posted on November 24, 2000 11:40:38 PM
Hi everyone... I just got my brand new Toshiba PDR-M5 in the mail today and I'm sorry but a brain surgeon I am apparently NOT!! All kidding aside, I am not the least technical and this thing seems like Greek to me. I was hoping that some kind soul familiar with this brand of camera might be able to help? I'm reading the manual and I think I'd doing it all right but I can't seem to take a picture and honestly, it makes this knocking noise that is quite unnerving. Not quite sure WHAT to do so I thought I would at least ask. Thank you in advance!
posted on November 25, 2000 05:02:37 AM
If it uses a floppy, the knocking noise is the disk drive writing to the disk.
Take your time, check the settings on the back of the camera, read in the manual what they do, and remember to take the lens cap off.
My first problem with a digital camera was I didn't wait until the indicator said it was ready befiore pushing the button all the way down - you usually have to push partly and then let it "capture" the picture, then push the rest of the way. They are way slower than film cameras for shooting.
posted on November 25, 2000 04:42:58 PM
I have used the Toshiba PDRM5 for two months now and must say I am mostly pleased. The 16MB of on-board memory allows the camera to fire off like a 35mm with a motor drive - I've never seen another digital that can do this nearly as fast, or as high quality. It blows away the previous generation of cameras. I will agree (having owned at least a dozen digital cameras going all the way back to the Casio QV-100 that started it all) that the PDRM5 is extremely complicated. I would just leave it on the auto setting (the first red camera icon on the dial) until you have time to read the manual THOROUGHLY. My biggest complaint is the flash performace - All my flash photos seem to come out dark, even if the item I'm shooting is two feet away! I've not been able to overcome this even using the manual controls. Also, it uses passive focusing, which means it must be able to see clearly what it is trying to focus on - Don't even try to take a picture in less than bright light - and its maddening because you can't focus in medium to low light, so even if you do use your flash the photo will likely be out of focus. Toshiba did put out a firmware upgrade to address this problem - it helps but does not eliminate it. You can download the firmware at www.toshiba.com and install via the USB connection.
The knocking sound is the telephoto lens - read a few reviews about this camera and they all mention how loud the lens operation is. Maybe a nature photographer who values silence would have a problem with this - not me. If there is anything specific you want to know, post it here and I'll try to reply.
posted on November 25, 2000 05:17:58 PM
Hi. I sell digital cameras and the M5 is the one I use and like the most. Every camera has some trade offs and the M5's is the loud noise. If you email me, I will send you a guide that I send all my customers which might help. Incidentally, Toshiba has released firmware that lets the camera take better photos in low light. You can download it at their site.
I remember feeling the same way when I got my Toshiba PDR-M5. I read the manual from front to back. I agree with the poster who recomended leaving it on auto focus for a while. I couldn't seem to get an image that was clear. This is what solved my problem, I went to Wal-Mart and bought a $20.00 tripod. This tripod made all the difference in the world to the clarity of my images. You might want to try it.I thought I was holding the camera still, but apparently I wasn't. It truly worked miracles for me. It seems to me they should suggest this in their manual which they do not. Good Luck!
