The zoom functionality has become blurry all of a sudden, camera can only take shots from wide zoom that come out clear. It was not dropped before this problem started happening. Is there a setting that I perhaps turned on/off?

I'm out of practice because my camera suddenly stopped working 6 months ago, but I don't recall having a problem with blurry pictures when I used the zoom. Sometimes, it takes a few seconds for a pic to come into clear focus. I think the trick is to just keep working with it.

2003. Look on eBay. Find a very newer Canon model and all of your problems will go away. Think Christmas!

Probably because at the longer end of the zoom range you are getting camera shake. On the wide angle setting shake will not be nearly so noticeable. Use a tripod for long telephoto shots or practise squeezing the shutter release really gently-like the trigger on a gun ;-)

most cameras come with an option called macro,this setting is for close up shots.on your camera it needs to set at wide angle.when choosing the shooting mode move left or right and choose the icon of a flower.if you adjust the zoom, a zoom bar will appear at the top of the lcd.if you try to use a zoom not intended for macro shots the flower icon will gray out and the bar will appear yellow,if you take a picture with the yellow bar it will be blurry.if you zoom out a little until it stops you should be ok. if you use a flash in macro mode the images edges usually will darken.hope this helps.

When you zoom in, you have to re-focus. If you get too close, you need to switch to "macro" mode. And, it becomes harder to hold the camera steady.

I would slap the camera face down in the palm of my hand and see if the lense becomes unstuck.

TZ stands for Travel Zoom, which is code for Outside View shots. The TZ is supper in good light, not so much in lower light.

In side shots need to be with 8 feet of subject so the flash can reach. Use ISO and IS mode 2 settings, especially IS(Image Stabilization) on zoomed shots where ANY camera movement becomes amplified by the ZOOM.

Lastly, camera movement and/or subject movement will add blur to a shot. Squeeze off shot, don't push it off. Try to brace your camera against another object when possible, or hold you elbows against your sides when you can't. Treat taking a pic shot like you were taking a rifle shot. Stabilize yourself when possible and gradually squeeze off the shot when possible.

When low light cannot be avoided, try the night shot setting, which will keep the shutter open longer to gather more light, but will be much more venerable to camea movement at the same time.

Your zoom probably does not come out all the way and therefore you get some blurry shots. Had the same problem on a Panasonic camera. Solution: replace zoom motor and gears. Results=expensive. Goes beyond the value of the camera. You might want to buy another used A85 or newer digital camera.

make sure there is no fingerprints on the lens glass

1. Stop shooting while out on a shoot: Perhaps the batteries were running low? 2. Lens won't retract all the way and close: Could be same reason as #1.? 3. Viewfinder is out of focus in wide mode: Could it be that camera was left in "Macro Mode" (Flower icon)? Did you set, "Custom Function 1, or 2," and accidentally set the unintended exposure mode? 4. Sticks in telephoto, won't return to wide, blurry shots: Probably cold weather related? Perhaps, "reboot" the camera by removing all batteries for over 10-15 seconds, and replace with a freshly recharged set of NIMH batteries? If all of the above failed, then I'd say take it back to where you purchased it, and get a replacement unit. Good luck. ^_^