1 June 2009
Red eye commonly happens when using a compact digital camera, due to the flash source being so close to the camera lens. The pupils don't have time to properly close, and the bright light is reflected off the back of the eye and straight out again into the camera lens. The light is red because of the blood held in the choroid, located behind the retina.
There are various techniques used to reduce the amount of red eye which occurs, most professional photographers for example, use a flash located away from the camera lens, which means the bright light is reflected at an angle from the eye. Alternatively more ambient light can be used to prevent the need for a flash in the first place, or by using a bounce flash which ensures only diffused light enters and leaves the eye.
Modern compact digital cameras however, can't use bounce flashes, or flashes located at an angle away from the lens, due to their compact nature. Instead, compact digital cameras use a series of low power flashes before the main flash to prepare the eyes and ensure the iris contracts. This prevents excess light from entering and leaving the eye, correcting the red eye problem.
The only disadvantage to a compact digital camera's red eye correction system is that the pupils can appear small and unnatural. Some may consider this unflattering.
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