Canon S5IS users. I have a question.

[housemouse]

I just recently bought this camera and I love, love, love it. I think I don't quite understand how to use the zoom correctly though. How do you keep the blur out of your pictures when you zoom in? Sometimes when I use the zoom, the picture in the LCD waffles back and forth between clear and blurry. I thought that it might be me swaying, but even when I place the camera on a solid surface this will happen. What am I doing wrong?

[Code]

Have you by chance turned on continuous auto focus? If that is on then the camera will always be looking for an auto focus lock (rather than just when you half press the shutter button) and the focus-hunting would be very noticable when you are zoomed in.

Check the menu for "AF mode"

[housemouse]

I took the auto focus off and it's still a crap shoot. It also seems to be more of an issue when it is zoomed out fully. So, maybe I shouldn't zoom it so far?

[Code]

Sounds more like digital zoom, are you using that? If so, turn it off.

[housemouse]

It seemed somewhat better that way, but I thought digital zoom was good? Thought autofocus was good too.:confused3 I'm noticing I do have some "sway" issues, so I'm going to have to learn ways to brace myself.

[Code]

Digital zoom is bad... turn it off, leave it off. The exact same result (with more flexibility) can be achieved by cropping a photo taken at maximum optical zoom.

Autofocus is good, I misinterpreted what you initially said.

[Pea-n-Me]

You have to depress the shutter halfway to lock the focus.