Konica Minolta G600 User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

2 BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Thank you for purchasing this Konica Minolta product. Please take the time to read through this instruction manual so you can enjoy all the features of your new digital camera.

Check the packing list before using this product. If any items are missing, immediately contact your camera dealer.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Konica Minolta is a trademark of Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. DiMAGE is a trademark of Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. Apple, Macintosh, and Mac OS are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. The official name of Windows is Microsoft Windows Operating System. Pentium is a registered trademark of the Intel Corporation. Power PC is a trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation. QuickTime is a trademark used under license. Memory Stick is a trademark of Sony Corporation. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

DiMAGE G600 digital camera Lithium-ion battery NP-600 Lithium-ion battery charger BC-600 Neck strap NS-DG130 SD Memory Card USB cable USB-800 DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM DiMAGE Viewer manual Camera manual Warranty card

Only use the battery specified in this manual that are manufactured and distributed by Konica Minolta. Beware of counterfeit batteries; the use of these batteries will damage the product and may cause fire.

FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE

Lithium-ion batteries

This camera operates on a small, but powerful lithium-ion battery. Misuse or abuse of the lithium-ion battery can cause damage or injury through fire, electric shock, or chemical leakage. Read and understand all warnings before using the battery.

DANGER

• Do not short, disassemble, damage, or modify the battery.

• Do not expose the battery to fire or high temperatures over 60°C (140°F).

• Do not expose the battery to water, or moisture. W ater can corrode or damage the internal battery safety devices and cause the battery to overheat, ignite, rupture, or leak.

• Do not drop or subject the battery to strong impacts. Impacts can damage the internal battery safety devices and cause the battery to overheat, ignite, rupture, or leak.

• Do not store the battery near or in metallic products.

• Do not use the battery with any other products.

• Only use the specified charger. An inappropriate charger may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock.

• Do not use a leaking battery. If fluid from the battery enters your eye, immediately rinse the eye with plenty of fresh water and contact a doctor. If fluid from the battery makes contact with your skin or clothing, wash the area thoroughly with water.

• Only charge the battery in an environment with ambient temperatures between 0° and 40°C (32° and 104°F). Use the battery only in an environment with ambient temperatures between 0° and 50°C (32° and 122°F). Store the battery in an environment with ambient temperatures between –20° and 35°C (–4° and 95°F) and a humidity of 45% to 85% RH

WARNING

• Tape over the lithium-ion battery contacts to avoid short-circuiting during disposal;

always follow local regulations for battery disposal.

• If charging is not completed after the specified period elapses, unplug the charger and

discontinue charging immediately.

4 FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE

WARNING

• Only use the battery specified in this manual.

• Only use the specified charger or AC adapter within the voltage range indicated on the unit. An inappropriate adapter or current may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock.

• Only use the charger power cord in the sales region for which it was designed. An inappropriate current may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock.

• Do not disassemble the camera or charger. Electric shock may cause injury if a high voltage circuit inside the product is touched.

• Immediately remove the battery or unplug the AC adapter and discontinue use if the camera is dropped or subjected to an impact in which the interior, especially the flash unit, is exposed. The flash has a high voltage circuit which may cause an electric shock resulting in injury. The continued use of a damaged product or part may cause injuries or fire.

• Keep the battery, memory card, or small parts that could be swallowed away from infants. Contact a doctor immediately if an object is swallowed.

• Store this product out of reach of children. Be careful when around children not to harm them with the product or parts.

• Do not fire the flash directly into the eyes. It may damage eyesight.

• Do not fire the flash at vehicle operators. It may cause a distraction or temporary blindness which may lead to an accident.

• Do not use the monitor while operating a vehicle or walking. It may result in injury or an accident.

• Do not look directly at the sun or strong light sources through the viewfinder. It may damage your eyesight or cause blindness.

GENERAL WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS

Read and understand the following warnings and cautions for safe use of the digital camera and its accessories.

• Do not use these products in a humid environment, or operate them with wet hands. If liquid enters these products, immediately remove the battery or unplug the product, and discontinue use. The continued use of a product exposed to liquids may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock.

• Do not use these products near inflammable gases or liquids such as gasoline, benzine, or paint thinner. Do not use inflammable products such as alcohol, benzine, or paint thinner to clean these products. The use of inflammable cleaners and solvents may cause an explosion or fire.

• When unplugging the AC adapter or charger, do not pull on the power cord. Hold the plug when removing it from an outlet.

• Do not damage, twist, modify, heat, or place heavy objects on the AC adapter or charger cord. Adamaged cord may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock.

• If these products emits a strange odor, heat, or smoke, discontinue use. Immediately remove the battery taking care not to burn yourself as the battery may become hot with use. The continued use of a damaged product or part may cause injuries or fire.

• Take the product to a Konica Minolta service facility when repairs are required.

• Handling the cord on this product may expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.

6 FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE

• Do not use or store these products in a hot or humid environment such as the glove compartment or trunk of a car. It may damage the camera, charger, and battery which may result in burns or injuries caused by heat, fire, explosion, or leaking battery fluid.

• If the battery is leaking, discontinue use of the product.

• The camera, charger, and battery temperature rises with extended periods of use. Care should be taken to avoid burns.

• Burns may result if the memory card or battery is removed immediately after extended periods of use. Turn the camera off and wait for it to cool.

• Do not fire the flash while it is in contact with people or objects. The flash unit discharges a large amount of energy which may cause burns.

• Do not apply pressure to the LCD monitor. A damaged monitor may cause injury, and the liquid from the monitor may cause inflammation. If liquid from the monitor makes contact with skin, wash the area with fresh water. If liquid from the monitor comes in contact with the eyes, immediately rinse the eyes with plenty of water and contact a doctor.

• When using the AC adapter and charger, insert the plug securely into the electrical outlet.

• Do not use electronic transformers or travel adapters with the charger. The use of these devices may cause a fire or damage the product.

• Do not use if the AC adapter or charger cord is damaged.

• Do not cover the AC adapter or charger. Afire may result.

• Do not obstruct access to the AC adapter or charger; this can hinder the unplugging of the units in emergencies.

• Unplug the AC adapter or charger when cleaning or not in use.

CAUTION

This mark on your camera certifies that this camera meets the requirements of the EU (European Union) concerning interference causing equipment regulations. CE stands for Conformité Européenne (European Conformity).

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

The following marks may be found on the product:

FCC Compliance Statement Declaration on Conformity

Responsible Party: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A. Inc. Address: 725 Darlington Avenue, Mahwah, NJ 07430

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Changes or modifications not approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.

This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Do not remove the ferrite cores from the cables.

DiMAGE G600

Digital Camera:

FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE

Tested To Comply With FCC Standards

8 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Names of parts ....................................................................................................................................12

Getting up and running.........................................................................................................................14

Charging the battery................................................................................................................14

Inserting a battery....................................................................................................................15

Battery-condition indicator.......................................................................................................16

Auto power off .........................................................................................................................16

AC adapter (sold separately)...................................................................................................17

Installing and removing a memory card..................................................................................18

About memory cards ...............................................................................................................19

Turning the camera on and off................................................................................................20

Attaching the strap...................................................................................................................20

Setting the language, date, and time ......................................................................................21

Recording - basic operation.................................................................................................................22

Handling the camera ...............................................................................................................22

LCD monitor display................................................................................................................22

Using the zoom lens ................................................................................................................23

Camera-shake warning ...........................................................................................................23

Basic recording operation........................................................................................................24

Focus lock ...............................................................................................................................25

Focus range.............................................................................................................................25

Focus signals...........................................................................................................................26

The getting up and running section covers how to prepare the camera for use. It contains important information about power supplies and memory cards. The basic operation of this camera is covered in the recording - basic operation section between pages 22 and 30, and the playback - basic operation section between pages 32 and 34. Read the datatransfer mode section in its entirety before connecting the camera to a computer or printer.

Many of the features of this camera are controlled with menus. The menu navigation sections concisely describe the menu. Descriptions of the settings immediately follow the navigation sections.

The appendix contains a troubleshooting section to help answer questions about the operation of the camera. Information covering camera care and storage is also provided. Please store this manual in a safe place.

Special focusing situations......................................................................................................26

Display button - recording mode .............................................................................................27

Flash modes............................................................................................................................28

Flash range - Automatic operation..........................................................................................29

Flash signals............................................................................................................................29

Focus modes and self-timer....................................................................................................30

Deleting images .......................................................................................................................31

Playback - basic operation...................................................................................................................32

Single-frame playback display.................................................................................................32

Viewing images .......................................................................................................................33

Deleting images .......................................................................................................................33

Display button - playback........................................................................................................33

Index playback.........................................................................................................................34

Enlarged playback...................................................................................................................34

Recording - advanced operation..........................................................................................................35

Navigating the recording menu ...............................................................................................35

Resolution - image size and compression ..............................................................................36

Movie recording.......................................................................................................................38

Exposure compensation..........................................................................................................39

White balance ..........................................................................................................................40

AE metering modes.................................................................................................................41

Monochrome............................................................................................................................42

Digital zoom .............................................................................................................................43

Adjusting the monitor...............................................................................................................44

Voice recording........................................................................................................................45

Add audio recording ................................................................................................................46

Delete audio recording ............................................................................................................47

Slow shutter limit .....................................................................................................................48

Manual exposure.....................................................................................................................49

Quality ....................................................................................................................................50

Camera sensitivity - ISO speed..................................................................................51

Flash compensation....................................................................................................51

Saturation....................................................................................................................52

Contrast ......................................................................................................................52

Sharpness...................................................................................................................52

Color ...........................................................................................................................53

An introduction to color............................................................................................................53

A short guide to photography...............................................................................................................54

What is an Ev?........................................................................................................................54

10 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Playback - advanced operation............................................................................................................55

Playing back movies and audio...............................................................................................55

Navigating the playback menu................................................................................................56

Frame-selection screen...........................................................................................................57

Index ....................................................................................................................................57

Copy ....................................................................................................................................58

Delete ....................................................................................................................................60

Adjusting the monitor...............................................................................................................61

DPOF ....................................................................................................................................62

Protect ....................................................................................................................................64

Move ....................................................................................................................................66

Resize ....................................................................................................................................68

Slide show...............................................................................................................................69

Add audio recording ................................................................................................................69

Setup menu ....................................................................................................................................70

Navigating the setup menu......................................................................................................70

Format ....................................................................................................................................71

Recording menu setup ............................................................................................................72

Date setup..................................................................................................................... ..........72

Quick View...............................................................................................................................73

Self-timer delay........................................................................................................................73

Sound ....................................................................................................................................74

Auto power off .........................................................................................................................74

File-number reset ....................................................................................................................75

Memory priority ........................................................................................................................75

Language.................................................................................................................................76

Add audio recording setup ......................................................................................................76

Custom setup ..........................................................................................................................77

Custom setup notes.................................................................................................................78

Flash modes...............................................................................................................78

Macro - focus and self-timer modes...........................................................................78

AF AE AWB.................................................................................................................78

Continuous-advance focus lock..................................................................................80

Reset default ...........................................................................................................................80

Transfer mode.........................................................................................................................82

Information display setup.........................................................................................................82

Data-transfer mode ..............................................................................................................................83

System requirements...............................................................................................................83

Connecting the camera to a computer....................................................................................84

Connecting to Windows 98 and 98SE.....................................................................................85

Automatic installation ..................................................................................................85

Manual installation......................................................................................................86

Memory card folder organization .............................................................................................88

Disconnecting the camera from the computer ........................................................................90

Windows 98 and 98SE ...............................................................................................90

Windows Me, 2000 Professional, and XP..................................................................90

Macintosh....................................................................................................................91

PictBridge ................................................................................................................................92

Notes on printing errors ...........................................................................................................94

QuickTime system requirements.............................................................................................94

Changing the memory card - data-transfer mode...................................................................95

Appendix ....................................................................................................................................96

Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................................96

About the lithium-ion battery charger cord..............................................................................97

Removing the driver software - Windows................................................................................98

Care and storage.....................................................................................................................99

Camera care...............................................................................................................99

Cleaning......................................................................................................................99

Storage .......................................................................................................................99

Memory cards...........................................................................................................100

Batteries....................................................................................................................100

Before important events or journeys.........................................................................100

Operating temperatures and conditions ...................................................................101

LCD monitor care......................................................................................................101

Copyright...................................................................................................................101

Questions and service..............................................................................................101

Technical specifications.........................................................................................................102

NAMES OF PARTS

* This camera is a sophisticated optical instrument. Care should be taken to keep these surfaces clean. Please read the care and storage instructions in the back of this manual (p. 99).

Flash (p. 28)

Self-timer lamp (p. 30)

Lens*

Lens cover / Main switch

Microphone

Tripod socket

Battery/Card chamber door (p. 15, 18)

Flash sensor

Shutter-release button

Viewfinder window*

NAMES OF PARTS

USB-port

Viewfinder*

Indicator lamps

Controller

LCD monitor*

Display button (p. 27, 33)

Delete button (p. 33)

Menu button

Speaker

Strap eyelet

(p. 20)

Playback button (p. 32)

Zoom buttons (p. 23)

14 GETTING UP AND RUNNING

GETTING UP AND RUNNING

CHARGING THE BATTERY

Before the camera can be used, the lithium-ion battery must be charged. Before charging the battery , read the safety warnings on pages 3and 4 of this manual. Only recharge the battery with the supplied battery charger. The battery should be recharged before each shooting session. See page 100 for battery care and storage.

With the contacts down, slide the battery into the charger (2). The indicator lamp (3) is red when the battery is charging. The lamp turns green when the battery has been charged. Charging time is approximately 120 minutes.

Plug the power cord into the charger unit (1). Plug the other end of the cord into a live household outlet. The included AC cord is designed for the current of the sales region. Only use the cord in the region it was purchased. For more on the AC cable, see page 97.

When the battery has been charged, remove the it from the charger. Unplug the power cord from the outlet.

INSERTING A BA TTER Y

This digital camera uses one NP-600 lithium-ion battery . Before using the battery, read the safety warnings on pages 3 and 4 of this manual. When replacing the battery, the camera should be turned off.

Slide the battery-chamber door toward the side of the camera to release the safety catch (1). Open the door.

Insert the battery (2). Close the battery-chamber door (3) and

slide it toward the camera to engage the safety catch.

After initially installing the battery , the menu language, clock, and calendar need to be set. The camera can also reset if the camera is stored without a battery. See page 21 on how to set up the camera.

After initially inserting a charged battery, do not remove it from the camera for three hours; the camera can be off during this period. The lithium-ion battery is used to charge an internal battery, which protects settings when the camera is turned off.

Camera notes

16 GETTING UP AND RUNNING

BATTERY-CONDITION INDICATOR

Full-battery indicator - the battery is fully charged.

Low-battery indicator - battery power is low. The battery should be recharged as soon as possible.

AUTO POWER OFF

To conserve battery power, the camera will shut down if an operation is not made within three minutes. To restore power, press the shutter-release button, zoom buttons, or menu button. The length of the auto-power-off period can be changed or the function disabled in the setup menu (p. 70).

This camera is equipped with an automatic battery-condition indicator. It is displayed in the bottom left corner of the LCD monitor when the camera is on.

If power is insufficient for camera operation, the both indicator lamps next to the viewfinder blink. The monitor will not turn on. The battery must be recharged.

AC ADAPTER (SOLD SEPARATELY)

The AC adapter allows the camera to be powered from a household outlet. The AC adapter is recommended when the camera is interfaced with a computer or during periods of heavy use. AC adapter model AC-8U is for use in North America, Taiwan and Japan; AC-8GB is for the United Kingdom and Hong Kong; AC-8C is for China; AC-8E is for use in all other areas.

Slide the battery-chamber door toward the side of the camera to release the safety catch (1). Open the door.

Remove the battery and the cable-slot cover (2).

Insert the adapter making sure the cable passes through the slot at the side of the camera (3).

Close the battery-chamber door (4) and slide it toward the camera to engage the safety catch.

Connect the AC adapter cables as described in the adapter's instruction manual. Read all warnings and cautions in the manual before using the AC adapter.

Always turn off the camera before changing between power supplies.

18 GETTING UP AND RUNNING

INST ALLING AND REMOVING A MEMORY CARD

Always turn off the camera and confirm the indicator lamps are out before changing the memory card, otherwise the card may be damaged, and data lost.

An SD Memory card, MultiMediaCard, or Memory Stick must be inserted for the camera to operate. If a card has not been inserted, a no-card warning appears on the LCD monitor.

Slide the battery-chamber door toward the side of the camera to release the safety catch (1). Open the door.

Insert the memory card all the way into the card slot and then release (2). The Memory Stick slot is next to the battery; the SD Memory Card / MultiMediaCard slot is next to the back of the camera. The card should catch in the slot. Always push the card in straight, never at an angle. Never force the card. If the card does not fit, check that it is oriented correctly.

To eject a memory card, press the card into the slot and release (3). The card can then be pulled out.

Close the battery-chamber door and slide it toward the camera to engage the safety catch (4).

The response time during recording and playback is longer with MultiMediaCards compared with SD Memory Cards. This is not a defect, but rather due to the specifications of the cards. When using large capacity cards, some operations like deletion may take longer.

The SD Memory Cards and Memory Sticks have a writeprotect switch to prevent image data from being deleted. However, when the card is protected, images cannot be recorded. If an attempt is made to record or delete an image with the camera, the card-protected message appears and both viewfinder indicator lamps blink. For memory card care and store see page 100.

If the unable-to-read message appears, the inserted card in the camera may need to be formatted. A card used in another camera may also have to be formatted before being used. Acard can be formatted in the setup menu (p.

71). When a card is formatted, all the data on the card is permanently erased.

ABOUT MEMORY CARDS

SD Memory Card

Memory Stick

TURNING THE CAMERA ON AND OFF

Slide the lens cover in the direction indicated to turn on the camera; the lens extends automatically. Do not touch or hinder the lens while it is extending.

To turn off the camera, push the cover toward the lens; the lens retracts automatically. The cover can be closed when the lens has completely retracted into the body.

Always keep the strap around your neck in the event that the camera is accidentally dropped.

ATTACHING THE STRAP

GETTING UP AND RUNNING

Pass the other end of the strap through the small loop and tighten (2).

Pass the small loop of the strap through the strap eyelet on the camera body (1).

SETTING THE LANGUAGE, DATE, AND TIME

After initially inserting a memory card and charging the battery, the menu language and the camera’s clock and calendar must be set on the setup menu.

The four-way keys of the controller move the cursor and change settings. Pressing the menu button sets selections.

Use the up/down keys to select the language.

LANGUAGE

ENGLISH

JAPANESE

DEUTSCH

FRANCAIS

ENGLISH

LANGUAGE SET OK?

YES

01 Day

2004 Year

01 Month

00 Min

00 Hour

yy/mm/dd

Press the menu button to continue. Aconfirmation screen will open.

Use the left/right keys to select “Yes.” “No” will return to the previous screen.

Press the menu button to continue.

Use the up/down keys to select the option to be changed. Use the left/right keys to change the option. The last option sets the date format among year/month/day, day/month/year, and month/day/year.

Press the menu button to complete the operation.

22 RECORDING - BASIC OPERATION

RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION

This section covers basic recording operation. To preparethe camera for use, read pages 14 through 21.

HANDLING THE CAMERA

While using the viewfinder or LCD monitor, grip the camera firmly with your right hand while supporting the camera body with your left. Keep your elbows at your side and your feet shoulder-width apart to hold the camera steadily.

Take care not to cover the lens, flash, or flash sensor with your fingers or the strap.

LCD MONITOR DISPLAY

Time

Image size (p. 36)

Battery-condition indicator (p. 16)

Compression (p. 36) Frame counter (p. 37)

Memory priority (p. 75) Date

AF area

The current date and time are displayed for a few seconds each time the camera is turned on.

USING THE ZOOM LENS

This camera is equipped with a 8 - 24mm zoom lens. This is equivalent to a 39 to 1 17mm lens on a 35mm camera. The lens is operated by the zoom buttons on the back of the camera. The effect of the optical zoom is visible in both the viewfinder and LCD monitor.

To zoom in on the subject, push the tele zoom button.

To zoom out, push the wide zoom button.

The digital-zoom function can increase the power of the lens. The digital zoom is activated in the recording menu (p. 43).

If the shutter speed is below the point where the camera can be hand held safely, the red viewfinder indicator lamp blinks to warn of camera-shake. Camera shake is slight blurring caused by subtle hand motion and is more pronounced at the lens’ telephoto position than at the wide-angle position. Although the warning appears, the shutter can be released. If the warning appears, place the camera on a tripod or use the flash. Warning is not used with manual exposure.

CAMERA-SHAKE WARNING

Because the optical viewfinder and the lens are slightly separated, the image seen through one is not exactly the same as the other; this is called parallax. Parallax can cause errors in framing when using the viewfinder at close distances. When the subject is closer than 1m (3ft) at the lens’ wideangle position or 3m (9.8ft) at the telephoto position, use the monitor to compose the image.

Camera Notes

24 RECORDING - BASIC OPERATION

BASIC RECORDING OPERATION

Press the shutter-release button partway down (1) to lock the focus and exposure.

The aperture value (f-number) and shutter speed is displayed at the top right of the monitor when the exposure is locked. The green viewfinder indicator lamp glows when the focus is locked; the red lamp glows if the flash is going to be used. If the green indicator lamp blinks, the camera could not focus, repeat the procedure.

Press the shutter-release button all the way down (2) to take the picture.

After the shutter releases, the green viewfinder indicator lamp blinks and the red lamp glows while image data is being written to the memory card. Never remove a memory card while data is being transferred.

If the shutter-release button is pressed and held, a series of consecutive images is captured. The previous image is displayed between exposures. The rate of capture depends on the image size and other functions used. The flash must recharge between exposures. With 2816 X 1536 size images and continuous-advance focus lock on (p. 80), the maximum rate of capture is 0.7fps.

Place the subject within the AF area. The focus-lock function (p. 25) can be used with off-center

subjects. If the subject is closer than 1m (3ft.) at the zoom lens’ wide-angle position or 3m (10ft) at the telephoto position, only use the LCD monitor to frame the subject.

FOCUS LOCK

The focus-lock function is used when you want to compose the image with the subject off-center and outside the AF area. Focus lock may also be used when a special situation prevents the camera from focusing on the subject (p. 26). This function is controlled with the shutter-release button. For information on continuous-advance focus lock, see page

80. Place the subject within the AF area. Press and hold the

shutter-release button partway down and wait for the green viewfinder indicator lamp to glow to indicate the focus is locked. If the green lamp blinks, repeat the procedure.

Without lifting your finger from the shutter-release button, recompose the subject within the image area. Press the shutter-release button all the way down to take the picture.

FOCUS RANGE

The focus range depends on the zoom position. To focus closer than the distances below, use the macro focus mode (p. 30).

Wide-angle position Telephoto position

0.5m - ∞ (1.6ft. - ∞) 0.8m - ∞ (2.6ft. - ∞)

26 RECORDING - BASIC OPERATION

FOCUS SIGNALS

SPECIAL FOCUSING SITUATIONS

This digital camera has a quick, accurate autofocusing system. The green indicator lamp next to the viewfinder indicates the focus status. The shutter can be released regardless if the camera can focus on the subject or not.

The camera may not be able to focus in certain situations. In these situations, focus lock (p. 25) or AF lock (p. 79) can be used to focus on another object at the same distance as your main subject, and then the image can be recomposed to take the picture.

The subject in the AF area is low in contrast.

The subject is too dark. The subject is com-

posed of broad horizontal lines.

The subject is near a very bright object or area.

Focus confirmed - the green indicator lamp glows. Focus is

locked.

Cannot focus - the green indicator lamp blinks.

The fixed focus modes can be used when a special focusing situation is preventing the camera from focusing. These modes are activated with custom option in the setup menu (p. 77) and set with the controller (p. 30).

Camera Notes

The display button (1) controls the LCD monitor display. The display cycles to the next format each time the button is pressed: standard display, live image only, and monitor off.

Standard display Live image only

DISPLAY BUTTON - RECORDING MODE

Battery power can be conserved by turning the monitor off and using the viewfinder to take pictures. However, because of parallax, the monitor should be used for subjects closer than 1m (3ft.) at the zoom lens’ wide-angle position or 3m (10ft) at the telephoto position.

When changing settings, the monitor turns on automatically. The warnings and other relevant information can appear on the live image only display. The digital zoom is canceled when the monitor is off.

Monitor

off

FLASH MODES

The flash can be used when taking still images. To select the flash mode, press the right key of the controller (1) until the appropriate mode is displayed. The active flash mode is displayed in the top left corner of the LCD monitor.

Autoflash - the flash fires automatically in low-light conditions.

Red-eye reduction - the flash fires a single burst before the main flash burst to reduce red-eye; an effect caused by light reflected from the retina. Use in low-light conditions when taking photographs of people or animals, the pre-flashes contract the pupils of the subject’s eyes. Red-eye reduction is used with fill flash with manual exposure.

Fill flash - the flash fires with each exposure regardless of the amount of ambient light. Fill-flash can be used to reduce harsh shadows caused by strong direct light or sunshine.

Night portrait - for flash portraits at night. The camera automatically balances the flash and background exposures. When taking portraits, ask your subject not to move after the flash burst; the shutter may still be open for the background exposure.

Flash cancel

Autoflash with

red-eye reduction

Fill flash

Night portrait

RECORDING - BASIC OPERATION

Autoflash (No display)

Fill flash

FLASH RANGE - AUTOMATIC OPERATION

The camera automatically controls the flash output. For well-exposed images, the subject must be within the flash range. Because of the optical system, the flash range is not the same at the lens’ wide-angle position as it is at the telephoto position. The flash range can be changed with camera sensitivity (ISO), see page 51.

FLASH SIGNALS

The red indicator lamp next to the viewfinder indicates the status of the flash. When the lamp glows, the flash is charging and will be used in the exposure.

Flash cancel - the flash will not fire. Use flash cancel when flash photography is prohibited, natural light is desired to illuminate the subject, or the subject is beyond the flash range.

The slow-sync. option in the recording menu specifies the minimum shutter speed used with a particular flash mode to control camera shake. See page 48 for more information. The custom option in the setup menu (p. 77) allows the available flash modes to be edited.

Camera Notes

Wide-angle position Telephoto position

0.5m ~ 3.0m ( 1.6ft ~ 9.8ft) 0.8m ~ 1.7m ( 2.6ft ~ 5.6ft)

30 RECORDING - BASIC OPERATION

FOCUS MODES AND SELF-TIMER

Macro and landscape focus modes as well as a self-timer can be selected by pressing the left key of the controller (1) until the appropriate mode is displayed. The active mode is displayed in the top left corner of the LCD monitor.

Macro - used for close-up photographs. The minimum subject distance changes with the zoom position of the lens.

Landscape / Self-timer

Landscape

Self-timer

Macro / Self-timer

Macro

Wide-angle position Telephoto position

6cm (2.4in) - ∞ 50cm (19.7in) - ∞

If the subject is outside the flash range (p.

51), overexposure may result. To prevent

the flash from firing, set the flash mode to flash cancel (p. 28).

Always use the monitor to frame the image. The use of a tripod is recommended. Macro can be used with the self-timer, see below.

Landscape - focus is optimized for scenic pictures. The use of a tripod is recommended in in twilight or overcast conditions as shutter speeds can be long. The flash is canceled with this focus mode. Landscape can be used with the self-timer.

Camera shake is more noticeable with long exposures or close-up pictures. In these situations, place the camera on a tripod and make the exposure with the self-timer to prevent shaking the camera.

Shooting Tips

+ 74 hidden pages