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02-13-2008, 05:15 PM
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#1 of 20 
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How long should a P&S digital camera last?
Is there a finite number of photos that can be taken by a generic point-n-shoot digital camera (in this example, a Canon A610) before the photos start to be filled in with a lot of video noise and look grainy (like high ISO value was used in taking the photos)? I know I've taking thousands of photos with this A610, but I think its better days are behind it now. Or maybe the photos shot on Auto w/flash was sucking because the light sensor could be going bad on it, as the non-flash photos look a little better, though there is more blur due to slower shutter speed and camera shake.
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02-13-2008, 06:58 PM
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#2 of 20
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Member
Location: New York City
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
No idea what the expected life is, but your note about "Auto w/ flash" might indicate either something's wrong w/ the metering for flash or that maybe you've developed a tendency to shoot from greater distances than before.
As I understand it, Auto w/ flash on Canon compacts may bump up the ISO a notch or two as needed. And if your subject distance is beyond the actual range of the flash, the camera will need to bump ISO to make up the difference. I forget the exact formula now, but IIRC, ISO needs to be bumped by 2 stops to cover 2x the distance for flash range.
Also, do not trust the manufacturer specs for actual flash power on these compacts. They might already build in the higher (or even max) ISO capability (along w/ largest aperture) for their quoted flash range -- probably whatever the max ISO is for "Auto w/ flash".
_Man_
Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".
Last edited by Man-Fai Wong : 02-13-2008 at 07:00 PM.
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02-13-2008, 07:29 PM
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#3 of 20
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Joe Kauffman
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
I had that issue with a 2 year old camera. Probably has to do with being dropped quite a bit.
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02-14-2008, 12:36 AM
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#4 of 20
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
I've had my Nikon Coolpix 5000 for going on six years, and other than a few stuck pixels, it hasn't given me any problems.
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02-14-2008, 08:29 AM
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#5 of 20
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
Are you seeing problems that were not there before? Or just concerned that problems might appear?
My own concerns had to do with things like the zoom lens getting stuck or the little buttons in the back starting to bounce and either require a hard press or generate two presses when you pressed only once. Mine is just two years old so I haven't run into any problems --- yet.
Actually I had problems with a six odd year old film camera with a lots of electronics (as opposed to gears and springs) inside. I started to get error codes in the readout and one day the camera would do nothing but display an error code. It was the failing of this camera that got me to buy a digital (Canon SD850 P&S).
Yes it is two more stops or four times the light output in order to double the distance using flash.
Digital camera hints: Digital Camera Technicalia Made Easy
Last edited by Allan Jayne : 02-14-2008 at 08:32 AM.
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02-14-2008, 12:19 PM
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#6 of 20
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
Patrick,
Have you looked at the EXIF information on the photos that have excess noise? If so, is the ISO value high (400 or greater)? Most p&s cameras, with their tiny sensors, do not perform well at higher ISO settings, and you will get the noise that you have described.
If you are getting higher ISO values than you did in the past, then the most likely culprits are either (1) you are using the camera differently than in the past, or (2) something in the light metering system for the camera has changed and/or malfunctioned. While I am sure it's possible, I have not heard of issues with the actual sensor itself "wearing out". Now, on a DSLR, where the sensor can be exposed when the lens is removed, it is certain possible to physically damage a sensor. Since a p&s camera has a fixed lens, though, it is hard to image that happening with that type of camera.
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02-14-2008, 03:44 PM
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#7 of 20
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Administrator
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
Hopefully, I'll get some examples to show y'all as I upload some photos up to Flickr in the next few days.
As some of y'all are familiar with my guerilla style of shooting photos of costumed attendees at various conventions, I did attend a small gathering this weekend, the Atlanta Comics Expo, and they did have a few people dressed up, and this is where I was seeing the graininess of the photos taken with flash show up in the photos, and I don't remember seeing as much grain show up in previously uses with this camera.
I think I was taking photos within the usual proximity of the subjects (5 to 10 feet), so this is why the change in photo quality was sort of perplexing to me.
I'll take a look at the EXIF info and see if I see some wacky ISO numbers on them.
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03-09-2008, 01:11 AM
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#8 of 20
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
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03-09-2008, 03:26 PM
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#9 of 20
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Member
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
Hey, that's a Chinese hopping ghost!
Is it a coincidence that those three "problematic" pictures feature people in white face?
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03-09-2008, 04:03 PM
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#10 of 20
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
No, I suspect the auto-focusing will give more weight on the rest of the darker spots in the frame, which means the white faces will look over-exposed, and causes a higher ISO setting to be used, which leads to the graininess.
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03-09-2008, 09:42 PM
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#11 of 20
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Re: How long should a P&S digital camera last?
The shots from the first batch are definitely a little overexposed, as it appears the camera was me | |
