E10 can't focus in dark places

Have you changed the focus mode to Macro (looks like a little flower) and when you take the picture do u hold the shutter down halfway and let it focus clearly on the image?

Are you talking about close-up photography? If so, you need to be in "macro" mode.

This is a common situation with many compact point&shoot cameras. This is because before the camera can take the picture it must focus, meter the light to set the exposure, and more. Bigger, more expensive cameras have more hardware to help eliminate this "shutter lag."

You can anticipate the action. Press the shutter button halfway to focus and meter. Hold the shutter button there until the peak of the action and then press it the rest of the way. This will eliminate much of the shutter lag.

If your artwork is behind glass, make sure you are not using flash. The best way is probably to set it on a tripod, put it in TV mode and slow the shutter speed down a bit to let more light in to compensate for not using flash. You will want to lock the exposure and focus on the art and not the glass by pushing shutter halfway down first, establishing focus and then continuing to push the shutter all the way down.

If you are less than a foot and a half away, try the macro mode which is the little flower button. If you are more than a foot and a half, do not use macro, leave it in normal.

Hope this helps.!

You may be beyond (up to close) the focal capability of the lens. Even though there is a macro setting, the lens may not have the capability to focus on an object that close (without adding an external macro lens). The specification on the minimal distance for focus should be listed in the owner's manual.

1. Upon startup lens emerges but when screen appears it is white whereas it normally displays whatever the lens sees. When the shutter button is pressed the camera will focus and take a white picture which can be deleted. The camera does not flash although flash is set to automatic and photo taken in a dark room. Camera flashes (weakly) with flash set to manual on. Lens is unobstructed and appears to be perfectly normal. Camera was not dropped. Batteries have been changed.

You can try adjusting your exposure settings, or try and use the slow shutter speed settings like the auto night mode... Try increasing the white balance as well...

perhaps mazzachris would be interested in unloading his/her E10 LCD to me?  My E10 LCD is cracked.

Has this has a knock or been dropped? Whether it is fixed lens or motor Zoom only such treatment would make the lens shift out of the focal plane Try technical support of the makers website. If it is failry new there may be an exchange option.