got a Magenta Nikon S220

[wwswimming]

Hello AT Videographers & Photographers.

i don't often venture over here because my trusty Nikon Coolpix 990 that i paid about $990 for worked fine until recently.

so i bought the Nikon S220 (yes, the purple one ) and now i'm trying to take close-ups like i could with the Coolpix 990.

i like taking close-ups (coin, bug, soil sample, extracted tooth - normal household objects ) but i can't figure out how to get close-ups with the S220.

i read the instructions and have been using the "W" and "T" knob thing at the top. i tried taking a picture of a neighbors car, that went OK. it was about 75 yards away but i could zoom in on the license plate & get some detail.

but when i try taking a real close-up (e.g. if you were to have something the size of 2 or 3 US 25 cent coins entirely filling the field of view of the camera) i just get blurry useless images.

is there a way to get close-ups with this thing ?

any and all help getting this sorted out would be so much appreciated ! :sun:

 

[qbfx]

Apparently your camera cannot focus closer than 10cm 'Focus Range: Macro close-up mode: 4 in. (10cm) to infinity'

 

[jpeyton]

Return your camera and get a better one. A cheap Canon A470 (~$90) will focus in "Super Macro" mode at 1cm, which is basically right at the edge of the lens.

I'm a huge fan of Nikon's DSLRs and lenses, but their point-and-shoot cameras are sub-par. Canon is the leader in the point-and-shoot arena, with Panasonic a close second, Casio/Fuji third, and a lot of other brands bringing up the rear.

A470 samples

 

[wwswimming]

thanks for the replies !

yeah those are some pretty impressive macros. that's the kind of close-up i could take
with the old Nikon 990, though with fewer pixels.

i'm beginning to wonder if i'm better off with a camera where you set distance manually
instead of point & shoot.

i think part of my problem with the S220 is there is a focus mode i can't figure out.
i called North County Camera in San Diego, i guess now they're called Calumnet Camera.
i talked to a few people there and the most knowledgeable made it sound like the S220
is capable of taking a 12 MP shot at 4 inches in focus. like "oh yeah it can do macro shots
just fine." plus he wasn't trying to sell me an S220, he knew i had one already.

but i can't get it to do it.

there is one mode with the S220 where you push down the top button halfway and
it sort of auto-focuses or something.

anyway, it may come down to selling/ returning the S220 and getting the Canon.

but i'm still open to suggestions on making the S220 focus for macro (close-up) shots.

 

[angry hampster]

Originally posted by: wwswimming


but i'm still open to suggestions on making the S220 focus for macro (close-up) shots.

Originally posted by: qbfx
Apparently your camera cannot focus closer than 10cm 'Focus Range: Macro close-up mode: 4 in. (10cm) to infinity'

You can't.

 

[wwswimming]

Originally posted by: angry hampster

Originally posted by: wwswimmingbut i'm still open to suggestions on making the S220 focus for macro (close-up) shots.

Originally posted by: qbfx
Apparently your camera cannot focus closer than 10cm 'Focus Range: Macro close-up mode: 4 in. (10cm) to infinity'

You can't.

i'd be very happy just getting some semi-close-ups in the 4 to 12 inch range.

Mwave will let me return it for a full refund ... but i hate to return just because i can't figure out how to focus it.

 

[qbfx]

I dont understand. Just set your camera on macro mode (little flower thing), place your subject 4" from the lens, half-press the shutter button to focus, when it confirms your focus by going "beep", press the button all the way down

 

[angry hampster]

Try reading the manual. It comes with the camera for a reason.