Camera tweaking help

[Super-Shiny]

I have this camera (Don't laugh): Sony Cybershot DSC-W320 : www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/DSC-W320/specifications

I know absolutely nothing about Camera and all the options, here is the manual which shows all the option: pdf.crse.com/manuals/4166049121.pdf

At present i have it on Intelligent Auto Adjustment but when i take pictures it's 50/50 if they come out clear or blurred (I hold the camera very still, so still i look like a statue) and when they don't come out blurred they still aint the best pictures, i was wondering if there is any tweaks that can be done if i come out of Intelligent Auto Adjustment (whatever that means)

I have Sony Memory stick PRO Duo magic gate Mark 2 @2gb installed but i just bought a Sony Memory stick PRO-HG Duo HX magic gate 8gb (Read it's better, dunno whether it's true ) link here: CLICKY

Is there any tweaks i can do or is it just a crap camera, just wanna get it setup to the best it can for my hols.

Help most welcome

[izan]

The Sony it is a great outside, bright sunlight, little pocket camera.
Indoors it sucks.
Overall:
Begin to use scene selection and if it is NOT bright the steady shot option.
disable digital zoom or do not use it.
Remember that ISO/Film speed is high number for action or dark. low number for clarity.
The flash on most small cameras is horrible.. try not to use it at distances of more that 2-3 meters.
Take the same picture on each of the scene modes and see what you like best.




OH, clean your lenses.
Have fun

I

[Super-Shiny]

Thanks izan

Turned the Digital zoom off, didn't even notice the Scene selection and Steady shot option part

I do not compute with this bit you mentioned ???: Remember that ISO/Film speed is high number for action or dark. low number for clarity

Will the Sony Memory stick PRO-HG Duo HX magic gate 8gb that i bought help in quality of pictures in anyway? or is it just gonna store more and nothing else?

Gonna mess around later taking pictures of the same thing and see what comes out best, slowly starting to understand what some of the options mean

[izan]

Vapegod,
Sorry to say the card is only for storage.
Just tuck the ISO thing in the back of your mind for now...but ignore it.

The steady shot can compensate for movement of the camera or for lower light conditions. It is a battery killer, but will help you take better pictures.
The scene select is just a group of pre adjusted programs that work well in the situation referenced. Pets for example, sets the ISO/film speed higher and changes the focus processing to specifically capture a single subject that may be moving and will generally produce an acceptable photo of "mr. wiskers" (red eyes excepted).
Once you play with it for a while, you will get the hang of how it works and where it's strengths and weaknesses are. Take lots of pictures, just remember it is important to view the images on a computer screen to really see the differences.
When I got my new compact I ended up taking three pictures of everything for a while, always in the same order . Intel-auto, program auto and then scene "landscape". If the picture came out of one of them I was happy. Now I kinda know which to choose based on situation and subject.

Just play and have fun. It will start to make more sense after a few hundred snaps.

Have fun Rommsie

I

[Bluefish]

Use the optical zoom, just not the digital zoom, if it's just happy snaps keep it on auto, but you have the pre programmed settings for landscape, night time etc The Iso allows pictures to be taken when it's darker, daytime lowest iso setting, dark oclock you can raise the iso, but will take a bit of fiddling to get a decent pic adjusting this way, so best just to use night time setting which adjusts it for you.

[Super-Shiny]

Thanks again izan and thanks Bluefish

Made all adjustments and gone by your tips, took loads of pictures and not one of them are blurry anymore and are coming out much better, thanks for the help, taking that digital zoom off really made a big difference and messing around with scene selection and steady shot is coming out great.

Right now i have it set on:

Digital Zoom: Off
Scene Selection: ISO
Image Size: 4:3 5m
White Balance: Auto
Smile Detection Sensitivity: Slight Smile (Not many smiley people in my house...lol)
Face Detection: Auto

And the pictures are cracking

Thanks again

[Bluefish]

Once used to it you can then start playing with the settings, aperture etc good luck with that rom, but basically it's all about letting light in to the camera, the bigger the aperture = more light, so less time reqd for aperture to be open, or the more time the lens is open the smaller the aperture needs to be, and it's all variations on that, he says lol