Digital camera fault.

[Retired]

Hi,

I've taken thousands of images with my Canon PowerShot A470 without the slightest problem not messing around with its settings just leaving it on default. Over the last couple of days though it's taking washed out pictures with or without the flash as seen below; these pictures are taken inside the garage on two rare sunny days.

I've tried taking pictures with the garage doors closed and also switching the strip lights off.

Can anyone please suggest a quick fix because I've been browsing the web and one suggestion was to change the lens which I think is rather drastic when perhaps all I need to do is adjust something; I've been into the menu and reset to default but without luck. All I want to do with a camera is point and click leaving everything on automatic. I know nothing about cameras so any help would be most appreciated.

Kind regards, Col.

       

[Refugee]

Have you tried cleaning the lens?
It looks like the lens is dirty to me. The sun will wash the image out if the light is coming from the side when you take a picture if it is dirty.
Also what type of focusing does it have?
It says in the back of the user handbook.

[camallison]

I apologise in advance Col, but you may not have much experience with sunny conditions living up there. It looks to me as though the sun shining in from the side is washing it out. Try a few indoors in a darker room.

Colin

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks for your suggestion Lawrence. I never even considered looking at the lens because I need to switch the camera on to view the lens so out of sight out of mind? I've just had a look though and you are bang on; the lens appears smeared; is it OK to use pure alcohol to clean the lens with? I'll clean the lens tomorrow because the lighting is too poor at the moment to see what I'm doing.

I'm sure that you are also correct Colin in that the sun is also aggravating the problem; the full sun was hitting the garage entrance hence I tried some shots with the doors closed but there is safety wired glass in the doors so it's possible the sun wasn't helping; yes I was trying to take pictures with the sun to my side so really a double problem; the smeared lens and the sun.

I'm pleased I posted this request for help because I'm sure others must suffer from the same problems with their cameras; it's nice to have so many experts on the forum willing to help novices out like me; thank you.

I mentioned in another thread that our land-line phone had gone down and that the last time this happened the problem was because a Virgin Media engineer had disconnected us at the control box in front of our bungalow giving our connection to a new subscriber. The engineer came out as arranged and on time this afternoon; great stuff there are ten connections in the box and we are number eleven; once again we've been disconnected when in fact we should be number one having been with the company for well over twenty years? Our line is still down but more connections are now going to be added and we are promised to be on the phone again within 24 hours? Our TV is also on the way out because the colours are failing but I'm not too bothered given the endless bad news and sport it keeps throwing at us. Fortunately though it still plays downloaded movies from DVD like a good un.

I'll play with the camera again tomorrow and report back; two glorious days on the trot here; must be summer?

Kind regards, Col.

[pwdrive]

"Many thanks for your suggestion Lawrence. I never even considered looking at the lens"

'twasn't me boss

Lawrence.

[Mark Hennessy]

If you look at the full-sized versions of the images, there are horizontal lines all over them. This suggests some kind of sensor or other electronic fault. Given that, it's no wonder the auto-exposure is all over the shop. Nothing to do with the lens.

[Skywave]

If you look at the full-sized versions of the images, there are horizontal lines all over them. This suggests some kind of sensor or other electronic fault.

I wonder if those horizontal lines are a symptom of a defective RAM?
Please excuse this daft Q., but I simply have to enquire: have you tried replacement batteries?

Al. / March 4th.

[Retired]

Hi,

Whoops; sorry Refugee I'm thanking the wrong guy in Lawrence for the lens information so to correct this thanks Refugee much appreciated. I don't have the handbook with me at the moment so will have to find it? It's been an upside down kind of day today; retirement sure is hectic.

Oh dear Mark; just when I thought I had a cheap and simple solution to the problem you've thrown a spanner into the works? Yes I had seen the light coloured lines but didn't understand the cause.

I'll play around with the camera tomorrow when the lighting is better. I might end up buying another camera because I'm not going to throw money at this one if it is faulty without a simple and cheap solution?

Thanks for asking Al; I've only just changed the batteries a few minutes ago and the pictures just taken do look better but with lots of lines across them; I'm unable to post these pictures because the file size is now too large since I reset to default and I need to find out how to adjust the size; I'm too tired at the moment to play around with the camera.

Kind regards, Col.

[ed731pdh]

Can you do a factory reset on the camera? Also, is the memory an external plug in?

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks for asking ed; I've just been playing around with the camera and found the reset so I've reset to factory default which I think I did yesterday as well?

The camera has a 2GB card installed which is removable and I've just removed and re-installed it to see if it makes any difference; poor connections?

I've been trying to find out how to adjust the camera because yesterday when I restored to default and then tried to post the pictures on the forum the picture size is now too big but previously I hadn't a problem? The camera is 7.1 Mega Pixels.

I know very little about cameras so please feel free to treat me as an absolute novice; this is the way I learn things.

I'll find the manual as well which might help; I have it somewhere.

Kind regards, Col.