'Fuzzy' digital camera pictures.. any ideas why?

[unicorn]

The lens appears to be ok (from the outside anyway)..but the photos are all blurred.

Any ideas what to do?

what type of camera?
Are you using a zoom?
Are you using an auto focus?

Could be shaking hands, or moving the camera before the picture has been processed. There is a delay between pressing the button and the shot being taken.

I put the camera on a solid surface if I take a shot with high zoom.

Mine does this when I don't use the flash and it thinks I should. The shutter opens longer. I never thought of putting it on a solid surface -- great idea! (I guess it should have been obvious. Doh!)

It's a fujifilm finepix..2600z.. 2.0 mega pixels?????....

Think it may be more serious, as the photos are blurred when downloaded too...

haven't been using autofocus (i don't think)

Lack of light means its exposing for too long.

You need to set the flash to AUTO. It's on the menu settings - have a look in your manual. If it's already on Auto, then set it to FLASH ON and try that - it will flash every time.

On some cameras you need to hold the button down half-way to get it to "pick" a focus first. Agree with the comments re: the flash - another likely culprit.

The photos will be blurred when downloaded on to your PC regardless - just as if you had camera shake with "normal" film the pictures would be blurry when you got the film processed. It doesn't necessarily indicate a fault with the camera - it's just a different way of storing the image you have taken.

Would recommend an evening reading through the manual to check you haven't missed anything obvious.

Might be worth trying to take a couple of shots in broad daylight, and maybe in the distance aswell as close-up, perhaps? Daylight shots would tell you if it's a flash problem, and if all distances are equally badly affected then it suggests there's a problem with focus. These may all be things you've already tried of course......

I agree with everybody else -- with no further information, the most likely cause is long exposures (it needs more light than it's got, so it keeps the shutter open, and either the camera or the subject moves). The solution for this is more light and/or a bigger ISO/ASA number (don't remember if that camera will do that). However, if you're really not using autofocus, it could just be out of focus. Try turning autofocus on and see if things get better.

If it looks blurry on the camera, it will always look blurry when downloaded (alas, the reverse is not true -- sometimes it looks OK on the camera, but when you can see it better it's a bit blurry).