obviously the sensor as noise is visible if you look closely even at ISO 80."

The other part could range from a long exposure which would could show movement or that the autofocus is having problems deciding what to focus on. Without seeing the photos it would be impossible to determine.

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understanding ISO

by KarlJay Feb 13, 2010 7:27AM PST

so this 'ISO' has to do with the amount of time the shutter is open, and being open longer allows more light in and is used in low-light conditions, right?

That figures because I did play with that setting and it was in the pic set.

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yes and no

by kalel33-20416052469708587370302374692233 Feb 13, 2010 8:03AM PST

Yes the ISO affects the amount of time that the shutter is open, but your second part is off. You raise the ISO to get a faster shutter speed when the shutter speed is too slow to get a good shot. Every time you double the ISO you cut the shutter speed in half. So lets say that the shutter has to stay open for 1/30th sec to get a properly exposed photo at ISO 100, if you raise it to ISO 200 then the shutter speed will change to 1/60th sec or ISO 400 would raise it to 1/120th sec.

The longer the shutter stays open the better chance you have of blurring due to movement of the subjects or from the camera moving around.

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should clarify

by kalel33-20416052469708587370302374692233 Feb 13, 2010 8:05AM PST

Your second part is right, but when the shutter stays open for a long time then the scene will be blurry from camera movement and from subject movement. Those great nighttime shots of a city are from a camera being placed on a tripod so that there isn't any camera shake to cause a problem, it's harder when your tyring to hand hold the shot.

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Kodak

by snapshot2 Forum moderator Feb 13, 2010 12:08AM PST

Some things to do:

A smudge on the lens can cause the problems you describe.
Check the front of the lens (glass) and see if you find a fingerprint or smudge on the glass.
Wipe clean with soft cotton lint-free cloth.

Your camera has Optical Zoom and Digital Zoom.
Turn-OFF the Digital Zoom, as it will degrade your photos.

...

The purpose for pressing the shutter button half way down and then pressing it the rest of the way down, is to give the auto-focus to do its job before taking the picture.
This eliminates any shutter lag when you do press the button all the way down.

When using the timer, the camera will ensure that the autofocus is done before taking the photo (this is shutter lag).

Small digital cameras do not perform well in low light, without flash.
The grainy look is called noise.
Use flash for indoor pictures.
That camera has a maximum flash distance of 11 feet.
So make sure that the subject is not more than that distance from the camera.

..

Pics look like TRASH! need help.

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