Viewfinder on Canon Power Shot S5IS is not good at all

[cherylndesigns]

Hi everybody.  My name is Cheryl and I just joined this forum.  I bought a used Canon Power Show S5IS on Ebay for my grandson.  I KNOW that he'll want to use the viewfinder and it literally looks like it has a piece of fine screen wire over it!  

I got NO instructions with it and I've been googling everything all day.  I know cameras, since I've had all kinds and a couple of new DSLRs so I'm not a beginner.  Does anybody have any suggestions?  I'm hoping it's just some setting that I'm missing.

The strange thing is that when I look through the swing-out view finder, the image looks almost perfect.

[John_ · Accepted solution]

Hi Cheryl! And welcome!

Ok for starters here's the link for all the manuals that comes with the camera and software...user manuals too   https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support/details/cameras/support-point-and-shoot/po...

Press the "menu" button and in there you will find the "record" menu and in there you wil find the settings to turn "grid lines" on or off for the LCD and/or Viewfinder. One last thing in the setup menu you can also adjust the brightness for the viewfinder  and LCD too and I think there might be a little focus dial on the viewfinder that might need adjustment

That is a fine camera for your grandson!  🙂

[MikeSowsun · Accepted solution]

The  viewfinder has a "Diopter" adjustment for people who wear glasses. The adjustment wheel is just to the left of the viewfinder. Adjust it so that the image in the viewfinder seems clear for your own vision. 

Th grid lines are optional and can be turned off using the "Function" menu as described on page 30 in the "Advanced Manual.  

[John_ · Accepted solution]

Hi Cheryl! And welcome!

Ok for starters here's the link for all the manuals that comes with the camera and software...user manuals too   https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support/details/cameras/support-point-and-shoot/po...

Press the "menu" button and in there you will find the "record" menu and in there you wil find the settings to turn "grid lines" on or off for the LCD and/or Viewfinder. One last thing in the setup menu you can also adjust the brightness for the viewfinder  and LCD too and I think there might be a little focus dial on the viewfinder that might need adjustment

That is a fine camera for your grandson!  🙂

[cherylndesigns]

Thanks for your welcome and your answer, John.  I thought maybe that was tiny grid lines, but couldn't figure out how to remove them.  My grandson is only 6, but he LOVES photography!  He's always using our iPhones to take pictures, so I know he'll want to look through the viewfinder, like I do on my DSLR.  Haha

Thanks for the links, too!  I think he'll love it because it's a miniature of mine.  

[John_]

Your very welcome! Yes I think he will enjoy learning that camera and all it can do, so much better than a phone camera! It should keep him interested and busy! lol

When you get those batteries look into turning those grid lines off 🙂

[cherylndesigns · Accepted solution]

Hi John.  Finally got batteries in.  I gave him the camera tonight and he was elated.  It's probably a little too complicated for him, his little fingers were everywhere.  I need to get it down pat and then try to explain it to him.  I'm hoping he'll just shoot on automatic for awhile.  It sure has a lot of stuff on it!  

[John_]

YAY!!! Oh yes he's got a lot to learn and explore just like we all do! The good news is he cant break it by experimanting with all those settings....teach him how to reset it to defauls in case he gets to tangled in the settings. THese are complicated cameras and little computers. Make the user manual his and your best friend! lol

[cherylndesigns]

Yes, there SO much to learn! I probably sound goofy, but it's I think it's more complicated than my DSLRs. Sometimes, I miss the old days of film, when my SLR was so easy to set. Haha

[MikeSowsun · Accepted solution]

The  viewfinder has a "Diopter" adjustment for people who wear glasses. The adjustment wheel is just to the left of the viewfinder. Adjust it so that the image in the viewfinder seems clear for your own vision. 

Th grid lines are optional and can be turned off using the "Function" menu as described on page 30 in the "Advanced Manual.  

[cherylndesigns]

Thanks Mike! I fiddled with the diopter but it’s that grid that’s throwing me off. I can’t fix it yet because the 4 batteries I put in it have died already. I have to go get more.