Camera Buffs: A New Year's Plea

My camera settings, I think I have FUBARed them. 

A) the flash never goes off (I think I did this, but I have no idea what I did. Most of the time I DON'T want it to go off, but when it's on "automatic snap-and-shoot" and I have checked "flash automatically go off when needed" or some such, shouldn't it GO OFF WHEN NEEDED?)  It never does. So maybe it's broken, or maybe I've done something to it to make it IGNORE THE AUTOMATIC. (How could I do that?)

B) Again, on the automatic settings, it tells me that "macro is invalid" even when I press the macro icon. 

&tc. (I am charmed by old documents where it says "ampersandtc.")  Hee.

Abigail sent my mom into paroxysms of laughter (we were not exactly sure why) when she said, on Christmas, "What the F!" (pronounced "What the EFF.") 

We were all (at various times) working on this killer, but fun, 1,000-piece puzzle:

 

Which, by my circuitous way of thinking, makes me remember Abigail's friend Tyler who used to send me into paroxysms of laughter by constantly saying, "W.T. Fuck," like it was someone's name.

We are apparently easily amused. But I digress.

I can hardly use the damn camera anymore. I need HELP!

I have a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H3. 

People have suggested to me to find the online manual (I did) and to "change it back to factory settings" using the manual. Well, I cannot find ANYWHERE in that manual where it tells me how to do that. Oh, how I still hate online sites, online manuals, online newspapers, blog sites, (FACEBOOK, I'M LOOKING AT YOU!) even in 2010, because the link headings NEVER MATCH UP with the content inside. 

So if any of you camera geeks can help me by reading that manual and telling me step by step how to get my damn camera back to its factory settings, and are willing to help this blogging damsel in distress, please enlighten. Or, perhaps it's just all broke up and I need a new camera. 

Oh, and by the way:

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!  

Comments

[natalie]

i don't know how to help, but maybe customer service could walk you through the reset?

[MaryB in Richmond]

Happy New Year to you, too, Norma! So far ... so good!

xoxox

MaryB

[Sarah]

Happy New Year, Norma!

xo

[Dawn]

I googled Cyber shot handbook which gives a bit more detail. Did find that the Macro is not available when the Intelligent auto adjustment mode is on. Pg 61 has how to initialize to default setting..this might be what you are looking for. I only skimmed, but did see where it says that Music files can be reset to the preset ones by using Initialize but the other settings would be reset as well. Hope this helps!
Happy New Year

[gayle]

Good luck with the camera. Sometimes they just have a mind of their own.
Happy New Year!

[Geri]

Sorry no camera expertise here. Happy New Year!

[Emma]

Happy New Year !

It does sound wonky. Hope you find a helpful camera geek.

[Bonney]

Happy New Year, Norma!! I hope this is the worst problem you have all year!

[Seanna Lea]

No help from me. I'm just looking at Shatner and Nimoy staring at me from the box. It's funny, but that was the first thing I noticed.

[Leslie]

Happy 2010, Norma! May you and those you love be happy, healthy and surrounded by comfort.

[margene]

My mother loved puzzles and we always had one going. It was set up on a movable board so it was never in the way. Costo has a a help number for electronics. You give them a call or take it back and see if they can fix it.

[Joannah]

Happy 2010! No clue on the camera. Maybe this is the last gasp of the special year that was 2009 and things will get better now that we are in a new year/decade?

[Donna]

Try
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=DSCH3

click on cybershot handbook

pg 67 initialize steps
pg 101 has troubleshooting steps
pg 103 has info on flash not working

[Marcia]

Or, just chuck it and get a good camera, like a Canon.....

Happy New Year!

[Judy]

Hope you solve the camera issues. It sure sucks to flash when you don't want to. hehe

Happy New Year!

[Carole]

Here's my professional advice: buy a new camera.

[sandy]

Geez, Nor, you are like death to a poor camera! :D Srsly.
Poor thing. (The camera)
heh.
My Mom has that puzzle but I don't think she has done it yet! HNY! I love the initials to Happy New Year. They look like HEINY)
LX

[Vicki]

Have you been able to fix yet? Yeah, I'm with you regarding outdated ONLINE manuals and such, but I LOVE a downloadable (thus, SEARCHABLE) manual. I did not download and search yours, but I will if you need me to... if you want to call me up and try to figure it out together. My first digital was a Sony and I loved that camera.

Happy New Year!!

[Lisa H.]

Happy New Year Norma! I hope that you and yours have a healthy and happy 2010!!

xoxo

Lisa H.

[Kayten]

My Canon does the same thing. (Sorry, Marcia.)
Very aggravating. New batteries sometimes help, and occasionally the flash arrow reappears and stays long enough so I can fix it. It, however, has a mind of its own.
In any case, Happy New Year! I'm off to make carrot ginger soup for our spinning afternoon at the coffee shop. Fred doesn't mind if we bring food as long as there's enough for him, too.

[marianne]

Looks like you're getting some help :^)
I've always enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and hold the title of Queen/Empress/Almighty of jigsaw puzzles, Gracie is, of course, Princess. We're very good putting them together, fast too.
Here's to a Fabulous 2010 for All! xoxox

[lisa]

Happy New Year! Sorry, no idea about the camera. DH has a fancy schmancy sony slr that's about 7 years old, and a year or two ago everything was coming out with pink tinges, especially sky. He sent it back to sony and they fixed it. I forget how much it cost, but he was pleased...

[Donna]

Happy New Year! When we start having camera issues we usually just buy a new one. Digital cameras seem to have a limited life span (at least in my house). Good luck!

[Jean E.]

Happy New Year, I hope your camera is back to its factory-set self soon!

[Kym]

Manuals? We don't need no stinkin' manuals! Good luck with the camera. I tend to . . . um. . . ignore the manuals. And Happy New Year to you!

[kmkat]

Have you tried the ol' gentle whap upside the head (on the camera)? Although I'm pretty sure that if that DOESN'T work, it will void your warranty. Then you would have to buy a new camera. Darn.

Happy, happy and all the best to you and yours!

[Sara]

Happy New Year! Awesome puzzle!

[Cookie]

No help here. I lost all my settings when I replaced the batteries in my camera. It thinks it's 2006 now. /sigh

Happy New Year!

[DebbieB]

Happy New Year, dollface! My camera settings are incomprehensible to me - I'm lucky I can get pictures out of it at all.

[Diane H.]

Happy New Year. Camera SNAFU.... WTF?????

[Holly]

Happy New Year to you too! And Happy Birthday Abigail! And Congratulations on your LSAT score!!! (Multi-commenting!)

[elizabeth a airhart]

call gayle happy new year

[Doris]

Happy New Year, Norma

[Vonda]

I have a sony cyber shot. If you look on the bottom (at least on mine) there is a tiny hole and tiny letters that say 'reset'. I use a US1 knitting needle to poke in there and that puts the camera back to factory settings. Hope that helps!