Question for all Canon Powershot A40 users

[Cougar]

I recently bought this camera and I've been taking a variety of different pictures to test it out (indoors, outdoors, people, plants, pets, etc...) and it seems like in all the pictures I take they are too "soft" or slightly fuzzy and at times they can be a bit dark. I have adjusted every setting I can find on the camera and it still doesn't seem to solve my problem. I've tried taking pictures at 800x600, 1024x768, and 1600x1200 at both fine and superfine resolutions and I have turned on/off the AF-assist beam, AiAF, Spot/Evaluative Light Metering, and changed the settings from snapshot to infinity and still all my pictures seem to be too fuzzy.

Has anyone else encountered this problem with their camera? I've read the manual front to back and have checked Canon's website for any clues and I'm coming up empty. Do you think maybe my camera is defective or am I still doing something wrong?

 

[Bluefront]

What do you mean by fuzzy? Out-of-focus fuzzy, soft focus fuzzy, fuzzy on the screen, fuzzy when printed?
I'm sure there's a website somewhere that can explain the differences. Or you could buy a book with glossy pictures that would help. My A40 doesn't take fuzzy pictures unless I push the button too fast... not letting it focus properly.

 

[Cougar]

Originally posted by: Bluefront
What do you mean by fuzzy? Out-of-focus fuzzy, soft focus fuzzy, fuzzy on the screen, fuzzy when printed?
I'm sure there's a website somewhere that can explain the differences. Or you could buy a book with glossy pictures that would help. My A40 doesn't take fuzzy pictures unless I push the button too fast... not letting it focus properly.

I guess the best way to describe it would be soft focus fuzzy. Basically no matter what the picture is everything is just too soft. I've got an older Kodak DC280 and in the 2+ years that I've had it all the pictures I've taken are sharper or clearer than anything taken with the A40. I know that I'm not pressing the button too fast because I can hear it beep whenever it's properly focused and it's analyzed whether or not it needs to fire the flash.

Does that make any more sense? It's almost like pictures are turning out a bit hazy and the camera just doesn't produce a sharp image. I've seen sample images from this camera and I know what it should be capable of but mine just doesn't seem to want to cooperate.

 

[Macro2]

That could be a focus problem inherent to the camera. There is a firmware upgrade on the Japanese Canon site.

I have this camera and it's not that sharp but it's only 2 MPs.
It uses the same plastic CCD pickup chip Sony uses in it's low res malvica cameras.
In Canons higher end cameras like the S30 and G2 they use a better , glass type pickup chip.

If I had it to do over I'd get a 3.0 or better mp canon or nikon.

 

[Cougar]

Originally posted by: Macro2
That could be a focus problem inherent to the camera. There is a firmware upgrade on the Japanese Canon site.

I have this camera and it's not that sharp but it's only 2 MPs.
It uses the same plastic CCD pickup chip Sony uses in it's low res malvica cameras.
In Canons higher end cameras like the S30 and G2 they use a better , glass type pickup chip.

If I had it to do over I'd get a 3.0 or better mp canon or nikon.

I know the camera isn't exactly high end, but my old kodak dc280 is only 2mp and it's pictures just seem a little sharper than the ones that the a40 is spitting out. I'll have to check the english canon website and see if maybe there is a firmware upgrade for this camera. I haven't seen anywhere in the camera that tells me what version the firmware currently is, but as a last resort I may try to flash it to a newer version if one exists.

 

[Macro2]

Get the firmware or see if you need it.

link

comparison...before/after just for you

Link

Take some before and after an let us know if it works for you.

Mac

 

[nortexoid]

Originally posted by: Macro2
That could be a focus problem inherent to the camera. There is a firmware upgrade on the Japanese Canon site.

I have this camera and it's not that sharp but it's only 2 MPs.
It uses the same plastic CCD pickup chip Sony uses in it's low res malvica cameras.
In Canons higher end cameras like the S30 and G2 they use a better , glass type pickup chip.

If I had it to do over I'd get a 3.0 or better mp canon or nikon.

huh?...MP rating has nothign to do w/ sharpness....a few things could cause softness but it's probably because the camera isn't focusing properly...

1) it might be due to lack of light - make sure the flash is on and there's ample light around...
2) make sure u let is prefocus - hold the shutter button half-way so it can adjust white-balance, focus ,etc....moreover, check to make sure that the color LEDs are lit up properly to show that the camera has properly focused (refer to your manual)
3) u might have shaky hands or something...try taking pics w/ the camera on a trippod or stable surface (table)...then put it on timer shot and don't hold it - let it shoot...see if the pictures are coming out soft.

changing the infinity/snapshot/macro settings wont' do jack for the focus/sharpness, nor will changing the resolution...the compression will tho...also, a high ISO rating will cause the image to look grainy...in auto mode it sets the ISO according to the light level usually...darker = higher ISO.

changing the light metering method might cause some issues too...a slow shutter speed would too...the slower the shutter speed, the blurrier the picture (unless the camera is not moving - that is, not in your hand..i.e. on a tripod)....u can only change the shutter speed in manual tho...

also, i think i remember reading somewhere that some powershot a40 users had irreparable focus issues...they had to send the camera back to canon - faulty lenses or something...check the forums at imaging-resource.com

my a40 shots are as sharp as can be....good luck

 

[Macro2]

RE:"also, i think i remember reading somewhere that some powershot a40 users had irreparable focus issues...they had to send the camera back to canon - faulty lenses or something...check the forums at imaging-resource.com"

Could have saved yourself writing that whole post if you had read my last post. <G>
I did the firmware upgrade and it seems to help.
You're right about the focus but I still think the pickup chip is not as good as some other 2 MP cameras but it could be the focus too.
Mac

 

[Cougar]

Originally posted by: Macro2
Get the firmware or see if you need it.

link

comparison...before/after just for you

Link

Take some before and after an let us know if it works for you.

Mac

I checked out the page with the before/after pictures and it seems like that might be the answer. If you look at the before picture that's basically what kind of photo's my a40 is taking. The image is nice, but it's just a little bit blurry/fuzzy. I may have to check my firmware version and try and download the latest version....hopefully that will do the trick.

huh?...MP rating has nothign to do w/ sharpness....a few things could cause softness but it's probably because the camera isn't focusing properly...

1) it might be due to lack of light - make sure the flash is on and there's ample light around...
2) make sure u let is prefocus - hold the shutter button half-way so it can adjust white-balance, focus ,etc....moreover, check to make sure that the color LEDs are lit up properly to show that the camera has properly focused (refer to your manual)
3) u might have shaky hands or something...try taking pics w/ the camera on a trippod or stable surface (table)...then put it on timer shot and don't hold it - let it shoot...see if the pictures are coming out soft.

changing the infinity/snapshot/macro settings wont' do jack for the focus/sharpness, nor will changing the resolution...the compression will tho...also, a high ISO rating will cause the image to look grainy...in auto mode it sets the ISO according to the light level usually...darker = higher ISO.

changing the light metering method might cause some issues too...a slow shutter speed would too...the slower the shutter speed, the blurrier the picture (unless the camera is not moving - that is, not in your hand..i.e. on a tripod)....u can only change the shutter speed in manual tho...

also, i think i remember reading somewhere that some powershot a40 users had irreparable focus issues...they had to send the camera back to canon - faulty lenses or something...check the forums at imaging-resource.com

my a40 shots are as sharp as can be....good luck

nortexoid...

I've made sure that there is plenty of light when I'm taking pictures so I don't think that would be the problem. I always let it prefocus and I don't take the shot until the camera has beeped to let me know that it's ready. Also, I may not have the steadiest hands on the face of the earth, but they're not shaky enough to ruin all my photo's....I can keep my hands pretty still when I'm taking pictures.

I typically leave the camera in auto mode so that it can make the appropriate adjustments, and I've only fooled with the manual settings to see if I could take a sharper picture.

Hopefully my a40 won't be one of those cameras that's defective. I think for now I'm going to try the firmware fix and see if that helps out and if not I may give Canon a call and see what they have to say.

 

[Cougar]

Hmm, well the update was a dead end. When I clicked through all the links on canon's web page and input my serial number it told me that my camera has already been updated and it wouldn't let me download the patch. It looks like I'm going to have to call up canon and see if they have any advice.