Focus!!

I decided I'd use my Lumix ZS-100 camera today.  It is a pocket camera that is WAY beyond a point & shoot.  It has about a zillion buttons, and each of those buttons opens sub-menus that take scrolling and more button pushing to make adjustments.

I slapped that camera on the scoot and got ready to roll...

I was trying to get the sugar skull on the back of Joan's shirt, but the camera wasn't cooperating.  Rolling through LIV...

Well, that seems reasonably in focus.  As much as you can tell while going down the street on a scooter.

Through town and out on the highway...

Well, you can't really tell from the moving scooter, but it sure seemed that I wasn't getting the reassuring "beep" that tells you the camera made the exposure.  And, glancing at that little screen on the back, it doesn't look properly exposed or sharp.

It went downhill from there (camera-wise).  Nothing looked in focus.  That is sugar cane off to the right...

We decided to head back to PI, then across the causeway for a late lunch...

 
Yeah, that pretty scooter girl is WAY out of focus...

And, considering what I used to do for a living, I kinda know these focus things.  This little camera is VERY complicated with all the little buttons.  I tried to pull up the focus mode on the screen, but it wasn't happening.  It was getting hot standing out in the sun, and my belly was agreeing with my sweat glands: time to go inside and eat!  I took this photo of two smaller Vespas before we went in...

Again, no "beep," and it looked like crap on the screen on the camera.  I put the camera away, and focused (See what I did there?) on some food.

The service and food were both great.  The ride back across the causeway was delightful.  Especially so, since I locked the camera in my topcase.  ;-)

Once we got home, I pulled up the images... yep, the focus seemed to get further and further out.  I did what I could with those images to sharpen them, but there is a limit.  When all else fails: look in the manual.  This little camera has a PDF file with about the same file size as War & Peace.  It only took me about 20 minutes to find the issue: press this button, click the right arrow 3 times, then press another button.  Yep, it is focusing just like it is supposed to.  Now, I can guarantee you that I did not go through any button and arrow pressing combination while riding the scoot.  I swear this overly-complicated little camera must not like the vibrations while riding and decides to have a little breakdown.  Too bad, because when it works, it is quite handy.  But, really, it is way too easy to touch a button while just handling the camera.  So much for "point & shoot."