Need help with Sony Cybershot DSC-P200.

Hello!

I gave my wife a Sony Cybershot DSC-P200 camera for Christmas and we've had
a couple of problems with the unit and I was hoping to solicit some
advice/feedback from other users of this camera (if this is the appropriate
forum).

Most of our pictures seem to turn out pretty blurry (around 60%), and a
cursory examination of various web sites and other forums seem to indicate
that this is likely a user problem (typically not being very still when
going from the autofocus (halfway point) to fully depressing the shutter).

I consider myself to be a pretty adept user, but I can't seem to
consistently take crisp shots with the camera even when I'm being incredibly
careful not to move.

Curiously, when I put the camera on the table, make sure the flash is
disabled, and press the shutter halfway, I get the vibration warning
indicator. This surprises me, as the camera is not moving *at all* -- yet
the vibration indicator is constantly present.

Is it possible that we have a defective unit, or is there something else we
should try doing?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

 

I don't know this particular camera, but as far as I am aware most
"vibration warnings" come on when the shutter speed is below a certain
(suggested hand-holdable) level. If you are using the camera indoors
without flash then it is likely that the shutter speed is below this
limit, and what you are seeing is camera shake. What is it like with the
flash on?

Brian

 

Thanks Brian! After playing more with it, and reading some other online
material, I think your speculations are spot-on. With the flash, that
warning indicator does not come on. I think I also mis-interpreted what
that indicator meant. Originally, I thought it meant that you *will* get a
fuzzy picture. However, the more I read online, the more I believe that
it's just a *warning* that a fuzzy picture has a higher potential of
occurring.

All that said, it seems like we *still* seem to be taking a lot of fuzzy
pictures. It sounds like there's some measure of "practice" to be had with
the unit, as the halfway to full position might be a little more subtle than
I or my wife are used to with our Olympus cameras. This has certainly
caused some consternation that maybe the camera is faulty. :-(

 

As an aside I have a sony cybershot dsc p71 (quite old i know) but i seem to
regularly take slanting shots wher a level horizon seems to slope from left
to right. I haspoken with some other users and this seems to be a common
problem so be aware when taking pics with astraight line in the background.

RAM

 

I have had a P200 since they hit the market last February. It has been
a great camera but like most P&S cameras they have a few quirks to be
aware of.

My advice is to make sure the beep sounds are enabled. This will cause
a "beep" to occur when the camera achieves focus. If you don't hear the
beep or if the green light next to the view finder is flashing then the
camera is not properly focused. If you just mash the shutter down the
camera will make a feeble effort to focus and then take the shot
regardless, even if focus was not achieved.

IMO, the small size of the P200 promotes blurry pictures from hand
shake. One thing that I find that greatly reduces the chance of blurry
low-light pictures is to use the optical viewfinder. Using it forces
your elbows against your body and the camera gets braced on your head
which is a very stable part of your body. All this works to help hold
the camera very steady.

Another way is to set the camera in manual ("M") mode and set the
shutter to 1/60th or 1/100th of a second, the aperture to the lowest
setting and the flash to "On". This will increase shutter speed and
reduce the effects of hand shake. The camera remembers the last manual
settings used (even after it is turned off and on again) so flipping the
dial to "M" mode and taking a quick photo is a breeze.

The hand shake warning comes up whenever the shutter speed is below
1/50th of a second.

IMO, there is nothing wrong with your camera. You just need to get
familiar with its features and how they let you get the shots you want
under a variety of conditions. The P200 is quite a capable little camera.

 

....is to set the focus mode to "Spot" or "Center". I have found that
using too many focus points increases the chance of your subject being
blurry. Also, when using these focus modes you need to set the camera
to the "P" mode. The camera overrides these settings in "Full Auto"
(aka green) mode. If your subject that you want to be in focus is out
of the center of the frame you will need to compose the shot with the
subject in the center (i.e. halfway depress the shutter button) and then
while holding the shutter button half way reframe the shot to your
liking and then press the shutter all the way down and take the shot.

You can also set many other parameters like metering, ISO, manual preset
focus (allows zero shutter lag), EV adjustments, flash power etc. These
features will allow you to take excellent photos under just about any
circumstances.

 

Blurriness may be a FEATURE of the DSC-P200. <G>
It creates a little anticipation, bringing some excitement into one's
otherwise dull life.
Bob Williams

 

It's very difficult to get hand-held shots indoors without flash
to come out (and I never use flash).

So I take lots of shots of something in proportion to how hard it is.
There's no film cost.

This baby is invaluable indoors, by the way
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?partNumber=82058

as well as outdoors sometimes.

Superior to a tripod lots of times though not every time, if you have a tripod.