5 Digital Camera Questions

Several folks have asked how I like my digital camera:

I like the camera fine personally; but our relationship needs work: It
tends to be difficult and temperamental when operating, likely to do
things not in the manual (or not discoverable in the manual, a very
secretive document). So I appeal to known (and unknown) experts on this
list for help:

1. The camera is set on Av (Aperture priority, aperture 5.6; ASA 200,
flash off, auto focus). Why is every shot taken in the sun totally washed
out, monumentally overexposed ? What can I do? (Shade is fine, VG in
fact.)

2. The manual says that with my current settings and image size (highest
resolution, normal compression), with the monitor on I should get 450
images on one battery charge. Why does the manual lie? I get about 60 at
most.

3. The low battery warning doesn't appear until the battery is about to
die, catching me at a bad moment. Is there any way to read remaining
battery life earlier?

4. How do settings change themselves? I've had the same settings (above)
for a couple of weeks, but today, after several (unrepeatable) shots,
realized that the flash was flashing (even in sunlight, the idiot --
though ALL shots in sun are overexposed) and aperture was now f/8. Did I
press some of those (too many) buttons without meaning to? Could
downloading images to the computer have set something off?

5. And from the sublime to the ridiculous: Do folks really attach the lens
cap cord to the strap as instructed by the manual? Doesn't it dangle
deliriously? I taped it to the bottom of the camera, but that's not
terrific either....

I hope this doesn't seem too off topic -- Actually, I begin to suspect
that this is an alternative camera... Either way, thanks in advance for
help or advice.

Judy
Received on Wed Jun 9 22:36:04 2004