I finally got a digital camera today-Canon Powershot A620

[traces7]

Anyone have any tips or advice for me? I've been playing with it a little, but I still have a lot to learn. Hopefully by our trip in Oct. I'll be up to speed on it! One question, on a couple shots the blur image showed up on the display (I just have it in auto now), what should I do so it won't blur? Switch to a different mode, I assume, but which one? They were inside shots, seem to be ok though. We'll see when I get them printed though. Thanks for any advice!

 

[Laura]

Hi! I have the A620 too. Great camera; congrats on your purchase.

If you have it on Auto mode for indoor pics, and it's showing the little red vibrating camera, there isn't a whole lot you can do. The camera can only handle so much indoors, because it only goes up to ISO 400. First, check and see if your flash is turned off. If it's on, you need more light in the camera so it can automatically up its shutter speed (so turn on some lamps). Switching to indoor mode will help some. Or if you're taking pics of non-moving subjects, put the camera on a tripod or a flat surface so you will not shake it.

If the pics don't look blurry to you enlarged on your computer screen, they're probably fine.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Welcome to the Canon Family. It's a great little camera. I own the older cousin of that camera the A95 (and also used to own the previous version of it, the A80)

 

[traces7]

If you have it on Auto mode for indoor pics, and it's showing the little red vibrating camera, there isn't a whole lot you can do. The camera can only handle so much indoors, because it only goes up to ISO 400. First, check and see if your flash is turned off. If it's on, you need more light in the camera so it can automatically up its shutter speed (so turn on some lamps). Switching to indoor mode will help some. Or if you're taking pics of non-moving subjects, put the camera on a tripod or a flat surface so you will not shake it.

If the pics don't look blurry to you enlarged on your computer screen, they're probably fine.

So sometimes that little red vibrating camera will show and the pics will turn out fine? I had a couple printed and they looked ok. I do have the flash on and it's in a fairly light room, it even comes on sometimes on outdoor shots in the shade! I did switch it to indoor mode inside and it didn't come on. So I guess it just takes some playing around with.
Do you pretty much use the auto mode or do you switch to other modes? Also in the book it says it will beep twice and the green indicator light will come on when it's in focus, but most of the time the green indicator light is not coming on. (But on my the pics I had printed everything was in focus).
Thanks for your help. Nice to have someone familiar with the camera to ask questions!

Never mind about the green indicator light question, I found in the booklet that it's steady orange when the flash is on! That's what it does.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

the red vibrating camera icon is a warning to let you know that the shutter speed is very low and you may get a blurry picture.

 

[Anewman]

IMO
The best thing you can do when low light warning(red vibrating camera) appears, is to get closer to the subject in order to allow the FLASH to illuminate it. Zoom is great but when depending on flash you really should go as wide as possible.

 

[jenny2]

Great purchase!! I also own the 620... I bought it as a companion to my Rebel. It's a great camera. I've also taken pictures when the camera shake light is on and it's been fine. It depends on *how* slow the shutter is getting. If you've gotten it down to 50 or so you're probably fine... but if you're trying to hand hold the camera at 1/10... well... you're going to get a blurry picture!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

the minimum shutter speed also depends on the zoom level you use. At no zoom at all (approx 36mm focal length), you can hold it steady (if you know how to) at least as low as 1/30 sec or 1/20 sec.

The rule of thumb is whatever the focal length is, that's the minimum shutter speed you can handle. Roughly, of course.

So if you have an S2 IS (with IS turned off), at maximum zoom you'll need at least 1/500 to be safe from camera shake. With IS on, of course you can have the shutter speed as low as 1/125 and be safe.

On an A620, at the max zoom the safe minimum shutter speed is approx 1/150 sec.

Hope it helps.