Q:   How do I get the best quality picture in varying light conditions?
A:   Indoor : You want to make sure the room is sufficiently lit. For instance, a fluorescent bulb is great for these situations. You also may want to change the White Balance mode on the camera, if that option is available, to reflect the lighting condition in the room. Also use the flash when necessary (If the camera has a flash). When using a flash, please check your quick start manual or camera specifications to determine the most effective range of the flash.   In general, the flash will be optimal at 3 feet to 6 feet.   If additional lighting, such as room lights are available, be sure to use them with the flash.   The more light the better.  

Outdoor : Make sure to change the White Balance mode on the camera, if that option is available, to reflect the lighting condition outside. Also make sure to have the sunlight coming from behind the photographer. This will make for better picture quality.

Q:   Why do I get Fuzzy/Blurry pictures?
A:   First, make sure the camera lens is free of debris, like smudges and scratches. Also keep the viewfinder horizontal as much as possible. Try to kneel down if necessary. Most of our cameras should have a tri-pod connection on the bottom. If you have a tri-pod, we suggest using it. That will help keep the camera steady. When you are taking the picture, frame the subject, hold the camera steady, snap the shutter button and then wait for at least three seconds to ensure a good capture.

Q: Why would I get horizontal, black stripes in photos taken abroad?
A: The camera is set to your country's AC mains frequency (e.g. 60Hz for US). If you take photos under an electric light source in another country with a different frequency (e.g. 50Hz), you will get horizontal, black stripes in those photos, due to incorrect mains frequency. These settings are only necessary to adjust when taking pictures in doors under artificial lighting. If the lines still appear in outdoor images please contact our technical support team for help.

Q: Can I use the camera when it is raining?
A: No, DO NOT use the camera under rain since the camera is not water-resistant. Water drops may get inside the camera and damage the parts.

Q: How can I get a hard copy of the User's Manual?
A: The User's Manual, named Manual.pdf, is provided in the CD-ROM in PDF format. It can be opened and printed with Acrob at Reader. This program, named areng40.exe, is included in the supplied CD-ROM. Double-click on the areng40.exe icon and the installation will start automatically. After installation, double-click the Manual.pdf icon. Acrobat Reader will be launched for you to view the User's Manual. To print the manual, select File>Print from the pull-down menu.  

Q: Is it a disposable camera?
A: This is not a disposable camera. You can use it whenever the battery power and memory in the camera are available.  

Q: What should I do when I get nothing or some weird symbols on the LCD?
A: Check to see if the batteries are correctly inserted and the battery compartment door is secured. If the problem persists, the batteries may be totally dead. Replace them with new ones.

Q: Why is the camera not turning on after new batteries are inserted?
A:   The batteries may have been inserted incorrectly. Also make sure the batteries are new, and fully charged.

Q: What should be noted during photos download?
A: If you disconnect the camera and computer when you are downloading photos (with Acquire dialog box opened), and then reconnect them, you need to close the Acquire dialog box and then re-open it for the computer to recognize the connection to the camera.

Q: What should I do when my PC cannot recognize the camera when using the program that was included?
A: You should disconnect the USB cable from the camera and reconnect it.

Q: Can I use any digital camera as a PC camera (web cam)?
A: No. Not all digital cameras support will support this function. You will need to make sure that the camera will support it and that you are using the appropriate software, such as Microsoft NetMeeting.

Q: What is the difference between .BMP and .JPG photo files?
A: .JPG files take less storage space and have less transmission time.

Q: How do I send photos through email?
A: Save your photos on your C drive as .JPG or .BMP files Assign names such as PHOTO1.JPG Sign-in to email Compose your message Click on attachment mode Click on the photo filename to attach to your email Click on SEND

Q: How do I get an AC Adapter?
A: An AC adaptor may be purchased from an electronics or computer store. We question whether the adapter is necessary, as the camera consumes very little power. Lithium batteries can be used for longer battery life and shorter flash charge time.

Q: How do I go about getting warranty service for my camera?
A:   All of our digital cameras come with a one year warranty. Please feel free to contact us at any time via email at support@arguscamera.com

Q: What is Internal Memory and how much does my camera have? Do I have to change or update internal memory?
A: Most digital cameras include some form of internal memory - check with your camera to determine what type and how much internal memory your camera has.

If your camera has "SD Ram" internal memory, it is volatile memory, meaning that when the camera batteries expire or are removed, the camera will loose the images on the memory.   Always make sure you save your images to your computer as soon as possible

If your camera specifications indicate that it has "Flash" memory, the memory in your camera will remember images even if the batteries expire or are removed.

However, you should still transfer your images to your computer as soon as possible.

You cannot change or update the amount of memory that is internal to your camera.   However, many of our cameras have an expandable memory slot that will accommodate expansion memory cards such as an SD (secure digital) card.   These cards allow you to increase the amount of images stored on your camera and are only limited in the size of memory by the card you purchase.

Q: How many images can I store on my camera?
A: Depending on how much memory your camera has (internal and expandable) the following is a guideline of approximately the number of images should be able to store on your camera.   The number will vary depending on scene complexity and lighting.

Q: I seem to use a lot of batteries with my digital camera.   Is this normal?
A: Digital cameras are like little computers with a processor, monitor, and memory.   They do use a lot of power especially when the viewfinder LCD is being used.   Whenever possible, turn off the LCD (if the function is available on your camera) to save power.   Also, we recommend that you use high quality, branded batteries in your digital camera and keep a fresh backup set with you at all times.   If the camera is not going to be used for any length of time, please remove the batteries to avoid drain and possible leakage into your digital camera.

Keep the camera still - especially in digital photography - and hold the camera steady for at least three seconds after the image is captured quality.

More light is usually better - when you use your flash, understand that it will not light the room by itself - understand the limits of your flash and use additional lighting sources if they are available

Control the position of the light - make sure you are never shooting into the sun or other bright lights -also be sure not over light the scene this could wash out images

Don't always have the subject in the middle of the frame - try moving the subject to one side or the other - that helps the viewer gain perspective

Always have an extra set of batteries on hand - digital cameras are little computers that require a lot of energy to run

Try changing the position of your camera - try taking some vertical pictures

Use flash outdoors - sometimes the little extra light will remove shadows

Closer is better - fill the frame to get the best details

Use a plain background - avoid confusing scenes that distract your viewer