Cannot see subject to be photographed when camera power on,if press to take photo nothing shows, just black screen.

Is the battery fully charged ?

Hello, You should contact Canon about the situation. Let them know you are aware of the problem CCD sensor on the S1 camera. Actually S1 is repaired free of charge because of the CCD problem. You should suggest that your camera probably has the same defect as the S1. See what they say. If you need more info please advice. Arpi

Press the DISP or DISPLAY button on the back of your camera. This button turns the LCD screen on and off to save battery power. You would then use the "peep hole" (optical display finder) in its place.

its just a matter of batteries...some are not powerful enough to operate the camera ....Try to change them and buy some real good ones..like Duracell or Tatra...do not make any compromises when buy the batteries...get the best cause these kinda cameras really require powerful ones...or ...try to get a set of rechargeable ...

black screen blur image showing cannot see subject to be photographed when camera power on,if press to take photo nothing shows, just black screen. it was fine one minute then nothing the next. battery is fully charged, memory card ok.

my camarsa screen is black but, i know i have gone through to prosedure but i still get a black sceeen wethre it is picture or move plaese hep

There is nothing wrong with the camera. You're looking at the highlight view of your pictures. These are the bright areas in your picture that have been overexposed and thus all detail has been "blown-out." If you look at those areas in Photoshop, you should see that they are pure white.

Usually, the correct fix is to reduce exposure so as to preserve highlight detail. This runs the risk of losing shadow detail at the other end, but loss of detail in shadows is generally considered more acceptable than losing detail in highlights. Of course, sometimes you want to lose highlight details, just as sometimes you want your subject to go dark and show up only as a silhouette. That's an artistic decision, far beyond the scope of this question.

Getting back to the view on the back of the LCD, you can press up/down on the multiselector to get different views of the current picture. One shows you the histogram (which is another whole different topic), another shows you technical details about the photo, and one will show you the photo with nothing else. Pick the one you want. Play with them. Read the technical details.

Back in the old days, photographers carried notepads and pencils so they could jot down exactly this information. One of the advantages of digital photography is that this information is recorded automatically and stored with the images.

Press the DISP button once while the camera is turned on.
You may have cycled the display to the off position...
K

Are you sure that you have the EVF/LCD button is on LCD?

This issue often is related to lighting, subjects in the foreground, and the lack of optimal settings when using the Easy / Auto function.

First, you should look at subject matter.  If you have the camera set to Easy / Auto, it will focus for you.  This is good if the subject of the photo is the only thing (or the nearest thing) in the frame, however if there is anything else closer to the camera, it will assume that the nearest object is the one being photographed, and will adjust accordingly.  Although it may be something large such as a chair, sofa, table or even a houseplant, it may also be focusing on something as small as a child's toy.  If you must use the Easy / Auto function when photographing your children, make sure that your children are the only (or the closest) subjects in the photo, and the camera ought to set the focus on them.

The second issue is lighting.  Even when using the easiest settings on this camera, you still must make sure that the lighting and flash are optimal.  The flash, for instance, can be set to three different intensities, as not all situations require the same amount of additional light.  Make sure that if photographing indoors, you have either a decent amount of lighting, or the flash set to add the appropriate amount of additional light.  If the area photographed is too dark / bright, the camera (when set to the easiest settings, without any additional specifications from the user) will have difficulty finding (or choosing) the main subject of the photograph.  This is why you will occasionally see multiple little green squares, when it looks (to you) as though your children ought to be the primary --and only-- focus of the photo.  In simple terms, the camera is confused, and will choose what stands out as the main subject.

Remember that although this camera is technically of the point-and-click variety, one of the things that makes it stand out as a digital camera is the ability to adjust the settings as the situation dictates.  I suggest learning what each of the camera settings are used for (it seems daunting at first, but I assure you that it isn't as difficult as it first appears to be... remember, this camera is technically for those who have little-to-no experience with photogrpahy) and applying the available settings to the photos you take.  I am able to turn on my Sony Cyber-Shot DSC W170, adjust the settings to the situation, and photograph my children in less than two seconds more than it would take to turn it on and set it to Auto.  I have taken photos with this camera that have come out beautifully enough to print at the actual stated 8"x10" size (which is rare for a point-and-click), by adjusting only the ISO and flash (and nothing more) to accomodate the setting.

If you are looking for strictly a point-and-click camera that you do not need to set anything on (essentially the digital version of a quality 35mm disposable camera), there are some excellent ones on the market today.  I would reccommend the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC W170 to those who are looking for a camera that is slightly above "beginner" level (though well below "expert" level) cameras.  My husband purchased this for me as a birthday gift, to have on hand for quick photo-taking (quicker than setting up a tripod and adjusting my primary camera) while out and about with our children.  

I have been able to take some very beautiful photos with this camera (three outdoor photos were nice enough to sell), however I have only made use of the Easy / Auto settings a few times, while playing with the settings after first receiving the camera.  There are other beginner-level point-and-click cameras that, in my opinion, take far better digital photos than photos taken using the Easy / Auto functions of the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC W170.

This camera was designed for consumers who make use of the various settings, to ensure an optimal photographic experience (much like the difference between a professional photographer's 35mm camera and a basic 35mm camera).  For this reason, anyone looking for a camera that is an easy, simple point-and-click (i.e. you turn it on, take the photos, and that's it), I would suggest shopping around for a simpler camera.  There are many excellent ones that are designed to be quick and easy, and take good quality photos, without needing to adjust anything.