# Pictures coming out pixilated/grainy/bad quality



## Lanimilbus (Jul 11, 2005)

I have a Panasonic Lumix FZ20, and was told by the manufacturer that it is a true-megapixel camera, and that every picture should be perfectly sharp with no noise or pixilation, given that its not a picture taken with digital zoom.  Well, every picture that I take with it, no matter what the lighting, shutter speed, exposure, aperture, flash on or off, distance, zoom, steadiness or mode is pixilated when I load it on to my computer and look at it through Photoshop zoomed in past 50%.  It looks fine when I resize it to a small size, but at its full size, the picture is grainy, full of noise, and fairly pixilated.  Also, any picture I print out from my camera, no matter on what printer, what the picture is like, etc. is very pixilated when it is printed out.  

I also have a hard time focusing on thingsthough I will aim directly at my subject, Ill still end up getting the background or something else in focus somehow with my subject being out of focus.  And its not accidentally on Manual Focus, so thats not the problemand often times I cant use manual focus due to low light or not being able to judge from the LCD screen when the subject is in focus, so I have to rely on auto.

Can anyone tell me whats going on or help in any way?

Thanks,



Alec


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## LittleMan (Jul 11, 2005)

First off, I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20(is this the model you have?) and it has worked perfectly since the day I baught it.  So, either you have a bad pick of the camera, or you have the settings set very strangly.

Can you please post a sample of a picture that you have taken with your camera?  That way we will be able to tell what may be the problem.
you can host it somewhere so we can see the full size photo.

Here are a few things that _may_ be the problem.
1: Your computer settings
2: ISO on your camera is set too high
3: the size/quality that you are taking your pictures at.

I could go on forever unless I see a photo from the camera.

For the problem with the auto focus, what focusing mode do you use?
Spot?
or the fully auto mode where the camera chooses it's focusing point?

Also, remember that in Photoshop, unless it is 100% or 50% it will NOT be crisp... it will be over pixeliated.
Oh, and where/when did you buy it from?

I hope you can give us more details!


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## SLOShooter (Jul 11, 2005)

What ISO are you shooting at?


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## Lanimilbus (Jul 12, 2005)

Edit: I've changed the links - try them now, but make sure you click "View Full Size" below the image.

The pict. size is at 2560, which is the highest on that camera, the quality is on the 'Fine' setting (there are three options - TIFF, which allows me only 6 or so pictures, Fine, or Standard) and in about 90% of my pictures, the ISO is at the lowest setting, 80, because I find that in higher ISO settings, I do see more noise.

Here are four examples of my photos directly from my camera, not edited in any way, and how they came out (make sure you view them in full size):

http://community.webshots.com/photo/359832038/393268816bMFSfn 
This picture was taken at a fast shutter speed (1/1000) so even though I didn't have a tripod, with that fast of a shutter speed, I wouldn't think that it would make a difference...but look at the rabbit's face and how it's grainy, like it was taken with digital zoom...but it wasn't, it was taken with optical, and not much, at that.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/393269166/393269166wHlzLN 
This picture looks fine when resized to maybe 1/4 of what it is normally, but in full size, the trees and lupin look blurred and fuzzy and I can't understand why - again, fast shutter speed, low ISO, high picture quality. No zoom used.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/393269432/393269432eTvGDQ
I took this last week, with very little zoom, a shutter speed of around 1/1300 in a bright parking lot, with virtually no movement of the camera, and the moose in the picture is out of focus and blurred.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/393269692/393269692fSlwMc 
Another moose picture - again on a fast shutter speed, low ISO. Very little zoom was used. But look at the moose's eyes, ears, and snout - fuzzy and grainy.


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## Artemis (Jul 12, 2005)

Those links are forbidden for me...please could you re post? hehe sorry...

Try changing the exposure settings? even the aparature settings...or the mode? or the wb?

Come to think of it wb and aparature SHOULDT make a difference to quality....I feel...


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## SLOShooter (Jul 12, 2005)

I cna't view them either.  I suppose it's possible that you have some faulty circuitry.


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## mentos_007 (Jul 13, 2005)

huh I see the photos and I see the problem... hmm but I have no idea what it might be...


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## Meysha (Jul 13, 2005)

I can't see the pics either unfortunately. But is the camera still covered by warranty? I'd just send it away to get fixed... if it is a problem with the circuitry there's no way you'll be able to fix it yourself.


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## Lanimilbus (Jul 13, 2005)

I fixed the links in that post - try them now.


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## SLOShooter (Jul 13, 2005)

I think I see what you mean.  None of them look very sharp.


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## FuddyDuddy (Jul 13, 2005)

Hi

What film are you using. If it's colour neg film, perhaps you should try tranny. Tranny is usually a bit sharper, you know.

Just a suggestion

Tally Ho!

F. Duddy


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## SLOShooter (Jul 13, 2005)

FuddyDuddy said:
			
		

> What film are you using. If it's colour neg film, perhaps you should try tranny.



I think he's shooting a Digi.


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## Matt Davis (Jul 13, 2005)

Just had a quick look through the photos and it seems like some of the photos are focused in the foreground before the subject.. Maybe you have got the focus settings wrong?


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## LittleMan (Jul 13, 2005)

Matt Davis said:
			
		

> Just had a quick look through the photos and it seems like some of the photos are focused in the foreground before the subject.. Maybe you have got the focus settings wrong?


That is what I am thinking is the main problem...
He needs to shoot something with a rest in nice lighting that is a definate object so we can see the DoF and how it is...


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## erniehatt (Jul 14, 2005)

Having looked at your pics, it seems to me you have a DOF problem, try using Aperature Priority and use a smaller aperture. Using a fast shutter speed will mean you have a fairly large aperture, this can course minimal DOF. Or reduce the speed.Ernie


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## DocFrankenstein (Jul 14, 2005)

your samples look like the ones on dpreview. Those guys focus accurately.

I'd say that the camera simply doesn't live up to your quality expectations. There's a reason why people buy DSLRs and lenses which don't zoom at all, but cost more than your camera.


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## HoboSyke (Aug 28, 2005)

DocFrankenstein said:
			
		

> your samples look like the ones on dpreview. Those guys focus accurately.
> 
> I'd say that the camera simply doesn't live up to your quality expectations. There's a reason why people buy DSLRs and lenses which don't zoom at all, but cost more than your camera.


 

Bollox. I have seen users on this forum produce amazing shots with the FZ-20.
Crisp and clear photos. It could be his computer that is making the photos look like that or a faulty camera.


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## summers_enemy (Aug 28, 2005)

I have a Panasonc FZ20 also (or had, just sold it yesterday  ) and that image quality is definitely _not_ typical.  The Lumix does have extensive noise issues if you go up to ISO 200, but it shouldn't be evident at anything below 200.  Something is funky in your settings or you have a bum camera.  

If it's possible, set up a something in front of a white background and take a bunch of shots with different settings. Macro, P, full manual, auto focus etc.  See which settings are giving you the problems may help.  It will also help you fix something if you have a funky setting.

I'm going to download one or two of those pictures and have a look at the EXIF and see if I spot anything odd


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## summers_enemy (Aug 28, 2005)

Ok that sucked your EXIF data is not there :roll:  The one thing I notice though...the image size is only 2400x1800.  A Lumix on the highest JPEG quality should be 2560x1920.  Also, yours is telling me 96 DPI whereas my Lumix images have only ever been 72 DPI.

If you could pull up the EXIF data for me for those pictures and post it I think that would help


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## John E. (Aug 28, 2005)

erniehatt said:
			
		

> Having looked at your pics, it seems to me you have a DOF problem, try using Aperature Priority and use a smaller aperture. Using a fast shutter speed will mean you have a fairly large aperture, this can course minimal DOF. Or reduce the speed.Ernie



that and:

Before sending back, read and throughly understand how your camera focuses. I had similar issues when I first used my camera.  Are you holding the shutter button half way before fully engaging, giving the camera time to focus properly?
My camera would not have focused on the moose properly either, I would have to focus on something near him first cause I use spot focusing.  I have to say I do think it is the camera but best try all other avenues first.


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## Smith2688 (Aug 28, 2005)

DocFrankenstein said:
			
		

> your samples look like the ones on dpreview. Those guys focus accurately.
> 
> I'd say that the camera simply doesn't live up to your quality expectations. There's a reason why people buy DSLRs and lenses which don't zoom at all, but cost more than your camera.



I guess my Fz-20's broken.


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## summers_enemy (Aug 28, 2005)

I see nothing at all wrong with that shot 

Edit: Sarcasm, gotcha :meh:


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## Smith2688 (Aug 28, 2005)

hehehe


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