Does a Camera get old?

[waterbugohio]

Actually what I mean is does a camera lose quality after time? I have a Kodak Z712 IS. I have had this camera about two years now and until recently have always loved this camera. Lately the shots have been "grainy" or fuzzy. I have checked all my settings and I don't think anything is set wrong. I always use it just on auto setting.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions??? Or is it just time to make the hubby spring for a new one for my birthday??

[Guest TropicOne]

Barring any kind of mechanical problem I would say no. My Canon S3 is about 3 years old and it still works like new. The Auto setting normally works well only under ideal conditions. Anything else you need to start doing manual settings.

[pierces]

Check to see if it got switched to Auto ISO (exposure control) or High ISO (scene modes). Small sensor cameras will produce grainy images or ones with too much noise reduction (fuzzy) with these settings.

 

Dave

[waterbugohio]

thanks for the suggestions. I do have a High ISO setting that I will use in low light settings, but that is not the case now. May just have to start looking at new ones!!!

[dahkota]

My cameras are 5 and 3 years old and I have no problems. I would check that the lens is clean, the batteries are new (they do get old), and I didn't mistakenly set something funny (I do it a lot). I was out shooting with my Rebel (5 years old) last weekend and the images seemed grainy and under exposed. Turns out I had ignored my battery meter getting those last few shots in. Replaced the battery and it is back to normal...

[DGSFlorida]

Any optical or electronic device may degrade over time. Electronic devices can easily suffer from corrosion of contacts, etc. Out of focus pics can easily occur if your lens or autofocus mechanism is damaged by significant shock, etc.