Canon SD600: Flash Issues and "Artifacts"

[w0ngbr4d]

I went to a wedding today and noticed some very odd things happening with my Canon SD600. Here are a few sample shots that illustrate my issues.

Foreground picking up the entire flash making background EXTREMELY dark:

What causes this? What can I do to prevent this from happening?

Odd round "artifacts" appear in pictures (upper left by the cross, lower right on the bridesmaid dress):

What causes this? Dust? Please don't say ghosts...

I'm going on vacation in a few weeks, and I need to make sure I have a working camera that doesn't have issues.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Brad

 

[robbieduncan]

For the first picture your only option is to turn off the flash. If that results in not enough light to take the picture then you need to upgrade!

The flash will ALWAYS light up the stuff right in front of you much more than distant objects: that's physics. So the camera has to expose the image correctly: there is a huge very bright area right at the front so that causes the exposure you are seeing.

You should also realise that the built-in flash on point-and-shoot cameras is never going to do anything with objects more than 10m away (and that's optimistic). It looks like you are at a concert of something. Turn the flash off: it's pointless.

Regarding the second image: the artifacts are rather strange. Have you checked for smudges on the lens?

 

[law guy]

It doesn't look like you have any malfunctioning flash issues from that shot. Your SD600 has a little flash that can illuminate objects that are not that far away. The correct exposure for the flash illuminated objects means a faster shutter speed which takes in less light making the objects that aren't covered by the flash look very dark. The back of the woman's head in your shot is well within the capabilities of the SD600's flash. Even with a stronger flash, those closer objects would be brighter. You can try turning the flash off but higher ISO on point and shoots like the Elphs isn't great and ISO 800 isn't going to get you that much in terms of shutter speed in lower light so you'll have to contend with blur caused by camera shake during the slower shutter speed - image stabilization can help with that. The SD600 will do very well outdoors and inside where there's a fair amount of light. Past that, it's snap shot capabilities will be near-subject illuminated flash photos.

Those artifacts are quirky. Were they in other shots?

 

[w0ngbr4d]

Here is a no flash shot taken right before the first picture above.

There's a little bit of blur, I've already started looking at cameras with IS to take on vacation with me.

Here are a couple more pictures with the circular artifacts:

I'll look at the lens.

Thanks.

 

[w0ngbr4d]

Those are known as "orbs". Basically dust in the air or on the camera lens. Very common with a point and shoot cameras.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orb_(paranormal)

Just thought I was give everyone an update.