ENGLISH Safety Precautions Be sure to read, understand and follow the safety precautions below when using the camera, in order to prevent injury, burns or electrical shock to yourself and others. Be sure to also read the safety precautions listed in the Advanced Camera User Guide. Warnings · Do not trigger the flash in close proximity to human or animal eyes. · Store this equipment out of the reach of children and infants. · Avoid dropping or subjecting the camera to severe impacts. Do not touch the flash portion of the camera if it has been damaged. · Stop operating the equipment immediately if it emits smoke or noxious fumes. · Do not handle the power cord if your hands are wet. · Only use batteries recommended in this manual. · The output terminal for the compact power adaptor is made specifically for this camera. Do not use it with any other device. Preparations Shooting Playback/Erasing Menus and Settings Printing Downloading Images to a Computer Basic Camera User Guide Please Read This First This guide explains how to prepare the camera and use its basic features. CDI-E210-010 © 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 Preparations · Installing the battery and memory card · Setting the date, time and language Shooting Playback/Erasing Menus and Settings Basic Camera User Guide (This Guide) · Read this first. 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/information-e.html This icon appears for functions and notes that apply only to the PowerShot A430. 0 This guide uses illustrations of the PowerShot A430. Preparations Installing the Battery and Memory Card 1 Open memory card slot/battery cover. a b c Preparations 2 Insert the batteries, and insert the memory card until it clicks into place, then close the cover. (­) Negative end (+) Positive end Front a b See the Advanced Guide: Battery Handling (p. 85) See the Advanced Guide: Handling the Memory Card (p. 87) See the Advanced Guide: Formatting Memory Cards (p. 29) Ensure that the memory card is correctly oriented before inserting it in the camera. It may damage the camera if inserted incorrectly. You can use SD* 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. 1 To Remove the Memory Card Use your finger to push the memory card in until you hear a click, then release it. Preparations First Time Settings Setting the Date/Time 1 Press the power button. Upper indicator Power button The upper indicator blinks green. To turn the power off, press the power button once more. Hold down the DISP. button, and press the power button to turn on the mute setting and turn off all operation sounds except the warnings. See the Advanced Guide: Using the LCD Monitor (p. 15) See the Advanced Guide: Power Saving Function (p. 20) See the Advanced Guide: Set up Menu (p. 25) See the Advanced Guide: My Camera Menu (p. 27) 2 2 Select the item you wish to set using the or button and or set its value using the button (a). a b 3 Confirm that the correct time is displayed and press the FUNC./SET button (b). The date/time can also be set in the Set up menu (p. 11). Preparations Setting the Display Language 1 Set the mode dial to (Playback) (a). a d b e c 2 Hold down the FUNC./SET button (b) and press the MENU button (c). 3 Use the , , or button (d) to select a language and press the FUNC./SET button (e). The language can also be set in the Set up menu (p. 11). 3 Shooting 1 Set the mode dial to (Auto). 2 Aim the camera at the subject. Be careful not to block the flash with your finger. 3 Press the shutter button lightly (halfway) to focus. The camera beeps twice and the upper indicator lights green when the camera focuses. Upper indicator Lightly press (Pressing halfway) The beep will sound one time if the subject is difficult to focus on. See the Advanced Guide: Shooting Hard-to-Focus Subjects (p. 47) Shooting 4 Press the shutter button fully (all the way) to shoot. The shutter sound will play (a beep sound for the PowerShot A420), and the image will record. The upper indicator will blink green while the image is recorded to the memory card. Upper indicator Pressing fully (Pressing all the way) See Basic Shooting Functions (p. 5) See the Advanced Guide to verify the advanced shooting method. See the Advanced Guide: Movie Shooting (p. 37) See the Advanced Guide: Indicators (p. 19) 4 Reviewing an Image Right After Shooting After a shot is taken, the image appears in the LCD monitor for approximately 2 seconds. To override this time limit and continue displaying the image, use one of the following methods: Keep the shutter button fully depressed after taking the shot. Press the FUNC./SET or DISP. button while the image is displayed in the LCD monitor.* Press the shutter button halfway again to stop displaying it. * This operation is not available in the Stitch Assist mode (p. 6). See the Advanced Guide: Changing the Review Duration (p. 24) See Erasing (p. 10) Basic Shooting Functions Shooting Selecting a Shooting Mode Use the mode dial and menu to select the Shooting modes. Mode Dial AUTO The camera automatically selects settings. MOVIE Modes for shooting movies are available with this camera. MANUAL 6 modes are available with this camera. You can manually adjust the exposure, white balance, My Colors, shooting panorama composition images ( , ) and other settings before shooting. SPECIAL SCENE 8 scene modes to shoot with the most appropriate settings for the scene are available with this camera. See the Advanced Guide: Movie Shooting (p. 37) 5 Selecting a Shooting Mode In the , , and modes, the same procedure is used for selecting shooting modes. The following explanation uses the mode as an example. 1 Set the mode dial to (a). a c bd 2 Press the FUNC./SET button (b). 3 Use the or button to select a shooting mode (c). button (d). Shooting mode 4 Press the FUNC./SET Shooting Mode Items Manual Allows you to select settings yourself, such as the exposure compensation, white balance or My Colors settings. Super Macro Allows you to take magnified shots of subjects closer than standard Macro mode (p. 9). Shooting is possible when the distance from the front of the lens to the subject is in the following range: 1 to 5 cm (0.4 to 2.0 in.) (maximum wide angle) See the Advanced Guide (p. 31) Color Accent Allows you 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. 42) Color Swap Allows you to transform a color specified in the LCD monitor into another color. See the Advanced Guide (p. 43) Stitch Assist Use this mode when taking shots that you want to combine into a panorama. See the Advanced Guide (p. 40) 6 Special Scene Mode Items By selecting a shooting mode, you can capture scenes with optimal shooting. Portrait Blurs the background and makes a person stand out. 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. Indoor Prevents camera shake and maintains the subject's true color when shooting under fluorescent or tungsten lighting. Snow Shoots without a blue tinge and without making people appear dark against a snowy background. Shooting Fireworks Captures fireworks in the sky sharply and at an optimal exposure. Kids&Pets Allows you to capture subjects that move around, such as children and pets, without missing photo opportunities. Foliage Shoots trees and leaves - such as new growth, autumn leaves or blossoms - in vivid colors. Beach Shoots without making people appear dark near water or sand where reflected sunlight is strong. The shutter speed is slow in (Fireworks) mode. Always use a tripod to avoid camera shake. In (Indoor), (Kids&Pets) or (Night Snapshot) mode, the ISO speed may increase and cause noise in the image depending on the scene being shot. In (Kids&Pets) mode, shoot with the subject at least 1 m (3.3 ft.) away. Movie Mode Items Allows you to shoot a movie just by pressing the shutter button. The following movie modes are available: Standard, Compact (for sending movies as e-mail attachments), Color Accent (for shooting in black and white except for specified colors), and Color Swap (for changing a specified color into another). See the Advanced Guide: Movie Shooting (p. 37) 7 Using the Zoom The zoom can be adjusted to the following in 35 mm film equivalent terms. PowerShot A430: 39 mm - 156 mm PowerShot A420: 39 mm - 125 mm Telephoto Zooms in on the subject. Wide Angle Zooms out from the subject. Using the Flash Auto Auto with red-eye reduction* Flash on with red-eye reduction* Flash on Flash off Slow Synchro Shooting button Press this button to cycle through flash settings. (Flash settings cannot be used in some shooting modes.) * Red-Eye Reduction: This feature reduces the effect of light reflecting back from the eyes and making them appear red. Distance ranges for shooting with the flash are 47 cm to 3.0 m (1.5 to 10 ft.) (W) and 47 cm to 2.0 m (1.5 to 6.6 ft.) (T). If the LCD monitor is on when the flash begins charging, the upper indicator will blink orange, and the LCD monitor will turn off. When charging is complete, the upper indicator will turn off, and the LCD will turn on again. The charge time varies depending on conditions of use such as the remaining battery life. 8 You are recommended to shoot with the camera attached to a tripod or other device if the camera shake warning icon appears. blinks while recharging. You can shoot after lights without blinking. See the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 112) Shooting Close-Ups/Infinity Shots button When you press this button, or appears on the LCD monitor. To cancel the macro/infinity mode: press the button to remove or from the display. Shooting (Macro): Use this mode to shoot close-ups of flowers or small items. Image area at minimum shooting distance from end of lens to subject: Maximum wide angle setting: 52 × 39 mm (2.0 × 1.5 in.) (Minimum shooting distance: 5 cm (2.0 in.)) Maximum telephoto setting (PowerShot A430) : 64 × 48 mm (2.5 × 1.9 in.) (Minimum shooting distance: 25 cm (9.8 in.)) Maximum telephoto setting (PowerShot A420) : 75 × 56 mm (3.0 × 2.2 in.) (Minimum shooting distance: 25 cm (9.8 in.)) (Infinity): Use this mode to record subjects 3 m (9.8 ft.) away or more. Also use this mode for compositions combining both near and distant objects. Use the LCD monitor to compose close-ups in macro mode since images composed with the viewfinder may be off-center. Exposure may not be optimal when the flash is used in Macro mode. See the Advanced Guide: Magnified Close-Up Shooting (p. 31) See the Advanced Guide: Using the Digital Zoom (p. 32) See the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 112) 9 Playback 1 Set the mode dial to (Playback) (a). a b 2 Display the image you wish to view. Use the or button to select the image (b). Use the button to move to the previous image and the the next image. button to move See the Advanced Guide to verify the advanced playback function. See the Advanced Guide: Viewing Movies (p. 59) Erasing 1 Set the mode dial to (Playback) (a). 2 Use the a b c e Playback/Erasing or button to select the image you wish to erase (b). 3 Press the button (c). 4 Confirm that [Erase] is selected (d) and press the FUNC./SET button (e). To exit instead of erasing, select [Cancel]. d See the Advanced Guide: Erasing All Images (p. 65) Please note that erased images cannot be recovered. Exercise adequate caution before erasing an image. 10 Menus and Settings Settings for shooting, playback modes or printing, or such camera settings as the date/time and sounds are set using the FUNC., Rec., Play, Print, Set up, or My Camera menus. FUNC. Menu From this menu you can specify self-timer, recording pixels, and other settings for shooting. a b When the camera is set to shooting mode, press the FUNC./SET button. To select an item (a) Press the Press the or or button. button. To change the setting (b) Menus and Settings When you finish making settings Press the FUNC./SET button. See the Advanced Guide: Menus and Settings (p. 23) 11 Rec./Play/Print/Set up/ My Camera Menus You can specify setti ...