What da? Need help with camera setting

lizzard_nyc

Hi all,
I hope you can help. I'm just starting out in photography and have been playing with different camera settings as opposed to the usual manual--I don't know what button I hit on my camera but look at how my pictures are turning out now. I can't figure it out. Any ideas?

I have an Olympus E620 if this info is needed.

This photo was taken in:
AP priority
Exposure Bias 0EV
No flash
Auto expo mode
Auto WB
Color space? SRGB
Digital Zoom Ratio 100/100


Same settings as the above

Help! I need to take photos tomorrow and I don't want them to look like this.

digismile

Did this just start happening? (i.e. do you have photos that turned out OK?)

The EXIF information shows that you are in Aperture priority, meaning that YOU set the aperture, and the camera will calculate the shutter speed.

The shutter speed is also very slow, which explains the blur. But was was the lighting like? Was it very dim? Or was it average daylight lighting? If it was average lighting, something is definitely wrong. It looks like the camera is exposing incorrectly. This may be something as simple as the lens being slightly off from where it's supposed to be. Take the lens off and put it back on, taking care to turn it to its fully locked position. Other than that, I really don't have any other ideas.

good luck,

lizzard_nyc

Thank you for the post.
The one of half a head in the frame was a photo in the restroom, regular lightbulb and my daughter moved--but it's so blurred and white.

The other one is outside in regular light around 6:45 in the evening--so nice light not overly bright. I took this one with a longer lens and the one in the restroom on a different lens..so it can't be the lens unless i put them both in wrong...Yes I have taken other pics which turned out nicely.

Also this only seems to happen in Aperture mode--it takes about 5 seconds from the time I press the shutter until the little glass flips down--usually it's instantaneous. Now there is a lag time and the view finder stays dark until the glass flips.

I also tried another lens in case it was the lens, it wasn't. I also read a post where it said to take the lens off and with the camera pointing down press the shutter--and the glass flipped quick, not so in aperture mode.
I don't know what I did! The camera did not fall, it's only 2 weeks old:(

UGH

Toshido

Did you use a flash?

If a flash was used... The camera is exposing for the ambient lighting, meaning a slow shutter speed. Then when the flash goes off it overexposes everything close to the camera.
I know there are ways to use a flash in aperture priority mode but I don't know them, so I rely on manual setting and Canon's E-TTL to control the flash.

Of course all that was a guess

Tis all a learning process after all.

Jwar

I would try taking a few in Auto mode and see if everything is working right. If everything is working fine, then it must be a setting in aperture mode. The easiest thing to do would be reset you camera settings. I don't know how to do it for Olympus cameras but on my Nikon you press two buttons to reset to factory settings. The reset should clear everything up. If not....hmmmm

Scott_Quier

lizzard_nyc wrote:

Also this only seems to happen in Aperture mode--it takes about 5 seconds from the time I press the shutter until the little glass flips down--usually it's instantaneous. Now there is a lag time and the view finder stays dark until the glass flips.

A couple of thoughts:

• Is there any chance you've activated the delay timer? This is a mechanism by which you press the shutter release and the exposure is actually mades some (5 or 10) seconds later? Used, mostly, so the photographer has a chance to get into the shot.
• Most (all?) cameras have a menu feature that allows one to reset the camera to "Factory Settings" - a reset option. If you don't know what setting you made to have this effect, resetting to these factory settings is usually a good an safe point from which to start making adjustments to the camera settings.
• Check your ISO. Is it a reasonable number for the lighting?
• Canon cameras have something called "Exposure Compensation" (EC). This is a feature by which the photographer can over-ride the cameras best guess as to "correct" exposure settings. In Av mode, EC will make changes to the shutter speed. Does your camera have such a feature? If so, it is set to anything other than zero compensation?

lizzard_nyc

Thanks to all of you who replied.

Ok to answer some questions. I did not use the flash, I did use the Auto setting and all was fine, so it's something with the Aperture setting.

I also can't say for sure that it wasn't on delay timer--but wouldn't the delay timer also delay on "auto", because it didn't.

I will go home and consult my manual to reset to factory setting properly (please let this work). If that doesn't work, I'm heading back to Adoroma and hopefully they will help.

Sadly I'm missing an entire afternoon of playing with the camera today, Fridays being early days off from work--:cry

I appreciate your help.

xxclixxx

Could the lens be set to manual focus? Also do you have an "Art Filter" turned on?

"Art Filters are easily activated with the mode dial on the left side of the camera body. The effects are viewable right on the new camera’s 100 percent accurate swivel 2.7-inch Live View HyperCrystal™ III LCD when using the E-620 in Live View mode or when reviewing the captured image."
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0902/09022401olympuse620.asp

Jwar

if it makes you feel any better, the first picture looks like a japanese watercolor painting. I like it:D

lizzard_nyc

Jay and Tim,
Yes I was in "Art settings" before it went caput! Then I went to Aperture and all went to pot--so I will check that too. Looks like so many things could have been accidentally set--can't wait until I get to know my camera.

As for the compliment on my picture--hysterical--my first official compliment and it wasn't even on purpose--only because the setting is screwed up--but I'll take them where I can get them and say it was my intention all along .

When I did look at that photo though, I did like the way the nape of her neck looked. But I like your description better, ha ha.

Qarik

find out what buttons to push to get back into all default settings. If in deed you set something and you don;t know what it is then this should solve that.