Panasonic DMCFX7K, DMC-FX7PP, DMCFX7 User Manual

Operating Instructions

Digital Camera

Model No.DMC-FX7PP

Before use, please read these

instructions completely.

For USA assistance, please call: 1-800-272-7033 or send e-mail to : [e-mail]

For Canadian assistance, please call: 1-800-561-5505 or visit us at www.panasonic.ca

VQT0M16

Before Use

Dear Customer,

We would like to take this opportunity to
thank you for purchasing this Panasonic
Digital Camera. Please read these
Operating Instructions carefully and keep
them handy for future reference.

Information for Your Safety

WARNING
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR
SHOCK HAZARD AND ANNOYING
INTERFERENCE, USE ONLY THE
RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES
AND DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR
MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE THE
COVER (OR BACK); THERE ARE NO
USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL.

Before Use

Carefully observe copyright laws.
Recording of pre-recorded tapes or
disks or other published or broadcast
material for purposes other than your
own private use may infringe copyright
laws. Even for the purpose of private
use, recording of certain material may
be restricted.

• Please note that the actual controls and
components, menu items, etc. of your
Digital Camera may look somewhat
different from those shown in the
illustrations in these Operating
Instructions.

• SD Logo is a trademark.

• Other names, company names, and
product names printed in these
instructions are trademarks or registered
trademarks of the companies concerned.

THE SOCKET OUTLET SHALL BE
INSTALLED NEAR THE EQUIPMENT
AND SHALL BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.

Notice:

This product has parts that contain a
small amount of mercury. It also
contains lead in some components.
Disposal of these materials may be
regulated in your community due to
environmental considerations. For
disposal or recycling information please
contact your local authorities, or the
Electronics Industries Alliance:
<http://www.eiae.org.>

RBRC

Li-ion

A lithium ion/polymer battery that is recyclable powers the
product you have purchased. Please call 1-800-8-BATTERY for

TM

information on how to recycle this battery.

2

CAUTION

Danger of explosion if battery is
incorrectly replaced. Replace only with
the same or equivalent type
recommended by the manufacturer.
Dispose of used batteries according to
the manufacturer’s instructions.

Before Use

FCC Note: (U.S. only)

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 receiver.

• Connect the equipment into 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.

FCC Caution: To assure continued

compliance, follow the
attached installation
instructions and use only
shielded interface cables
with ferrite core when
connecting to computer or

peripheral devices.
Any changes or modifications not
expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void
the user’s authority to operate this
equipment.

Trade Name: Panasonic
Model No.: DMC-FX7
Responsible party: Matsushita Electric

Corporation of
America
One Panasonic
Way, Secaucus, NJ
07094

Support Contact: Panasonic

Consumer
Electronics
Company
1-800-272-7033

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.

This Class B digital apparatus complies
with Canadian ICES-003

3

Before Use

∫ Care for the camera

• Do not shake or cause impact to the
camera. The camera may not operate

normally or recording of pictures may be
disabled, or the lens may be damaged.

• Sand or dust may cause a malfunction

of the camera. When you use the
camera on a beach etc., take care so
that sand or dust does not get into the
camera.

• When you use the camera on a rainy day
or on a beach, take care so that seawater
does not get into the camera.

• If seawater splashes onto the camera,

wet a soft cloth with tap water, wring it
well, and use it to wipe the camera
body carefully. Then, wipe it again with
a dry cloth.

∫ About the LCD monitor

• Do not press the LCD monitor strongly.

It may cause uneven colors on the LCD
monitor or a malfunction of the LCD
monitor.

• In a place with drastic temperature
changes, condensation may form on the
LCD monitor. Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth.

• If the camera is extremely cold when you
turn the camera on, the image on the
LCD monitor is slightly darker than usual
at first. However, as the internal
temperature increases, it goes back to the
normal brightness.

Extremely high precision technology is
employed to produce the LCD monitor
screen. The result is more than 99.99%
effective pixels with a mere 0.01% of the
pixels inactive or always lit. However,
this will not be recorded on the pictures
in the card.

∫ About the Lens

• Do not direct the lens to the sun or strong
light sources. It may cause not only a
malfunction of the camera but irreversible
damage to your eye.

• Do not press the lens strongly.

• Leaving the camera with the lens facing
the sun may cause a malfunction. Be
careful when you put the camera outside
or near a window.

∫ About Condensation

Condensation takes place when the
ambient temperature or humidity is
changed as follows:
Be careful of the condensation since it
causes stains on the lens, fungus or
malfunction. (P95)

• When the camera is brought inside from
the cold to a warm room.

• When the camera is moved from outside
of a car to an air-conditioned car.

• When cool wind from an air conditioner or
other source is directly blown onto the
camera.

• In humid places

∫ If you will not be using the camera for

a long time

• Store the battery in a cool and dry place
with a relatively stable temperature.

(Recommended temperature: 59oF–77oF
(15oC–25oC), Recommended humidity:
40% – 60%)

• Be sure to remove the battery and the
card from the camera.

• When the battery is left inserted in the
camera for a long time, discharge takes
place even if the camera is turned off. If
you leave the battery inserted for an
extended period of time, it will be
excessively discharged and it may
become unusable even after it is charged.

• To store the battery for a long period of
time, we recommend charging it once
every year and storing it again after you
completely use up the charged capacity.

• When you keep the camera in a closet or
a cabinet, we recommend storing it with
the desiccant (silica gel).

4

Before Use

About These Operating Instructions

Please note that the description on this page is a sample and all pages are not described
in this manner.

Modes indicated here allow you to use
the functions or settings described on
this page. Set the Mode dial to any of
the modes to use the functions or
settings.

Using the Optical Zoom

You can make people and subjects appear
closer with the 3 times optical zoom, and
landscapes can be recorded in wide angle.

• The picture may have some distortion
(typical example: vertical straight line
bent outwards).

Convenient or helpful information for
use of this camera is described.

∫ About pictures/illustrations in these operating instructions

Pictures in these operating instructions are composed from still photographs for
explanation.
Please note that the appearance of the product, the illustration or the menu screen are a
little different from those in actual use.

∫ About illustrations of the cursor button

In those operating instructions, the operations on the cursor button are described as
illustrated below.

MENU

e.g.: When you press the 4 button

REV

5

Contents

Before Use

Information for Your Safety.......................2

About These Operating Instructions .........5

Preparation

Standard Accessories............................... 8

Names of the Components....................... 9

Quick Guide............................................11

Charging the Battery with the Charger ...12

About the Battery....................................13

Inserting/Removing the Battery ..............14

Inserting/Removing the Card.................. 15

About the Card........................................16

Approximate number of recordable

pictures and the size...........................17

Setting Date/Time (Clock Set) ................ 18

Setup Menu ............................................20

About the LCD Monitor ...........................24

Recording pictures (basic)

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

Taking Pictures in Simple Mode.............32

Checking the Recorded Picture

(Review).............................................35

Using the Optical Zoom ..........................36

Taking Pictures using the

Built-in Flash ......................................37

Taking Pictures with the Self-timer .........40

Compensating the Exposure ..................41

Taking Pictures using Auto Bracket ........ 42

Optical Image Stabilizer

[STABILIZER].....................................43

Taking Pictures using Burst Mode ..........44

Recording pictures (advanced)

Using the Mode Dial ...............................50

• Macro mode......................................50

• Motion image mode .......................... 51

• Scene mode......................................53

– Portrait mode................................. 54

– Sports Mode..................................54

– Scenery mode ............................... 55

– Night scenery mode ......................55

– Night portrait mode........................56

– Fireworks mode............................. 56

– Party mode.................................... 57

– Snow mode ................................... 57

– Self portrait mode..........................58

Using the [REC] mode menu ..................59

• White Balance [W.BALANCE] ..........60

• ISO Sensitivity [SENSITIVITY] ......... 62

• Picture Size [PICT.SIZE] ..................62

• Quality [QUALITY] ............................63

• Audio Recording [AUDIO REC.] ....... 63

• AF Mode [AF MODE]........................ 64

• AF Assist Lamp

[AF ASSIST LAMP].........................65

• Slow Shutter [SLOW SHUTTER]...... 65

• Digital Zoom [D.ZOOM] ....................66

• Color Effect [COL.EFFECT].............. 66

• Picture Adjustment [PICT.ADJ.]........ 66

• Flip Animation [FLIP ANIM.] ............. 67

Playback (basic)

Playing Back Pictures.............................45

9 Pictures Multi Playback........................46

Using the Playback Zoom.......................47

Deleting Pictures.....................................48

6

Playback (advanced)

Others

Playing Back Pictures with Audio/Motion

Images ................................................70

Using the [PLAY] mode menu ................71

• Rotating the Picture [ROTATE]......... 71

• Setting the Picture to be Printed and
the Number of Prints

[DPOF PRINT]..................................72

• Preventing Accidental Erasure

of the Picture [PROTECT] ................ 74

• Playing Back with Slide Show

[SLIDE SHOW].................................75

• Adding Audio to Recorded Pictures

[AUDIO DUB.] ..................................77

• Resizing the Pictures [RESIZE] ........78

• Trimming the Pictures

[TRIMMING] ....................................79

• Initializing the Card [FORMAT] ......... 80

Playing Back Pictures with

a TV Screen.......................................82

Connecting to a PC or Printer

Before Connecting with USB Connection

Cable [USB MODE].............................83

Connecting to a PC.................................85

Connecting to a PictBridge-compliant

Printer..................................................87

Screen Display........................................91

Cautions for Use.....................................94

Message Display ....................................97

Troubleshooting ......................................98

Specifications........................................101

Digital Camera Accessory System........103

Digital Camera Accessory Order Form

(For USA Customers)........................104

Request for Service Notice

(For USA Only).................................105

Limited Warranty (For USA Only) .........106

Customer Services Directory

(For USA Only).................................108

Index .....................................................109

Spanish Quick Use Guide/Guía

española de uso rápido.....................111

7

Preparation

Preparation

Standard Accessories

Before using your camera, check the contents.

∫ SD Memory Card (16 MB)

RP-SD016B
(In the text, it is indicated as “Card”)

∫ Battery Pack

CGA-S004A
(In the text, it is indicated as “Battery”)

∫ Battery Charger

DE-991B
(In the text, it is indicated as “Charger”)

∫ AV Cable

K1HA08CD0002

∫ USB Connection Cable

K1HA08CD0001

∫ CD-ROM

∫ Strap

VFC4082

∫ Battery Carrying Case

VYQ3211

8

Preparation

Preparation

Names of the Components

1 2

56897

3

4

1 Flash (P37)
2 Lens part
3 Self-timer Indicator (P40)

AF Assist Lamp (P65)

4 Cursor buttons

2/Self-timer Button (P40)
4/[REV] Button (P35)
1/Flash Mode Button (P37)
3/Backlight Compensation in Simple

Mode (P34)/Exposure Compensation
(P41)/Auto Bracket (P42)/White

Balance Fine Adjustment (P61) Button
5 LCD Monitor Type 2.5 (P24, 91)
6 Status Indicator (P22)
7 [MENU] Button (P20)
8 [DISPLAY/PWR LCD] Button (P24)
9 Single/Burst Mode (P44)/Delete Button

(P48)

9

11 12

7

8
9

0

1310 14

15 16

Preparation

10 Speaker for Operational Sound
11 Microphone (P51)
12 Camera Switch (P20)
13 Zoom Lever (P36, 66)
14 Optical Image Stabilizer Button (P43)
15 Shutter Button (P28, 51)
16 Mode Dial (P27)

DIGITAL

AV OUT

DC IN

21 22

1

1
1

17 Strap Eyelet
18 [DIGITAL/AV OUT] Socket (P82, 85, 87)
19 [DC IN] Socket (P85, 87)

• Please be sure to use genuine
Panasonic AC adaptor (DMW-CAC2;
optional).

20 Terminal Cover

2

21 Tripod Receptacle
22 Card/Battery Door (P14, 15)

10

Quick Guide

Preparation

This is the overview of the procedure to
record pictures with this camera. For each
operation, be sure to refer to the
corresponding pages.

1 Charge the battery. (P12)

• When the camera is shipped, the
battery is not charged. Charge the
battery before use.

2 Insert the battery and the card.

(P14, 15)

3 Turn the camera on to take

pictures.

• Set the clock. (P18)

OFF ON

1 Set the mode dial to [ ].
2 Press the shutter button to take

pictures. (P28)

4 Play back the pictures.

1 Set the mode dial to [ ].
2 Select the picture you want to view.

(P45)

11

Preparation

Charging the Battery with the Charger

When the camera is shipped, the battery is
not charged. Charge the battery before
use.

1 Attach the battery with attention

to the direction of the battery.

2 Connect the charger to the

electrical outlet.

• After charging is completed, be sure to
disconnect the charger from the electrical
outlet.

• The battery becomes warm after use/
charge or during charge. The camera also
becomes warm during use. However, this
is not a malfunction with the camera.

• Use the dedicated charger and battery.

• Charge the battery with the charger
indoors.

• Do not disassemble or modify the
charger.

• When the [CHARGE] indicator A lights
in green, charging starts.

• When the [CHARGE] indicator A turns
off (in about 120 minutes), charging is
completed.

3 Detach the battery.

12

About the Battery

Preparation

∫ Battery indication

The remaining battery power appears on
the screen. [It does not appear when you
use the camera along with the AC adaptor
(DMW-CAC2; optional).]

> > >

The indication turns red and blinks:
Recharge or replace the battery.
When the LCD monitor is set to off by the
economy mode, the status indicator blinks.

∫ The lifetime of the battery
The number of recordable pictures by
CIPA standards

• CIPA is an abbreviation of [Camera &
Imaging Products Association].

Number of
recordable pictures

(Recording conditions by CIPA standards)

• Temperature: 73.4°F (23°C)/
Humidity: 50

• Using SD Memory Card (supplied: 16MB).

• Using the supplied battery.

• Recording starts 30 seconds after the
camera is turned on.

• Record once every 30 seconds, with full
flash every other recording.

• Rotating the zoom lever towards Tele to
Wide and vice versa in every recording.

• Turn the camera off every 10 recordings.

Note:When the Power LCD function (P25)

is used, the number of recordable
pictures decreases.

Approx. 120 pictures
(CIPA)

% when LCD monitor is on.

Playback time

Playback time Approx. 100 min.

The number of recordable pictures and
playback time will vary depending on the
operating conditions and storing condition
of the battery.

∫ Charging

Charging time Approx. 120 min.

Charging time and the number of
recordable pictures with the optional
battery pack (CGA-S004A) are the same
as the above.

• When charging starts, the [CHARGE]
indicator lights.

∫ Charging error

• If the [CHARGE] indicator is blinking, this
is a charging error. In this case,
disconnect the charger from the electrical
outlet, detach the battery and then make
sure both room and battery temperature
are not too low or high. If the room
temperature is between 50oF–95oF
(10oC–35oC), recharge the battery. If the
[CHARGE] indicator does not turn off
properly and still starts blinking after you
completed recharging the battery, consult
the dealer.

• When the operating time of the camera
becomes extremely short even if the
battery is properly charged, the life of the
battery may have expired. Buy a new
battery.

∫ Charging conditions

• Charge the battery under temperature of
50oF–95oF (10oC–35oC). (Battery
temperature should be the same also.)

• The performance of the battery may be
temporarily deteriorated and the operating
time may become shorter in low
temperature conditions (e.g. skiing/
snowboarding).

13

Preparation

Inserting/Removing the Battery

• Check that the camera is turned off and
that the lens is retracted.

1 Slide the card/battery door to

open it.

• Please be sure to use genuine
Panasonic batteries (CGA-S004A).

2 Insert:

Insert the charged battery until it
clicks paying attention to the
direction of the battery.

Remove:
Slide the lock 1 to remove the
battery.

3 1 Close the card/battery door.

2 Slide the card/battery door to

the end and then close it firmly.

• If you will not be using the camera for a
long time, remove the battery. Store the
removed battery in the battery carrying
case (supplied). (P95)

• When fully charged battery has been
inserted for more than 24 hours, the clock
setting is stored (in the camera) for at
least 3 months even if the battery is
removed. (The storing may be shorter if
the battery is not charged sufficiently.)
If more than 3 months has passed, the
clock setting will be lost. In this case, set
the clock again. (P18)

• Do not remove the card and the battery
while the card is being accessed. The
data on the card may be damaged.

• The supplied battery is designed only
for use with this camera. Do not use it
with any other equipment.

14

Preparation

Inserting/Removing the Card

• Check that the camera is turned off and
that the lens is retracted.

1 Slide the card/battery door to

open it.

• The card and the data may be
damaged if it is inserted or removed
while the camera is on.

• We recommend using Panasonic’s SD
Memory Card. (Use only the genuine
SD card with SD Logo.)

2 Insert:

Insert the card with the label side
facing the back of the camera
until it clicks.

Remove:
Push the card until it clicks, then
pull the card out upright.

• Check the direction of the card.

• Do not touch the connection terminals
on the back side of the card.

• The card may be damaged if it is not
fully inserted.

3 1 Close the card/battery door.

2 Slide the card/battery door to

the end and then close it firmly.

• If the card/battery door cannot be
completely closed, remove the card and
insert it again.

15

About the Card

Preparation

∫ Access to the card

While the card is being accessed
(Recognizing/Recording/Reading/
Deleting), the card access indication 1
lights.

1600

19

When the card access indication 1 lights,
do not:

• turn the camera off.

• remove the battery or the card.

• shake or impact the camera.
The card and the data may be damaged
and the camera may not operate normally.

∫ About handling a card

Store precious data to your PC (P85). The
data on the card may be damaged or lost
due to electromagnetic wave, static
electricity, breakdown of this camera or a
defective card.

∫ SD Memory Card (supplied) and

MultiMediaCard (optional)

The SD Memory Card and MultiMediaCard
are small, lightweight, removable external
memory cards. The reading/writing speed
of an SD Memory Card is fast. The SD
Memory Card is equipped with a
Write-Protect switch A that can inhibit
writing and formatting a card. (When the
switch is slid to the [LOCK] side, it is not
possible to write or delete data on the card
and format it. When the switch is unlocked,
these functions become available.)

SD Memory Card

MultiMediaCard

• The reading/writing speed of a
MultiMediaCard is slower than an SD
Memory Card. When a MultiMediaCard is
used, the performance of certain features
may be slightly slower than advertised.

• After recording motion images using the
MultiMediaCard, the card access
indication may appear for a while, but this
is not a malfunction.

• Keep the Memory Card out of reach of
children to prevent swallowing.

16

Preparation

Approximate number of recordable pictures and the size

Picture size 2560k1920 2048k1536 1600k1200

Quality

16 MB 5 11 9 17 14 28
32 MB 12 24 19 37 31 59

64 MB 25 49 39 75 63 121
128 MB 51 100 79 153 128 244
256 MB 102 200 157 306 255 487
512 MB 205 403 317 616 515 982

1 GB 395 775 610 1185 991 1889

Picture size 1280k960 640k480

Quality

16 MB 22 41 69 113 13 25

32 MB 47 86 145 236 28 54

64 MB 96 176 298 484 58 110
128 MB 195 356 602 979 118 223
256 MB 390 709 1200 1950 236 445
512 MB 785 1429 2418 3929 476 898

1 GB 1511 2748 4650 7557 916 1727

• If you select a larger picture size, you can print pictures clearly. When you select a
smaller picture size, you can store more pictures on a card though the picture quality is
deteriorated.

• The numbers are approximations. (If you mix Fine and Standard quality, the number of
recordable pictures changes.)

• The number of recordable pictures may vary depending on subjects.

• The remaining number of recordable pictures displayed on the screen is an
approximation.

1920k1080

(HDTV)

17

Preparation

Setting Date/Time (Clock Set)

∫ Initial setting

The clock is not set when the camera is
shipped. When you turn the camera on, the
following screen appears.

PLEASE SET THE CLOCK

CLOCK SET

MENU

• Press the [MENU] button, the screen
shown in step 2 appears.

• The screen disappears in about
5 seconds. To access clock set menu,
start from step 1.

1 Select [CLOCK SET] from the

[SETUP] menu. (P20)

2

SETUP

CLOCK SET
NO.RESET
RESET
USB MODE
VIDEO OUT

SELECT

MENU

NTSC

EXIT

PC

MENU

/

3

2 Set date and time.

CLOCK SET

JAN

M/D/Y

SETSELECT

11 2004

..

EXIT

MENU

0 00

:

• 2/1: Select the desired item.

• 3/4: Set date and time.

3 Select [M/D/Y], [D/M/Y] or [Y/M/D].

CLOCK SET

10:001

DEC

.11.2004

M/D/Y

EXIT

MENU

SETSELECT

• Close the menu by pressing the
[MENU] button 2 times after finishing
the setting.

• Check if the clock setting is correct,
after turning the camera off and on.

18

Preparation

• When a fully charged battery has been
inserted for more than 24 hours, the clock
setting is stored (in the camera) for at
least 3 months even if the battery is
removed. (The storing time may be
shorter if the battery is not charged
sufficiently.)
If more than 3 months has passed, the
clock setting will be lost. In this case, set
the clock again.

• You can set the year from 2000 to 2099.
The 24-hour system is used.

• If you do not set the date, the date cannot
be printed when you go to a photo studio
for digital printing.

• For the date print setting, refer to P73.

19

Setup Menu

Preparation

1 Turn the camera on.

OFF ON

2 Press the [MENU] button.

1

REC
W.BALANCE

MENU

SENSITIVITY
PICT.SIZE
QUALITY
AUDIO REC.

SELECT

• The menu items depend on the mode
selected with the mode dial. In this
page, the items in normal picture mode
[ ] are indicated.

• The menu screen in simple mode [ ]
is different from the above screen.
(P32)

SETUP

/

3

AUTO

AUTO

1600

OFF

EXIT

MENU

3 Select the [SETUP] Menu.

REC

MONITOR
AUTO REVIEW
POWER SAVE

ECO

ECONOMY
BEEP

SELECT

• When rotating the zoom lever A toward
T, the page of the menu screen can be
forwarded. (vice versa)

SETUP

n

OFF

2MIN.

OFF

EXIT

4 Select the desired item.

SETUP

MONITOR
AUTO REVIEW
POWER SAVE

ECO

ECONOMY
BEEP

SELECT

SET

n

OFF

1SEC.

3SEC.

ZOOM

EXIT

5 Set the desired value.

SETUP

MONITOR
AUTO REVIEW
POWER SAVE

ECO

ECONOMY
BEEP

SELECT

SET

n

OFF

1SEC.

3SEC.

ZOOM

EXIT

0

MENU

0

MENU

0

MENU

1

/

3

1

/

3

1

/

3

20

Be sure to press 1 at the end to
determine the setting.

• Close the menu by pressing the shutter
button halfway or the [MENU] button
after finishing the setting.

Preparation

You can control the following items on [SETUP] Menu.

Menu Functions

MONITOR Adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor in 7 steps.
AUTO REVIEW [OFF]: The recorded picture does not automatically appear.

POWER SAVE The battery life is saved by turning the camera off automatically

[1SEC.]: The recorded picture automatically appears on the

screen for about 1 second.

[3SEC.]: The recorded picture automatically appears on the

screen for about 3 seconds.

[ZOOM]: The recorded picture automatically appears on the

screen for about 1 second. Then it is enlarged 4 times
and appears for about 1 second. This mode is useful
for confirming focus. Pictures in burst mode, auto
bracket, pictures with audio are not enlarged even if
[ZOOM] is selected.

• In motion image mode [ ], auto review function is not
activated.

• When pictures are recorded in burst mode or auto bracket, the
time for the auto review function is fixed to 1 second regardless
of the setting on the [SETUP] menu. (The picture is not
enlarged.)

• When using pictures with audio, the auto review function works
while recording the audio or the data into the card regardless of
the setting on the auto review function. (The picture is not
enlarged.)

while the camera is not being used.

[1MIN.]/[2MIN.]/[5MIN.]/[10MIN.]:

The camera is automatically turned off if it has not been
used for a predetermined amount of time.
(Press the shutter button or turn the camera off and on to
recover from the power save mode.)

• When connecting to a PC or a printer/recording motion images/
playing back motion images/during Slide Show, the power save
mode is not activated.

• In the economy mode, the power save is set to [2MIN.].

21

Preparation

Menu Functions

ECONOMY

ECO

(works in modes
except playback
mode and simple
mode)

The battery life is saved by turning the LCD monitor off
automatically.
(Press any button to recover from the economy mode.)

[OFF]: Economy mode cannot be activated.
[LEVEL1]:The LCD monitor turns off and the status indicator

turns on if you do not use the camera for about 15
seconds.

[LEVEL2]:The LCD monitor turns off and the status indicator

turns on if you do not use the camera for about 15
seconds or you leave it for about 5 seconds after
taking pictures.

• In the economy mode, the power save is set to [2MIN.].

• In the economy mode, the LCD monitor is off while the flash is
being charged.

• The economy mode is not activated while the menu screen is
displayed or the self-timer is set.

• The economy mode is not activated while the AC adaptor/
DMW-CAC2 (optional) is used or recording motion images.

BEEP [BEEP LEVEL]:[ ]: No operational sound

[BEEP LEVEL]:[]:Soft operational sound
[BEEP LEVEL]:[]:Loud operational sound

[BEEP TONE]:

[SHUTTER]:

1 2 3

1 2

3

CLOCK SET Change date and time. (P18)
NO.RESET Set this when you want to start the file number of the picture from

0001 on the next recording. (The folder number is updated, and
the file number starts from 0001.)

• The folder number can be assigned from 100 to 999.
When the folder number reaches 999, it cannot be reset. We
recommend formatting the card after saving the data on a PC or
elsewhere.

• When you insert a formatted card or a new card and select this
item, the file number is reset and the confirmation screen for
reset of folder number appears. If you select [YES] on the
screen, the folder number is reset to 100.

22

Preparation

Menu Functions

RESET The settings on the recording or the [SETUP] menu are reset to

USB MODE Set the USB communication system. Set before connecting to a

VIDEO OUT
(Playback mode
only)

SCENE MENU [AUTO]: Scene menu appears automatically when setting the

LANGUAGE Set to the language on the menu screen from the following

the initial settings. However, the folder number and the clock
setting are not changed.

PC or a printer. (P83)

[NTSC]: Video output is set to NTSC system.
[PAL]: Video output is set to PAL system. (P82)

mode dial to scene mode. Select the desired scene
mode.

[OFF]: Scene menu does not appear when setting the mode

dial to scene mode and the camera is operated in the
scene mode currently selected. If you change the
scene mode, press the [MENU] button to display the
scene menu and then select the desired scene mode.

7 languages.
Set to the desired language with 3/4 and determine it with 1.

[ENGLISH]: English [DEUTSCH]: German
[FRANÇAIS]: French [ESPAÑOL]: Spanish
[ITALIANO]: Italian []:Chinese (Simplified)
[]:Japanese

• When you set to other language by mistake, select [ ] from
the menu icons to set the desired language.

• The settings on [BEEP LEVEL], [BEEP TONE], [NO.RESET] and [LANGUAGE] are also
reflected in simple mode [ ].

23

About the LCD Monitor

Preparation

∫ Selecting the screen to be used

DISPLAY/PWR LCD

A LCD monitor (LCD)
Press the [DISPLAY/PWR LCD] button to
switch to the screen to be used.

• When the menu screen appears, the
[DISPLAY/PWR LCD] button is not
activated. During 9 pictures multi playback
(P46) or playback zoom (P47), the
indications on the screen can be turned
on and off.

In simple mode [ ] (P32)

8

BACKLIGHT

B Display
C Non-display

In recording mode (P27)

1600

19

1600

D Display
E Display with histogram
F Non-display (Recording guide line)
G Non-display

¢Histogram

In playback mode (P45)

1600

100_0001

1/19

10:00 DEC. 1.2004

1600

100_0001

19

1/19

24

ISO

F2.8 1/25

10:00 DEC. 1.2004

AUTO

100

H Display
I Display with recording information and

histogram

J Non-display

Preparation

∫ To view the LCD monitor outdoors on

a bright sunny day (Power LCD
function)

When you press and hold the [DISPLAY/
PWR LCD] button for 1 second, the power
LCD function is activated, the LCD monitor
becomes brighter than usual and easier to
see outdoors.

1600

19

1600

19

• This function does not affect recorded
pictures.

• When you take pictures, the LCD monitor
automatically reverts back to the normal
brightness 30 seconds after the
[DISPLAY/PWR LCD] button is pressed. If
you press any button, the LCD monitor
turns on brightly again.

• If you press and hold [DISPLAY/PWR
LCD] button for 1 second again, the power
LCD function is canceled and the LCD
monitor reverts back to its usual
brightness.

∫ Recording guide line

When you align the subject on the
horizontal and vertical guide lines or the
cross point of these lines, you can take
pictures with well-designed composition by
viewing the size, the slope and the balance
of the subject.

25

∫ Histogram

• A histogram is a graph that displays
brightness along the horizontal axis (black
to white) and the number of pixels at each
brightness level on the vertical axis.

• It allows the camera user to easily check
the way a picture is being exposed.

• It is very useful if manual adjustments of
the lens aperture and shutter speed are
available, especially in those situations
where automatic exposure may be difficult
due to uneven lighting. Using the
histogram feature will allow you to get the
best performance from the camera.

• When the values are concentrated to the
left A, the picture is under exposed.

• When the values in the histogram are
distributed evenly B, the exposure is
adequate and the brightness is
well-balanced.

• When the values are concentrated to the
right C, the picture is over exposed.

Example of histogram

1600

100_0001

1/19

ISO

F2.8 1/200

10:00 DEC. 1.2004

100

1600

100_0001

1/19

AUTO

Preparation

• When you take pictures with the flash
or in dark places, the histogram is
displayed in orange because the
recorded picture and the histogram do
not match each other.

• The histogram does not appear when in
motion image mode [ ], during multi
playback and playback zoom.

• The histogram in the recording mode is an
approximation.

• The histogram in recording and playback
may not match each other.

• The histogram in this camera does not
match the one displayed on image editing
software used with a PC, etc.

A Under Exposed
B Properly Exposed
C Over Exposed

¢Histogram

26

ISO

F2.8 1/100

10:00 DEC. 1.2004

1600

100_0001

ISO

F2.8 1/50

10:00 DEC. 1.2004

AUTO

100

1/19

AUTO

100

Recording pictures (basic)

Recording pictures (basic)

Taking Pictures

∫ The Mode Dial

This camera has a mode dial to suit for recording of many kinds of scenes.
Select the desired mode and enjoy the variety of recording.
Rotate the mode dial slowly and match icon with mode dial indicator 1.

: Normal picture mode (P28)

Use this mode for usual recording.

: Simple mode (P32)
This is the recommended mode for
beginners.

: Macro mode (P50)
This mode allows you to take a picture
extremely close to the subject.

: Scene mode (P53)
This mode allows you to take pictures
depending on the recording scenes.

: Motion image mode (P51)
This mode allows you to record motion
images.

: Playback mode (P45)
This mode allows you to play back
recorded pictures and motion images.

27

Recording pictures (basic)

∫ Taking pictures

The camera automatically sets the shutter
speed and the aperture value according to
the brightness of the subject.

• Insert the charged battery. (P14)

• Insert the card. (P15)

1 1 Turn the camera on.

2 Set the mode dial to Normal

picture mode [ ].

OFF ON

2 Aim the AF area 1 to the point

you want to focus and then press
the shutter button halfway A.

3 Take a picture.

1/25F2.8

• B: Press the shutter button fully to take
the picture.

When the
subject is not
focused

Focus
indication

AF area Turns from

Sound Beeps 4 times Beeps 2 times

Blink (green) On (green)

white to red

When the
subject is
focused

Tu r ns fr om
white to green

1/25F2.8

• The focus indication 2 is lit and then
the aperture value 3 and the shutter
speed 4 are displayed.

28

Recording pictures (basic)

∫ AF/AE Lock (AF: Auto Focus/

AE: Auto Exposure)

1600

19

When recording a picture of people with a
composition as the above picture, you
cannot focus on the subject because it is
out of AF area in usual operation.

In this case,

1 Aim the AF area at the subject.
2 Press the shutter button halfway to fix

the focus and the exposure.

3 When the subject is focused, the focus

indication lights.

4 Keeping the focus and the exposure

fixed, move the camera as you compose
the picture.

5 Press the shutter button fully.

• You can retry the AF/AE lock repeatedly
before pressing the shutter button fully.

∫ Correct posture for taking good

pictures

To take pictures without blurring:

• Hold the camera gently with both hands,
keep arms stationary at your side and
stand with your feet slightly apart.

• Make sure that camera shake does not
occur when pressing the shutter button
halfway.

• After pressing the shutter button, keep the
camera stationary until the picture
appears on the screen.

• In the following cases, keep the camera
stationary for a longer time.
– Slow sync./Red-eye reduction [ ]

(P37)

– When the shutter speed is slowed in the

setting on the slow shutter speed (P65)

– [NIGHT SCENERY] (P55), [NIGHT

PORTRAIT] (P56), [FIREWORKS] (P56)
and [PARTY] (P57) in scene mode (P53)

A: Photo flash
B: AF assist lamp

• Do not cover the photo flash or the AF

1/25F2.8

1/25F2.8

assist lamp with your finger.

• Do not touch the lens part.

29

Recording pictures (basic)

∫ Focusing

• The focus range is 1.64 feet (50 cm)– ¶
(Wide), 1.64 feet (50 cm)– ¶ (Tele).

• If you press the shutter button fully without
prefocusing, pictures may be blurry or
unfocused.

• When the focus indication is blinking, the
subject is not focused. Press the shutter
button halfway and focus on the subject
again.

• If the camera will not focus after a few
tries, turn it off and on and try again.

• In the following cases, the camera cannot
focus on subjects properly.
– When including both near and distant

subjects in a scene.

– When there is dirt or dust on the glass

between the lens and the subject.

– When there are illuminated or glittering

objects around the subject.
– When taking a picture in a dark place.
– When the subject is moving fast.
– When the scene has low contrast.
– When jitter occurs.
– When recording a very bright subject.
We recommend taking pictures using AF/
AE lock. In dark places, the AF assist
lamp (P65) may turn on to focus on the
subject.
Even if the focus indication appears and
the subject is focused, it is canceled when
you release the shutter button. Press the
shutter button halfway again.

∫ Jitter (camera shake)

• Be careful of jittering when pressing the
shutter button.

• When jitter could occur, the jitter alert 1
appears.

1/8F2.8

• When the jitter alert appears, we
recommend using a tripod. If you cannot
use a tripod, be careful of how you hold
the camera. (P29)

∫ Exposure

• If you press the shutter button halfway
when the exposure is not adequate, the
indication of the aperture value and the
shutter speed turns red. (However, the
aperture value and the shutter speed do
not turn red when the flash is activated.)

• The brightness of the screen may differ
from that of recorded pictures. In
particular, when taking pictures in dark
places with slow shutter speed, the
subject looks dark on the screen, but the
actual picture is bright.

• When most of the subjects in the screen
are bright (e.g. blue sky on a clear day,
snowy field, etc.), the recorded pictures
may become dark. In this case,
compensate the exposure value on the
camera. (P41)

30