Over exposed photos outdoors only

[Sue_P]

Hi, I have a Samsung Digimax 240 and it’s worked fine for years up until a month ago and now it overexposes photos taken outdoors but yet works perfectly fine indoors still. If I’m outdoors on a really gloomy and dark day and point the camera downwards then I can get an almost acceptable shot but practically all outdoor shots are now a no no. Is the problem none-fixable? Changing all the settings seems to make no difference. Shall I just buy a new camera?

[Frog]

Post a couple of examples along with the exif data.

[Sue_P]

Don't get too technical with me, I'm only a dumb blond. I haven't a clue what exif data is.



Here's some of my outdoor photos though.






(Pointing the camera down at some frog spawn.)

[Frog]

sorry about the techno talk but it is necessary to have the 'exif' data to evaluate what is going on.
Not to worry because the data is imbedded in your photos.
All it is is what aperture, shutter speed, iso, etc. the pic was taken at. e.g. first shot had a focal length of 5.2mm, an aperture of 5.8, and a shutter speed of 1/570.

Unfortuantley that does not give me a clue as to what is going on but I'm sure someone with more technical knowledge than I, will be able to chime in.

One question that might help is if all these were taken with the same memory card and have you ever changed the memory card. Just thinking it might be a bad card.
The camera is pretty old by today's digital standards. I doubt it would be worthwhile to get it fixed.
But lets see if someone knows what is going on.

[Anbesol]

It would not be a matter of a bad card, the image data either transfers to the card, or it doesn't, wont impact exposure.

The white balance is abysmal in both photos, as well as being terribly overexposed. Checking the exif, nothing on it is pushing any limits.

My guess here is that there was some physical damage to the cameras lens, probably moisture or something that caused some fog in the glass. Causing optical haziness that is only noticeable under harsh lighting conditions. The reflections within the elements of this haziness would throw the metering off and cause just this problem with the automated exposure. In a darker environment, the reflections would be significantly reduced and even not, or barely noticeable.

Or, perhaps someone else has a better theory?

This camera is also an antique, and overdue for upgrade even if it was in good working order! You could do much better than this for even ~$50 now, the Canon Powershot A540 is going on ebay for ~ $40, and it would be like upgrading from a Geo to a Corvette, in the relative aspect.

[Sue_P]

Thanks a lot for both your inputs, you’re very helpful.

If the camera may have some moisture in it could it be from me carrying the camera 5 miles to work on an early morning (7-20am – 8.45am) on a cold or frosty British day? That’s the only time I can think of it being exposed to extreme weather. I have to carry it to work if I want to download photos as I don’t own my own computer. It’s always in it’s camera case though and would be in a plastic carrier bag.

How dare you call my camera an antique?!!! It was a present from my mum’s boyfriend who had two digital cameras and thought he’d give me his less high-tec one as I was still using my 17-year-old non-digital only-works-half-the-time camera. I was thinking my digital camera was very modern and snazzy actually.

I may buy another digital camera or just put up with this one and only use it indoors. Or maybe use this one for indoors and my 17-year-old one with film for outdoors.

If it is moisture trapped inside, do you think there’s any chance it will dry and start working normally again? I found a mobile phone in thick wet bracken once and had it by the radiator for a few months and then it started working again.

[Sue_P]

Oh BTW, the moisture build-up inside couldn’t have anything to do with where I store it could it? I keep it in the oven. I’m being serious, I left my mum’s house and bought my own nearly two years ago and haven’t used the oven once so use it as storage. I gave it a clean but the bottom still has food residue and grime on which is unshiftable.

[Frog]

I don't think your walks to work or leaving it an oven are necessarily causes for moisture inside the camera unless the seals have broken down with age and humidity found its way in.
If the camera has sentimental value for you, make a nice display place for it and bring it offerings.
Also, thank you for the smile you gave me this morning.

[Sue_P]

I don't think your walks to work or leaving it an oven are necessarily causes for moisture inside the camera unless the seals have broken down with age and humidity found its way in.

You think it’s just age then.

If the camera has sentimental value for you, make a nice display place for it and bring it offerings.

Also, thank you for the smile you gave me this morning.

Hey I like frogs, I’m actually a real big frog enthusiast.

[t00nz]

That looks like a shutter problem, with the shutter stuck in the open position. To confirm it, turn off the flash, look down the lens barrel and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter activates. If no movement is seen, the shutter is stuck. If confirmed, try pointing the camera downward, and gently tapping on the lens barrel with a pencil in an attempt to unstick it. Other techniques may be found at this link. If successful in fixing, try taking plenty of pictures in an attempt to lubricate the shutter, and prevent it from happening again.

[Sue_P]

That looks like a shutter problem, with the shutter stuck in the open position. To confirm it, turn off the flash, look down the lens barrel and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter activates. If no movement is seen, the shutter is stuck. If confirmed, try pointing the camera downward, and gently tapping on the lens barrel with a pencil in an attempt to unstick it. Other techniques may be found at this link. If successful in fixing, try taking plenty of pictures in an attempt to lubricate the shutter, and prevent it from happening again.

Hey thanks for posting, only just seen this. Looks a bit complicated all that so I’ve printed it off and will give the instructions a go later. Thanks. It’d be great if it actually fixed it.

[OurAdoptedMilitaryFamily]

Hi folks,
I have a Canon PowerShotS3 1S... It's doing the same thing as these folks' cameras.

It was fine for a foto outing and then we hooked it up to the tv to view the fotos (rather than download them as I normally) do, and it would not display ANY of the fotos on the card. Hubby decided it was a problem w/ the video aspect of the cable. The tv acknowledged the camera by a sound change.

The fotos were there and were fine.

Now, indoors it works fine, but outdoors it's overexposed, under normal light conditions.

Originally there was no shutter movement. (I turned off the flash and peeked down the lens as instructed above.)lol

I tried the tv mode, foto, open the battery door trick about eighteen times and now see slow, three tiered shutter response. Indoor shots seem unchanged, outdoor seems a little less overexposed, but are still too overexposed to be of use.

I tried extending the lens and tapping.. no change.
I tried tapping the entire pup ON the table top. no change.

I fear the malfunctioning video cable may be the culprit, mostly because of the timing, but have no clue... I'd hate for my baby to be relegated to the indoor fox farm. Any thoughts?