I need help: Examples for comparison and comment

[token]

I have three cameras, all Canon P&S. One is a PowerShot SD10, the second another PowerShot 430 and the third a PowerShot Pro1. With the latter two cameras, I cannot take a decent macro shot for the life of me.

An example would look like this (from the SD10, but the impression is the same; I didn't bring the Pro1 home):

However, the "least capable" of the three, the one I carry with me everywhere, takes shots like this:

All three were taken today with the same tripod, at roughly the same time. I just can't seem to figure out why I am having difficulty getting the Pro1 to take a decent macro. Any thoughts?

 

[gregr]

Did you have the lens zoomed in to take this picture? With a lot of today's point and shoots you need to be zoomed all the way out to the widest end of the lens to get the best [closest] macros. You also need to be in macro mode (little flower icon), just in case you weren't.
That shot is completely out of focus so something isn't right- either a problem with the lens or with the settings.

 

[token]

I piddled around a bit with the 430 and Pro1 today. I am thinking it is a combination of the lights and the optical zoom. The SD10 has no optical zoom. The first picture is zoomed in almost to its max, as are the other two. I take about 10 shots for every one that is even halfway-decent with the SD10 but I couldn't, for all my efforts, manage even one as good as the latter two with either of the other cameras.