Grainy picture thru the lens?? Help! I just purchased this camera thru Amazon a few days ago and it arrived yesterday. Awesome camera and taking great pictures but when I look thru the lens BEFORE I take the picture, the picture looks very grainy, even when in focus ... but once I take the picture and it appears on the LCD screen, it's perfect. I highly doubt it supposed to look so grainy thru the lens before snapping the picture ... is there some setting that I am missing?? Help me please! Grainy picture thru the lens?? Help! I just purchased this camera thru Amazon a few days ago and it arrived yesterday. Awesome camera and taking great pictures but when I look thru the lens BEFORE... » Read More Grainy picture thru the lens?? Help! I just purchased this camera thru Amazon a few days ago and it arrived yesterday. Awesome camera and taking great pictures but when I look thru the lens BEFORE I take the picture, the picture looks very grainy, even when in focus ... but once I take the picture and it appears on the LCD screen, it's perfect. I highly doubt it supposed to look so grainy thru the lens before snapping the picture ... is there some setting that I am missing?? Help me please! « Show Less
245314
If you're seeing grainy before snapping the picture it sounds like you're not waiting for it to fully auto-focus.
1526984
Your viewfinder is basically a video camera. The grainiest is basically what video look like during low light situations. You're not actually looking thru the lens like an SLR. This is normal. That's why your eyepiece picture looks better outside in the daylight ... more light.
1526985
This is normal. To make a long story short, the viewfinder can only process so much data in real time. The less information it has to process = faster response time to movement. Further, the viewfinder screen is only 200K pixels, so it is going to look inferior to the external viewscreen no matter what. Hope this helps!
194910
Bob, did you ever find out? I just ordered the camera and want to know the same thing! Thanks for any help.
25069
Hey there, I just had this same thing happen to my camera!!! The camera was not dropped or anything and it seemed to just appear out of the blue. One minute I am taking pictures and it looked fine, then I look down and the screen internally is cracked, the outside of the LCD does not have a scatch on it. I am about to send it off to Olympus to get a warrentyl repair, but could use any other instances of this happening as evidence that this is not my fault. Please let me know what you were able to get done.Thanks,Nick
1821545
have you check the ISO youre using? I had the same problem when i had my setting at the highest ISO. I now just leave it as AUTO and have great pics. If thats not the problem, then i dunno what is. Sorry!
393926
I have had the S4500 for just a few weeks. I wear tri-focals and lve. them on while shooting. I just did some testing and here's what I found: With my glasses on, I focused on an object (auto) The Image looked sharp in the viewer, and in "reviewing". I then lined-up another shot - without my glasses, moved the shutter button half-way down - object was blurred but I took the shot anyway. Reviewed it (on the camera back) and it was fine. Conclusion (after two more tests) the camera was focusing correctly regardless of what I was seeing ! Highly recommend you do same testing to confirm. Having checked other review, I agree this model does NOT have a Diopter (previous Fuji model I owned did) but I am already used to this system - but then I'm not a pro! Oh, don't forget when shooting picture of two people, always point the focus-beam at ONE of the faces then "re-frame" while holding shutter btn. half way down. (sorry if I,m stating the obvious!). Good luck. Harry Hilton
153999
You should have went with your original pic.All you get here is a bunch of canon ads.Any camera mentioned turns into buy canon.Ive been a pro for over 40 years.I use Nikon. Canons are about the same.In point and shoot Its a different game.Just a word of caution. Protect the lens.When not in use KEEP IT IN A CASE!Putting it your purse or pocket will let dirt into the lens.That's why everyone says my lens stopped working after a few months.You bought the inferior camera.Sorry
1910639
It never does for me, I am very happy with it. It is a nice little camera for the price. There might be something wrong with your camera. Perhaps they can send you replacement. Amazon is good doing so. I hope it helped
646861
I really want this camera- the manual controls using the touchscreen look great. Has anyone ordered from Amazon and gotten it already? It says it'll ship in "1-2 months," but if it's already out... ?
748167
Gerald, did you ever get this issue solved for your camera? My niece just got one from a friend and she's having the same problem! HELP!
170329
I haven't written a review, and haven't even read the other reviews (yet), but I am *definitely* having the soft focus and out of focus problems you are referring to. I can take 10 consecutive pictures - same lighting/angle, etc. and maybe one will be a good picture, 4 not so good, and 5 completely unusable. I wonder if certain models cause this, or if some of these were just defective. I bought because of all the positive reviews, but wish I would've spoke up when I first received my camera.
1171814
I've never had that problem, Joyce, but have had a lens error where the camera wouldn't open OR close. Hope you get it resolved. The digital card that is in the little slot--if you push DOWN on it, the card should pop up. Maybe try that? Good luck!
1092788
Quick question for all of you who know a little bit more. This is mostly aimed at the guy who used WMM. " Did you lose any quality converting it? " Obviously we all bought this camera b/c it has decent quality but if you lose it what the point. Thanks for the help, Cheers!
1869621
I have the same problem with this camera. Focus is soft and there are noticeable chromatic aberrations (aura you're talking about), there's also noticeable barrel effect (people look wider off-center). Honestly, optics is pretty bad on this camera. The focusing system also seems to be hit and miss but mostly miss. I set mine in manual mode with center focusing and even then the image is far from what I'm used to call "in focus". I'm surprised this camera is rated this high. My older Canon S410 takes consistently better images.
1924990
I just got mine in the mail today and tried a few small videos around the house and am having video quality issues as well. I would say I'm not even getting 480i quality. The image is incredibly speckly (non-static blotches moving around in the darks). Looks the same whether I play it on my HDTV or on my computer (plenty fast for HD video). What am I doing wrong? Tried wiping the lens with a lens cloth...no effect. Batteries weren't charged yet, but since it's digital, not sure that should make a difference.Also, as a side note, do the people who are getting good quality use the digital zoom at all, or does it degrade your resolution by half? I just got mine in the mail today and tried a few small videos around the house and am having video quality issues as well. I would say I'm not even getting 480i quality. The image is incredibly speckly (non-static blotches moving around in the darks). Looks the same whether I play it on my HDTV or on my computer (plenty fast for HD video). What am I doing wrong? Tried wiping the lens with a lens cloth...no effect. Batteries weren't charged yet, but since it's digital, not sure that should make a difference.Also, as a side note, do the people who are getting good quality use the... » Read More I just got mine in the mail today and tried a few small videos around the house and am having video quality issues as well. I would say I'm not even getting 480i quality. The image is incredibly speckly (non-static blotches moving around in the darks). Looks the same whether I play it on my HDTV or on my computer (plenty fast for HD video). What am I doing wrong? Tried wiping the lens with a lens cloth...no effect. Batteries weren't charged yet, but since it's digital, not sure that should make a difference.Also, as a side note, do the people who are getting good quality use the digital zoom at all, or does it degrade your resolution by half? « Show Less
515662
I bought it a month ago and am frustrated. I need to spend some time going through the manual and really learn how to use it. It is a point and shoot camera but not really as far as ease of use. I was at an indoor christmas party and couldn't get the flash to work. 2 other people tried as well and we gave up. But its not the camera's fault...just need to really read the manual and learn how to use it. If you aren't willing to spend the time, don't get it. If so, it looks like a really great camera and takes beautiful pictures. The videos are crisp and clear, good sound. I also love the zoom. I can't wait to find out what this camera can really do! I bought it a month ago and am frustrated. I need to spend some time going through the manual and really learn how to use it. It is a point and shoot camera but not really as far as ease of use. I was at an indoor christmas party and couldn't get the flash to work. 2 other people tried as well and we gave up. But its not the camera's fault...just need to really read the manual and learn how to use it. If you aren't willing to spend the time, don't get it. If so, it looks like a really great camera and takes beautiful pictures. The videos are crisp and clear, good sound. I also love the... » Read More I bought it a month ago and am frustrated. I need to spend some time going through the manual and really learn how to use it. It is a point and shoot camera but not really as far as ease of use. I was at an indoor christmas party and couldn't get the flash to work. 2 other people tried as well and we gave up. But its not the camera's fault...just need to really read the manual and learn how to use it. If you aren't willing to spend the time, don't get it. If so, it looks like a really great camera and takes beautiful pictures. The videos are crisp and clear, good sound. I also love the zoom. I can't wait to find out what this camera can really do! « Show Less
1114871
Thank you. I have the problem of horribly overexposed photos with the flash. On Christmas day about half of the photos were washed out with the flash, in Auto mode. When we turned off the flash, some photos were ok, but others were blurry. I tried other rooms with different lighting, with and without flash, and again the problem of washed out subjects. Any suggestions? thank you.
1215025
We have had many dissapointing 'fuzzy' pics as well. Especially indoors with the flash. Please see my review here (if they print it)! Essentially, our old 2 megapixel 'FujiFilm' cam puts the Olympus pics to shame. Maybe we got a defective unit?