Hi,

I didn't use any zoom. I tried to take a outdoor picture similar to the one
in that Sony forum, I got the same 1/30 sec without using zoom. I set the
W1 to AUTO. It just picked 1/30 all the time. (unless it is really bright)
For the Sony, it displays the shaky hand when the shutter speed is selected
1/40 or less (without zoom). So, if I set the W1 to Manual, and pick 1/40
instead of 1/30, the shaky hand will disappear but the same picture will
come out dark.

My question is that is it that the lens used in the Sony does not let enough
light to go in the camera making the camera to always pick a slower shutter
speed.

I am confused why other brands do not have this problem? I don't find any
post in the other forums about their camera picking slow shutter speed in
"pretty" sunny outdoor.

One possibility is that the other brands raise the ISO but keep the shutter
speed fast. The Sony, on the other hand, tries to keep the ISO low but slow
the shutter speed. I don't know. Just a guess.


The Sony slows the shutter speed to 1/30 all the time. So, I always need to
use the flash. When I use the flash, the Sony always picks 1/60 sec or
higher. But the flash in the Sony is not strong enough for outdoor (to
fill) but too bright for indoor.

I am thinking to buy a Olympus E500 ($800 with 2 lenses) or the Sony H1
($500) to replace the W1 ($350). I want one that I can use an external
flash that I can point to a different angle. (right now, I am using one of
those very bright spot flash light) And one that has better lens that can
let more light to go in to the camera.

But before I go nut to folk up a grand for a camera, I want to understand
why the Sony slows the shutter speed but the other brand doesn't do the
same.








That 'wobbly hands' icon does /not/ mean "using 1/30 sec or slower"; when
you 'zoom in' to the full extent of your 3x zoom, camera shake is likely
at
anything much less than 1/200 sec.