Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50 Digital Camera - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

have you set it to macro mode? (little flower icon on the right cursor) this function will allow you to get within about 2cm of the subject, however do not use the zoom as the lens cannot focus close enough. To get results any closer you will be looking at an slr and a budget on a few thousand! If enabling macro and not using zoom to allow the lens to focus doesn't get you close enough in you can always enlarge and crop images. have a look on www.picture-skew.blogspot.com i've taken some macros of flowers and bugs, this camera can capture the hairs on an ants back or the individual lenses of a flys compound lens eye.

persevere with this camera, for a very small budget you will get amazing results, ISO refers to the speed of 'film', it comes from the dark old ages of 35mm film cameras. Basically a low ISO is the lowest sensitivity to light and gives the best image quality, however as the ccd is less responsive to the light the camera holds the shutter open for longer. The higher the ISO the more sensitive the ccd but the greater the noise and lower the quality of picture.

Books, try looking for more photography orientated books and less digital camera based books. An upto date photography book will tell you all the technical information about how to take a good picture for any given senario.

if you would like any further advice email me (address on the blogspot)

When you sent the camera in did they give you a diagnosis? Even set to macro it shouldn't affect wider angle pictures. My money would be on a fault with the autofocus, sony probably should have replaced the unit. I wouldn't give up on sony though, every cybershot i've used (which quite a few) has always given good results and never had a fault. I agree i've seen plenty of dsc w30's/35's/50's/55's etc models on ebay with breakdown problems of one sort or another, but all manufacturers have problems.

Please check your user manual. There is an save mode. Leaving the save mode will solve the problem. If you need more help please advice.

I just read that post you're referring to I think... I tried it on mine however it didn't solve my problem but it might solve yours...

Here goes...
-push menu
-arrow all the way over to the right until you get to settings
-arrow down two click till you get to setup 1
-go down to initialize and click ok
-it will turn on and off then you need to re enter time and date

hope thats what you wanted...

I googled this error and found a few relevant links:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=20161066

http://www.fixya.com/support/t427780-e_91_01

hi, if when the camera is making a whirring noise when switched on the gears are either misaligned or damaged , with camera on slap the base of the camera using your palm, a couple of times should be enough, if this does not help , look closely at the lens if the lens is not straight , gently try a straighten the lens using your thumb and fore finger very gently , you will hear a light click , if this does not work , then the service center ,

I was ready to throw the Damm thing.. tried pulling on the lens.. no good.. but banged the bottom of the camera on the table and it worked!!!! Started out softly and increased the banging and it real really worked.. Sony needs to get their act together... this is serious business..

active your foto again with the help of recevory software do this.

Check your front of lenz there are some things cleans it.

you probably have a bad memory stick

check out the sony site next time you have a problem it is very helpful heres a link to the section that you will need to look at

Page 95 of the manual says how to remove the write protection. If it won't work as expected, please check if all the contacts on the memory card and in the camera are clean and shiny.

Two choices: If you normally get pictures from the camera by connecting it to your computer, remove the memory stick before making the connection. If you normally get pictures by taking the memory stick out of the camera and putting into a card reader attached to your computer, use the "Copy" command in the Setup'Memory Stick Tool menu (see page 52 of the manual: http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/manuals/pdf/index/x/fujifilm_xe2_manual_en.pdf ).

It sounds as if you are not actually downloading them into the PC. Read the manual to find out how to do this.

This is an old land camera. Sure you removed the lens cap? I'm not sure, but i thought on ifixit.com they did write something about a polaroid camera. Be careful, parts of this camera will work electrical, so the battery (is that with the film?) should have enough power to let the camera work correct.

ALTERNATE WAY TO TRANSFER PHOTOS AND VIDEOS TO A COMPUTER If your photos and videos are stored on the memory card, then remove the memory card from the camera and insert it into an USB memory card reader. Connect this USB memory card reader and memory card into the USB port of your working computer. Your computer will see this as an USB Mass Storage Device or an external storage device; you can then open the folder on the memory card and copy the photos to your computer. Memory card reader is a handy device and is inexpensive. You can copy photos from other cameras and you can also download photos off your memory card to someone else's computer without the need of installing any programs.

You only can use Memory Stick Duo. There is a write protection switch on the memory card, you only can switch with a sharp point. Ball point or something like that. Have a close look on the card."Memory Stick Duo", "MagicGate Memory Stick Duo" and "Memory Stick PRO Duo" are equipped with MagicGate functions. MagicGate is copyright protection technology that uses encryption technology. Data recording/playback that requires MagicGate functions cannot be performed with this camera.So if you have a MagicGate one it does not work and could give this error.

Gently tap and see whether the picture becomes good,May be your camera has some loose connections somewhere and only a good technician can attend to this.

Hi,Things can be faulted, One is called CCD imager, Flexible stip in the circuit and third one could be screen of the cyber shot. Contact with an expert repair man to diagnose.Thanks

may be its inner mechanism has broken.