Canon POWERSHOT A590 User Manual

ENGLISH

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DIGITAL CAMERA

Camera User Guide

CDI-E354-010 PRINTED IN MALAYSIA

Camera User Guide

Getting Started

Ensure that you read the Safety Precautions (pp. 165 – 172).

p. 9

Confirming the Package Contents

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The following items are included in the package. If something is missing please contact the retail outlet at which you purchased the product.

Camera AA-size Alkaline

Interface Cable

IFC-400PCU

Camera Solution Disk

User Guides

• Camera User Guide (this guide)

• Direct Print User Guide

• Software Starter Guide

• “Canon Customer Support” Leaflet

See the PDF manuals available on the Canon website. http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/information-e.html

• ZoomBrowser EX/ImageBrowser Software User Guide

(Connecting the camera to a printer)

(Connecting the camera to a computer)

Batteries (×2)

AV Cable AVC-DC300

Warranty CardCanon Digital

Memory Card (32 MB)

Wrist Strap WS-800

You may not be able to achieve the full performance of this camera with the included memory card.

Let’s Get Started!

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This guide is divided into the following two sections.

First...

Let’s Get Started!

Getting Started

This section explains how to prepare the camera for use and the basics of shooting, viewing and printing images. Start out by familiarizing yourself with the camera and mastering the basics.

Next...

Learning More

Once you have mastered the basics, use the camera’s many features to shoot more challenging photos. Details on using each function are described in this section, including how to connect the camera to a television to view images.

p. 9

p. 39

Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

Items marked with a are lists or charts that summarize camera functions or procedures.

Please Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Preparations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Shooting Still Images

Viewing Still Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Erasing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Embedding the Date in the Image Data . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Shooting Movies

Viewing Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Downloading Images to a Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

System Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

( Mode) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

( Standard Mode) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Learning More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Components Guide 40

Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Basic Operations 44

Menus and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Information Displayed on the LCD Monitor and Menus . . . 46

Using the LCD Monitor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Commonly Used Shooting Functions 56

Using the Digital Zoom/ Digital Tele-Converter . . . . . . . . . 56

Using the Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Shooting Close-ups (Macro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Using the Self-Timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Changing the Recording Pixels (Still Images) . . . . . . . . . . 64

Using the Optical Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

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Changing the Compression (Still Images) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Setting the Image Stabilizer Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Adjusting the ISO Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Shooting Using the Mode Dial 69

Mode Dial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Shooting Modes for Specific Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Program AE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Setting the Shutter Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Setting the Aperture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Manually Setting the Shutter Speed and Aperture . . . 78

Movie Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Advanced Shooting Functions 84

Continuous Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Setting the Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Checking the Focus and Peoples’ Expressions. . . . . . . . . 88

Selecting an AF Frame Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Selecting a Subject to Focus On

(Face Select and Track). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Shooting Hard-to-Focus Subjects

(Focus Lock, Manual Focus, Safety MF) . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Adjusting the Exposure Compensation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Switching between Metering Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Adjusting the Tone (White Balance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Shooting in a My Colors Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Setting the Display Overlays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Categorizing Images Automatically (Auto Category) . . . . 107

Registering Settings to the Button . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Playback/Erasing 110

Viewing Magnified Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Check the Focus and Facial Expressions of Subjects

(Focus Check Display) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Jumping to Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Organizing Images by Category (My Category). . . . . . . . 116

Viewing Images in Sets of Nine (Index Playback) . . . 111

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Viewing Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Rotating Images in the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Playback with Transition Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Automated Playback (Slide Shows). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Red-Eye Correction Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Changing the Recording Pixel (Resize) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Attaching Sound Memos to Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Protecting Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Erasing All Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Print Settings/Transfer Settings 133

Setting the DPOF Print Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Setting the DPOF Transfer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Configuring the Camera 139

Power Saving Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Formatting Memory Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Resetting the File Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Creating an Image Destination (Folder). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Setting the Auto Rotate Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Resetting Settings to Their Default Values . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Connecting to a TV 148

Shooting/Playback Using a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Troubleshooting 150

List of Messages 161

Appendix 165

Safety Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Preventing Malfunctions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Using the Power Kits (Sold Separately). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Using the Lenses (Sold Separately) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Using an Externally Mounted Flash (Sold Separately) . . 182

Replacing the Date Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Camera Care and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Table of Contents

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Index 197

Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode 206

About this Guide

Symbol Conventions in this Guide

Using the Flash

Press the button.

Some functions may not be available in certain shooting modes. If there is no notation to that effect, the function may be used in all modes.

: This mark denotes issues that may affect the camera’s

operation.

: This mark denotes additional topics that complement the basic

operating procedures.

Explanations in this guide are based on the camera’s default settings at time of purchase. Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. As a result, the illustrations and screenshots used in this guide may differ from the actual camera.

Available Shooting Modes p. 206

Mode switch position: Shooting ( )/ Playback ( )

You can use SD memory cards, SDHC (SD High Capacity) memory cards, MultiMediaCards, MMCplus cards and HC MMCplus cards in this camera. These memory cards are collectively referred to as memory cards in this guide.

Please Read

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Please Read

Test Shots

Before you try to photograph important subjects, we highly recommend that you shoot several trial images to confirm that the camera is operating and being operated correctly. Please note that Canon Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates, and its distributors are not liable for any consequential damages arising from any malfunction of a camera or accessory, including memory cards, that results in the failure of an image to be recorded or to be recorded in a way that is machine readable.

Warning Against Copyright Infringement

Please note that Canon digital cameras are intended for personal use and should never be used in a manner that infringes upon or contravenes international or domestic copyright laws and regulations. Please be advised that in certain cases the copying of images from performances, exhibitions, or commercial properties by means of a camera or other device may contravene copyright or other legal rights even if the image was shot for personal use.

Warranty Limitations

This camera’s warranty is only effective in the country of sale. If a problem arises while the camera is in use abroad, please convey it back to the country of sale before proceeding with a warranty claim to a Canon Customer Support Help Desk.

For Canon Customer Support contacts, please see the customer support list supplied with your camera.

Please Read

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Camera Body Temperature

If your camera is used for prolonged periods, the camera body may become warm. Please be aware of this and take care when operating the camera for an extended period.

About the LCD Monitor

The LCD monitor is produced with extremely high-precision manufacturing techniques. More than 99.99% of the pixels operate to specification. Less than 0.01% of the pixels may occasionally misfire or appear as red or black dots. This has no effect on the recorded image and does not constitute a malfunction.

Video Format

Please set the camera’s video signal format to the one used in your region before using it with a TV monitor (p. 148).

Language Setting

Please see Setting the Display Language (p. 14) to change the language setting.

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Getting Started

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zPreparations zShooting Still Images zViewing Still Images zErasing zPrinting zEmbedding the Date in the Image Data zShooting Movies zViewing Movies zDownloading Images to a Computer zSystem Map

Preparations

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Preparations

Installing the batteries

1. Slide the battery cover lock (a) and hold it open while

sliding the cover (b) and opening it (c).

Getting Started

Slide the cover (b).

Battery Cover Lock

Open the cover (c).

2. Install two batteries.

Positive end (+)

Negative end (–)

Insert the two supplied AA-size alkaline batteries.

Preparations

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3. Insert the memory card until it clicks into place.

Front

Write Protect Tab (Only SD and SDHC memory cards)

• Confirm that the write protect tab is unlocked (only SD and SDHC memory cards).

• Check the card for the correct orientation.

Getting Started

4. Close the cover (

it until it clicks into place (e).

Ensure that the memory card is correctly oriented before inserting it in the camera. Inserting it backward may cause the camera to fail to recognize the memory card or to malfunction.

), and press downward as you slide

Preparations

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To Remove the Batteries

Open the cover and remove the batteries.

Getting Started

Take care that you do not drop the batteries.

To Remove the Memory Card

Use a finger to push the memory card in until you hear a click, then release it.

Use the wrist strap to avoid dropping the camera during use.

Preparations

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Setting the Date and Time

The Date/Time settings menu will appear the first time the power is turned on.

Power Button

Button

Getting Started

Buttons

Button

1. Press the power button.

2. Select the month, day, year and

time, and the display order.

1. Use the or button to select an option.

2. Use the or button to set the value.

3. Press the button.

To Change a Previously Set Date/Time

Use the following procedures to display the Date/Time settings window, and then perform Steps 2 and 3 above.

1. Press the button.

2. Use the or button to select

the (Set up) menu.

3. Use the or button to select

[Date/Time].

4. Press the button.

Preparations

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The date/time setting screen will appear when the capacity of the lithium date/time battery is depleted (p. 184).

Setting the Display Language

You can change the language displayed in the LCD monitor menus

Getting Started

and messages.

Mode Switch

Button

Buttons

Button

1. Set the mode switch to (playback).

2. Hold down the button and press the button.

3. Use the or button to select a language.

4. Press the button.

Shooting Still Images

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Shooting Still Images

( Mode)

Power Button

Shutter Button

Mode Switch

Getting Started

Mode Dial

Indicators

Button

1. Press the power button.

• The start-up sound will play and the start-up image will display in

the LCD monitor.

• Pressing the power button again turns the power off.

2. Select a shooting mode.

1. Set the mode switch to (shooting).

2. Set the shooting mode dial to

3. Aim the camera at the subject.

Avoiding Camera Shake

Keep your arms tight against your body while holding the camera firmly by the sides. Using a tripod is also effective.

4. Press the shutter button lightly (halfway) to focus.

• When the camera focuses, it beeps twice and the indicator lights.

Shooting Still Images

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5. Press the shutter button fully (all the way) to shoot.

• The shutter sound will play once and the image will record.

• Recorded images are displayed on the LCD monitor for

approximately 2 seconds immediately after shooting (Rec. Review). You can shoot by pressing the shutter button even when an image is being displayed.

• If you hold the shutter button down after a shot, the image will

Getting Started

continue to display.

• The indicator will blink green and the file will record to the

memory card.

To Shoot Images in Focus

The camera automatically sets the focus when you press the shutter button halfway*.

* The shutter button has a two-stage action. Pressing it down to the first stage is

referred as “pressing halfway”.

Correct

Press halfway to set the focus

Shooting Preparations Complete: lights green (orange when the flash will fire)

Beep, beep…

Press fully

Recording: blinks green

AF Frame

An AF frame will display in green on the LCD monitor at the point of focus.

Incorrect

Just pressing fully

Mute Setting

When you hold down the DISP. button while turning on the camera, the mute setting will be set to [On]. You can change the setting in [Mute] in the Set up menu (p. 52).

Shooting Still Images

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Shooting in Easy Mode

This camera features a shooting mode, Easy mode, that automatically selects all camera settings except the flash. This mode is ideal for first time camera users, or users who do not make many settings. You can select whether or not to use the flash with the button, allowing you to take images even where flash photography is prohibited.

1. Set the mode dial to (Easy mode).

2. Aim the camera at the subject.

Getting Started

3. Press the shutter button halfway to focus.

4. Press the shutter button fully to shoot.

No settings, other than flash settings, can be made in Easy mode. Even if you press the MENU or FUNC./SET button, no menu will display.

Viewing Still Images

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Viewing Still Images

Power Button

Mode Switch

Getting Started

Buttons

1. Press the power button.

2. Set the mode switch to (playback).

3. Use the or button to display the image you wish

to view.

• Use the button to move to the

previous image and the button to move to the next image.

• The images advance more quickly if

you keep the button pressed, but they will appear coarse.

z In the menu, you can set [Resume] to either [Last seen]*

or [Last shot] (p. 51). (* Default setting)

z If you select [Last seen], the last image viewed will display

(Resume Playback).

z The following actions will display the most recent image

regardless of the [Resume] settings. Shooting an image, changing the memory card, or editing an image on the memory card using a computer.

Erasing

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Erasing

Mode Switch

Button

Buttons

Button

1. Set the mode switch to (playback).

2. Use the or button to select an image to erase and

press the button.

3. Confirm that [Erase] is selected

and press the button.

To exit instead of erasing, select [Cancel].

Please note that erased images cannot be recovered. Exercise adequate caution before erasing an image.

Getting Started

Printing

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Printing

Terminal Cover

Mode Switch

Getting Started

DIGITAL Terminal

Button

Buttons

1. Connect the camera to a direct print compatible printer.

• Open the terminal cover and plug the interface cable in all the

way.

• See the printer’s user guide for connection instructions.

• Since this camera uses a standard protocol (PictBridge), you can

use it with other PictBridge-compliant printers in addition to Canon-brand printers.

For detail, see the Direct Print User Guide.

2. Turn on the printer.

3. Set the mode switch to (playback) and press the

power button.

• The button will light blue.

4. Use the or button to select an image to print and

press the button.

• The button will blink blue and printing will start.

Printing

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Printing from a Print List

You can add images directly to a print list by merely pressing the

button immediately after shooting or playing back an image.

You can then print the images from the print list easily, when connecting the camera to a printer.

Add to the Print List

1. Press the button (still images only).

2. Add to the print list.

1. Use the or button to select the number of print copies.

2. Use the or button to select [Add].

3. Press the button.

• To remove an image from the print

list, press the button again, use the or button to select [Remove] and press the FUNC./SET button.

Printing Images in a Print List

This explanation is based on the use of a Canon SELPHY ES series or SELPHY CP series printer.

1. Connect the camera to the printer.

2. Print the image.

1. Use the or button to select [Print now].

• You can use the or button

to confirm the images added to the print list.

2. Press the button.

• Printing will start.

• If printing is halted and resumed,

printing will start from the next image in the queue.

Number of copies to print

Getting Started

Embedding the Date in the Image Data

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Embedding the Date in the Image Data

This section explains how to embed date information on images as they are recorded (Date Stamp).

• The date stamp cannot be deleted from the image data once it has been embedded. Ensure that the camera’s date/time is set correctly beforehand (p. 13).

Getting Started

• The image size is fixed to the 2M (1600 × 1200) setting and the compression to Fine (appropriate for printing L-size or postcard-size prints.)

Mode Dial

Mode Switch

Buttons

1. Press the power button.

2. Select a shooting mode.

1. Set the mode switch to (shooting).

2. Set the mode dial to .

• You can also make this setting in other shooting modes (except Easy and movie modes).

Button

Embedding the Date in the Image Data

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3. Select (Date Stamp).

1. Press the button.

2. Use the or button to select .

3. Use the or to select .

• The area that will not print displays in gray.

• Press the button to switch to [Date & Time] with the or button.

You can use the following methods to imprint the date on images lacking imprinted date stamps.

• Set with the camera’s Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) function. Set [Date] option to [On] in [Print Settings] in the (Print) menu.

• Connect the camera to a printer and imprint the date. See the Direct Print User Guide.

• Insert a memory card into the printer and imprint the date. See your printer user guide.

• Use the supplied software. See the Software Starter Guide.

Getting Started

Shooting Movies

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Shooting Movies

Getting Started

Mode Dial

Indicators

1. Press the power button.

2. Select a shooting mode.

1. Set the mode switch to (shooting).

2. Set the mode dial to (Movie).

3. Use the or button to select

(Standard).

3. Aim the camera at the subject.

z Do not touch the microphone while

recording.

z Do not press any buttons other than the

shutter button. The sound that buttons make will be recorded in the movie.

( Standard Mode)

Power Button

Shutter Button

Mode Switch

Buttons

Microphone

4. Press the shutter button halfway

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to focus.

• When the camera focuses, it beeps

twice and the indicator lights green.

• The exposure, focus and white

balance are automatically set.

Shooting Preparations Complete: lights green

5. Press the shutter button fully to

shoot.

• Press the shutter button fully to shoot.

• During the recording, the elapsed

recording time and [zRec.] will display in the LCD monitor.

Elapsed Time

6. Press the shutter button fully

again to stop recording.

• The indicator will blink green and the

data will be recorded onto the memory card.

• Recording will stop automatically

when the maximum recording time elapses, or the built-in memory or memory card become full.

Recording: blinks green

Shooting Movies

Getting Started

Viewing Movies

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Viewing Movies

Power Button

Mode Switch

Getting Started

Buttons

Button

1. Press the power button.

2. Set the mode switch to (playback).

3. Use the or button to display a movie and press

the button.

• Images with a icon are movies.

4. Use the or button to select (Play) and press the

button.

• The movie will start playing.

• If you press the FUNC./SET button

during playback, you can pause and restart the movie.

• You can adjust the playback volume

with the or button.

Downloading Images to a Computer

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Downloading Images to a Computer

We recommend to use the supplied software.

Items to Prepare

• Camera and computer

• Canon Digital Camera Solution Disk supplied with the camera

• Interface cable supplied with the camera

System Requirements

Please install the software on a computer meeting the following minimum requirements.

 Windows

OS Windows Vista

Computer Model The above OS should be pre-installed on computers with built-

CPU Windows Vista : Pentium 1.3 GHz or higher

RAM Windows Vista : 512 MB or more

Interface USB

Free Hard Disk Space

Display 1,024 × 768 pixels/High Color (16 bit) or better

 Macintosh

OS Mac OS X (v10.3 – v10.4)

Computer Model The above OS should be pre-installed on computers with built-

CPU PowerPC G3/G4/G5 or Intel Processor

RAM RAM 256 MB or more

Interface USB

Free Hard Disk Space

Display 1,024 × 768 pixels/ 32,000 Colors or better

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

in USB ports.

Windows XP / Windows 2000 : Pentium 500 MHz or higher

Windows XP / Windows 2000 : 256 MB or more

• Canon Utilities

- ZoomBrowser EX : 200 MB or more

- PhotoStitch : 40 MB or more

• Canon Camera TWAIN Driver : 25 MB or more

in USB ports.

• Canon Utilities

- ImageBrowser : 300MB or more

- PhotoStitch : 50 MB or more

Getting Started

Downloading Images to a Computer

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Preparing to Download Images

With Windows 2000, ensure that you install the software first before connecting the camera to the computer.

1. Installing the software.

 Windows

Getting Started

1. Place the Canon Digital Camera Solution Disk in the computer’s CD-ROM drive.

2. Click [Easy Installation].

Follow the onscreen messages to proceed with the installation.

3. Click [Restart] or [Finish] once the installation is complete.

When the installation is finished, [Restart] or [Finish] will display. Click the button that appears.

4. Remove the CD-ROM from the drive when your normal desktop screen appears.

 Macintosh

Double-click the icon in the CDROM window. When the installer panel appears, click [Install]. Follow the onscreen instructions to proceed.

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