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Hi all,

I have a Canon Powershot A40. I'm starting to learn to use some of the
different features of the camera. One thing is confusing me. When I
switch the camera to manual mode and turn off the flash, the camera
makes a click and everything goes dark. Really dark. I have to point it
at a light to even see anything on the LCD. If I turn the flash back on,
the LCD brightens up again (after the aforementioned click). This does
not happen in auto mode. What's going on? Sometimes I want to use manual
mode without the flash, and it seems (to this very camera ignorant
fellow) that the camera is severely narrowing the iris when I turn the
flash off (the clicking sound)...but ONLY in manual mode (not in Auto or
Program or Stitch modes)! Why is this happening, and how do I get around it?

TIA,

Ari

PS- settings are ISO 50, shutter 1/250, F2.8

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remove the underscores to unmung the email address...

Ari, there is a canon group on Yahoo. Maybe someone there has had the same
problem. However, the real question is, are you taking the photo that you
want without the flash? If you are taking a picture in bright light then
the aperture (iris) opening will be small. That's fine. Try a higher ISO.
Try the automatic mode. I have used my A40 without the flash in P mode and
mostly turn off the little lcd screen. Do you have an A40 manual? If not,
I believe the Canon website has one available that you can download or read
and print out the pages that you need.

"spodosaurus" <spodosaurus@_yahoo_.com> wrote in message
news:40b8e751$...
> Hi all,
>
> I have a Canon Powershot A40. I'm starting to learn to use some of the
> different features of the camera. One thing is confusing me. When I
> switch the camera to manual mode and turn off the flash, the camera
> makes a click and everything goes dark. Really dark. I have to point it
> at a light to even see anything on the LCD. If I turn the flash back on,
> the LCD brightens up again (after the aforementioned click). This does
> not happen in auto mode. What's going on? Sometimes I want to use manual
> mode without the flash, and it seems (to this very camera ignorant
> fellow) that the camera is severely narrowing the iris when I turn the
> flash off (the clicking sound)...but ONLY in manual mode (not in Auto or
> Program or Stitch modes)! Why is this happening, and how do I get around
it?
>
> TIA,
>
> Ari
>
> PS- settings are ISO 50, shutter 1/250, F2.8
>
> --
> remove the underscores to unmung the email address...

"spodosaurus" <spodosaurus@_yahoo_.com> wrote in message
news:40b8e751$...
> Hi all,
>
> I have a Canon Powershot A40. I'm starting to learn to use some of the
> different features of the camera. One thing is confusing me. When I
> switch the camera to manual mode and turn off the flash, the camera
> makes a click and everything goes dark. Really dark. I have to point it
> at a light to even see anything on the LCD. If I turn the flash back on,
> the LCD brightens up again (after the aforementioned click). This does
> not happen in auto mode. What's going on? Sometimes I want to use manual
> mode without the flash, and it seems (to this very camera ignorant
> fellow) that the camera is severely narrowing the iris when I turn the
> flash off (the clicking sound)...but ONLY in manual mode (not in Auto or
> Program or Stitch modes)! Why is this happening, and how do I get around
it?
>
> TIA,
>
> Ari
>
> PS- settings are ISO 50, shutter 1/250, F2.8

The LCD gets really dark in manual mode because it is approximating how dark
the actual picture will look like should you take a shot with the settings
you have specified. In automatic mode, even if you turn the flash off, it
will attempt to compensate for the darkness in other ways i.e. higher ISO
speed, slower shutter. But of course in manual mode, it can't make these
compensations since you're the one dictating the settings.

You would have to be shooting a very bright scene at ISO 50, 1/250 shutter
speed without a flash for the LCD to show anything of significance, and by
extension the picture itself will be very dark as well.

Terence



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