Received my S3 IS and have a few questions....

Mr. Bone88 · #1 09-15-2006, 09:04 PM

Hi everyone,

I received my S3 IS a few days ago and have been playing around with it. I have a question about pictures taken with the 12x optical zoom maxed out. I notice when I zoom in all the way and take a picture that it's soft or looks blurry and every picture I've taken this way has always been soft or blurry. Is this normal? The pictures I took were using max optical zoom, max resolution in the (P) mode at ISO 80. I have the digital zoom set to off so that's not what's doing it. I have set the settings to the following:

Menu Settings:

Flash Sync: 1st-curtain
Slow Synchro: Off
Red-Eye: On
Cont. Shooting: The squares without the "H"
Self-timer: 10
Spot AE Point: Center
MF-Point Zoom: On
AF Mode: Single
AF-assist Beam: On
Tally Lamp: On
Digital Zoom: Off
Review: 2 sec
Reverse Disp: On
IS Mode: Shoot Only
Converter: Off

Function Settings:

Exp: -1/3
AWB: Auto
My Colors: Off
BKT: Off
Flash: 0
Evaluative
Res: (L) 2816x2112 Also Superfine

Can anyone help me with this. Is there a way to sharpen the pictures with the camera? It seems to me that my A610 took sharper pictures using it's full zoom. Oh, if I use the max zoom and shoot a picture of something that isn't as far away it looks better and sharper. So, it seems to have a problem taking sharp pictures of something that is of far distance. Have and ideas why this is happening? Thanks in advance for your help!

Thanks again,
-Mr. Bone88

BowerR64 · #2 09-15-2006, 09:09 PM

We need to see the info of the image to know for sure. It sounds like your shutter speed is to slow.

Try this, at the top near the shutter button push the small little one so you get a clock icon on the display screen. its like 2 or 10 scond. Now sit the camera down on soomthing with it zoom all the way to 12X with the camera sitting on somthing and see if they are clear.

Try this, put the dial on "P" mode, pop up the flash, put the ISO to 100 and then take a shot full zoom. See how it looks.

Mr. Bone88 · #3 09-15-2006, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BowerR64

We need to see the info of the image to know for sure. It sounds like your shutter speed is to slow.

Try this, at the top near the shutter button push the small little one so you get a clock icon on the display screen. its like 2 or 10 scond. Now sit the camera down on soomthing with it zoom all the way to 12X with the camera sitting on somthing and see if they are clear.

Try this, put the dial on "P" mode, pop up the flash, put the ISO to 100 and then take a shot full zoom. See how it looks.

Hi Bower64,

Thanks for your reply! The pics I'm talking about were shot today during the day, so I can't shot them over again until tomorrow since it's dark outside. Here are four pictures that I took so you can see them. They are straight from the camera with nothing done to them. Please allow time for them to load since they are large in file size:

Pic #1
Pic #2
Pic #3
Pic #4

Notice how they are soft and blurry? Why is this happening? I have IS on so you would think that would help with camera shake. Is it that my shutter speed is too slow?

Thanks again,
-Mr. Bone88

TenD · #4 09-16-2006, 08:20 AM

The IS can't be expected to be a miracle when it comes to steadying a shot, especially one racked out to 432mm. When you look through the viewfinder or at the screen when composing at 432mm you'll see the shot jumping around quite a bit, the IS can only handle small movements, 1/focal length for shutter speed still applies. 1/focal length would be the start and then see if you can hand hold slower than that with the IS. Good technique, such as leaning against something steady, gently squeezing the shutter release, controlled breathing, and a solid stance all contribute to a sharp photo, and are amplified when you use the limits of the zoom.

steveLe · #5 09-16-2006, 08:27 AM

yea... its most likely camera shake. try using a tripod or making a faster shutter speed.

the camera is really good for zooming, you just gotta keep it steady enough to take a clear crisp photo =D

Mr. Bone88 · #6 09-17-2006, 05:54 PM

Hi everyone,

I would like to thank you all for your help!

Well, today I took some more shots and guess what? Yep, the same problem! All shots were taken with my camera on a tripod at max optical zoom. I shot in full auto mode, P mode, with IS and without IS and all were soft and blurry except for shooting at max optical zoom at subjects that were about 8 to 12 feet. Like I said before, the camera seems to do good using max zoom on subjects that are maybe 8 to 15 feet away from the camera and that's max. Anything farther than that will look soft and blurry. Here are some of my test pictures from today while on a tripod. Please allow time for the pictures to load:

Pic #1
Pic #2
Pic #3
Pic #4
Pic #5
Pic #6

See how they look soft and blurry? Now here are two shots using the tripod with the subject closer and you will see they came out nice. The lamp post is about 12 feet away from the camera and the tire is about 8 feet away from the camera. Both using the max optical zoom:

Pic #7
Pic #8

What do you all think is going on with my camera? I can now rule out camera shake. Is it a sensor problem? Should I RMA my camera back to where I bought it for an exchange? Is there anyone else here with the same problem?

Thanks again,
-Mr. Bone88

steveLe · #7 09-17-2006, 06:01 PM

well the pictures do look a little blurry... but you can try to compare your shots with mine. i did these without a tripod. i forgot the exif data off hand, but if you want it, i can show it to you.

first shot is of a building that is pretty far away. i am really crappy with estimations, but it could be about 50 feet away (with some zoom already). the second shot is a closeup on the bricks from the SAME position, but max zoom.

http://stevele.net/images/IMG_0265.jpg
http://stevele.net/images/IMG_0268.jpg

you cant expect the quality to be PERFECT on these cameras. it is not an dSLR camera. but this is what i got from my testings. i am not sure what your problem might be, but i hope this helps =]

Mr. Bone88 · #8 09-17-2006, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveLe

well the pictures do look a little blurry... but you can try to compare your shots with mine. i did these without a tripod. i forgot the exif data off hand, but if you want it, i can show it to you.

first shot is of a building that is pretty far away. i am really crappy with estimations, but it could be about 50 feet away (with some zoom already). the second shot is a closeup on the bricks from the SAME position, but max zoom.

http://stevele.net/images/IMG_0265.jpg
http://stevele.net/images/IMG_0268.jpg

you cant expect the quality to be PERFECT on these cameras. it is not an dSLR camera. but this is what i got from my testings. i am not sure what your problem might be, but i hope this helps =]

Hi steveLe,

Thanks for sharing your pictures with me to compare. I see your 2nd picture is at full zoom like you said, but it looks so much better than my pictures. I did notice that your 2nd picture is really large in file size and I was wondering if you did any PP to it such as unsharp mask and etc?

Thanks again,
-Mr. Bone88

steveLe · #9 09-17-2006, 06:21 PM

no... those shots are all straight from the camera. hold on while i get my exif data for you =]

downtrodden · #10 09-17-2006, 06:24 PM

Hey.. I did not have time to look at all your pix you posted as an example, just the first one wit hthe telephone poles.. and to me it looks like there is something on your lense.. like dirt.. I had this problem one day.. the focus would lock and the picture would be blurry.. beffudled i played around with it for hours before looking at the lens and seeing that some white flake was on my lens and the focus lock was focusing on it.. i *think* i saw some debris in the air of the picture that looked like it was "in focus".. It may be just in the background.. but it's worth a shot and another try! goodluck!