My trusty Canon PowerShot A540 on its Auto setting has started returning too-dark images about a third of the time, even in broad daylight. Sometimes it's fine, and then another shot of the same scene will come out very dark. I can't determine any single factor that might be causing the problem (like flash/no flash, etc.).

I reset the camera to Default settings, but that didn't help. This is a camera I use for family snapshots on the fly, so it's annoying, to say the least.

I've never really gotten into the various options, nor Manual mode (can never remember what all the arcane little icons mean).

Is this problem fixable? Or has something one awry with the camera's programming or sensors?

/Mr Lynn

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[www.imaging-resource.com]

I don't think that your model is included in the recall though. good luck

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space-time
[www.imaging-resource.com]

I don't think that your model is included in the recall though. good luck

Nope, doesn't seem to be. That recall is for bad CCDs, causing color shift and blurring. My bad images are fine, other than being much too dark.

I can take three or four in a row, and get a few dark ones, then one that is correct. Number One Son Andy speculates that it may be a bad light sensor, or rather one that is going bad.

/Mr Lynn

you could try manual model and go by the F/16 rule of thumb

[en.wikipedia.org]

Yeah, I can go back to manual, though if I did I'd prefer to do it with my old Leicas, where I can see the physical controls. I like to use the viewfinder, so trying to read the screen is a pain, especially in bright light.

Speaking of which, the darkening seems to be happening most in bright light, making me wonder whether the camera is over-compensating. Possible? Any solution?

I do plan to get a better camera, but my plan was to give this one to my wife, who really needs a working Auto setting.

/Mr Lynn