Kodak Z712 IS Issues

[shp]

I wasn't sure where to post this. I'm mainly asking for help on my camera, but this could also serve as a reference thread for others to read if they have the same issues with the same camera, hence why I put it in Equipment. I apologize in advance, though, if it should've been posted elsewhere.



OK, so far I love this place. Everyone's been so helpful. But can they help me with my camera and how to use it, is the big question I have in mind right now.

You see, I found an online manual, and I'm still trying to find out more about this item, since I lost the actual manual somewhere in my closet, and I was looking for how to adjust exposure and shutter speed, if possible, manually. However, even though I could press many buttons, I can't do this; adjust them manually.

When I go to the Manual Settings (that's where I'm able, if I could, to adjust all four settings), it comes up in this order, and to be honest I don't know what half of them stand for:

f3.2 -- 1/125 -- -9.7 (A picture that looks like the exposure settings is by it) -- 0.0 (a picture of the flash, plus the same exposure picture but smaller version of it is included next to it).

A blue arrow is above f3.2, and I can use a dial to the top right corner of the camera to switch it to the next setting.

f3.2, then 1/125.

However, when I use something else to try and adjust it, it won't change. I also pressed the "I" button to see if it did anything, but nothing.

I also have an issue with the flash and the exposure bracketing. If I wanted to use the exposure bracketing, the flash won't come on, even if I press the Flash button to turn it off, and everything in the end comes up dark.

I know that this isn't probably a very popular camera, but any help that could be useful will be great.

[Saknika]

I don't know anything about the camera, nor what exactly this menu is going to help you do, but I can explain some of the things you're seeing.

f/3.2 is referring to the aperture, which is essentially the pupil of the camera, if you will. It's how big the hole is that light's coming through. Like wire gauges, the smaller the number, the bigger the size of the opening, and the more shallow a depth of field you'll get. By shallow, I mean how much will go out-of-focus when it's distant from the subject in the photo. By stopping down, or making that number bigger, you're going to make the exposure need to take longer and it will render more things in focus in the image.

The 1/125 refers to your shutter speed. It means that it's going to snap a photo in 1/125 of a second and use whatever light is available in that time that can pass through your aperture to expose the image. So obviously, the slower the speed the more light that gets in.

Flash is generally synced at 1/125.

Flash also screws up exposure bracketing because in a sense it will create one exposure period. So you need to have a lot of available light for that to work. Basically, around 10am on a nice day kind of light.

[shp]

I found this page which was helpful in getting to change the settings! selfservice.kodak.com/external/en/urg/urg_00671/GLB_en_urg_00671_manual_ATG/urg00671c4s5.html

However, I still have more to learn! But now that I know how to adjust the settings I should be able to practice to my full potential, right?

Thank you so much for explaining those, Saknika! I found one more thing on the LCD screen and it's called ISO 64. I read about that in my book, something about it being sensitive to light. I think if it's higher, it's more sensitive.

I also read in the book that choosing a midtone for the best exposure would help. That's another story for another time, though - I don't know what to look for when it's time to find a midtone but that has no relevance to this topic.

[Saknika]

ISO is the sensitivity to light, and you're right the higher the number the more sensitive it is. However, the higher that number the more grain/noise you will have as well. Depending on the digital sensor depends how high you can go safely.

[ScottWood]

I just googled your camera and from what I can tell, it will give you complete manual control. I can't tell you what those controls are as I have never seen the camera in person, but Saknika has already touched on the basics. All I can suggest is taking pictures in different settings and see what happens. The beauty of digital is that you can see instant results.

Another place you might want to check out for specific info is Flickr. There are a lot of groups over there, and I have seen groups with message threads for specific camera models.

[shp]

All right, cool. I have a Flickr account but did not want to put any images until I'm better.

The higher the number in shutter speed, the more light that is let in. My camera goes up to 1/1000 as far as I know. I was trying to take a picture of a sunset two days ago while riding but the LCD screen came up dark. I think I was at f/250 to f/500. I had thought it was backwards. I forgot it was the other way around, lol. But I just finished reading the book and I'm gonna take notes soon.

[ScottWood]

Actually, the higher the shutter speed the less light that is let in. If you are at 1/1000 the shutter is open for 1 thousandth of a second. If it is at 1/100, it is one hundredth of a second. Meaning that 1/100 is slower than 1/1000 so the longer that the shutter is open, the more light will hit the sensor/film.