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Testing a new digital camera
When you first buy a new digital camera, test to make sure it's functioning correctly. Don't expect problems but understand that, like all electronic products, there may be occasional "lemons." Many merchants let you return a faulty camera without penalty for up to two weeks from the purchase date. After that time, a problematic camera needs to be seen by an authorized camera repair dealer. So give the camera a good workout before the time runs out with the merchant.
To test a digital camera, use it
The best way to test a digital camera is simply to take it out and use it. If your digital camera came with alkaline batteries, they will run out quickly. For the most reliability, do the testing with fully charged, non-alkaline batteries.
Shoot all sorts of subjects, inside and out, with and without the flash; in low light and in sunlight. Try the different exposure, metering, focus and scene modes; scroll through the menus and use the various settings. Zoom in and out,. Take macro shots. Photograph colorful subjects to see how the camera handles a variety of colors.
Check the LCD display for bad pixels, tiny dots on the screen. While a LCD may have no bad pixels, a few are normal and they don't show up in photos. If the number of pixels are excessive, exchange the camera.
A digital camera may emit sound when it focuses, when the lens is zooming in or out or when Continuous AutoFocus is enabled. Unless the sound is very loud or unusual, consider it normal.
If your camera has a hot shoe, slide an external flash into it. It should slide on and off easily but firmly. On rare occasions, a hot shoe may be too tight.
Reset the camera if needed
If after you test your camera doesn't seem as it was when you first tried it, reset it. You may have inadvertently changed a menu. Resetting changes all settings to the factory default: those originally set by the manufacturer.
Part 2: Distortions & hot pixels >