Does anyone have white spots if shot with auto mode????

This is my first digital camera! So I am very suspicious about every little abnormal (what I think) things happening with this camera. There are a lot of white dots in a picture shot in auto mode in a room where there are a lot of lights. But in manual mode basically there is no spot, except one or two.
also, camera is very noisy while taking pics. Also, there is a noise everytime I review pictures. Do I have a lemon?

It could be noise caused by your iso settings. Try out iso auto, make sure iso high is not on.
Iso 80 will yield photos with no noticeable noise normally. If there is then you may have a problem though I think it is limited to lighting, so play around also with the lighting settings if u still have noisy photos.

I'm getting tired of following Mike around (grin) but he knows what he's talking about.

The current marketing rage is ultra high ISOs. Not really worth a flip IMHO. Take Mikes advice and/or stick with the auto settings until you get to know your camera and what it will and won't do.

Personally speaking... I'm wondering what in gawds name anyone would ever use an ISO setting above 400 let alone 3200. Sheesh!

Rc If i had a canon Eos series camera I would use the ISO 6000 on it to take photos without flash at night. Its an awesome feature of pro cameras.

The Pro series are a different animal altogether. We're talking sub compacts. I don't have the Pro series and can't comment. I've not used the higher ISO settings on my SD800 as of yet and doubt if I will (experimenting exceptions perhaps). As mundane as it sounds, auto seems to work just fine... at this point. Keep in mind that the learning curve with this baby isn't a twenty minute read through

What size prints can you get at night using the 1600 ISO? It's generally conceded that anything much over 400 pretty much limits the print size.

Mike didn't talk about the white spots in the pictures.
I am thinking of getting either Canon SD800 or A710. I like the SD800 more because of the wide angle which fits our needs -- we take group pictures on almost all holidays, and also our 2 boys are in soccer, basketball, and school plays. My brother who has a SD800 and didn't recommend me it because of the white spots that he has on his pictures that he still doesn't know how to get rid of. He recommended me the A710 instead.
I want the one that give me the better quality in pictures---sharp and bright but true color. Which one of these would give me that?

My daughter has the same problem when using the flash. It is as if there is light from the flash leaking into the lens assembly causing some type of lens flare. If others are having this problem, is this a possible recall?

I bought the sd800 also, and have white spots on 50% of the pictures I take indoors with flash.. I got my lenses cleaned by a tech and still the same problem... It looks like it documents the dust in the air.. so if you have a very dusting place.. youll have more of these white spots.. I take pictures of dancers... so theres more dust sweept of the floor... this is my theory Im not too sure yet.. but whats really frustrating is that I paid 500$ for it and I had better results with a disposable cam!!! Im still in talks with the shop owner cause Im really not happy with this product!!!

Ilias,

Don't keep trying to get satisfaction from the dealer. Go directly to Canon support.

I thought It would a good idea to document my conversation with canon customer service so you guys have an idea whats happening here... this last suggestion is a bit off the wall... So I should be turning the flash off and raising the iso setting.. so my images would be more noisy and less clear.. basically because I take pics indoors of dancers I have to cancel the flash... I think this is not the way to go... I never had this issue with any of my previous cameras, and my friend is a pro photographer and never heard of such a thing... I still very frustrated with all this... for those who have a sd800 test indoors.. raise some dust if you have to... the saga continues!!!!



canon: Since the powershot SD800IS digital camera has the DIGIC III processor using

high ISO setting will provide less noise than our older processor. Set the
camera to "M" mode and try turning the flash off and increasing your ISO speed
to 800 or higher


Hi,

The advice given below is not helpful because most of my pictures are taken
indoors in low light conditions therefore I need the flash... I take
pictures of salsa dancers in club or shows... Theres at least 50% of my
pictures that have white specks on them.. I do not think that its normal
for
a camera of that price and reputation. I really not satisfied with this
product... It's the first time that I use a camera that documents dust in
the air... the shop owner does not want to take it back and give my money..
so now IM stuck with an expensive camera that I cannot use... I would you
guys to do something cause Im really frustrated!!!!


>
>
>
Canon: Thank you for your E-mail inquiry regarding your PowerShot SD800 IS
digital
>camera. This phenomenon is likely caused by the flash reflecting off of
>dust particles in the air.
>
>If the flash is used in environments where dust particles are in the air,
>it can reflect off of particles close to the camera. This flash
reflection
>may appear as unusual white circles in your captured images. To prevent
>this from occurring you may consider capturing images without the flash.
>As long as there is sufficient lighting in the scene your images will be
>exposed correctly. To obtain additional information on disabling the
flash

That's odd. I've taken pictures in my home, in my basement near the cat's litter box and washer/dryer where there's typical dust, and I don't have any white-spots.

And turning the flash off in some situations is just not an option, especially when your target is moving! A tripod won't prevent the blur from a longer shutter speed on a moving target! And an ISO higher than 800, while reducing the shutter speed, will produce very noisy pictures to where anything larger than 4x6" prints are out of the question.

Your flash should work, and it should work correctly. You may have a defective camera, and I'd insist on a new camera to at least verify this problem is inherent in all of them.

Best of luck with Canon customer service. Have you had the camera for long? You should be able to at least send it in for repairs free of charge if you're inside the warranty period. I've read a few customer reviews that gave the camera a 1/5 stars, but then came back to give it a 4/5 or 5/5 stars after they got their camera repaired...

Thank you Matt for this comprehensive answer.. at this point.. I went back to the shop 4 times.. The shop owner said thats this is normal and that I sould deactivate the flash... (this last idea is just plain nuts!!!) Because I take pictures of dancers thet tend to sweep the dust off the floor a little more than usual.. but I tested other cameras and no dust spots....
so I writting a formal complaint... cause canon customer service said that all this is quite normal... and im kindda tired of this back and forth thing... heres a link the last pic is an example
http://forums.steves-digicams.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=116840&forum_id=15&msg=3

That is NOT dust. That is a defective camera. That shot looks like something you'd get out of a disposable camera!!! Best of luck with your formal complaint. Don't be afraid to send your complaint threatening the Better Business Bureau and Attorney General if Canon refuses to repair or exchange your camera, because if they don't, they are the next people in the chain you need to go to.

Cute girls in your picture, though! :)

They refunded me after I sent them a nice registered letter.... its more effective to write down your complaint and what will do next and sending it registered insted of multiple verbal complaints!!! Cheers

Sure is! I've gotten Kohl's gift cards/% off's, $75 Best Buy gift cards, free exchanges, refunds.... for writing letters. It's so easy to delete a call log, but you can't delete a letter forwarded to the BBB (or at leaest threatened to be forwarded :))

good job!!!!

Any luck, Chelsea?

So, it turns out it is dust causing the problem, but no final explanation as to why some cameras are so much more prone to show the dust reflections with flash photos. I wonder if placing a small shield on the inboard edge of the flash might reduce the effect since it must be dust fairly close to the camera. Would be interesting to test the SD800is with and without a shield.