Getting Ready Basic Photography Advanced Features Photography Advanced Features Playback Settings Software Installation Camera Connection 7 8 Using FinePixViewer FinePix A203/FinePix A303 BL00147-200 (1) Warning To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. CAUTION : TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. CAUTION 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. You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. Notes on the Grant: To comply with Part 15 of the FCC rules, this product must be used with a Fujifilm-specified ferrite-core USB cable and DC supply cord. The graphical symbols are located on the bottom of the case. This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. For customers in Canada CAUTION This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES- 003. For customers in the U.S.A. FCC Statement 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. 2 Please read the Safety Notes (P.125) and make sure you understand them before using the camera. 3 Contents Warning .................................................................. 2 Preface ................................................................... 6 Accessories ............................................................ 7 Nomenclature/Attaching the strap .......................... 8 c Forced Flash .............................................. 35 b Suppressed Flash ...................................... 36 v Slow Synchro ............................................. 36 PLAYBACK MENU p ERASING SINGLE · ALL FRAMES/FORMATTING ............................. 58 k PROTECTING IMAGES FRAME/ALL ................ 62 i HOW TO SPECIFY PRINT OPTIONS (DPOF) .. 66 i DPOF SET FRAME ............................................. 67 7.2 Use at DSC mode ............................................... 88 7.3 Use at PC-CAM mode ........................................ 91 7.4 Disconnecting the Camera ................................. 94 wPLAYBACK MODE 1 Getting Ready LOADING THE BATTERIES AND xD-Picture Card .. 11 SWITCHING ON AND OFF ...................................... 14 SETTING THE DATE AND TIME ............................. 15 Changing the date and time ................................ 16 To change the date display format ..................... 16 SELECTING THE LANGUAGE ................................ 18 VIEWING YOUR IMAGES (PLAYBACK) ................. 37 MULTI-FRAME PLAYBACK ..................................... 38 PLAYBACK ZOOM ................................................... 39 ERASING SINGLE FRAME ...................................... 40 8 Using FinePixViewer 8.1 Saving Images on Your Computer and viewing images .. 96 8.2 Making a FinePix CD Album ............................... 97 8.3 Using the FinePix Internet Service ..................... 98 8.3.1 Using FAQ ................................................. 98 8.3.2 User Registration ....................................... 98 8.4 Mastering FinePixViewer .................................. 102 8.5 Uninstalling the Software .................................. 103 5 Settings g ADJUSTING THE MONITOR BRIGHTNESS ..... 71 g USING SET­UP .................................................. 72 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 5 3 Advanced Features Photography E MACRO (CLOSE-UP) PHOTOGRAPHY ............. 42 = SELF-TIMER PHOTOGRAPHY ........................... 43 SET­UP Menu Options (Date/time setting, etc.) .... 73 SET­UP g POWER SAVE .................................................... 74 TMOVIE PHOTOGRAPHY 2 Basic Photography BASIC OPERATION GUIDE (PHOTOGRAPHY) ..... 19 BASIC OPERATION GUIDE (PLAYBACK) .............. 20 BASIC OPERATION GUIDE (MENU) ...................... 21 QSTILL IMAGE T MOVIE (VIDEO) .................................................. 45 BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY MENU OPERATIONS ...... 48 SELECTING A AUTO OR S MANUAL ............... 49 PHOTOGRAPHY MENU OPTIONS ......................... 50 PHOTOGRAPHY MENU y SETTING THE QUALITY .................................... 52 d EV (EXPOSURE COMPENSATION) ................. 54 a WHITE BALANCE (SELECTING THE LIGHT SOURCE) .... 55 6 Software Installation 6.1 The Software Components ................................. 75 6.2 Installation on a Windows PC ............................. 76 6.2.1 Load the CD-ROM into your PC ................ 76 6.2.2 From FinePixViewer installation to restart .. 77 6.3 Installation on a Mac OS 8.6 to 9.2 .................... 81 6.3.1 Check the system software settings .......... 81 6.3.2 From FinePixViewer installation to restart .. 81 6.4 Installation on a Mac OS X ................................. 84 6.4.1 From FinePixViewer installation to restart .. 84 4 TAKING PICTURES (A AUTO MODE) .................. 22 Viewfinder Lamp Display ................................. 27 Number of Available Frames .............................. 28 USING AF/AE LOCK ................................................ 30 FRAMING GUIDELINE FUNCTION ......................... 32 USING THE ZOOM .................................................. 33 c FLASH ................................................................ 34 Auto Flash Mode (Blank) .................................. 34 n Red-Eye Reduction .................................... 35 4 Advanced Features Playback wPLAYBACK MODE PLAYING BACK MOVIES (VIDEO) .......................... 56 Playing back movies ........................................ 57 7 Camera Connection 7.1 Using the optional AC Power adapter ................ 87 System Expansion Options ................................ 105 Accessories Guide ............................................. 106 Notes on Using Your Camera Correctly ............. 108 Notes on the Power Supply ................................ 109 Applicable Batteries ...................................... 109 Notes on the Batteries ................................... 109 AC Power Adapter ........................................ 111 Notes on the xD-Picture Card ............................. 112 Warning Displays ............................................... 114 Troubleshooting .................................................. 117 Specifications ..................................................... 120 Explanation of Terms ......................................... 124 Safety Notes ....................................................... 125 EC Declaration of Conformity ............................. 129 Preface Test Shots Prior to Photography For particularly important photographs (such as weddings and overseas trips), always take a test photograph and view the image to make sure that the camera is functioning normally. h Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. cannot accept liability for any incidental losses (such as the cost of photography or the loss of income from photography) incurred as a result of faults with this product. Accessories Notes on Electrical Interference If the camera is to be used in hospitals or aircrafts, please note that this camera may cause interference to other equipment in the hospital or aircraft. For details, please check with the applicable regulations. h16 MB, xD-Picture Card (1) Supplied with: · Anti-static case (1) hInterface Set (1) · CD-ROM: Software for FinePix SX (1) · Special USB cable with Noise Suppression core (1) Handling Your Digital Camera This camera contains precision electronic components. To ensure that images are recorded correctly, do not subject the camera to impact or shock while an image is being recorded. hOwner's Manual (this manual) (1) Notes on Copyright Images recorded using your digital camera system cannot be used in ways that infringe copyright laws without the consent of the owner, unless intended only for personal use. Note that some restrictions apply to the photographing of stage performances, entertainments and exhibits, even when intended purely for personal use. Users are also asked to note that the transfer of memory cards containing images or data protected under copyright laws is only permissible within the restrictions imposed by those copyright laws. Trademark Information h IBM PC/AT is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp. of the U.S. h iMac and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. h QuickTime and the QuickTime logo are trademarks used under license. The QuickTime logo is registered in the U.S. and other countries. h Adobe Acrobat ® ReaderTM is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated of the U.S. h Microsoft, Windows, the Windows logo and DirectX are either trademarks, or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Windows is an abbreviated term referring to the Microsoft Windows Operating System. The "Designed for Microsoft Windows XP" logo refers to the camera and the driver only. h xD-Picture Card and other company or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. hLR6 AA-size alkaline Batteries (2) Liquid Crystal If the LCD monitor is damaged, take particular care with the liquid crystal in the monitor. If any of the following situations arise, take the urgent action indicated. h If liquid crystal comes in contact with your skin Wipe the area with a cloth and then wash thoroughly with running water and soap. h If liquid crystal gets into your eye Flush the affected eye with clean water for at least 15 minutes and then seek medical assistance. h If liquid crystal is swallowed Flush your mouth thoroughly with water. Drink large quantities of water and induce vomiting. Then seek medical assistance. hHand strap (1) Exif Print (Exif ver. 2.2) Exif Print Format is a newly revised digital camera file format that contains a variety of shooting information for optimal printing. 6 7 Nomenclature Refer to the pages in parentheses for information on using the camera features. MENU/OK button(P.21) Shutter button BACK button(P.21) POWER switch(P.14) Flash control sensor Self-timer lamp(P.44) Flash(P.34) Viewfinder window Flash button Tripod mount (USB) socket (P.88, 91) Viewfinder Viewfinder lamp DISP button(P.19,20) LCD monitor Mode dial Self-Timer mode(P.43) Macro (close-up) mode(P.42) Still photography mode(P.22) Playback mode(P.37) Movie mode(P.45) Strap mount(P.9) Attaching the strap Battery cover Lens/Lens cover DC IN 3V (Power input) socket (P.87) xD-Picture Card slot Battery compartment 8 9 Nomenclature (Sample display) Example of LCD Monitor Text Display: Still image EV Macro Flash Photography mode Zoom bar White balance Number of remaining shots Quality mode Battery low warning Camera shake warning AF warning AF frame 1 Getting Ready LOADING THE BATTERIES AND xD-Picture Card xD-Picture Card (sold separately) DPC-16 (16MB) DPC-32 (32MB) DPC-64 (64MB) DPC-128 (128MB) Compatible batteries Use two AA-size alkaline batteries or two AAsize nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. h It is recommended that you use the same brand of alka Outer casing batteries as those supplied with the camera. h Never use a battery when the outer casing is split or peeling as this could result in a short-circuit and cause major problems due to battery fluid leakage or overheating. h You cannot use lithium, manganese or nickelcadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries. h Do not use different types of batteries or old and new batteries together. h The operating lives of alkaline batteries vary between brands and the life of batteries you purchase may be shorter than the alkaline batteries provided with the camera. Note also that due to the nature of alkaline batteries, the time for which they can be used is shorter in cold locations (at temperatures of +10°C (+50°F) or below). Consequently, Ni-MH batteries are recommended. h Soil (fingerprints, etc) on the terminals of batteries can greatly reduce the time for which the batteries provide power. h You will need the optional charger ( P.106) to recharge Ni-MH batteries. h See P.109 for notes on using batteries. Notes on Handling Batteries 1 Front Back Date Example of LCD Monitor Text Display: Playback Playback frame number Playback mode Protection DPOF Date Battery low warning ! Operation of this camera is only guaranteed when it ! See P.112-113 for more information on xD-Picture Card. is used with FUJIFILM xD-Picture Card. 10 11 LOADING THE BATTERIES AND xD-Picture Card 2 0 1 0 Indicator Indicator OP EN 4 0 3 0 OP EN 1 1Slide the battery cover out to open it. 2Load the batteries correctly as shown. When you want to replace the battery Check that the camera is switched off, open the battery cover and then remove the batteries. 3Aline the arrows on the camera and the xDPicture Card, and firmly push the card fully into the xD-Picture Card slot. 4Close the battery cover. When you want to replace the xD-Picture Card When you push the xD-Picture Card into the slot and then slowly remove your finger, the lock is released and the xD-Picture Card is pushed out. You can then pull the xD-Picture Card the rest of the way out. ! If ! Do not apply excessive force to the battery cover. Do not open the battery cover while the camera is still switched on. This could damage the xDPicture Card or corrupt the image files on the xD-Picture Card. OP EN ! Take care not to drop the battery when opening and closing the battery cover. 12 you open the battery cover while the camera is switched on, the camera automatically switches off to protect the data on the xD-Picture Card . ! The xD-Picture Card will not slide fully into the slot if it is inserted facing the wrong way. Be careful not to apply undue force to the xD-Picture Card . ! To protect the xD-Picture Card , always store it in the special anti-static case. ! Take care not to remove your finger too quickly after the lock is released, as the card may spring completely out of the slot. 13 SWITCHING ON AND OFF 1 2 SETTING THE DATE AND TIME 3 4 1 1 0 2 0 Slide the "POWER" switch sideways to turn the camera on and off. When you switch the camera on, the viewfinder lamp lights (green). In "Q" mode, the lens cover opens and the lens extends. Take care not to press on these precision components as this could result in a fault or a "ç" message being displayed on the LCD monitor. Take care also not to leave fingermarks on the lens as this will degrade the picture quality. When you first switch the camera on, the date is cleared. Press the "MENU/OK" button to set the date and time. 1 Use "d" or "c" to select Year, Month, Day, Hour or Minute. 2 Press "a" or "b" to set the number. Once you have set the date and time, press the "MENU/OK" button. Pressing the "MENU/OK" button switches the camera to Photography or Playback mode. ! To 14 set the date and time later, press the "BACK" button. ! If you do not set the date and time, this confirmation screen will appear each time you switch the camera on. ! If you hold down "a" or "b", the numbers change continuously. ! When the time displayed passes "12:00", the AM/PM setting automatically switches. ! To set the time more precisely, press the "MENU/OK" button when the time on your reference clock reaches zero seconds. ! At the time of purchase and after you leave the camera for a long period with the batteries removed, settings such as the date and time are cleared. Unless the battery has been left in the camera for at least 20 minutes, the camera settings may not be retained when you replace the xD-Picture Card or battery. 15 SETTING THE DATE AND TIME Changing the date and time To change the date display format You can select your preferred date format. Setting YYYY.MM.DD MM/DD/YYYY DD.MM.YYYY Checking the remaining battery charge Explanation Displays the date in the "year.month. day" format. Displays the date in the "month/day/ year" format. Displays the date in the "day.month. year" format. Switch the camera on and check that no battery level warning (Z or X) is displayed on the LCD monitor. If no icon is displayed, there is ample charge left in the battery. i Z Lit red: The battery is low on charge. Have a new battery ready. i X Blinking red: The battery is exhausted. The display will shortly go blank and the camera will stop working. Replace or recharge the battery. 1 13 00 24 00 1 0 2 0 ! The above estimates are for the Still photography modes. In Playback mode, the transition from "Z" to "X" may take less time. To change the date and time: 1 Press the "MENU/OK" button. 2 Use "d" or "c" to select "g" OPTION and then use "a" or "b" to select "SET­UP". 3 Press the "MENU/OK" button. 4 Select "DATE/TIME" and press "c". See P.14, 15 for information on setting the date 16 and time. 1Press "d" or "c" to select the date format. 2Press "a" or "b" to set the format. Refer to the table below for details of the settings. If the camera is not used for 2 minutes, this function automatically switches the camera off. When this function is active, it also switches off the LCD monitor to reduce power consumption if the camera is not used for 30 seconds (See P.74 for details). Power Save Function 17 SELECTING THE LANGUAGE 1 13 00 2 Basic Photography 2 1 0 2 0 0 BASIC OPERATION GUIDE (PHOTOGRAPHY) 0 Power swich 0 Focus and shoot Switching the LCD monitor on and off Slide this switch sideways to turn the camera on and off. Pressed halfway : Sets the focus. Pressed fully : Releases the shutter. 2 0 Select one of the following modes: LCD monitor ON Normally, set the LCD monitor to ON. LCD monitor OFF Switch the LCD monitor OFF to reduce power consumption. 0 0 Zoom ) :Zooms in. ) :Zooms out. a( b( 2 Mode dial 1Press the "MENU/OK" button to display the menu screen. 2Use "fg" to select "SET­UP" from the "g" OPTION menu. 3Press the "MENU/OK" button. 1The "SET­UP" screen appears. Use "a" or "b" to select "LANGUAGE". 2Use "c" to select "ENGLISH", "FRANCAIS" or "DEUTSCH". You can cycle through the language settings by pressing "c". Framing Guidelines Display these as a guide to composing your shots. You can further reduce power consumption by switching preview image checking OFF. 0 Select one of the following 4 photography modes: : Still photography : Macro (close-up) : Self-timer : Movie Setting the mode dial to " " switches the camera to Playback mode. Flash button 18 ! The screens in this manual are shown in English. ! See P.72, 73 for more information on the "g " OPTION menu. Select one of the following 5 flash modes: AUTO, , , , 19 BASIC OPERATION GUIDE (PLAYBACK) 0 BASIC OPERATION GUIDE (MENU) 0 DISP button 0 Power ON/OFF Playback frame selector 0 Using the Menus To cancel a procedure mid-way 1Display the menu. Press the "MENU/OK" button. 2Select a menu option. Press "d" or "c". Select one of the following 3 modes: Text displayed : Normally, use this setting. Text not displayed : No text is displayed. Multi-frame playback : Displays 9 image frames. Slide this switch sideways to turn the camera on and off. c : Selects the next frame. d : Selects the previous frame. Press the "BACK" button. 2 Displaying help 0 Playback zoom 0 Mode dial ". 20 This feature displays help on moving to the next step at the bottom of the screen. Press the corresponding button. Set the mode dial to " ) Increases the display scale (zooms in). b( ) Decreases the display scale (zooms out). a( 3Select a setting. Press "a" or "b". Up, down, left and right are indicated by black triangles in the Owner's Manual. Up or down is shown as "ab", and left or right is shown as "dc". 4Confirm the setting. Press the "MENU/OK" button. 21 QSTILL IMAGE TAKING PICTURES (A AUTO MODE) 1 1 0 2 0 You have read the section called "Getting Ready" and now your camera is ready to take pictures. The "Basic Photography" section takes you through the basic procedures of "Shooting", "Viewing" and "Erasing" pictures. Master these basic operations by trying them out as you read through the manual. Beep 2 3 2 1Slide the "POWER" switch sideways to switch the camera on. 2Set the Mode dial to "Q". hPhotography range: Approx. 60 cm (2 ft.) to infinity Be careful to ensure that the lens, flash and flash control sensor are not obscured by your hands or the camera strap. The camera may not be able to take successful pictures if your fingers or the strap are in the way. ! For subjects closer than 60 cm (2 ft.), use Macro photography (P.42). To increase your shooting time h Press the "DISP" button to switch the LCD monitor off and use the viewfinder to take pictures (Note that you cannot switch the LCD monitor off in Macro mode). h Set "POSTVIEW" in the "SET-UP" menu to "OFF" (P.73). h Set "POWER SAVE" in the "SET-UP" menu to "ON" (P.73, 74). Brace your elbows against your sides and hold the camera with both hands. Hold the camera so that your right thumb is conveniently positioned for operating the zoom. ! If the "", "", "å" ! If 22 or "" message appears, see P.114 and P.115. you use the flash in very dusty environments or when it is snowing, the flash may reflect off the dust particles or snowflakes and appear as white dots in your images. ! Check that the lens is clean. If it is dirty, clean the lens as described on P.108. 23 QSTILL IMAGE TAKING PICTURES (A AUTO MODE) 4 5 AF frame 6 7 LCD monitor 2 When you are using the viewfinder to take a picture at a distance of 80 cm to 1.5 m (2.6 ft. to 4.9 ft.), only the shaded area in the figure is photographed. Zoom bar AF frame To zoom in on the subject, press "a" (} TELE). To zoom out, press "b" ({ WIDE). A "zoom bar" appears on the LCD monitor when you zoom in or out. h Optical zoom focal length (35mm camera equivalent) Approx. 38 mm-114 mm Maximum zoom scale: 3× Viewfinder ! To Using the viewfinder or LCD monitor, frame your shot so that the subject fills the entire AF (Auto Focus) frame. 24 ! Zooming stops briefly when the camera switches between optical zoom and digital zoom (P.33). ! If your subject is not in the center of the picture, use AF/AE lock to take the picture (P.30). frame your shot precisely, you should take the picture using the LCD monitor. ! In some conditions it may be difficult to see your subject clearly on the LCD monitor (such as in sunny weather outdoors or when you are shooting dimly lit scenes). In such situations, use the viewfinder to take the shot. ! The image shown on the LCD monitor before you take the shot may differ in its brightness, color, etc. from the image actually recorded. If necessary, play back the recorded image to check it (P.37). Press the shutter button down halfway. Focusing is complete when the AF frame on the LCD monitor shrinks and the viewfinder lamp (green) stops flashing and remains lit. ! If "[" appears on the screen, the camera cannot focus. ! When you press the shutter button down halfway, the image on the screen freezes temporarily. However, this image is not the recorded image. ! If "[" is displayed on the screen (e.g. the shot is too dark for the camera to focus), try standing about 2 m (6.6 ft.) from your subject to take the picture. 25 QSTILL IMAGE TAKING PICTURES (A AUTO MODE) Warnings Displayed When Beep 8 the Shutter is Pressed Halfway The camera cannot focus. Viewfinder Lamp Display Display Lit green Blinking green Ready to shoot. When the LCD monitor is switched on, more detailed warning messages are displayed (P.114-116). Status [ Solution h Ensure that you are at least 2 m (6.6 ft.) from the subject when you take the shot. h Use AF/AE lock to take the shot (P.30). AF/AE in progress, camera shake warning or AF warning (Ready to shoot). Blinking green and Recording to xD-Picture Card (Ready to shoot). orange alternately Lit orange Blinking orange Blinking red Recording to xD-Picture Card (Not ready). Flash charging (Flash will not fire). h xD-Picture Card Warnings No card loaded, card not formatted, incorrect format, card full, xD-Picture Card error. h Lens operation error. To take the picture, press the shutter button down fully without lifting your finger off it. The camera beeps and takes the picture, and the data is then recorded. \ There is a high risk of camera shake due to the slow shutter speed. 2 ! If 26 you press the shutter button down fully in one motion, the shot is taken without the AF frame changing. ! When you take a picture, the viewfinder lamp lights orange (camera not ready) before switching back to green to indicate that the camera is again ready for shooting. ! The viewfinder lamp flashes orange while the flash is charging. If the LCD monitor is switched on, the screen may go dark for a moment. This is normal and does not indicate a fault. ! See P.114-116 for information on the warning displays. Solution h Use the flash. h Use a tripod. | You can take the shot, but it will not be correctly exposed. Subjects Not Suitable for Autofocus Though the FinePix A203/FinePix A303 uses an accurate autofocus mechanism, it may have difficulty focusing or not be able to focus at all for the types of subject and situation listed below. In such cases, the image may be out of focus. h Very shiny subjects such as a mirror or car body. h Subjects photographed through glass. h Subjects that do not reflect well, such as hair or fur. h Subjects with no substance, such as smoke or flames. h When the subject is dark. h When there is very little contrast between the subject and the background (such as white walls or subjects dressed in the same color as the background). h Subjects moving at high speed. h When something other than your subject is close to the AF frame, has contrasting areas of light and dark and is either closer or further away than your subject (as when you photograph someone against a background with strongly contrasting elements). For subjects of this type, use AF/AE lock (P.30). 27 QSTILL IMAGE TAKING PICTURES (A AUTO MODE) Standard number of shots per xD-Picture Card The number of available shots when the xD-Picture Card is formatted in the camera. Number of Available Frames FinePix A203 Quality Mode Number of recorded pixels Image Data Size DPC-16 (16 MB) DPC-32 (32 MB) DPC-64 (64 MB) DPC-128 (128 MB) 2M · F 1600 × 1200 Approx. 620 KB 25 50 101 204 Approx. 390 KB 39 79 159 319 2M · N 1M 1280 × 960 Approx. 320 KB 49 99 198 398 0.3M 640 × 480 Approx. 130 KB 122 247 497 997 2 The number of available shots is displayed on the LCD monitor. FinePix A303 Quality Mode Number of recorded pixels Image Data Size 3M · F 2048 × 1536 Approx. 1300 KB 12 25 50 102 Approx. 590 KB 26 53 107 215 3M · N 2M 1600 × 1200 Approx. 390 KB 39 79 159 319 1M 1280 × 960 Approx. 320 KB 49 99 198 398 0.3M 640 × 480 Approx. 130 KB 122 247 497 997 ! Because ! See 28 P.52 for information on changing the Quality (number of recorded pixels). ! At shipment, the default setting is "1M". the amount of data recorded varies depending on the subject, the number of available shots may not decrease when recording ends, or in some cases may decrease by 2 frames. ! Also, the discrepancy between the actual number of available shots and the standard number of shots tends to be larger when the capacity of the xDPicture Card is larger. DPC-16 (16 MB) DPC-32 (32 MB) DPC-64 (64 MB) DPC-128 (128 MB) 29 USING AF/AE LOCK 1 2 3 4 Beep 2 In a shot with this type of composition, the subjects (two people in this case) are not in the AF frame. If the shot is taken at this point, the subjects will not be in focus. Move the camera slightly so that one of the subjects in the AF frame. Hold the shutter button down halfway (AF/AE Lock) and chech that the AF frame on the LCD lmonitor shrinks. Continue to hold the shutter button down halfway (AF/AE lock). Move the camera back to the original image and then fully press down on the shutter button. AF (Autofocus)/AE Lock (Auto-exposure) On the FinePix A203/FinePix A303, when you press the shutter button down half way, the focus and exposure settings are fixed (AF/AE lock). If you want to focus on a subject that is off to one side of the image or if you want to set the exposure before you compose the final shot, lock the AF and AE settings and then compose and shoot your picture to get the best results. ! You can reapply the AF/AE lock as many times as ! The AF/AE lock operates in all photography modes and can be used to ensure excellent results. you like before releasing the shutter. 30 31 FRAMING GUIDELINE FUNCTION Scene Use this frame when you want to position your main subject in the center of the frame or when you want to align your shot with the horizon. This feature provides a clear guide to the subject size and the overall balance of the shot so that you get exactly the shot you want. USING THE ZOOM Press "a" to zoom in and make your subject larger. Press "b" when you want to zoom out and shoot a wider area. If you use the LCD monitor to take pictures, you can continue zooming with the digital zoom after the optical zoom finishes. Zoom bar display FinePix A303 only Digital zoom Optical zoom FinePix A203 Digital zoom focal distance (35 mm camera equivalent) 2M Cannot be used 1M Equivalent to approx. 114 mm-146 mm 0.3M Equivalent to approx. 114 mm-285 mm Maximum zoom scale 1.3× 2.5× LCD monitor ON Framing Guideline displayed LCD monitor OFF 2 The position of the "" on the zoom bar indicates the current zoom setting. h If the "" is above the dividing line, the digital zoom is being used. If it is below the line, the optical zoom is being used. h Press "a" or "b" to move the "" up or down. h When you switch between digital zoom and optical zoom, the "" stops moving briefly. Press the button for the same direction again to start the "" moving and switch the zoom setting. FinePix A303 This function can be specified in the "Q", "E" and "=" modes. The mode shown on the LCD monitor switches each time you press the "DISP" button. Press the "DISP" button to display the framing guideline. Digital zoom focal distance (35 mm camera equivalent) 3M Cannot be used 2M Equivalent to approx. 114 mm-146 mm 1M Equivalent to approx. 114 mm-182 mm 0.3M Equivalent to approx. 114 mm-365 mm Maximum zoom scale 1.3× 1.6× 3.2× ! The framing guideline is not recorded on the image. ! The lines in the scene frame roughly divide the 32 recorded pixels into three equal parts horizontally and vertically. When the image is printed, the resulting print may be shifted slightly from the scene frame. Important Always use the AF/AE lock to compose your picture. Failing to use the AF/AE lock may result in the image being out of focus. ! If ! See P.52 for information on changing the quality setting. the image goes out of focus when you use the zoom, press the shutter button down halfway to refocus. ! The optical zoom is equivalent to approximately 38 mm-114 mm on a 35 mm camera. 33 c FLASH Blank 2 Press the "c" button to select the flash setting. Use the flash mode that best suits your shot. h 5 flash modes: "AUTO" (no icon), "n", "c", "b" and "v". h Effective flash range (A in AUTO mode): Wide-angle: Approx. 30 cm to 3.5 m (1.0 ft.-11.5 ft.) Telephoto: Approx. 60 cm to 3 m (2.0 ft.-9.8 ft.) Auto Flash Mode (Blank) Use this mode for ordinary photography. The flash fires automatically as required by the shooting conditions. n Red-Eye Reduction Use this mode to ensure that the subject's eyes appear natural when photographing people in low-light conditions. The flash fires automatically as required by the photography conditions. The flash fires a pre-flash just before the picture is taken and then fires again to take the actual picture. c Forced Flash Use this mode to photograph backlit scenes, such as a subject against a window or in the shade of a tree, or to obtain the correct colors when you are shooting under lighting such as fluorescent tubes. In this mode, the flash fires in bright as well as dark conditions. ! If 34 you use the flash in very dusty environments or when it is snowing, the flash may reflect off the dust particles or snowflakes and appear as white dots in your images. ! The flash charging time may increase if the charge remaining in the batteries is low. ! When you take a shot using the flash, you may see the video image disappear and the screen go dark as the flash charges. The viewfinder lamp flashes orange while the flash is charging. When you use the flash to photograph people in low-light conditions, their eyes sometimes appear red in the picture. This is caused by the light of the flash reflecting off the inside of the eye. Use Red-Eye Reduction flash to effectively minimize the likelihood of the red-eye effect. Take the following measures also to make Red-Eye Reduction more effective: Get the subjects to look at the camera. Get as close as possible to the subjects. Red-Eye Effect 35 c FLASH w PLAYBACK MODE VIEWING YOUR IMAGES (PLAYBACK) Fast Forwarding Images 2 b Suppressed Flash Use this mode for photography using indoor lighting, for shots taken through glass, and for photography in venues such as theaters or at indoor sporting events where the distance is too great for the flash to be effective. When you use Suppressed Flash, the Automatic White Balance function (P.124) operates so that natural colors are captured along with the ambience of the available light. v Slow Synchro This is a flash mode that uses a slow shutter speed. This allows you to take pictures of people at night that clearly show both your subjects and the night time backdrop. Playback frame number Set the Mode dial to "w". Press "d " and "c " to move forward and backward respectively through your images. ! If you are shooting in Suppressed Flash mode in dark 36 conditions, use a tripod to prevent camera shake. ! See P.26, 115 for information on the camera shake warning. ! The image may be overexposed when you shoot bright scenes. ! Because a slow shutter speed is used, a tripod should be used to prevent camera shake. ! When you set the Mode dial to "w", the last image shot is displayed. During playback, you can skip backwards or forwards through the images (the frame number increases or decreases) by holding down "d" or "c" for approximately 1 second. The displayed image does not change, but a progress bar indicates the approximate playback location on the xD-Picture Card. 37 w PLAYBACK MODE MULTI-FRAME PLAYBACK 2 Text displayed No text displayed Multi-frame playback w PLAYBACK MODE PLAYBACK ZOOM 1 1 0 2 0 This function is useful for things such as checking the focus of shots you have taken. To switch to the zoom screen, press "a" during single-frame playback. Single-frame Playback Zoom Panning Zoom bar 2 In playback mode, the display shown on the LCD monitor switches each time you press the "DISP" button. Press the "DISP" button until the multi-frame playback screen (9 frames) appears. View another frame dc Zoom in or out View another frame Return to singleframe playback ab dc View a different area Return to singleframe playback ab dc ! The 38 LCD monitor text display disappears after approximately 3 seconds. ! Playback zoom cannot be used with multi-frame playback. 1Select a frame by using "d", "c", "a" and "b" to move the cursor (the orange box) to the desired frame. Press "a" or "b" several times to switch to the previous page or the next page. 2You can enlarge the selected image by pressing the "DISP" button again. Maximum zoom scale Quality Model FinePix A203 FinePix A303 3M (2048 × 1536) ­­ 13× 2M (1600 × 1200) 10× 1M (1280 × 960) 8× 0.3M (640 × 480) 4× ! It may not be possible to play back images shot on other camera models. ! Playback zoom cannot be used during multi-frame playback. 39