Problems with indoor closeup shots HELP!

[krynsky]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, and (I suppose) not a very sophisticated user. I currently have a canon a60, which seems to work just fine for normal outdoor use, although once in a while I'd prefer a little more zoom.

The real problem I get into is when I'm trying to take close up pictures, especially indoors. The two main Problems I have are:

• Glare from the flash
• not enough detail or blury

Indoors the flash always likes to come on, but there's almost always a big glare spot from the flash when the camera is too close; if I pull it further away I just don't get a big enough picture, even with the 3x zoom. Sometimes I partialy cover the flash with my finger, which seems to help, but just as often the image is too dark.

Also I'm just not getting the detail I want from the pictures, for example if I'm shooting something with a fine pattern on it, I just can't see the detail or the picture comes out blury.

I hear that lens attachments may help and have seen something called a "lens hood" but I've never used lens attachments before so I'm unsure as to what I need..... I've also considered getting a nicer camera, perhaps a "Canon a80" or a "Canon Powershot S1 IS" but I have a nagging feeling that even with a new camera I may still have these problems.

Any help regarding whether I should look into a new camera, new accessories, or both would realy be appreciated. Also if anyone has any opinions between the a80 and Powershot S1, or any sub $400 camera I'd appreciate that as well.

Thank you in avance everyone!

[Spike]

On-camera flashes really leave a lot to be desired, unfortunately. The best advice I can give you is to learn how far from your subject is ideal for your flash. That is, when are you too close and when are you too far. If at all possible, don't use the flash at all, use available light.

If your pics are blurry, even with flash, then it sounds like you're getting camera shake (this would be the case if the entire photo is blurry), or the camera wasn't able to figure out what to focus on (this would be the case if one part of your photo is in focus, but not the subject).

I get good detail from my A40, so I'm wondering if your lack of detail is due to over-exposure (flash too close), camera shake, or the camera not focusing on the subject. Also, a tripod or some stable surface to support the camera couldn't hurt.

A lens hood wouldn't help you. I believe they are generally used to shield the lens from glare from the sun or other bright light sources.

Spike

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, and (I suppose) not a very sophisticated user. I currently have a canon a60, which seems to work just fine for normal outdoor use, although once in a while I'd prefer a little more zoom.

The real problem I get into is when I'm trying to take close up pictures, especially indoors. The two main Problems I have are:

• Glare from the flash
• not enough detail or blury

Indoors the flash always likes to come on, but there's almost always a big glare spot from the flash when the camera is too close; if I pull it further away I just don't get a big enough picture, even with the 3x zoom. Sometimes I partialy cover the flash with my finger, which seems to help, but just as often the image is too dark.

Also I'm just not getting the detail I want from the pictures, for example if I'm shooting something with a fine pattern on it, I just can't see the detail or the picture comes out blury.

I hear that lens attachments may help and have seen something called a "lens hood" but I've never used lens attachments before so I'm unsure as to what I need..... I've also considered getting a nicer camera, perhaps a "Canon a80" or a "Canon Powershot S1 IS" but I have a nagging feeling that even with a new camera I may still have these problems.

Any help regarding whether I should look into a new camera, new accessories, or both would realy be appreciated. Also if anyone has any opinions between the a80 and Powershot S1, or any sub $400 camera I'd appreciate that as well.

Thank you in avance everyone!

[FREELANCE2004]

IS THER A MACRO LENSE YOU COULD USE,OR MACRO SETTING,I DONT KNOW THE CAMERA,BUT THE FUZZ IS A FOCUS PROBLEM,USE A TRIPOD,TRY USING A FILTER ON YOUR FLASH,A DIFUSER WOULD HELP,
FREELANCE1031@AOL.COM

[opus]

Can you do a test shot, take a picture close up as usual, but make sure there's something in the background just behind it that you can test the focus. If your foreground is blurry but there's something behind it that's in focus, then you're getting too close.