ENGLISH The Components Guide Preparations Shooting Photo of PowerShot A640 Playback/Erasing Menus and Settings Printing Basic to a Computer Camera User Guide Please Read This First Downloading Images This guide explains how to prepare the camera and use its basic features. CDI-E289-010 © 2006 CANON INC. PRINTED IN CHINA Flowchart and Reference Guides The following guides are available. Refer to them as necessary according to the flowchart below. For information on included items and items sold separately System Map The Components Guide Preparations · Installing the batteries and memory card · Opening the LCD monitor · Setting the date, time and language Basic Camera User Guide (This Guide) · Read this first. Shooting Playback/Erasing Menus and Settings Handling precautions, references to the various shooting and playback functions Advanced Camera User Guide Printing Direct Print User Guide · Installing the software · Downloading images to a computer · Using the software Basic Camera User Guide (This Guide) Software Starter Guide ZoomBrowser EX/ ImageBrowser Software User Guide · PDF manuals available on the Canon website. http://web.canon.jp/ Imaging/informatione.html In this guide, the Basic Camera User Guide is called the Basic Guide, and the Advanced Camera User Guide is called the Advanced Guide. In this guide, explanations are given using illustrations for the PowerShot A640. The Components Guide Front View Attaching the Wrist Strap The Components Guide a Wrist Strap Mount b Speaker c AF-assist Beam (Advanced Guide p. 21) d Red-Eye Reduction Lamp (p. 16) e Self-Timer Lamp (p. 18) f Viewfinder Window (Advanced Guide p. 16) g Flash (p. 15) h Ring (Advanced Guide p. 121) i Ring Release Button (Advanced Guide p. 121) j Lens k Microphone (Advanced Guide pp. 39, 87) 1 Back View a LCD Monitor (p. 7, Advanced Guide p. 12) b Viewfinder (Advanced Guide p. 16) c A/V OUT (Audio/Video output) Terminal (Advanced Guide p. 97) d DIGITAL Terminal (p. 28) e Terminal Cover f DC IN Terminal (Power input) (Advanced Guide p. 119) g Memory Card Slot / Battery Cover (p. 5) h Memory Card Slot / Battery Cover Lock (p. 5) i Tripod Socket 2 Controls The Components Guide a Indicators (p. 4) b Power Lamp c Power Button (p. 9) d Zoom Lever (p. 14, Advanced Guide p. 78) Shooting: (Wide Angle)/ (Telephoto) Playback: (Index)/ (Magnify) e Shutter Button (p. 10) f Shooting Mode Dial (pp. 9, 11) g Mode Switch (pp. 9, 20) h (Print/Share) Button (p. 23) i MENU Button (p. 22, Advanced Guide p. 19) j FUNC./SET (Function/Set) Button (p. 21, Advanced Guide p. 18) k DISP. (Display) Button (Advanced Guide p. 12) l (Exposure)/ (Single Image Erase) Button (p. 20, Advanced Guide p. 57) m (Flash)/ (Jump)/ Button (p. 15, Advanced Guide p. 80) n Button o (Macro)/ (Manual Focus)/ Button (p. 17, Advanced Guide p. 51) p Button 3 Indicators The camera indicators will light or blink under the following conditions. Never do the following while the green indicator blinks. These actions may corrupt image data. - Shake or jolt the camera - Shut off the power, or open the memory card slot/battery cover Upper Indicator Green: Blinking Green: Ready to shoot Image recording/reading/erasing/transferring (when connected to a computer) Orange: Ready to shoot (flash on) Blinking Orange: Ready to shoot (camera shake warning), charging flash Lower Indicator Yellow: Blinking Yellow: Macro mode/Manual focus mode/AF lock mode Focusing difficulty (camera beeps once) 4 Preparations 1. Installing the batteries. 1. Slide the memory card slot/battery cover lock in the direction of the arrow (a) and open the cover (b). 2. Insert the 4 supplied AA-size alkaline batteries, or separately sold AA-size NiMH batteries. Negative end (­) Positive end (+) Preparations See the Advanced Guide: Battery Handling (p. 112). 2. Inserting the memory card. 1. Insert the memory card until it clicks into place. 2. Hold down the memory card slot/battery cover (a), then slide it in the direction of the arrow until it clicks into place (b). Back 5 Ensure that the memory card is correctly oriented before inserting it in the camera. It may damage the camera, or the camera may not recognize the card, if it is inserted incorrectly. See the Advanced Guide: Handling the Memory Card (p. 114). See the Advanced Guide: Formatting Memory Cards (p. 26). To Remove the Memory Card Push the memory card with your finger until the memory card clicks and then release it. You can use SD* memory cards, SDHC memory cards and MultiMediaCards with this camera. These cards are collectively called memory cards in this guide. * SD stands for Secure Digital, a copyright protection system. 6 First Time Settings Opening the LCD Monitor The LCD monitor can be used to check an image during shooting, to play back recorded images or to adjust menu settings. It can be opened to the following range of positions. 1. Opened right to left 180 degrees. 2. Tilted forward 180 degrees toward the lens or backward 90 degrees. When tilted forward 180 degrees toward the lens, the image shown on the LCD monitor is automatically flipped and reversed so that it appears correctly from in front of the lens. This reverse display function can be turned off. See the Advanced Guide: Rec. Menu (p. 20). Preparations 3. Close the LCD monitor with the LCD monitor facing out. When the LCD monitor clicks into place against the camera body, the image will return to its original, nonreversed orientation. See the Advanced Guide: Using the LCD Monitor (p. 12). When not using the camera, close the LCD monitor with the monitor facing in to protect it. The LCD monitor will automatically turn off when it clicks shut against the camera body. 7 Setting the Date/Time 1. Press the power button (a). 2. Use the or button to select an item and the button to change its value (b). the FUNC./SET button (c). The date and time can also be set in the Set up menu (p. 22). or 3. Confirm that the correct time is displayed and press · A rechargeable lithium battery is built into the camera to save such settings as the date/time. This battery charges when the main batteries are in the camera. When you purchase the camera, place the main batteries in it for approximately four hours or use AC Adapter Kit ACK600 (sold separately) to charge the lithium battery. It will charge even if the camera is turned off. · The date/time settings may be lost after approximately three weeks if you remove the main batteries. Reset the date/time settings if this occurs. Setting the Display Language 1. Set the mode switch to (playback). 2. Hold down the FUNC./SET button and press the MENU button. 3. Use the , , or button to select a language and press the FUNC./SET button. The display language can also be set in the Set up menu (p. 22). 8 Shooting 1. Press the power button. The start-up sound will play and the start-up image will display on the LCD monitor. · Pressing the power button again turns the power off. · Pressing the power button while pressing and holding the DISP. button will turn on the mute setting which will mute all sounds except for warning sounds. Power button See the Advanced Guide: Power Saving Function (p. 17). See the Advanced Guide: Set up Menu (p. 22). See the Advanced Guide: My Camera Menu (p. 24). Shooting 2. Set the mode switch to (shooting) (a). 3. Set the shooting mode dial to (b). 4. Aim the camera at the subject. 9 5. Focus and shoot. 1. Press the shutter button halfway to focus. When the camera focuses, the camera beeps twice and the indicator lights green (orange when using the flash). Also, the AF frame appears in green on the LCD monitor at the point where the camera is focused. 2. Press the shutter button fully to shoot. The shutter sound will play and the image will record. The indicator will blink green while the image is recorded to the memory card. Indicators Indicators See Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 11). See Indicators (p. 4). See the Advanced Guide: Selecting an AF Frame (p. 47). See the Advanced Guide for the various shooting methods available. Reviewing an Image Right After Shooting After a shot is taken, the image appears in the LCD monitor for approximately 2 seconds. You can continue to display images regardless of the review duration setting with the following procedures. · Keeping the shutter button pressed after a shot. · Pressing the FUNC./SET or DISP. button while the image is displayed in the LCD monitor. To stop displaying the image, press the shutter button halfway. See the Advanced Guide: Review (p. 21). See Erasing (p. 20). 10 Selecting a Shooting Mode 1. Set the shooting mode dial to the desired mode (a). In the and shooting mode. modes, use the or button (b) to select a Creative zone Auto Image zone Shooting Modes Auto The camera automatically selects settings. Shooting When a shooting mode appropriate for the shooting conditions is selected, the camera automatically adjusts settings for optimal shooting. Portrait Blurs the background and makes a person stand out. Landscape Optimized for shooting landscape scenes which contain both near and far subjects. Image zone Night scene Allows you to capture human subjects against the backdrop of an evening sky or night scene. The flash is directed at the person and the shutter speed is slow, so both the person and the background can be beautifully shot. 11 (Special Scene) You can shoot with the most appropriate settings for the scene. Night Snapshot Allows you to take snapshots of people against twilight or night backgrounds by reducing the effects of camera shake even without using a tripod. Kids&Pets Allows you to capture subjects that move around, such as children and pets, without missing photo opportunities. Image zone Indoor Prevents camera shake and maintains the subject's true color when shooting under fluorescent or tungsten lighting. Foliage Shoots trees and leaves such as new growth, autumn leaves or blossoms - in vivid colors. Snow Shoots without a blue tinge and without making people appear dark against a snowy background. Beach Shoots without making people appear dark near water or sand where reflected sunlight is strong. Fireworks Captures fireworks in the sky sharply and at optimal exposure. Underwater Appropriate for shooting images with Waterproof Case WP-DC8 (sold separately). This mode uses an optimal white balance setting to reduce bluish tones and record images with a natural hue. 12 Color Accent Use this option to have only the color specified in the LCD monitor remain and to transform all others to black and white. See the Advanced Guide (p. 65). Color Swap Use this option to transform a color specified in the LCD monitor into another. See the Advanced Guide (p. 66). Image zone Stitch Assist Allows you to shoot overlapping images that can later be merged (stitched) to create one panoramic image on a computer. See the Advanced Guide (p. 41). Movie Shoots a movie when you press the shutter button. Apart from [ Standard] mode, you can also select from [ Compact] which is convenient for email attachments, [ Color Accent] which has only the color specified in the LCD monitor remain and transforms all others to black and white, and [ Color Swap] which transforms a color specified in the LCD monitor into another color. See the Advanced Guide (p. 37). Shooting , , , Creative You can freely select camera settings such as the exposure and zone aperture value to suit your shooting purposes. See the Advanced Guide (p. 43 ­ 46). 13 · The shutter speed is slow in or mode. Always use a tripod to avoid camera shake. · In , , , , or mode, the ISO speed may increase and cause noise in the image depending on the scene being shot. · In mode, shoot with the subject more than 1 m (3.3 ft.) away from the front of the lens. · To shoot underwater, install the camera in Waterproof Case WP-DC8 (sold separately). · We recommend you use Waterproof Case WP-DC8 (sold separately) for shooting at ski resorts or beaches. Using the Zoom 1. Press the zoom lever toward or . The zoom can be adjusted from 35 mm ­ 140 mm (focal length) in 35mm film equivalent terms. Telephoto: Zooms in on the subject. Wide Angle: Zooms out from the subject. 14 Using the Flash 1. Press the button to cycle through flash settings. Each time you press the button, the flash settings will change. With the red-eye reduction function on: With the red-eye reduction function off: Auto with red-eye reduction Auto Flash on with redeye reduction Flash on Flash off The flash fires automatically and the red-eye reduction lamp lights each time. The flash fires automatically. The red-eye reduction lamp lights and the flash always fires. The flash always fires. The flash will not fire. Shooting Red-eye reduction: This feature reduces the effect of light reflecting back from the eyes and making them appear red (p. 16). or cannot be set in mode. See the Advanced G ...