I bought my Olympus C-2020Z camera about four years ago. At the time I was really impressed with the vivid colors compared with other cameras around at that time. However, recently it seems to be taking duller pictures with drab colors. Could it be that digital cameras deteriorate with age? Maybe the CCD has a limited lifetime. Any Digital Camera Dopers that know this one?
Not really an answer, just additional info: I have the same camera from the same time frame, and everything still seems the same, vivid-color-wise.
I’ve never heard of CCDs deteriorating like that. I wouldn’t rule it out but it’s more likely that the camera setting or the display settings on your computer have changed. Is the camera set to automatic color balance? Is exposure correction disabled? Have you used the same monitor and software to compare an older image with a more recent image?
Have you tried cleaning the lens?
No, really, not being sarcastic. Ththese can get quite a bit of dust on them and still appear clean when you look through them. Be sure to use a good, non-linting cloth and appropriate glass cleaner.
Exposure to UV light can damage CCDs. Has the camera been used outside in bright sunlight a lot? X-rays can also damage them. Has the camera gone through a lot of airport security scanners?
scr4: Thanks for the suggestions. I will check the camera settings. I do have a new monitor and Adobe Photoshop. But older photos look brighter than newer ones on the same monitor/software.
t-bonham: I will try cleaning the lens. I usually just use my t-shirt and lightly wipe it. Probably not the best idea. What is the best lens cleaner? Can I use the same cleaner I use for eyeglasses?
engineer: I travel a lot and it has gone through a lot of x-ray machines. I suppose this could be the problem.
If your t-shirt is all cotton it is the perfect thing to use to clean your lens. Use a circular motion. DO NOT use any kind of liquid lens cleaner; while liquids are fine for filters and eyeglasses, there is too great a chance that the liquid, no matter how little you use, may seep in between the lens elements.
As for the quality of images, just a thought, but, how old is your media card? While x-rays shouldn’t affect the cards, metal detectors (they are magnometers, after all) can wreck havoc with digital media.
You’ve probably got your Photoshop set to convert untagged images to the Adobe RGB colorspace. I’m guessing whatever image processing software you were using before would tag the images as sRGB (more vivid, but limited colorspace), so Photoshop is opening them in the tagged format. Adobe RGB is a much wider colorspace, and you’re better off having your sRGB files converted for editing and printing. A little levels and saturation adjustment will bring the snap right back, and you’ve got more colors to work with if you want to get fancy.