Buying online - 30 day's right of return?

[JennyS]

The address of the business and a returns policy must be easily viewable to anyone looking at the website.

Trouble is there seem to be two different versions of Pixmania's returns policy when I access the link .......

But my point was that they must provide the customer with the terms regarding the return of goods in writing. Either by email or sent with the actual goods. If they fail to do this then the 90 day rule for returns kicks in and the seller also has to pay the cost of returning the item(s).

There was nothing about Pixmania's returns policy in writing with the package or emailed ..... but I really don't fancy my chances of a speedy outcome or of getting any sort of satisfaction from them.
Its become very obvious that they make returns and refunds as difficult as they possibly can, it might be different if you pay the extra money for their Zen engagement but that seemed like a scam in itself and would have added another 10% or so to the price I was already paying.

Looks like my most realistic hope will be to send it back to the manufacturer myself, get it fixed and then sell on Ebay at a considerable loss!

[earthdragon64]

It may be worth your while to contact your local trading standards office, even though Pixmania are in France. They should be able to clarify what your rights are, and the best way to enforce them.

[Stevie]

As said above, contact your local trading standards office for advice.

[DanJeffery]

Jenny

I don't know your level of photography knowledge, so please forgive me if what I am about to say is patronising. Are you sure there is a fault with the camera? It's not that you are trying to focus on something too close is it? On the Ricoh website it gives the minimum focusing distance as 30cm but then says "1.5cm macro". I don't know how you put it into macro mode for the close focusing.

The other thought is that it could be too slow a shutter speed for a sharp shot?

Sorry if these are points that you have already considered and checked out.

[JennyS]

I don't know your level of photography knowledge, so please forgive me if what I am about to say is patronising.

Hi Dan - its a fair question and it doesn't sound patronising as there could be an element of user-error in the problem, plus a very challenging subject - lichen. My photographic abilities aren't up to SLR level but I've had a few years experience at using macro on compacts (FinePix f31) successfully for flowers.

For sharp flower detail viewed at 100% the Ricoh is not as good as the f31 but I wonder if that's the downside of 12MP as opposed to 6MP.
The f31 hasn't any flash output control or close enough focus distance as some of the lichen fruit bodies are pinhead-sized .......

The Ricoh uses the same symbol for 'macro' and I always check the shutter speed before taking a shot.
I use spot metering and spot auto-focus - tried manual focus but my eyes aren't great and with or without my vari-focals I can't see the focus point clearly enough so I'm having to trust the camera.
Exposure could be a factor and I'm about to go play with the contrast settings. Only realised after buying that it doesn't have image stabilisation but the camera is supported whenever possible.

I need to see close detail so many shots are taken at f2.8 or 3.5 for speed with the intent of cropping hard and viewing at 100%. Area of sharpest focus when viewing flat, crustose lichen at pixel-size in PhotoShop is slightly off-centre ...... often just missing the bit I focused on and needed.....

Not great photos in the screenshots below by any means but they (I hope) show the problem - first is a central section of image using 'Fit on screen' in PS, others are 'Actual pixels'...... and the focus is slightly off-centre in them all....



I know I probably need a SLR with macro lens but I can't afford it and it wouldn't be with me all time like a compact is.
Anyone out there got any suggestions to a 8 to 10 MP compact with good image quality, close focus for macro and control over aperture and flash settings ...... or doesn't it exist?

[DanJeffery]

Hmm. I see what you mean. There is no scope for error that close with that wide an aperture is there.

[JennyS]

No, none at all. I could go for a narrower aperture but then I start losing shutter speed and the exact centre still isn't sharp ......

[charlieb]

Originally Posted by DanJeffery

There is no scope for error that close with that wide an aperture is there.

Surely there is lots of scope for error? Being so close with such a wide aperture means there is no depth of field. Any slight bumps or dips in the object with be obvious and out of focus.

When photographing macro I always use an aperture of f/10 or narrower, anything wider and much of the shot isn't in focus.

Why do you need fast shutter speeds? It's not as if the lichens are going anywhere - you should make use of the fixed subject!

[JennyS]

Hi Charlie, sounds like you use a SLR with a dedicated macro lens but as you can see from the thread I'm working within the restrictions of a compact.

For many crustose (flat) lichen I can do without too much depth of focus, I photograph with the intent of cropping afterwards in PhotoShop and a decent shutter speed helps me avoid camera shake for starters!
I'm not looking for Gallery-type full-frame images but I do need an accurate means of recording and identifying what I find.

( Yes, if I had the money the Olympus E-620 with an Olympus 50mm f/2 Zuiko Digital Macro would be very nice though it would get left behind a lot and I'd still need a decent compact)

[charlieb]

Whether your using a SLR with macro lens or compact, the rules of physics still apply.

At such close range and wide aperture means that even apparently flat surfaces such as your lichens will suffer from even a minor angle against the plane of focus - especially if your hand-holding which introduces a second factor.

Have you tried a narrower aperture? The wide apertures you are using are fine at distance but when your so close you have to use a narrower aperture - unless you can perfectly (and I mean perfectly) line up the object and camera sensor (and of course if the object is flat, which licehn isn't).

What shutter speed are you using?