Hp 945 User Manual

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Photosmart

945

Digital Camera

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User's Manual

Trademark and Copyright Information

The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Hewlett-Packard shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.

Microsoft® and Windows® are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Apple®, Macintosh®, and Mac® are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

MultiMediaCard SD logo is a trademark.

is a trademark of Infineon Technologies AG.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1:

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

Camera Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Attaching the Lens Cap Tether . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Attaching the Neck Strap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Installing the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Installing the Memory Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Turning on Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Understanding the Status Screen . . . . . . . . 18

Choosing the Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Setting the Date and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Adjusting the Diopter Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Installing the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Macintosh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips . . .23

Using the Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Using the Focus Brackets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Using Focus Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Taking Still Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Recording Audio with Still Pictures . . . . . . . . . . 28

Recording Video Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Using Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Optical Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Digital Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using the Pop-up Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Using Self-Timer Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Using Burst Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Using the Focus Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Focus Search Priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Hints on Using Manual Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Setting the Exposure Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

2-second release priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Noise Reduction for Long Exposures . . . . . . . . .39

Using the Capture Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Help for the Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

EV Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

White Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Manual White Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

AE Metering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

ISO Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Digital Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Saturation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Sharpness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Chapter 3:

Reviewing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Using Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Total Images Summary Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Orientation Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Selecting Images for Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Using the Playback Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Play/Record Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Record Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Magnify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Image Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 4:

Using HP Instant Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Setting Up the Share Menu on the Camera . . . . . . . . 70

Using the Share Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Selecting Images for

HP Instant Share Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

How HP Instant Share E-mails Images . . . . . . . . 75

Chapter 5: Unloading, Printing, and Displaying Images . .77

Unloading Images to a Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Printing Images Directly from the Camera . . . . . . . . . 79

Displaying Images on a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Chapter 6:

Using the Setup Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Camera Sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Eye Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Focus Assist Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

LCD Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Instant Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Auto Power Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Date & Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

USB Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

TV Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Remembered Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Reset Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Chapter 7:

Troubleshooting and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

Resetting the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Error Messages on the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Error Messages on the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Camera Self-diagnostic Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Getting Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

HP Accessibility Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

HP Photosmart Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

Support Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

Phone Support in the United States . . . . . . . . . .116

Phone Support in Europe, the

Middle East, and Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Other Phone Support Worldwide . . . . . . . . . . .119

Appendix A: Batteries and

Camera Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Managing Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Battery Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Extending Battery Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123

Rechargeable Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Sleep Time-out for Power Conservation . . . . . .125

Purchasing Camera Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Appendix B:

Camera Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Getting Started with the Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Dock Lights and Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

Unloading Images to a Computer Using the Dock . .132

Printing Images Using the Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Displaying Images on a TV Using the Dock . . . . . . .134

Appendix C:

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Memory Card Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 1: Getting Started

Congratulations on your purchase of this digital camera! This camera has many features to enhance your picture-taking experience, including HP Instant ShareTM, direct printing capability, manual and automatic controls, on-camera Help, and an optional camera dock.

With HP Instant Share, you can easily select images in your camera to be automatically sent to your favorite destinations (such as e-mail addresses and online albums) the next time you connect the camera to your computer. Your friends and family can easily receive and view your pictures in e-mail without being burdened by large file attachments. And with the direct printing capability, you can easily select images in your camera to be automatically printed the next time you connect the camera to your computer or directly to any HP Photosmart printer or other select HP printers without ever connecting to your computer.

To further enhance your experience, you may purchase an HP Photosmart 8881 camera dock. The camera dock allows you to easily download images to a computer, send images to a printer or television, and recharge the camera batteries. It also provides a convenient home for your camera.

NOTE A dock insert is included in your

camera box. Please do not discard it, because it enables your camera to use the optional HP 8881 camera dock. See page 129 for instructions on how to use the camera dock.

Chapter 1: Getting Started 9

Camera Parts

NOTE Refer to the pages in parentheses after the part names

for more information about those parts.

# Name Description

Flash button

(page 32)

Timer/Burst

button (pages 34, 35)

Focus button

(page 36)

10 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Allows you to select the different flash settings (this button only works when the flash assembly is up).

Allows you to select between

SELF-TIMER, SELF-TIMER - 2 SHOTS, and BURST mode.

Allows you to select between

MACRO, INFINITY, and MANUAL focus

settings.

NORMAL,

# Name Description

4 Zoom lever with

Zoom Out

Zooms out the lens to the wide angle position, and in to the telephoto position.

and Zoom In (page 30)

5Power/Memory

light (page 17)

6Memory card

door (page 17)

Controller

with and

z Solid green—camera is on. z Solid amber—camera is writing to the

memory card.

z Blinking green—camera is off and is

charging the batteries.

z Blinking red—batteries depleted and

camera is shutting down.

z Off—camera is off.

Allows you access to insert or remove the memory card.

Allows you to move through menus and images on the Image Display.

buttons

8 OK button

(pages 40, 61)

Allows you to display the Capture and Playback menus and to select menu options on the Image Display.

ON/OFF

Turns the camera power on and off.

switch (page 17)

Share button

HP Instant

Turns the Share menu on and off on the Image Display.

(page 69)

Print button

Allows you to select images for printing.

(page 60)

Playback

button (page 57)

Turns Playback on and off on the Image Display.

Chapter 1: Getting Started 11

# Name Description

Live View

button (page 23)

14 Image Display

(page 23)

15 Eye Start sensor

(pages 23, 84)

16 Viewfinder with

microdisplay (page 23)

17 Diopter control

(page 19)

Turns Live View on and off on the Image Display.

Allows you to frame pictures and video clips using Live View and review them afterward in Playback, and to view all the menus.

Turns on the microdisplay in the viewfinder when it detects that you are looking into the viewfinder.

Allows you to frame the subject of your picture or video clip.

Adjusts the focus in the microdisplay. (It does NOT affect the focus of the image or video clip that you capture).

12 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

OFF

AUTO

# Name Description 1 Shutter button

(pages 27, 28,

Takes a picture and records audio, or starts and stops recording a video clip

29)

2 Mode selector

(pages 29, 38)

Allows you to select between video mode and a number of different exposure modes for still pictures

3 Neck strap

mount (page 16)

Allows you to attach a neck strap (a

mount is on each side of the camera) 4 Speaker Plays camera sounds and audio clips 5

Pop-up flash release (page 32)

6 Pop-up flash

assembly

Pops up the flash assembly. The flash will be set to

FLASH OFF until you pop up

the flash Provides additional light to improve

picture-taking

(page 32)

Chapter 1: Getting Started 13

# Name Description 1Microphone

(page 28)

2 Self-Timer/

Focus Assist

light (pages 34, 85)

3 USB connector

(pages 77, 79)

4 TV connector

(page 81)

5Power adapter

connector (page 126)

6 Tripod mount Allows you to mount the camera to a tripod

Records audio clips

z Blinking red—Self-Timer is activated z Solid red—on for short periods in low light

conditions to improve auto focus

Allows you to connect a USB cable from the camera to a USB-enabled computer or printer

Allows you to connect an optional Audio/ Video cable from the camera to a television

Allows you to connect an optional HP AC power adapter to the camera to either operate the camera without batteries, or recharge the batteries in the camera

14 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

# Name Description 7 Camera dock

connector (page 126)

8 Battery door

(page 16)

Allows you to connect the camera to the optional HP 8881 camera dock

Allows access to insert and remove the batteries

Setup

Attaching the Lens Cap Tether

1 With the front of the camera facing

you, insert the small loop of the lens cap tether through the neck strap mount on the right side of the camera.

2 Insert the long loop of the tether

through the small loop and pull to tighten the knot.

3 Insert the long loop of the tether

through the lens cap tether mount.

4 Pull the long loop over the sides of

the lens cap and then under the lens cap, as shown. Pull to tighten the knot.

Chapter 1: Getting Started 15

Attaching the Neck Strap

Insert one end of the neck strap through a neck strap mount. Then thread the neck strap through the plastic tab to secure it.

Repeat to attach the other end of the neck strap to the other neck strap mount.

Installing the Batteries

1 With the front of the camera facing

you, open the battery door on the bottom of the camera by sliding the latch to the “unlock” ( ) position and pulling the door toward you.

2 Insert the batteries as indicated

inside the door.

3 Close the battery door by pushing the

door toward the back of the camera and sliding the latch to the “lock” ( ) position.

NOTE Digital cameras use batteries at a

much faster rate than film cameras. Battery life in digital cameras can be measured in minutes and hours of use rather than the years more typical of film cameras. Battery life may vary dramatically from one user to another, depending on what modes the camera is being used in most frequently. Battery life will also vary dramatically depending upon the type of batteries installed in the camera. For hints on optimizing battery performance, see

Managing Batteries on page 121.

16 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

NOTE If you have rechargeable batteries, you can use the

optional HP Photosmart 8881 camera dock or the optional HP AC power adapter to recharge the batteries while they are in the camera. For more information about these optional accessories, see Purchasing Camera

Accessories on page 126.

Installing the Memory Card

1 With the camera turned off and

the back of the camera facing you, open the memory card door by sliding the door to the right.

2 Insert the memory card, making

sure that it clicks into place.

3 Close the memory card door.

To remove the memory card, turn the camera off and open the memory card door, then push the memory card in and it will spring outward from the slot.

Turning on Power

Turn the camera on by sliding the

ON/OFF switch to the right and

then releasing it.

The lens extends, the Image Display turns on, and the Power/Memory light turns on solid green.

NOTE If the Power/Memory light is blinking red, the batteries

are very low, and the camera will shut down soon. Replace or recharge the batteries, or use the optional HP AC adapter to power the camera.

Chapter 1: Getting Started 17

Understanding the Status Screen

When you turn on the camera, the HP logo screen and then the status screen appear briefly on the Image Display.

The main part of the status screen shows the number of pictures remaining, battery level, and the current settings for Flash, Resolution, and Compression. Any non-default

Capture menu settings are shown as

icons across the top of the status screen (default settings for Capture menu items do not have icons).

The status screen also appears for a few seconds any time you press the Flash button, Timer/Burst button, Focus button, or open/close the pop-up flash assembly.

Choosing the Language

The first time you turn the camera on, the following screen appears and prompts you to choose a language.

1 Scroll to the language that you

want by using the buttons on the Controller .

2 Press the OK button to select the

highlighted language.

NOTE If you need to go back and

change the language later, you can do this in the Setup menu. See Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu on page 83.

18 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Setting the Date and Time

The camera has a clock that records the date and time at which you take each picture. This information does not appear in the image itself, but is recorded in the image properties, which you can see when viewing the image in the Image Info screen (page 67), in the Playback menu screen (page 61), or on your computer. The first time you turn the camera on, the following screen appears after you choose the language.

1 Adjust the value of the highlighted

selection using the buttons.

2 Press the buttons to move to the

other selections.

3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the

correct date, time, and date/time format are set.

NOTE mm=month, dd=day, and yyyy=year

4 Press the OK button when the proper values are entered.

The Image Display then turns off.

NOTE If you need to go back and change this setting later,

you can do this in the Setup menu. See Chapter 6: Using

the Setup Menu on page 83.

Adjusting the Diopter Control

The rubber eye piece on the viewfinder is a diopter control that allows you to adjust the focus in the microdisplay. Put your eye up to the viewfinder, and then turn the diopter control until the information overlays (such as the number of pictures remaining, Compression setting, and Resolution setting) are in focus on the microdisplay. The diopter control has NO effect on the actual picture you take or video clip you record.

Chapter 1: Getting Started 19

Installing the Software

NOTE A copy of this User’s Manual (in several different

languages) is located on the HP Photo & Imaging software CD. Look in the \docs\Readme file on the CD to see where the manual is located.

The camera software allows you to unload images from the camera, view them, print them, and e-mail them. It also allows you to configure the Share menu on the camera.

Windows

NOTE For the HP Instant Share component of the HP Photo &

Imaging software to function properly on your Windows computer, you must have installed at least Internet Explorer

5.01 on Windows 2000 or XP, or Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 2 on Windows 98, 98 SE, or Me.

1 Close all programs and temporarily disable any virus

protection software running on your computer.

2 Insert the HP Photo & Imaging software CD into the CD

drive of your computer. The installation window should automatically appear.

NOTE If the installation window does not appear, click Start,

click Run, type X:\Setup.exe, where X CD drive, then click OK.

3 Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.

Your Windows CD may also include bonus software from other manufacturers. To install any bonus software:

1 Click Start, click Run, type X:\Bonus\Setup.exe,where X is

the letter of your CD drive, then click OK.

2 Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.

is the letter of your

20 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Macintosh

1 Close all programs and temporarily disable any virus

protection software running on your computer.

2 Insert the HP Photo & Imaging software CD into the CD

drive of your computer.

3 Double-click the CD icon on the computer desktop. 4 Double-click the installer icon, and then follow the on-screen

instructions to install the software.

NOTE Before you can unload images from the camera to a

Macintosh computer, you must first change the USB

Configuration setting to Disk Drive in the Setup menu on

the camera. See Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu on page 83, and then see USB Configuration on page 88.

Your Macintosh CD may also include bonus software from other manufacturers. To install any bonus software:

1 Double-click the Bonus folder icon. 2 Double-click the installer icon for the bonus software. 3 Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.

Chapter 1: Getting Started 21

22 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips

Using the Displays

Your camera has two displays - the Microdisplay and the

Image Display. Whichever display is currently on will be called

the “active display” throughout this manual:

Microdisplay (viewfinder) Image Display

Allows you to frame pictures and video clips using Live View, and to view the Capture and

Setup menus.

Activate Live View by looking through the viewfinder. The Eye Start sensor below the viewfinder detects your eye and automatically turns on the microdisplay. Use the diopter control to adjust the focus in the microdisplay (see page 19).

Allows you to frame pictures and video clips using Live View, review images and video clips in

Playback, and to view all the

menus.

Activate Live View by pressing the Live View button.

NOTE Using the Image Display consumes a lot of battery

power. To preserve batteries, use the microdisplay instead.

NOTE If the microdisplay does not turn on automatically when

you look through the viewfinder, you may need to change the Eye Start setting in the Setup menu. See Eye Start on page 84.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 23

The following table describes the information that is displayed in the Live View screen of the active display when the camera settings are at their default values. If you change other camera settings, icons for those settings will also be displayed.

1 2

6 7

# Icon Description 1 12

3 5 MP Resolution setting (default is 5 MP). 4 A shaking hand icon will appear when you press the

5 1/2

Remaining pictures count or remaining video clip

recording time (actual numbers depend on how much

1:18

space remains on the memory card).

Compression setting (default is , or Better).

Shutter button half-way down while taking a still

picture if the camera detects that the picture is likely to be blurry due to the long exposure that will be required. Therefore, you may want to use the flash (see

Using the Pop-up Flash on page 32) or a tripod.

The shutter speed and F-number. This appears when

F12.4

you press the Shutter button half-way down while taking a still picture.

z Battery level when using batteries (see Battery Gauge

on page 122).

z AC power when using the optional HP AC adapter or

Camera Dock.

24 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

# Icon Description

8 Focus brackets (see the next section below).

z FLASH OFF when the pop-up flash assembly is down.

z AUTO FLASH (default flash setting when the pop-up

flash assembly is up).

Using the Focus Brackets

The two brackets in the middle of the active display screen show the focus region for the picture you are taking or the video clip you are recording. When you press the Shutter button halfway down, the camera uses this region to measure and then lock the focus.

NOTE In low light conditions, the red focus assist light on the

front of the camera (see page 14) may turn on briefly to help the camera focus. If you are in a situation where you do not want the focus assist light to turn on, you can turn it off in the Setup menu (see Focus Assist Light on page 85).

The focus brackets turn green when the region in the brackets is in focus and the camera can lock the focus, but turn red when the camera is unable to focus.

z If the focus brackets turn red, release the Shutter button, re-

frame the subject for your picture or video clip, and then press the Shutter button halfway down again. If the focus brackets continue to turn red after several tries, there may not be enough contrast in the focus region. Try using a technique called Focus Lock to focus on an object about the same distance away but in a higher-contrast region, then point the camera at the object you were originally trying to photograph (see Using Focus Lock on page 26).

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 25

z If the focus brackets turn red and the MACRO icon blinks

on the active display, one of the following is true:

• The camera is set to the

NORMAL focus range but detects

the focus is closer than the normal range.

• The camera is set to the

MACRO (close-up) focus range

but detects the focus is farther away than the macro range. In this case, the camera will not take a picture if it cannot find focus.

NOTE No focus brackets appear if the camera is set to

MANUAL FOCUS (see Using the Focus Settings on

page 36).

Using Focus Lock

Focus Lock allows you to focus on a subject that is not in the

center of the picture, or to capture action shots more quickly by pre-focusing in the area where the action will occur. You can also use Focus Lock to help achieve focus in low light or low contrast situations.

1 Frame the subject for your picture within the focus brackets. 2 Press the Shutter button halfway down to lock the focus and

exposure.

3 Continue to hold the Shutter button halfway down while you

re-frame or adjust your subject for proper positioning.

4 Press the Shutter button all the way down to take the picture.

26 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Taking Still Pictures

AUTO

You can take a picture almost any time the camera is on, regardless of what is being shown on the active display.

1 Rotate the Mode selector to

or another of the exposure modes (see Setting the Exposure Mode on

page 38).

2 Pop up the flash assembly (see

page 32).

3 Frame the subject for your picture

in the active display.

4 Hold the camera steady (especially if using zoom) and press

the Shutter button halfway down. The camera measures and then locks the focus and exposure (the focus brackets will turn green if the camera is able to focus, see page 25). If an icon of a shaking hand ( ) appears in the active display, you may want to either use the pop-up flash or set the camera on a tripod or stable surface, otherwise the picture might be blurry.

5 Press the Shutter button all the way down to take the picture.

You will hear a shutter click when the camera takes the picture.

After a picture is taken, the image appears for several seconds in the active display. This is called Instant Review. You can delete the image during Instant Review by pressing the OK button. If you prefer, you can turn off Instant Review in the

Setup menu (see Instant Review on page 86).

AUTO

To review the pictures you have taken, press the Playback button (see Using Playback on page 57).

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 27

NOTE If you release the Shutter button only halfway after

taking a picture, the focus and exposure measurements from the previous picture are retained. You can then press the Shutter button all the way down again and take another picture with the same focus and exposure as the previous picture. You can continue to do this to capture a sequence of pictures using the same focus and exposure. This is helpful when rapidly taking pictures and for capturing images for panoramic stitching.

Recording Audio with Still Pictures

There are two ways to attach an audio clip to a still picture:

• Record the audio while you are taking the picture

(explained in this section).

• Add an audio annotation to the picture later (or re-

record the audio that was captured when the picture was taken). For details on how to do this, see Play/Record

Audio on page 64.

NOTE The method described in this section is not available in

Self-Timer or Burst modes.

1 Press the Shutter button all the way down to take the picture. 2 Continue to hold the Shutter button down to record the

audio clip. A microphone icon ( ) and audio counter appear on the active display during recording.

3 To stop recording, release the Shutter button, otherwise the

audio will continue recording for up to 60 seconds or until the memory card fills up, whichever comes first.

To play back, delete, or record new audio clips, use the Record

Audio section in the Playback menu (see Using the Playback Menu on page 61).

28 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Recording Video Clips

AUTO

1 Rotate the Mode selector to

Video mode.

2 Frame the subject for your video in

the active display.

3 Press the Shutter button halfway

down to measure and lock focus (exposure is continually measured and adjusted during recording).

4 To start recording, press the Shutter button all the way down

and release it. A counter and REC appear in the active display.

5 To stop recording, press the Shutter button all the way down

again. Otherwise, the camera will automatically stop recording when the maximum video clip length of approximately 1 minute is reached, or the memory card is full, whichever comes first (note that maximum clip length can vary depending on scene content).

After recording has stopped, the first frame of the video clip and

PROCESSING... appear on the active display. While it is

processing, you can delete the video clip by pressing the OK button. You can use Playback to review the video clips you have taken. See Play on page 64.

NOTE If you use the zoom, motor noise from optical zooming

will be recorded in the audio portion of a video clip. Thus, for best audio quality, do not use the zoom while recording video.

AUTO

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 29

Using Zoom

NOTE The more you zoom in on the subject of your picture,

the more that even small movements of the camera are magnified (this is called “camera shake”). So, especially at full telephoto zoom (8x), you really need to hold the camera steady in order to take a picture that is not blurry.

If an icon of a shaking hand ( ) appears in the active display, you may want to set the camera on a tripod or stable surface, otherwise the picture will likely be blurry.

Optical Zoom

Optical zoom works like the zoom on a traditional film camera, with physical lens elements moving inside the camera to make the subject of your picture appear closer.

Press Zoom Out and Zoom In on the Zoom lever to move the lens between wide angle (1x) and telephoto (8x) positions.

Whenever the zoom lever is pressed, a zoom meter appears at the bottom of the active display. A white bar in the middle of the zoom meter separates optical and digital zoom. This zoom meter is not shown when video clips are being recorded.

NOTE If the camera is set to

MACRO focus, you can only zoom

to 3.5x. The zoom meter will consequently look different in Macro mode, with a wider white bar in the middle of the meter.

30 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Digital Zoom

Unlike optical zoom, digital zoom uses no moving lens parts. The camera essentially crops the image to give an appearance of the subject of the picture being an additional 1.2x to 7x larger.

NOTE You cannot use digital zoom while recording video

clips.

1 Press the Zoom In control to optically zoom in to the

maximum level, then release the button.

2 Press Zoom In again and hold it

until you reach the desired size in the active display. A yellow frame surrounds the area of the image that will be captured. The

Resolution number on the left side

of the screen also becomes smaller as you digitally zoom. For example, 2.9 appears in place of

5 MP, indicating that the image is being reduced to a size of

2.9 Megapixels.

3 When the yellow frame is at the desired size, press the

Shutter button to take the picture.

To turn digital zoom off and return to optical zoom, press Zoom

Out until digital zooming stops. Release the zoom control,

and then press it again.

NOTE Digital zoom reduces the resolution of an image, so

your picture will tend to be more pixilated than the same image taken with optical zoom. If you just intend to e-mail an image or post it to a website, this loss of resolution will not be noticeable, but in situations where the highest quality counts (such as printing), limit the use of digital zoom.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 31

Using the Pop-up Flash

NOTE The flash will not work while recording video clips.

The flash is turned off and will not fire until you manually pop it up by sliding the pop-up flash release on top of the camera. When the flash is popped-up, it begins to charge and is automatically set to the

AUTO FLASH

setting.

To change the flash setting, press the

Flash button on the back of the camera

until the desired setting appears on the active display. The following table describes the different flash settings.

NOTE If you change the flash setting, the

camera will remain in that setting until you change it or turn off the camera.

Icon Setting Description

AUTO FLASH

The camera measures light and uses the flash if necessary.

AUTO WITH RED-EYE REDUCTION

The camera measures light and uses the flash with red-eye reduction if necessary (see Note below for further description of red-eye reduction).

FLASH ON

The camera always flashes. If the light is behind your subject, you can use this setting to increase the light on the front of your subject. This is called “fill-flash.”

OFF

AUTO

32 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Icon Setting Description

FLASH ON WITH RED-EYE REDUCTION

NIGHT

NIGHT WITH RED-EYE REDUCTION

The camera will always fire the flash with red-eye reduction, no matter the lighting conditions (see Note below for further description of red-eye reduction).

The camera fires the flash if necessary to illuminate objects in the foreground. It then continues to expose as if the flash had not fired to gather the background.

The camera fires the flash if necessary (using red-eye reduction) to illuminate objects in the foreground. It then continues to expose as if the flash had not fired to gather the background (see Note below for further description of red-eye reduction).

To turn the flash off, press the pop-up flash assembly down until it snaps shut. When the flash is off, the

FLASH OFF icon

appears at the top of the Live View screen.

NOTE The red-eye phenomenon is caused by light from the

flash reflecting off the subjects’ eyes, which sometimes makes a human’s or animal’s eyes appear red in the captured image. When you use a flash setting with

Red-eye Reduction, the camera flashes twice, minimizing

the red-eye in the captured images of humans or animals. It will take longer to take a picture using Red-eye

Reduction, because the shutter is delayed for the

additional flash. In turn, make sure your subjects wait for the second flash.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 33

Using Self-Timer Mode

1 Secure the camera to a tripod or set it

on a stable surface.

2 Press the Timer/Burst (

SELF-TIMER or SELF-TIMER—2 SHOTS

appears in the active display.

3 Frame the subject in the active display. 4 The next steps depend on what you

are capturing:

Still

1 Press the Shutter button halfway down for Focus Lock

picture

(camera measures, then locks the focus and exposure). The camera will hold these settings until it takes the picture.

2 Press the Shutter button all the way down. A 10-

second countdown appears on the active display and the Self-Timer light on the front of the camera blinks for 10 seconds before the camera takes the picture. If you set SELF-TIMER—2 SHOTS, the Self-Timer light blinks for a few more seconds until the second picture is taken. NOTE If you immediately press the Shutter button all the way down without using Focus Lock, the camera will lock focus and exposure just before the end of the 10-second countdown. This is useful when one or more subjects will be entering the picture during the 10-second countdown period.

You cannot record audio when using the Self-Timer, but you can add an audio clip later (see page 64).

1 Rotate the Mode selector to Video mode.

Video clip

2 To start recording, press the Shutter button and then

release it. A 10-second countdown appears in the active display, and then the video will start recording.

3 To stop recording the video clip, press the Shutter

button again. or let it time out by itself (see page 29)

) button until

34 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Using Burst Mode

Burst allows you to take multiple still pictures in a row as quickly as the camera possibly can. This feature is not available for video clips.

1 Press the Timer/Burst button until

the active display.

2 Frame the subject and press the Shutter button all the way

down and hold it.

3 The camera takes pictures as quickly as possible and as

many as the memory buffer can hold (typically between 4 and 6) or until the Shutter button is released (whichever happens first).

The Image Display remains off during the burst capture, and then after the burst pictures have been taken, each image appears one at a time on the Image Display. If you have Instant

Review turned off (page 86), the Image Display will stay off for

a few seconds while the camera processes the images, then it returns to Live View.

NOTE You can use the flash with Burst mode, but it will slow

down the rate at which the pictures are taken. For the fastest burst rate, turn off the flash, but be aware of camera shake if the scene is dark (you might want to use a tripod to stabilize the camera).

BURST appears in

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 35

Using the Focus Settings

The Focus button lets you toggle

between four focus settings on the camera.

The following table describes each of the focus range settings on the camera.

Icon Setting Description

None

NORMAL

Use when taking pictures of subjects greater than 0.8 m (31.5 in) away. Auto focus is limited to a range of 0.8 m (31.5 in) to infinity. This is the default focus setting.

MACRO

Use when taking close-up pictures of subjects less than 0.8 m (31.5 in) away. In this mode, the camera will not take a picture if it cannot find focus (the focus brackets turn red in the active display and an error message appears). Auto focus has a distance range of

0.1 to 0.8 m (3.9 to 31.5 in). Zoom position is limited to a range of wide to 3.5x.

INFINITY

Use when taking pictures of distant objects and landscapes. Focus range is limited to a small region near infinity.

MANUAL FOCUS

Allows you to step manually through the full focus range. Use the buttons to adjust the focus. You can determine the focus by observing the image in the active display and by a meter that appears on the right side of the active display. For more information, see Hints on Using Manual Focus on page 37.

36 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Focus Search Priority

When the camera is set to NORMAL or MACRO focus, it begins searching for focus from the last focus position. However, you can use the

buttons to change this behavior. This

feature is useful when there are multiple objects at different distances in the focus region.

z Holding the button while pressing the Shutter halfway

down causes the camera to begin searching for focus from the farthest position (infinity in

MACRO mode), thus making the camera more likely to focus

NORMAL mode and 0.8 m in

on an object in the background.

z Holding the button while pressing the Shutter halfway

down causes the camera to begin searching for focus from the nearest position (0.8 m in

MACRO mode), thus making the camera more likely to focus

NORMAL mode and 0.1 m in

on an object in the foreground.

Hints on Using Manual Focus

z Make sure to adjust the diopter control properly before

using manual focus with the microdisplay (see page 19).

z To find the best focus position, adjust the focus so that the

image looks like it is in focus on the active display. From this position, press the button until the image begins to blur, then press the button until the image begins to blur. Then set the focus position halfway between the locations where the image began to blur.

z To lock focus for a set of pictures, let the camera find the

best focus using the

. The focus will then be locked at that distance until

FOCUS

you adjust it manually or switch to another focus setting.

NORMAL setting, then switch to MANUAL

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 37

Setting the Exposure Mode

AUTO

The Mode selector lets you choose between six exposure modes for still

pictures. (A seventh setting, Video mode, is explained on page 29.)

The exposure mode setting determines how the camera selects settings such as aperture (F-number) and shutter speed for the given scene brightness.

To change the exposure mode, turn the Mode selector to the setting you want. The following table describes each of the exposure mode settings on the camera.

Icon Setting Description

AUTO

The camera automatically selects an aperture and shutter speed.

ACTION

The camera biases toward faster shutter speeds and higher ISO speeds to stop action. When the camera is set to this option, the ISO Speed menu option is grayed-out in the Capture menu.

This mode also has a “2-second release priority” feature (see page 39).

LANDSCAPE

The camera biases toward smaller apertures and lower ISO speeds for better depth of focus and quality. When the camera is set to this option, the ISO Speed menu option is grayed-out in the Capture menu.

PORTRAIT

The camera biases toward wider apertures to blur the background.

VIDEO

Camera records video clips (see Recording

Video Clips on page 29)

AUTO

38 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Icon Setting Description

SHUTTER

PRIORITY

APERTURE PRIORITY

Lets you select the shutter speed in Live View using the

selects the appropriate aperture setting. This allows you to create special effects using the shutter speed (such as blurring the moving water in a stream).

Lets you select the aperture setting (F-number) in Live View using the

buttons, while the camera selects the appropriate shutter speed. This allows you to control the depth of field (for example to blur the background).

buttons, while the camera

2-second release priority

When the exposure mode is set to ACTION, you can take multiple pictures in rapid succession without having to wait for the camera to measure focus and exposure for each picture. Release and then re-press the Shutter button all the way down within 2 seconds after taking a picture, and the camera takes the next picture using the same focus and exposure measurements as the previous picture.

Noise Reduction for Long Exposures

At longer shutter speeds the camera will automatically take a second exposure with the shutter closed in order to measure and reduce the noise (grainy look) in the image. In these cases, the exposure will seem to take twice as long as expected. For example, in a 1-second exposure, the active display will stay dark for 2 seconds until the noise reduction frame is exposed. This means that at longer shutter speeds, you may not be able to take quite as many shots back-to-back.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 39

Using the Capture Menu

The Capture menu allows you to adjust various camera settings that affect the qualities of the images and video clips you capture with your camera, such as their exposure, color, and resolution.

1 To display the Capture menu, press the Live View

button, and then press OK. If the Image Display is already off, you can just simply press OK.

Screen one

2 Use the buttons to scroll through the Capture menu

options.

3 Either press the OK button to select a highlighted option

and display its sub-menu, or use the buttons to change the setting for the highlighted option without going to its sub-menu.

4 Within a sub-menu, use the buttons and then the

OK button to change the setting for the Capture menu

option.

5 To exit the Capture menu, highlight the

option and press the OK button.

NOTE Some of the settings in the Capture menu are grayed

out when the camera is set to VIDEO mode, meaning that you can not use those settings when recording video clips.

Screen two

EXIT CAPTURE

40 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Help for the Menu Options

Help... is the last option in each of

the Capture sub-menus. The Help... option provides information about that Capture menu option and its settings. For example, if you press

OK when Help... is highlighted in the AE Metering sub-menu, the AE Metering Help screen is displayed, as shown.

Use the buttons to scroll through the Help screens. To exit the Help and return to the particular Capture sub-menu, press the OK button.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 41

EV Compensation

In difficult lighting conditions, you can use EV (Exposure Value) Compensation to override the automatic exposure setting that the camera makes.

EV Compensation is useful in scenes that contain many light

objects (like a white house in the snow) or many dark objects (like a black cat on a dark background). Scenes containing many light objects or many dark objects could turn out gray without the use of EV Compensation. For a scene with many light objects, increase the EV Compensation to a positive number to produce a brighter result. For a scene with many dark objects, decrease the EV Compensation to darken the scene to be closer to black.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40), select EV Compensation. 2 In the EV Compensation menu,

use the buttons to change the EV setting in 0.33 steps from -3.0 to +3.0. The new setting is applied to the Live View screen behind the menu, so you should be able to see the effect the setting will have on the picture.

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Capture menu.

If the setting is anything other than the default setting of 0 (zero), the number value will appear in the Live View screen next to the

The new setting remains in effect until it is changed again or until the camera is turned off (unless EV Compensation is checked in the Remembered Settings menu - see page 90).

icon.

42 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

White Balance

Different kinds of lighting conditions cast different colors. For example, sunlight is more blue, while indoor tungsten light is more yellow. Scenes dominated by a single color may require an adjustment of the white balance setting to help the camera reproduce colors more accurately and ensure that whites appear white in the final picture. You can also adjust the white balance to produce creative effects. Using the Sun or Tungsten settings can produce a warmer look to the picture, and the

Shade setting can make a sunset picture look more orange.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40), select White Balance. 2 In the White Balance menu, use

the buttons to highlight a setting. The new setting is applied to the Live View screen behind the menu, so you should be able to see the effect the setting will have on the picture.

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Capture menu.

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

None Auto The camera automatically identifies and

corrects for scene illuminance. This is the default setting.

Sun The camera balances color assuming it is

outdoors under sunny or bright cloudy conditions.

Shade The camera balances color assuming it is

outdoors in shade, in dark cloudy conditions, or at dusk.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 43

Icon Setting Description

Tungsten The camera balances color based on

incandescent or halogen lighting (typically found in homes).

Fluorescent The camera balances color based on

fluorescent lighting.

Manual The camera calculates a custom White

Balance based on your target image (see the

following subsection).

If the setting is anything other than the default setting of Auto, the icon for the setting (in the table above) will appear in the

Live View screen.

The new setting remains in effect until it is changed again or until the camera is turned off (unless White Balance is checked in the Remembered Settings menu - see page 90).

Manual White Balance

If you select the Manual option, the

Manual White Balance screen

displays. The Live View portion of the screen shows the color tint from the previous Manual White Balance setting that was made.

NOTE To restore the previous

Manual White Balance setting, simply press the OK

button in the Manual White Balance screen without pressing the Shutter button.

44 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

To change the Manual White Balance setting:

1 Point the camera at a white or gray target (such as a piece

of paper), making sure that the region inside the focus brackets encompasses the white or gray target.

2 Press the Shutter button (the camera will not take a picture).

The camera then calculates a custom White Balance setting based on the region inside the focus brackets. During the calculation,

PROCESSING... is displayed on the screen. When

the calculation is complete, the color tint in Live View changes to match the new Manual White Balance setting,

WHITE BALANCE SET is displayed.

and

3 If needed, repeat steps 1 and 2 until you get the desired

Manual White Balance setting.

4 When you are satisfied with the Manual setting you have

made, press the OK button to exit the Manual White

Balance screen and return to the Capture menu.

AE Metering

This setting allows you to specify which region of a scene the camera will use to calculate the exposure.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40),

select AE Metering.

2 In the AE Metering menu, use the

buttons to highlight a

setting.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Capture menu.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 45

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

Average The camera uses the entire scene region to

measure and calculate exposure. Use this setting when you want everything in the picture to be used equally when calculating exposure.

None Center-

Weighted

Spot The camera uses a small area in the center of

The camera uses a large area in the center of the scene region to measure and calculate exposure. This setting is good to use when the subject is in the center of the frame. Exposure will be based more on the subject than on its surroundings. This is the default setting.

the scene region to measure and calculate exposure. This can be useful in backlit scenes or when the subject is very dark or light compared to the rest of the scene. When using this setting, put the subject of the picture in the center of the viewfinder, then press the Shutter button halfway down to lock the exposure and focus on the spot in the center, and then recompose the scene as desired.

If the new setting is anything other than the default setting of

Center-Weighted, the icon for the setting (in the table above)

will appear in the Live View screen.

The new setting remains in effect until it is changed again or until the camera is turned off (unless AE Metering is checked in the Remembered Settings menu - see page 90).

46 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

ISO Speed

This setting adjusts the sensitivity of the camera to light. When

ISO Speed is set to Auto, the camera selects the best ISO speed

for the scene.

NOTE If the camera is in

mode, the ISO Speed will always be set to Auto and the ISO option in the Capture menu will be grayed out.

Lower ISO speeds allow slower shutter speeds, and will capture the best quality pictures with the least amount of grain (or noise). If taking a picture in low light conditions without a flash at ISO 100, you may want to use a tripod. In contrast, higher ISO numbers allow higher shutter speeds, and can be used when taking pictures in dark areas without a flash, or pictures of fast moving objects. Higher ISO speeds produce pictures with more grain or noise and, thus, can be of lower quality.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40),

select ISO Speed.

2 In the ISO Speed menu, use the

buttons to highlight a

setting.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Capture menu.

If the setting is anything other than the default setting of Auto, the number value for the setting will appear in the Live View screen.

The new setting remains in effect until it is changed again or until the camera is turned off (unless ISO Speed is checked in the Remembered Settings menu - see page 90).

ACTION, LANDSCAPE, or VIDEO

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 47

Digital Flash

This setting balances the relationship between bright and dark areas in a picture, preserving gentle contrasts but compressing harsh contrasts. Some areas in the picture are lightened, while others are left alone. Here is an example of how Digital Flash can enhance an image:

Without Digital Flash With Digital Flash

Digital Flash is useful in situations like these:

z outdoor scenes with a mixture of sun and shade z cloudy days when there is a lot of “glare” from the sky z indoor scenes that use flash photography (to soften or even

out the effect of the flash)

z backlit scenes where the subject is too far away for the

regular flash to reach

NOTE You can use Digital Flash with or without regular flash,

but it is not recommended as a replacement for regular flash. Unlike regular flash, Digital Flash does not affect exposure settings, so brightened areas may appear “noisy” or grainy, and indoor or night images may be blurry if taken without a regular flash or a tripod.

48 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

1 In the Capture menu (page 40),

select Digital Flash.

2 In the Digital Flash menu, use the

buttons to highlight a

setting.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Capture menu.

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

None Off Camera will process the image as normal. This is

the default setting.

Low Useful for most types of scenes containing a

mixture of sun and shade, or for images captured with regular flash.

High Useful for conditions of extreme backlighting, or

when you want a dramatic effect. This setting is very strong, and you may not want to print photos much larger than 5” x 7” because the dark areas of the photo will be grainy.

If the new setting is anything other than the default setting of

Off, the icon for the setting (in the table above) will appear in

the Live View screen.

The new setting remains in effect until it is changed again or until the camera is turned off (unless Digital Flash is checked in the Remembered Settings menu - see page 90).

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 49

Color

This setting allows you to control the color in which your images will be captured. For example, when you set Color to

Sepia, your images will be captured in brown colors to make

them look aged or old-fashioned.

NOTE Once you have taken a picture using either the Black &

White or Sepia setting, the image cannot be adjusted

back to Full Color later.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40), select Color. 2 In the Color menu, use the

buttons to highlight a setting. The new setting is applied to the Live View screen behind the menu, so you should be able to see the effect the setting will have on the picture.

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Capture menu.

The new setting remains in effect until it is changed again or until the camera is turned off. The Color setting resets to the default (Full Color) when you turn the camera off (unless Color is checked in the Remembered Settings menu - see page 90).

50 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Resolution

This setting allows you to set the resolution (number of pixels) at which your images will be captured.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40),

select Resolution.

2 In the Resolution menu, use the

buttons to highlight a

setting.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Capture menu.

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

5MP 2608 x 1952 The captured image will be full size

(2608 x 1952 pixels). This is the default setting, and is the best choice if you intend to print pictures.

1MP 1296 x 976 The captured image will be 1/4 size

(1296 x 976 pixels). This setting is useful if you just intend to e-mail images or post them to the internet.

The Pictures remaining count at the bottom of the screen updates when you highlight each setting. See Memory Card

Capacity on page 141 for more information about how the Resolution setting affects the number of images that can be

saved on your memory card.

The icon for the new setting (in the table above) will appear in the Live View screen. The new setting remains in effect (even if you turn the camera off) until it is changed again.

NOTE When you use digital zoom, the resolution changes as

you zoom in. See Digital Zoom on page 31.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 51

Compression

This setting determines how much JPEG compression your images will have.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40),

select Compression.

2 In the Compression menu, use the

buttons to highlight a setting.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Capture menu.

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

Best Produces the highest-quality images, but uses

the most memory. This is recommended if you plan to enlarge images, or print images to a size larger than 18 by 24 cm (or 8 by 10 in).

Better Produces high-quality images and requires less

memory than the Best setting. This is the default setting, and is recommended for printing images up to 18 by 24 cm (or 8 by 10 in).

Good The most memory-efficient setting, for images

that you want to e-mail or post to the Internet.

The Pictures remaining count at the bottom of the screen updates when you highlight each setting. See Memory Card

Capacity on page 141 for more information about how the Compression setting affects the number of images that can be

saved on your memory card.

The icon for the new setting (in the table above) will appear in the Live View screen. The new setting remains in effect (even if you turn the camera off) until it is changed again.

52 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manu al

Saturation

This setting allows you to determine how saturated the colors will be in your pictures.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40), select Saturation. 2 In the Saturation menu, use the

buttons to highlight a setting. The new setting is applied to the Live View screen behind the menu, so you should be able to see the effect the setting will have on the picture.

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Capture menu.

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

Low Mutes colors to give a softer, more “natural”

None Medium Colors will be normally saturated. This is the

High Emphasizes more vivid colors in a scene.

look to the subject.

default setting.

Outdoor landscape photography can use high saturation to create skies that are more blue, or sunsets that are more orange.

If the new setting is anything other than the default setting of

Medium, the icon for the setting (in the table above) will

appear in the Live View screen.

The new setting remains in effect (even if you turn the camera off) until it is changed again.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 53

Sharpness

This setting allows you to set how sharp the edges will be in your pictures.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40), select Sharpness. 2 In the Sharpness menu, use the

buttons to highlight a setting. The new setting is applied to the Live View screen behind the menu, so you should be able to see the effect the setting will have on the picture.

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Capture menu.

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

Low The edges in your images will be softer,

None Medium The edges in your images will have normal

High The edges in your images will be more

with less grain. You can use this setting for taking portrait pictures with softer, more natural edges.

sharpness.

pronounced. This setting may be helpful for outdoor landscapes, but the images will contain more grain.

If the new setting is anything other than the default setting of

Medium, the icon for the setting (in the table above) will

appear in the Live View screen.

The new setting remains in effect (even if you turn the camera off) until it is changed again.

54 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Contrast

This setting allows you to control how much contrast there will be between the dark and light colors in your captured images, including the amount of detail there will be in the highlights and shadows within the images.

1 In the Capture menu (page 40),

select Contrast.

2 In the Contrast menu, use the

buttons to highlight a

setting.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Capture menu.

The following table helps explain the settings in more detail:

Icon Setting Description

Low Your images will have less contrast: dark and

None Medium Your images will have normal contrast. This is

High Your images will have more contrast: dark and

light colors in the image will be less distinct, and there will be more details in the highlights and shadows.

the default setting.

light colors in the image will be more distinct, and there will be less details in the highlights and shadows.

If the new setting is anything other than the default setting of

Medium, the icon for the setting (in the table above) will

appear in the Live View screen.

The new setting remains in effect (even if you turn the camera off) until it is changed again.

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips 55

Setup

If you press OK when the Setup option is highlighted in the

Capture menu, the Setup menu displays. See Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu on page 83.

56 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images

You c an use the Playback feature to review the images and video clips in your camera. In addition, the Playback menu allows you to add, change, or delete audio clips, delete images or video clips, magnify still images, and view all the settings that were used when that image or video clip was captured.

NOTE When reviewing images in Playback, you can use the

Print button to select images that you want to have

printed automatically the next time you connect the camera. See Selecting Images for Printing on page 60.

Using Playback

1 Press the Playback button to activate Playback. The most

recently taken or reviewed image or video clip appears on the Image Display.

2 Use the buttons to scroll through your images and

video clips. Press and hold the or button to scroll faster.

NOTE You only see the first frame of each video clip, which is

indicated by the Video icon. You can then use the Play option in the Playback menu to play video or audio clips. See Using the Playback Menu on page 61.

3 To turn the Image Display off after reviewing your images

and video clips, press the Playback button again.

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images 57

During Playback, some information about each image or video clip is also displayed. The following table describes the information.

1 2

3 4

# Icon Description 1

z Battery level (actual icon shown depends on the

state of your camera batteries).

z AC power when using the optional HP AC power

adapter or HP camera dock.

2 Displays for the first few seconds when you enter

Playback to indicate that you can scroll through all

the images or video clips.

Indicates this image has been selected to be sent to

1 destination using HP Instant Share (see Chapter 4:

Using HP Instant Share on page 69).

Indicates this image has been selected for printing 2

copies (see page 60).

5 5 of 14 Shows the current image number and the total

number of images/video clips on the memory card.

z Indicates this image has an audio clip.

z Indicates this is a video clip.

58 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Total Images Summary Screen

When you press the button while viewing the last image, a screen appears showing the number of images captured, number of images remaining, and counters indicating the total number of images selected for HP Instant Share and printing. You can also view this screen from anywhere in Playback by pressing either of the buttons.

Orientation Sensor

An electro-mechanical device in the camera determines whether the camera is being held horizontally or vertically when the picture is taken. The camera uses the data from this sensor to automatically rotate the image to its proper orientation when saving the file.

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images 59

Selecting Images for Printing

The Print button on the back of the camera allows you to set how many copies of a still image you want to have printed automatically the next time you connect the camera to your computer or directly to certain HP printers.

NOTE You can use t he Print button any time that you see a

still image displayed on the Image Display, such as during

Playback, or when you access the main Playback menu or

the Share menu.

To select a still image for direct print:

1 Press the Print button. 2 Use the buttons to set the

number of copies you want to print. The maximum number of copies is 99. The printer icon with the number of copies that you set appears in the lower righthand corner of the image.

The next time you connect the camera to your computer or printer, the images you have selected will print automatically (see Printing Images Directly from the Camera on page 79.)

60 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Using the Playback Menu

The Playback menu allows you to play or record audio clips, play video clips, delete images, audio clips, or video clips or format the memory card, magnify an image on the Image Display, or view all of the settings that were used when capturing an image. From this menu, you can also access the

Setup menu to set a number of preferences on the camera.

1 To display the Playback menu, press the OK button while

you are in Playback. If you are not currently in Playback, press the Playback button first, then press the OK button.

2 Use the buttons to move to the image or video clip you

want to use.

3 Use the buttons to highlight the menu options on the

left of the Image Display.

4 Select a highlighted option by pressing the OK button. Each

of the Playback menu options are explained later in this section.

NOTE While a Playback menu option is highlighted, you can

use the buttons to scroll to other images and video clips. This is useful for performing the same action on several images or video clips, such as deleting multiple images or video clips.

5 To exit the Playback menu and return to viewing images in

Playback, highlight the

press the OK button.

EXIT PLAYBACK MENU option and

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images 61

The following table summarizes each of the Playback menu options and describes the information in the bottom right corner of each image while the Playback menu is displayed.

Still image Video clip 1 2

12 3 4

# Icon Description 1 Exits the Playback menu.

3 Presents a sub-menu where you can delete this

4 Magnifies this image on the Image Display (not

5 Allows you to view all of the settings that were

6Displays the Setup menu, which allows you to set

62 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manu al

z Plays the audio clip that is attached to this image

z Records an audio clip to attach to this image

z Plays this video clip (see Play on page 64).

image or video clip, delete only the audio clip attached to this still image, delete all images and video clips, or format the memory card (see

Delete on page 65).

available for video clips -see Magnify on page 66).

used when capturing this image (see Image Info on page 67).

a number of preferences on the camera (see

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu on page 83).

(see Play on page 64).

(see Record Audio on page 64).

# Icon Description 7 5 MP Shows the Resolution (such as 5MP) and

Compression (such as the 2 stars for Better) for

this image, or blank if it is a video clip (see

Resolution on page 51 and Compression on

page 52).

0:25

Visible if this image has an audio clip attached to it, with the length of the audio clip displayed to the left of the icon.

9 5 of 14 Shows the current image number and the total

number of images/video clips on the memory

card. 10 date Shows the date that this image was captured. 11

Indicates this image has been selected for

printing 2 copies (see Selecting Images for

Printing on page 60).

Indicates this image has been selected to be

sent to 1 destination using HP Instant Share (see

Chapter 4: Using HP Instant Share on page 69).

0:28

Visible if this is a video clip, with the length of the

video clip displayed to the left of the icon.

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images 63

Play/Record Audio

In the Playback menu (page 61), the first menu option is either

Play or Record Audio depending on the still image or video

clip that is currently displayed.

Play

This Playback menu option appears if one of the following is currently displayed:

z a still image with an audio clip

attached to it

z a video clip

Highlight Play, and then press OK to play the audio clip or video clip. You can adjust the audio volume by pressing the

buttons while the audio clip or video clip is playing. To

stop the clip while it is playing, press the OK button.

Record Audio

This Playback menu option appears if a still image with no audio clip attached is currently displayed. To record an audio clip for the image:

1 Highlight Record Audio, and then

press OK. Audio recording starts immediately after you select this menu option. A microphone icon and audio counter are displayed during recording.

2 To stop recording, press OK again, otherwise the audio will

continue recording for up to 60 seconds or until the memory card fills up, whichever comes first.

64 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Delete

1 In the Playback menu (page 61),

highlight Delete and then press

OK.

2 In the Delete sub-menu, use the

buttons to highlight the option you want, and then press OK. These options include:

• Cancel—Returns to the

Playback menu without

deleting anything.

• This Image—Deletes the

currently displayed image or video clip.

• Audio Only—Deletes only the audio clip attached to the

currently displayed image and keeps the current image.

• All Images—Deletes all of the images and video clips on

the memory card.

• Format Card—Deletes all of the images, video clips, and

files on the memory card, and then formats the memory card.

NOTE Periodic formatting of the memory card will keep it

clean of file remnants that may cause the camera to lock up, save images slowly, or corrupt images.

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images 65

Magnify

NOTE If the image that is currently displayed is a video clip,

the Magnify menu option is grayed out.

You c an use Magnify to see a close-up of the currently displayed image. This option is only for viewing a magnified image on the Image Display; it does not permanently alter the image.

1 In the Playback menu (page 61),

select Magnify and then press

OK. The currently displayed

image is automatically magnified on the Image Display, with the center portion of the image visible.

2 You can pan around the

magnified image by pressing the

and buttons.

3 Press Zoom Out to decrease

magnification and press Zoom In

to increase magnification up to 150x. A meter appears briefly in the top right corner of the Image Display each time you press one of the Zoom controls.

4 Press the OK button to exit the magnified image and return

to the Playback menu.

66 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Image Info

This option allows you to see all of the settings that were used

when capturing the currently displayed image.

1 In the Playback menu (page 61), select Image Info, and then

press OK.

2 Use the buttons to scroll to other images and view their

information.

3 Then press the OK button to return to the Playback menu.

NOTE The information in the last three rows in the bottom

right corner is the same information that appears in the

Playback menu (page 61) view of the image.

1 2 3

4 5 6

# Description 1 Settings for still pictures (this row is blank for video clips):

z Non-default exposure mode settings (ACTION, LANDSCAPE,

PORTRAIT, SHUTTER PRIORITY, or APERTURE PRIORITY).

z Any non-default Capture menu settings (rest of top row).

2 Settings for still pictures (this row is blank for video clips):

z Shutter speed. z F-number (aperture). z EV Compensation setting (if not the default of 0).

7 8

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images 67

# Description 3 ISO Speed setting that was used (100, 200, or 400), or

blank if it is a video clip.

4 Zoom position of lens when the picture was captured (blank

for video clip).

5Non-default focus setting (

blank if the it is a video clip or NORMAL setting.

6 Flash setting that was used (

FLASH ON WITH RED-EYE REDUCTION, NIGHT, or NIGHT

WITH RED-EYE REDUCTION

7 File name of the image on the memory card. 8 File size of the image on the memory card.

MACRO, INFINITY, or MANUAL) or

AUTO, FLASH OFF, FLASH ON,

), or blank if it is a video clip.

Setup

If you press OK when the Setup option is highlighted in the

Playback menu, the Setup menu displays. See Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu on page 83.

68 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 4:

Using HP Instant Share

This camera has an exciting feature called HP Instant Share.

This feature allows you to easily select images in your camera

to be automatically sent to a variety of destinations the next

time you connect the camera to your computer. For example,

you can select images in your camera to be automatically sent

to e-mail addresses (including group distribution lists), online

albums, or other online services the next time you connect the

camera to your computer.

NOTE Available online services vary by region.

Once you have taken still pictures with your camera, using

HP Instant Share is as easy as 1-2-3!

1 Set up the Share menu on your camera, as explained in the

next section starting on page 70.

2 Use the Share menu to select images in your camera for

particular HP Instant Share destinations. First see Using the

Share Menu on page 73, and then see Selecting Images for HP Instant Share Destinations on page 74.

3 Connect the camera to your computer and unload the

images as explained in Unloading Images to a Computer on page 77. Once the images are unloaded to your computer, they will be automatically sent to their respective

HP Instant Share destinations.

NOTE Visit www.hp.com/go/instantshare to see HP Instant

Share in action.

Chapter 4: Using HP Instant Share 69

Setting Up the Share Menu on the Camera

Before you can use HP Instant Share, you must first set up the

Share menu on your camera. The following procedure explains

how to do this.

NOTE You will need an Internet connection to complete this

procedure on a Windows computer. Also, make sure that

the memory card in your camera is not locked and has

some free space on it.

1 Make sure that the HP Photo & Imaging Software is installed

on your computer (see page 20).

2 Turn on the camera, and then press the HP Instant Share

(Share) button on the back of the camera.

3 The Share menu appears on the Image Display.

• If this is your first time adding destinations to the Share

menu, there is only one menu option available

(Customize this menu... .). Press the OK button to

select this menu option.

• If you have previously added destinations to the Share

menu, use the button to scroll to the bottom of the list of current destinations in the Share menu, highlight

Customize this menu... , and then press the OK

button.

Once you have selected

Customize this menu... , a

message like this one appears on the Image Display asking you to connect the camera to your computer.

70 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

NOTE If your computer is running Windows XP, when you

connect the camera to your computer in the next step, a dialog box may display that requests you to Select the

program to launch for this action. Simply click on Cancel

to close this dialog box.

4 Connect the camera to your computer by using the USB

cable or an optional HP 8881 camera dock (if you use the dock, press the Save/Print button on the dock after putting the camera in the dock). This activates the Camera Share Menu Setup Wizard on your computer.

5 In the first window of the Wizard that appears on your

computer, click on either Retrieve from Camera on a Windows computer, or Next on a Macintosh computer.

6 In the screen called Modify Share Menu:

• On Windows, check to see that HP Instant Share

E-mail is visible above the Add... button, then click on

the Add... button. If this is the first time you are adding destinations to the Share menu, you will be asked to sign in to the HP Passport program. HP Passport allows you to create a secure account for the images you share using

HP Instant Share services. The first time you see this

screen, you will need to register as a new user. Follow the instructions on the screen to register.

• On Macintosh, click on the Add... button, add the e-mail

addresses or websites that you want, and then skip to step 7.

Chapter 4: Using HP Instant Share 71

7 Once you are successfully registered, sign in to HP Passport,

and then the HP Instant Share E-mail Setup screen will appear. Here you can either enter individual e-mail addresses or create group distribution lists, and specify how you want them to appear in the camera’s Share menu. You can also enter a subject and a text message to go with all e-mails that will be sent to each e-mail address or distribution list. After completing the form, click Next. In the confirmation screen that appears, click Finish.

8 The names you specified for your newly added e-mail

destinations or group distribution lists should now appear in the Modify Share Menu screen (in the Current Share Menu section). To add additional e-mail addresses or distribution lists to the camera Share menu, repeat steps 4-6 on Windows, or steps 4-5 on Macintosh. If you are using a Windows computer, you will not need to sign in to the HP Passport program again.

NOTE You can configure a maximum of 34 HP Instant Share

destinations (such as individual e-mail addresses or group distribution lists) that can be listed in the Share menu on your camera.

9 Select any other HP Instant Share destinations that you

would like to add to your camera’s Share menu from the

Modify Share Menu screen. Complete the forms for those

other destinations. After completing each form, click Next. In the confirmation screen that appears, click Finish.

10When you have finished adding HP Instant Share

destinations, click on either Save to Camera on a Windows computer or Next on a Macintosh computer. The new destinations are then saved to the camera’s Share menu. When the computer confirms they have been saved to your camera, disconnect the camera from the computer.

72 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Using the Share Menu

Once you have set up the Share menu on the camera (see page 70), you can now use the Share menu. When you press the Share button on the camera, the most recently taken or viewed image appears on the Image Display. The Share menu also displays on the right side of the screen. The following table describes each of the Share menu options as shown in the following example Share screen.

# Icon Description 1 Check mark indicates these destinations have been

selected for the currently displayed image. (You can select more than one destination per image.)

2 E-mail destinations that were set up in this example

Share menu.

3 A website destination that was set up. Other types of

destinations may have different icons.

4 Customize this menu... lets you add more e-mail and

other HP Instant Share destinations to the Share menu. (See Setting Up the Share Menu on the

Camera on page 70.)

Chapter 4: Using HP Instant Share 73

Selecting Images for HP Instant Share Destinations

NOTE You can select each still image for any number of

HP Instant Share destinations. However, you cannot select

video clips for any HP Instant Share destinations.

1 Turn on the camera, and then press the Share button. 2 Use the buttons to scroll to a still image for which you

want to select an HP Instant Share destination.

3 Use the buttons to scroll to the destination that you

want to select in the Share menu for this image, such as an e-mail destination.

4 Press the OK button to select the destination, and a

appears over that destination in the Share menu. To unselect the destination, press the OK button again.

5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 to select any other HP Instant Share

destinations for this image.

6 Scroll to other images by using the buttons, and repeat

steps 3 through 5 to select HP Instant Share destinations for each of the other images. You can also use the buttons to scroll to other images to review their destinations.

7 When you are finished selecting all of the HP Instant Share

destinations for your images, press the Share button again to exit the Share menu.

8 Connect the camera to your computer and unload the

images as explained in Unloading Images to a Computer on page 77. Once the images are unloaded to your computer, they will be automatically sent to their respective

HP Instant Share destinations.

74 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

How HP Instant Share E-mails Images

The way images are e-mailed via HP Instant Share works differently on Windows and Macintosh computers.

Windows Images are not e-mailed as attachments. Rather, a

message is sent to each e-mail address that you selected in the Share menu. The message contains thumbnail images of the pictures you selected for that address, as well as a link to a web page where the recipient can view the images. From that web page, the recipient can do things like reply to you, print the images, save images to their computer, forward images, and more. This makes it easy for people who use different e-mail programs to be able to see your images without the difficulty of dealing with e-mail attachments.

Macintosh Images are e-mailed directly to recipients using the

default e-mail program on your computer. You must have an active Internet e-mail account that is accessible when e-mailing any images that you selected for HP Instant Share e-mail destinations.

Chapter 4: Using HP Instant Share 75

76 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 5: Unloading, Printing, and Displaying Images

Unloading Images to a Computer

NOTE You can also use the optional HP 8881 camera dock to

do this task. See Appendix B: Camera Dock on page 129.

1 Confirm the following:

The HP Photo & Imaging software is installed on your computer

•

(see Installing the Software on page 20).

• If you are using a Macintosh computer, the camera’s

USB Configuration is set to Disk Drive in the Setup menu

(see USB Configuration on page 88.)

2 Turn off the camera. 3 Your camera came with a

special USB cable for connecting the camera to a computer. Connect the larger end of that USB cable to the computer.

4 Open the rubber door on the

side of the camera and connect the small end of the USB cable to the USB connector on the camera.

Chapter 5: Unloading, Printing, and Displaying Images 77

NOTE If your computer is running Windows XP, when you

turn on the camera in the next step, a dialog box will display that requests you to Select the program to launch

for this action. Simply click on Cancel to close this dialog

box.

5 Turn on the camera. The HP Image Unload software will

launch on your computer. If you have set the software to automatically unload the images in the camera, the images will automatically unload to the computer. Otherwise, in the

Welcome screen, click Start Unload. The images are

unloaded to the computer, and then if there are any still images that were previously selected for printing (page 60) or selected for HP Instant Share destinations (page 69), those actions are started.

6 When the unload screen on the computer says Finished, you

can disconnect the camera from the computer.

NOTE To unload images to a Windows Me, 2000, or XP

computer that does not have the HP Photo & Imaging software installed on it, change the USB Configuration setting to Disk Drive in the Setup menu. (see USB

Configuration on page 88). This allows the camera to

appear as another disk drive on the computer so that you can easily copy the image files from the camera to the hard drive of your computer. However, the HP Instant Share feature will only work when the HP software is installed on your computer.

NOTE Another way to unload images is to use a memory

card reader or one of the memory card slots available in HP Photosmart printers. See the manual for your printer for instructions on how to do this.

78 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Printing Images Directly from the Camera

NOTE You can also use the optional HP 8881 camera dock to

do this task. See Appendix B: Camera Dock on page 129.

You can connect the camera directly to any HP Photosmart printer or to any other HP printer with a front panel USB port, then either print all images in the camera, or just those images

you have selected using the camera Print button (see

Selecting Images for Printing on page 60).

1 Check that the printer is turned on and is connected to the

computer. There should be no blinking lights on the printer or error messages displayed about the printer. Load paper into the printer, if needed.

2 Your camera came with a

special USB cable for connecting the camera directly to a printer. Connect the square end of the USB cable to the printer.

3 Open the rubber door on the

side of the camera and connect the small end of the USB cable to the USB connector on the camera.

Chapter 5: Unloading, Printing, and Displaying Images 79

4 When the camera is connected to

the printer, a Print Setup menu displays on the camera. If you already selected images to print using the camera Print button, the number of images selected is shown. Otherwise, Images: ALL is displayed. To select or change the selections of images to print, press the Print button, scroll through the images using the buttons, then use the buttons to adjust the number of copies for each image, and when satisfied with your selections, press the Print button again to return to the

Print Setup menu.

5 If all the settings in the Print Setup menu look correct, press

OK on the camera to begin printing. Or, you can change

settings in the Print Setup menu using the arrow keys on the camera, then follow instructions on the screen to begin printing.

NOTE There is a print preview in the lower right-hand corner

of the Print Setup screen showing the page layout that will be used for printing images. This print preview updates as you change the settings for the Print Size and Paper Size.

80 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Displaying Images on a TV

Images in your camera can easily be displayed as a slideshow on almost any television.

NOTE You can also use the optional HP 8881 camera dock to

do this task. See Appendix B: Camera Dock on page 129.

1 To connect the camera directly to a TV, you need an A/V

(Audio/Video) cable. The A/V cable is included in the HP 8881 camera dock kit, or may be purchased separately (see Purchasing Camera Accessories on page 126).

2 Your camera will send either an NTSC or PAL video signal

to a TV. The NTSC format is used primarily in North America and Japan, while the PAL format is used primarily in Europe. This setting is made for you when you set the language of the camera. To check the current setting or change the video signal format, go to the TV Configuration setting in the Setup menu. See TV Configuration on page 89.

3 Your camera will be the source for the TV signal (just like a

VCR or a camcorder), so you must set the TV to take video input from an external video source (your camera) instead of the antenna or cable TV. Refer to the TV user’s manual for directions on how to do this.

Chapter 5: Unloading, Printing, and Displaying Images 81

4 Turn on the camera, then

connect the A/V cable to the A/V inputs on the TV and to the TV connector on your camera. Typically, the yellow connector on the cable should hook up to the Video input on your TV, and the red

connector should hook up to the Audio input.

The camera starts a slideshow of each image, playing any attached audio clip or video clip, and then switching to the next image. You can also manually scroll through the images by pressing the buttons.

While viewing the images on the TV, you can also use the Print

button to select specific images that you want to print out

later.

NOTE The Image Display on the camera turns off when the

camera is connected to a TV. However, you can still use the Playback and Share menus while connected to the TV, since the menus will display on the TV screen.

82 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu

The Setup menu allows you to adjust a number of camera settings, such as the camera sounds, date and time, and the configuration of the USB or TV connection.

1 To display the Setup menu, open either the Capture menu

(page 40) or the Playback menu (page 61) and then select the Setup menu option.

Screen one Screen two

2 Use the buttons to scroll through the Setup

menu options.

3 Either press the OK button to select a highlighted option

and display its sub-menu, or use the buttons to change the setting for the highlighted option without going to its sub-menu.

4 Within a sub-menu, use the buttons and then the

OK button to change the setting for the Setup menu option.

5 To exit the Setup menu and return to the Capture menu or

Playback menu, highlight the

and press the OK button.

EXIT SETUP MENU option

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu 83

Camera Sounds

Camera sounds are the sounds that the camera makes when you turn it on, press a button, or take a picture. Camera sounds are not the audio sounds recorded with images or video clips.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83), select Camera Sounds. 2 In the Camera Sounds sub-menu,

highlight the volume level you would prefer.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Setup menu.

The default Camera Sounds setting is Low.

NOTE The volume level of camera sounds is not affected by

the audio level adjustment provided with the Play menu option in the Playback menu.

Eye Start

By default, the microdisplay will turn on whenever you put your eye up to the viewfinder. If you turn the Eye Start sensor Off, the microdisplay will be on whenever the Image Display is off (use

the Live View

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select Eye Start.

2 In the Eye Start sub-menu,

highlight On (the default) or Off.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Setup menu.

NOTE In the interest of conserving

battery power, HP recommends leaving Eye Start on.

button to toggle between the two).

84 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Focus Assist Light

Sometimes in low-light situations, the camera will use the red focus assist light on the front of the camera to aid in focusing. This setting allows you to turn off this light (for example when you do not want the focus assist light to distract the subject of your picture).

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select Focus Assist.

2 In the Focus Assist sub-menu,

highlight Auto or Off.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Setup menu.

NOTE HP recommends leaving this

setting at Auto, since turning it off hinders the ability of the camera to focus correctly in low light.

LCD Brightness

This setting lets you adjust the brightness of the Image Display. By default, the Image Display is optimized for indoor use. You can use this setting to increase the brightness and contrast for better outdoor viewing.

NOTE If you use the Outdoor setting, the image may appear

overexposed when viewing it on the camera indoors.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select LCD Brightness.

2 In the LCD Brightness sub-menu,

select Indoor or Outdoor.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Setup menu.

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu 85

Instant Review

After a picture or video clip is captured, the image appears for several seconds in the active display. This setting allows you to select how long an image will be displayed after a picture is taken or video clip recorded.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select Instant Review.

2 In the Instant Review sub-menu,

highlight one of the four choices available.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Setup menu.

Auto Power Off

This setting allows you to decide when (or if) the camera will automatically power itself off after a period of inactivity to conserve power.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select Auto Power Off.

2 In the Auto Power Off sub-menu,

highlight one of the four choices available.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Setup menu.

Regardless of what setting you choose, the camera will have a “sleep timeout” after 60 seconds (both the microdisplay and Image Display turn off). When the camera is in the “sleep” state, pressing any button will wake the camera up again. The times selected in this sub-menu include the sleep timeout.

86 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Date & Time

This setting allows you to set the current date and time, as well as the date/time format, for the camera. This is usually done when you first set up the camera; however, you may need to re-set the date and time when you are travelling to different time zones, or if the date and time is incorrect.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83), select Date & Time. 2 In the Date & Time sub-menu,

adjust the value of the highlighted selection by using the buttons.

3 Press the buttons to move to

the other selections.

4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the

correct date, time, and date/time format are set.

5 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Setup menu.

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu 87

USB Configuration

This setting determines how the camera is recognized when connected to a computer.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select USB Configuration.

2 In the USB Configuration

sub-menu, highlight one of choices available:

•

Digital Camera—Causes the

computer to recognize the camera as a digital camera using the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) standard. This is the default setting on the camera.

• Disk Drive—Causes the computer to recognize the camera as a

disk drive using the Mass Storage Device Class (MSDC) standard.

Use this table as a guide for which USB Configuration setting to use with your computer:

HP Photo &

Imaging software: Installed on your

computer Not installed on

your computer

Windows Macintosh

Digital Camera Disk Drive

Disk Drive Digital Camera

(OSX systems)

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Setup menu.

88 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

TV Configuration

This setting allows you to set the format of the video signal for displaying camera images on a television (TV) that is connected to the camera with an optional Audio/Video cable or HP 8881 camera dock.

The default setting depends on the language that you selected when you powered on the camera for the first time.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select TV Configuration.

2 In the TV Configuration sub-menu,

highlight one of these two choices:

• NTSC—Format used primarily

in North America and Japan

• PAL—Format used primarily in

Europe

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Setup menu.

For more information on connecting the camera to a TV, see either Displaying Images on a TV on page 81 when using the optional Audio/Video cable, or Displaying Images on a TV

Using the Dock on page 134 when using the HP 8881 camera

dock.

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu 89

Language

This setting allows you to set the language used in the camera interface, such as the text in menus.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select Language.

2 In the Language sub-menu,

highlight the language you want to use.

3 Press OK to save the setting and

return to the Setup menu.

Remembered Settings

This setting allows you to save some camera settings that would normally reset to their default values when the camera is turned off.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select Remembered Settings.

2 In the Remembered Settings

sub-menu, use the buttons to highlight a setting, then use the

buttons to check or uncheck a

selection.

3 Press OK to save the settings and return to the Setup menu.

NOTE The saved setting for Flash is temporarily ignored if the

camera is in Video mode or the flash is down.

NOTE Any Capture menu item that is not in this screen

already remains set to whatever you selected when the camera is turned off and then back on.

90 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Reset Settings

This option allows you to reset the camera to the factory default settings.

1 In the Setup menu (page 83),

select Reset Settings.

2 In the Reset Settings sub-menu,

highlight one of the following:

• Cancel - exits the menu without

making any changes.

• All Capture Settings - resets Flash, Focus, Timer/Burst,

and Capture menu settings to factory defaults. If the flash is down or the camera is in Video mode, the Flash setting

AUTO FLASH the next time the flash is available.

will be Settings that were checked in the Remembered Settings sub-menu will stay checked.

• Reset All Settings - resets all capture settings as described

above, plus all settings in the Setup menu except Date &

Time, Language, TV Configuration, and USB Configuration. All settings that were checked in the Remembered Settings sub-menu will be unchecked.

3 Press OK to save the setting and return to the Setup menu.

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu 91

92 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Chapter 7: Troubleshooting and Support

This chapter contains information on the following topics:

z Resetting the camera. z Possible problems, causes, and solutions. z Error messages on the camera. z Error messages on the computer. z Self-diagnostic tests on the camera. z How to get assistance from HP.

Resetting the Camera

If your camera does not respond when you press any buttons, you can try resetting the camera in the following way:

1 Open the battery door on the bottom of the camera and

remove all four batteries.

2 Leave the batteries out of the camera for at least 10 minutes. 3 Reinsert the batteries and close the battery door. 4 Turn the camera back on. You will probably be prompted to

set the date and time again.

Chapter 7: Troubleshooting and Support 93

Problems and Solutions

Problem Possible cause Solution

The camera does not turn on.

The batteries are functioning incorrectly, are dead, are installed incorrectly, or are missing.

If you are using the HP AC power adapter, it is not connected to the camera, or is not plugged into a power outlet.

The HP AC power adapter is not functioning correctly.

The camera has stopped operating.

z The charge in the batteries could

be low or completely drained. Try installing new or recharged batteries.

z Ensure that the batteries are

inserted correctly (page 16).

z Do not use ordinary alkaline

batteries. For best results, use photo-lithium batteries or rechargeable NiMH batteries. If you must use alkaline batteries, use high-grade “ultra” or “premium” varieties.

Ensure that the HP AC power adapter is connected to the camera and is plugged into a working electrical outlet.

Ensure that the HP AC power adapter is not damaged or defective and is plugged into a working electrical outlet.

Reset the camera by removing the batteries and then re-inserting them (page 93).

94 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manu al

Problem Possible cause Solution

The microdisplay in the viewfinder does not turn on when I put my eye up to it.

The Eye Start sensor cannot detect that you are looking through the viewfinder (sometimes occurs when

Turn the Eye Start sensor to Off in the Setup menu (page 84). Then, either the Image Display or the microdisplay will always be on (toggle back and forth between them by pressing the Live View

button).

wearing glasses)

The Power/ Memory light blinks as if the batteries are being recharged,

The Eye Start sensor has been turned off.

The camera does not recognize that there are no batteries installed.

z Press the Live View button to

manually turn on the microdisplay.

z Turn the Eye Start sensor to On

in the Setup menu (page 84)

Do nothing. The blinking is harmless and should stop after 5-30 minutes.

but there are no batteries installed.

The battery gauge goes up and down frequently.

Different operating modes of the camera require

See Battery Gauge on page 122 for a full explanation.

different power levels.

Chapter 7: Troubleshooting and Support 95

Problem Possible cause Solution

I replace the camera batteries frequently.

Extended Image Display use for Live

View or video

recording, excessive flash use, and excessive zooming consume a lot of battery power.

Camera does not work well with regular alkaline batteries.

z Use the microdisplay instead of

the Image Display whenever possible, especially if using alkaline batteries.

z Use the zoom only when

necessary.

z Use AUTO FLASH instead of

FLASH ON.

z Use an HP AC power adapter to

power the camera when you are using the Image Display for an extended period of time.

Do not use ordinary alkaline batteries. For best results, use photo-lithium batteries or rechargeable NiMH batteries. If you must use alkaline batteries, use high-grade “ultra” or “premium” varieties (page 121).

The NiMH batteries you are using were recharged incorrectly.

When NiMH batteries are brand new or have not been used in several months, they will not reach optimum capacity until they have been charged and then discharged (used) completely 4-5 times (page 124).

NiMH batteries have drained on their own because they have not been used lately

NiMH batteries discharge on their own when not in use and when not installed in the camera. So if you have not used them in a week or more, they may benefit from being charged (page 124)

96 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Problem Possible cause Solution

The camera batteries will not charge.

Rechargeable batteries are not inserted.

Batteries are already charged.

Install NiMH batteries. Lithium and alkaline batteries cannot be recharged (page 121).

Battery charging will not start if the batteries were recently charged. Try charging them again after they have drained awhile.

Battery voltage is too low for charging to start.

The camera will not attempt to charge batteries that may be damaged or over-discharged. Remove the batteries from the camera and charge them in an external battery charger, then try them in the camera again. If this does not work, it is likely that one or more of the batteries are bad. Purchase new NiMH batteries and try again.

The wrong AC power adapter is being used.

The batteries are damaged or bad.

Use only the HP AC power adapter approved for use with this camera (page 127).

NiMH batteries degrade over time and can fail. If the camera detects a problem with the batteries, it will not start charging or will stop charging prematurely. Purchase new batteries.

Batteries are not inserted

Ensure that the batteries are inserted correctly (page 16).

correctly.

Chapter 7: Troubleshooting and Support 97

Problem Possible cause Solution

The camera does not respond when I press a button.

The camera is turned off or has shut down.

The camera is connected to a computer.

Turn on the cam era.

Most of the camera buttons do not respond when the camera is connected to a computer. If they respond, it is only to turn the Image Display on if it is off, or, in some cases, turn the Image Display off if it is on.

The batteries

Replace or recharge the batteries.

are drained.

A long delay occurs between pressing the Shutter button and the camera taking a picture.

The camera has stopped operating.

The camera needs time to lock focus and exposure.

The scene is dark and the camera is taking a long exposure.

The camera is using a flash setting with

Red-eye Reduction.

Reset the camera by removing the batteries and then re-inserting them (page 93).

Use Focus Lock (page 25.)

z Use the flash. z If using flash is not possible, then

use a tripod to keep the camera steady during the long exposure time.

z Make sure that the Focus Assist

light is set to

It will take longer to take a picture with Red-eye Reduction. The shutter is delayed because of the additional flash. In turn, make sure your subjects wait for the second flash.

Auto (page 85).

98 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Problem Possible cause Solution

The camera does not take a picture when I press the Shutter button.

You d id not press the

Shutter button

hard enough. The memory

card is not

Press the Shutter way down.

Install the memory card.

installed. The memory

card is full.

Unload images from the camera to your computer, then delete all images on the memory card. Or replace the card with a new one.

The memory card is locked.

Switch the locking tab on the memory card to the unlocked position.

The flash is recharging.

The camera is set to MACRO

focus and

cannot take a picture until it

Wait until the flash has recharged before taking another picture.

z Re-focus the camera (try using

Focus Lock, page 26).

z Make sure the subject of the

picture is within the Macro (close-up) range (page 36).

finds focus. The camera is

still saving the last picture you took.

Wait a few seconds for the camera to finish processing the last image before taking another picture.

button all the

Chapter 7: Troubleshooting and Support 99

Problem Possible cause Solution

My image is blurry.

The light is low and the flash is set to

FLASH OFF .

In dim light, the camera requires a longer exposure. Use a tripod to hold the camera steady, improve lighting conditions, or set the pop up the flash and set the

flash to

The camera was set to the wrong focus setting for the scene.

You m ove d the camera while you took the picture.

Set the camera to

NORMAL, or INFINITY focus

and try taking the picture again (page 36.).

Hold the camera steady as you press the Shutter button or use

a tripod. Watch for the icon in the active display (this means that is almost impossible to hold steady, and you must use a tripod).

The camera focused on the wrong thing, or was unable to focus.

The diopter control is out of adjustment, making the image appear blurry in the microdisplay.

z Make sure the focus brackets

turn green before taking the picture (page 25).

z Use Focus Lock (page 25). z Use focus search priority

(page 37).

Adjust the diopter control so that information overlays in the microdisplay are more in focus (page 19). This only affects the focus of the microdisplay, not the Image Display. It does not affect the focus of the captured image.

FLASH ON (page 32).

MACRO ,

100 HP Photosmart 945 User’s Manual

Hp 945 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Trademark and Copyright Information

Chapter 1: Getting Started

Camera Parts

Setup

Attaching the Lens Cap Tether

Attaching the Neck Strap

Installing the Batteries

Installing the Memory Card

Turning on Power

Understanding the Status Screen

Choosing the Language

Setting the Date and Time

Adjusting the Diopter Control

Installing the Software

Windows

Macintosh

Chapter 2: Taking Pictures and Recording Video Clips

Using the Displays

Using the Focus Brackets

Using Focus Lock

Taking Still Pictures

Recording Audio with Still Pictures

Recording Video Clips

Using Zoom

Optical Zoom

Digital Zoom

Using the Pop-up Flash

Using Self-Timer Mode

Using Burst Mode

Using the Focus Settings

Focus Search Priority

Hints on Using Manual Focus

Setting the Exposure Mode

2-second release priority

Noise Reduction for Long Exposures

Using the Capture Menu

Help for the Menu Options

EV Compensation

White Balance

Manual White Balance

AE Metering

ISO Speed

Digital Flash

Color

Resolution

Compression

Saturation

Sharpness

Contrast

Setup

Chapter 3: Reviewing Images

Using Playback

Total Images Summary Screen

Orientation Sensor

Selecting Images for Printing

Using the Playback Menu

Play/Record Audio

Play

Record Audio

Delete

Magnify

Image Info

Setup

Chapter 4: Using HP Instant Share 69

Setting Up the Share Menu on the Camera

Using the Share Menu

Selecting Images for HP Instant Share Destinations

How HP Instant Share E-mails Images

Chapter 5: Unloading, Printing, and Displaying Images

Unloading Images to a Computer

Printing Images Directly from the Camera

Displaying Images on a TV

Chapter 6: Using the Setup Menu

Camera Sounds

Eye Start

Focus Assist Light