Hi,
I too have a S5700.
Macro is a setting for taking close up pictures, if you don't it won't focus properly.
ISO is a thing that effects the light going into the camera. ISO 100 is for bright areas (outside, sunshine) ISO 1600 is for dark areas (parties) but if you use ISO 1600 then the picture may become noisy and grainy.
Aperture is something I haven't used much but when the f number is lower the hole then the thing you are focusing on is in focus when the rest is out of focus, if you have f5 or thereabouts then everything will be in focus, a higher f will make the foreground out of focus and put everything else in focus. It's either that or the other way around, can't remember as I have only had this camera for about a week so this is everything I have tried to learn in that time. So most of it is probably wrong.
Shutter Speed is how fast the shutter takes the picture. If you have a fast shutter speed (1/500+) then moving objects will look still, at slower shutter speeds moving object become blurred.
I was having trouble taking decent pictures in low light, then I worked out you have to use everything together. Like you won't be able to use ISO 100, 1/1000 shutter speed with f13.5 and no flash in low light because the picture will come out black. In low light (for still objects) I tend to use ISO 100, f3.5 and a shutter speed of a second or more (depending on the light.) This does mean you will need a tripod unless you have robot arms.
A good indicator of how bright your picture is going to be is the exposure meter in the bottom right of the LCD or viewfinder. If it's all the way to the left then it's probably going to be too dark. A couple of notches to the right of absolute darkness should be enough, you'll have to experiment though.
I usually use Manual mode, then you can change the ISO, Aperture and shutter speed, although that's because I like to fiddle. You may want to try Shutter or Aperture priority modes first.
Like I said I've only had this camera a week or so and before that I knew absolutely nothing about cameras. So a lot of this might be wrong or might not be explained correctly. Hopefully someone else will come in to clarify.
Anyway, pictures.
I like this one because the figurine itself is only about an inch high. (I like that you can see the dust on it as well.
)
I like this one because Terminator is a bad ass.
There's some more on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22138096@N04/
I recommend you join Flickr as there is a group of people with just this camera so you can get help/advice.
Sorry for the long post.
Similar Threads
The shutter speeds i cant wait to play with as in busy areas such as central London theres lots of moving things going on that can ruin a perfect photo.
Linear Mode
