Casio EX-Z4 User's Guide Part 2

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

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OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

This section describes other powerful features and functions that are available for recording.

Selecting the Focus Mode

You can select one of five different focus modes: Auto Focus, Macro, Pan Focus, Infinity, and Manual.

In the REC mode, press [왖] ( ).

• Each press of [왖] ( ) cycles thorough the focus mode settings in the sequence shown below.

No indicator (Auto Focus)

(Macro)

PF (Pan Focus)

(Infinity)

MF (Manual Focus)

Focus mode indicator

[왖] ( )

SET

DISP

Using Auto Focus

As its name suggests, Auto Focus focuses the image automatically. The automatic focus operation starts when you press the shutter release button down half way. The following is the Auto Focus range.

Range: Approximately 40cm to ∞ (1.3´ to ∞)

Keep pressing [왖] ( ) until there is no focus mode indicator on the display.

Compose the image so the main subject is within the focus frame, and then press the shutter release button half way.

• You can tell whether the image is focused by observing the focus frame and the green operation lamp.

Focus frame

Green operation lamp

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OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

When you see this: Green focus frame

Green operation lamp Red focus frame

Flashing green operation lamp

Press the shutter release button the rest of

It means this:

The image is focused.

The image is not in focus.

the way to record the image.

■ Specifying the Auto Focus Area

You can use the following procedure to change the Auto Focus area used in the Auto Focus Mode and the Macro Mode. Note that the configuration of the focus frame changes in accordance with the Auto Focus area you select.

In the REC mode, press [MENU].

On the “REC” tab, select “AF Area”, and then press [왘].

Select the Auto Focus area you want, and then press [SET].

For this type of Auto Focus area: Very limited range in the center of the

screen

• This setting works well with focus lock (page 64).

Automatic selection of the focus area where the subject closest to the camera is located

• With this setting, a wide focus frame, which contains seven focus points, appears on the monitor screen first. When you press the shutter release button half way, the camera automatically selects the focus point where the subject closest to the camera is located, and a focus frame appears at that point.

• This setting works well for group photos.

• Spot • Multi

Focus frameFocus frame

Select this:

Spot

Multi

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

Using the Macro Mode

The Macro mode lets you focus automatically on close up subjects. The automatic focus operation starts when you press the shutter release button down half way. The following is the focus range in the Macro mode.

Approximately 6cm to 50cm (2.4˝ to 19.7˝)

Keep pressing [왖] ( ) until the focus mode indicator shows “ ”.

Record the image.

• The focus and image recording operations are identical to those in the Auto Focus mode.

• You can tell whether the image is focused by observing the focus frame and the green operation lamp. The indications of the focus frame and green operation lamp are the same as those in the Auto Focus mode.

IMPORTANT!

• In the Macro mode, the optical zoom range is 1x to

1.8x.

Using the Pan Focus Mode

Normally, your camera performs Auto Focus to ensure that your images are always in focus. With Pan Focus, focus is fixed for a specific focal distance, and images are recorded without Auto Focus. The focus range depends on the zoom setting, the amount of light available when recording, and other recording conditions.

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

Keep pressing [왖] ( ) until the focus mode indicator shows “PF”.

Press the shutter release button all the way down.

NOTE

• If you press the shutter release button half way, the focus distance will appear on the monitor screen.

IMPORTANT!

• When using the flash, it is recommended that you have the zoom set to wide angle.

Using the Infinity Mode

The Infinity mode fixes focus at infinity (∞). Use this mode when recording scenery and other faraway images.

Keep pressing [왖] ( ) until the focus mode indicator shows “ ”.

Record the image.

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

Using Manual Focus

With the Manual Focus mode, you can adjust the focus of an image manually. The following shows focus ranges in the Macro mode for two optical zoom factors.

While watching the image on the monitor screen, use [왗] and [왘] to focus.

Optical Zoom Factor

1X 3X

Keep pressing [왖] (

) until the focus mode indicator shows “MF”.

• At this point, a

boundary also appears on the display, indicating the part of the image that will be used for manual focus.

Approximate Focus Range

6cm (2.4˝) to infinity (∞)

18cm (7.1˝) to infinity (∞)

Boundary

Manual focus position

To do this: Focus out on the subject Focus in on the subject

• Pressing [왗] or [왘] causes the area inside of the boundary displayed in step 1 to fill the monitor screen momentarily to aid in focus. The normal image reappears a short while later.

Press the shutter release button to record the

Do this: Press [왗]. Press [왘].

image.

IMPORTANT!

• In the Manual Focus mode, the [왗] and [왘] keys adjust focus, even if you used key customization to assign other functions to them (page 85).

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

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Using Focus Lock

Focus lock is a technique you can use to focus on a subject that is not located within the focus frame when you record an image. You can use focus lock in the Auto Focus mode and the Macro mode ( ).

Using the monitor screen, compose the image so the main subject is within the focus frame, and then press the shutter release button half way.

Focus frame

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Keeping the shutter release button half way down, recompose the image as you like.

• This locks the focus on

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the subject that is currently within the

focus frame.

When the image is composed the way you want, press the shutter release button the rest of the way to record it.

• The focus and image recording operations are identical to those in the Auto Focus mode.

NOTE

• Locking the focus also locks the exposure.

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

Exposure Compensation (EV Shift)

Exposure compensation lets you change the exposure setting (EV value) manually to adjust for the lighting of your subject. This feature helps to achieve better results when recording a backlit subject, a strongly lit subject indoors, or a subject that is against a dark background.

EV Shift Range: –2.0EV to +2.0EV Steps: 1/3EV

In the REC mode, press [MENU].

Select the “REC” tab, select “EV Shift”, and then press [왘].

Exposure compensation value

Use [왖] and [왔] to change the exposure compensation value, and then press [SET].

• Pressing [SET] registers the displayed value.

EV value

Up : Increases the EV value. A higher EV value is best

used for light-colored subjects and backlight subjects.

Down : Decreases the EV value. A lower EV value is best

for dark-color subjects and for shooting outdoors on a clear day.

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

• To cancel EV Shift, adjust the value until it becomes

0.0.

Record the image.

IMPORTANT!

• When shooting under very dark or very bright conditions, you may not be able to obtain satisfactory results even after performing exposure compensation.

NOTES

• Performing an EV shift operation causes the metering mode to switch automatically to center weighted metering. Returning the EV shift value to

0.0 causes the metering mode to change back to multi-pattern metering.

• You can use key customization (page 85) to configure the camera to perform exposure compensation whenever you press [왗] or [왘] while in the REC mode.

Adjusting White Balance

The wavelengths of the light produced by various light sources (sunlight, light bulb, etc.) can affect the color of a subject when it is recorded. White balance lets you make adjustments to compensate for different lighting types, so the colors of an image appear more natural.

In the REC mode, press [MENU].

Select the “REC” tab, select “White Balance”, and then press [왘].

OTHER RECORDING FUNCTIONS

Use [왖] and [왔] to select the setting you want, and then press [SET].

When shooting under these conditions: Normal conditions Outdoor daylight Shade Incandescent light bulb

(reddish tinge) Fluorescent light (greenish tinge) Difficult lighting that requires manual

control (See “Adjusting White Balance Manually”.)

NOTES

• Selecting “Manual” changes white balance to the settings achieved the last time a manual white balance operation was performed.

• You can use the key customization feature (page 85) to configure the camera so the white balance setting changes whenever you press [왗] or [왘] while in the REC mode.

Select this setting:

Auto

Manual

Adjusting White Balance Manually

Under some light sources, automatic white balance under the “Auto” setting can take a long time to complete. Also, the auto white balance range (color temperature range) is limited. Manual white balance helps to ensure that colors are recorded correctly for a particular light source. Note that you must perform manual white balance under the same conditions you will be shooting under. You must also have a white piece of paper or other similar object on hand in order to perform manual white balance.

In the REC mode, press [MENU].

Select the “REC” tab, select “White Balance”, and then press [왘].

Use [왖] and [왔] to select “Manual”.

• This causes the object you last used to adjust manual white balance to appear on the monitor screen.

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