Any camera experts??

[MsPontipine]

I have a pretty basic digital camera. Working perfectly until this week it has what looks like a shadow on the image - camera screen and on the taken picture. If I zoom in it focuses to a small dot.

I've tried cleaning the lens no change. The last time I used it I was holding a sparkler on Saturday could this have done damage???

Help!!

[geordieminx]

no idea but pobably get more replies in geeky stuff as opposed to ebay

[gigglewitch]

will ask my resident geek dear husband who is hugely into digital cameras
back in a mo

[MsPontipine]

Do you know - I posted this there 1st but thought with all us busily snapping away photos of all our lovely items to list maybe someone maybe able to help here! Thanks :-)

[MsPontipine]

Oh thanks gigglewitch

[MsPontipine]

Will just add - I was taking a picture of said sparkler

[gigglewitch]

the geek has explained.
no it shouldn't have damaged - as in burned your camera. something may have flown off it, and have marked the lens but should come off when you clean it (wants to know if you cleaned it with 'proper' optical cloth and stuff like you'd clean spectacles with. better say yes you did. If not, do that now!!) This would show up on the back screen. He recons that a sparkler is nowhere near bright enough to damage a digital camera.
what do your printed pics look like? what i mean is, is the mark defo on the lens?

[geordieminx]

good point - well presented. As you were.

[MsPontipine]

It was - I actually found a spray cleaner to clean tft monitor screen and used that - with my glasses cloth (then a soft tissue - had another go!)

Mark def there - listed bits on ebay - there's a horrible shadowy splodge.

[gigglewitch]

oh dear
how close were you to the flippin sparkler?

[MsPontipine]

Holding it

[gigglewitch]

don't suppose it could be anything to do with moisture? my camera sort of steams up on the inside when it gets cold
Himself Over There still maintains that you are most unlikely to have damaged anything in the camera with your sparkler. And yes we did realise from your first description that the camera was in one hand and the sparkler in the other. no need to keep being

[gigglewitch]

BUMP for more geeks...

Ah ha. he has conceded that you may have damaged the coating on the lens if a hot bit has flown off the sparkler and hit the lens. Is this likely?

[gigglewitch]

this any use?

[MsPontipine]

I've ordered a new one today.

Here If anyone's interested - get free delivery plus 1500 extra advantage points on line. Makes it about £72.50. Not thinking it's too bad a deal. Couldn't face Christmas with my dodgy burnt camera.

A lesson learnt.