Digital cameras have brought more fun to photography than anything since the first Polaroid, but there's a little more to making them work than point and click. Short of dropping the camera into a lake, though, most of the problems you'll encounter have simple fixes.
Instructions
Taking Pictures
1. If the image quality is poor, check the lens to make sure it's clean (see Remove Fingerprints From a Camera Lens). Learn focus or pre-focus your model of camera. Check the manual to see what resolutions your camera supports and make sure you know which one is selected. Higher resolutions give better pictures but take up more digital space. If using flash, make sure you're close enough to the subject.Sharpen photos on computer after downloading (see Get Top-Notch Scans).
2. Having problems locating the pictures you took? Look for playback or review mode on the camera to view pictures on your camera. Use the arrow buttons to scroll through pictures. Make sure the battery is attached properly and that the camera is powered, to confirm pictures were actually taken. Make sure the correct memory card is in it in case you have more than one.
3. When the camera won't let you take pictures, check that camera is not in playback or review mode. Make sure memory card is in camera and that card is properly formatted. Memory may be full. Offload images to computer or delete them. Check batteries. Replace if necessary. Check flash. It may be recharging.
Technical Difficulties
4. When the camera won't turn on, check the batteries. Connect camera to an AC adapter. Remove all batteries, disconnect AC adapter, wait a minute, reinsert batteries and reconnect adapter. Turn on camera. If the camera gets wet, turn it off if it's on. Remove all batteries and media. Let it dry completely for at least 24 hours before reinserting batteries.
5. If the camera is burning through the battery too fast, minimize your use of the camera's built-in LCD (assuming it has one) if it has a viewfinder you can use instead. The LCD is the biggest power drain on your camera. Use only heavy-duty batteries (look for ones that say they're suited to digital cameras). Ordinary alkalines won't cut it. Look into upgrading to rechargeable NiMH batteries. If you have or can get an AC adapter for your camera, always use it when downloading photos directly to your computer. If your camera uses PC Cards or SmartMedia cards, get a card reader that will connect to your computer. This will save battery life and improve data-transfer speed. If problem occurs during very cold conditions, warm the batteries in your pocket or hand just before inserting them into the camera and shooting.
6. Does the screen keep turning off? Check message display for explanation such as focus or lighting. Battery is low; replace or recharge. Some cameras have a power-save mode that shuts down. LCD screen when battery is low. In some models, you may be able to take non-flash pictures with low battery. Battery may be too cold. Warm it to room temperature.
7. When the camera won't let you connect it with the computer, always use an AC adapter when downloading directly to a computer. Check with the camera manufacturer (try its Web site) to make sure you have the latest version of the necessary software drivers. If your camera connects via a serial (COM) port, check for serial-port conflicts. If you're using a FireWire cable to connect to the computer, turn the computer on, turn the camera on and then connect the cable between the two. Don't turn off the camera while the cable is still attached. If the camera won't recognize the media, make sure media is inserted correctly (this isn't always obvious with SmartMedia, for instance). Make sure media hasn't been write-protected.
8. The flash doesn't work. Check that batteries are fresh. Check that camera hasn't been set for no-flash mode. Give the flash time to charge before pressing shutter.
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