Z1275 produces horizontal lines through images. Flash, auto, program....doesn't matter what mode.

When having bright lights on a dark background, you can have horizontal lines. That is supposed to be normal. but the camera should give good pictures in bright light. Try setting the camera in automatic. most of the time it is the green camera loge on the mail dial.

Hello
This is an issue because most television programming is produced in a 4:3 aspect ratio. The minority of programming is high definition, which is produced in a 16:9 aspect ratio. Because televisions are made in either a standard (4:3) or widescreen (16:9) format, there is always a conflict with an image being stretched vertically or horizontally. In the case of widescreen televisions, the stretching is horizontal.
Picture Modes
Luckily, most if not all widescreen televisions have a picture mode that allows the user to toggle between a wide (16:9) and standard (4:3) mode. This means that a person can watch non-HD programming in the 4:3 picture mode, and then go to widescreen when watching HD programming. Some TVs have a picture mode that will automatically adjust to the correct aspect ratio. Other people will watch all programming in the wide picture mode, and learn to adjust to watching a stretched picture.
A stretched picture is when a 4:3 image is pulled on the sides to fill the entire screen. People and images end up looking fatter/wider and shorter.
So, what's the big deal?
Some people don't like a 4:3 picture stretched or distorted because it does reduce the overall visual and picture quality. Some people don't like the bars on the side of the screen when a widescreen is in a standard (4:3) picture mode because it looks different.
Solution
There is no fix-all solution for this issue, unless you own a TV that will automatically adjust to the intended aspect ratio. The stretching of the picture is a side-effect, the price we are paying for the better resolution that is digital and high definition. This is definitely something to consider when buying a television, but keep in mind that there is no right or wrong within this issue. It is just the way it is, and there is no way around it unless you buy a 4:3 aspect ratio television.
Hope these lines will clear the issue, if so do rate the solution

In any mode, press the MENU button. Use up/down to highlight Setup (three horizontal sliders) and press the OK button. Use up/down to highlight "Date Stamp" and press OK. Make your choice and press OK. The date stamp will only appear on photos taken in the auto mode.

Check your camera settings may be its on Night mode .Make sure you using the Auto ,Landscape ,Portrait etc..NIght mode can use with the help of Tripod.

the only thing i can think of is the sensor being misconnected or kaput. are you viewing them on the camera screen or a pc? it could also be camara screen...

You can change the ISO setting also to Auto. If you have the advanced guide (see pp 80, 107).
Press the ISO button it will switch from various ISO setting to AUTO.

Do remember in Bright light , a lower ISO number like 80 will give you very fine images, while as the light level goes down, the ISO number will change to a higher number and the image will become more grainer.
I hope I could answer to your query.
Please do rate. Thanks

Auto mode in poor lighting (generally always indoors without flash) sets high ISO, which produces ugly amount of noise (graininess). What you need is to keep the ISO under 200 by either:
Shooting well lit scenes, using flash etc.
or
Uusing one of the manual programs (M, S, A, P) and setting the sensitivity via the F-menu.

Fuji is just junk.

Your camera has a defective CCD imager. Please return the camera to Canon in New Jersey and they will replace the CCD at no charge to you. This is a known issue and should be covered under extended warranty. Good luck my friend. Joe Weibel customelectronics.org

With P, A, S, M, mode, (set using the exposure mode dial) the following four modes can be selected to suite the image. Vivid color is to be selected to produce more vivid image than the natural colored image (default), Black and white is to produce monochrome image in black and white, and Sepia is to be if it should be the sepia tone. Also, they can be selected in the movie recording.*The color mode of the saved images cannot be changed. They should be selected before recording. *Automatic Digital Subject Program and AUTO can not select them. (natural color only)