Canon PowerShot SD550 manual

Camer a User Guide Advanced DIGIT AL CAMERA Advanced Camera User Guide Before Using the Camera Shooting Playback/Erasing Print/T ransfer Settings Viewing Images on a TV set Customizing the Camera T roubleshooting List of Messages This guide ex plains camera fe atures and procedu res in detail. Appendix CDI-E193-010 XX05XXX © 2005 CANON INC. PRINTE[...]

Main F eatures Shooting z Automatically adjusts shooting settings to match particular conditions (Special Scene mode) z Automatically detects camera orientation with an Intelligent Orientation sensor z Changes image colors to create special effects (My Colors modes) Playback z Plays movies with sound z Auto plays slideshows Editing z Records sound [...]

1 Con v entions Used in this Guide Icons appearing below titles in dicate the modes in which the procedure can be used. In this guide, the Basic Camera User Guide is referred to as the Basic Guide , and the Advanced Camera User Guide is referred to as the Advanced Guide . This mark denotes issues that may affect the camera’ s operation. This mark[...]

2 T able of Contents Items marked with a are lists or charts that summarize camera functions or procedures. Please Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Preventing Malfunctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

3 Switching between Focusing Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Shooting Hard-to-Focus Subjects ( Focus Lock, AF Lock) . . . 47 Locking the Exposure Setting (AE Lock) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Locking the Flash Exposure Setting (FE Lock) . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Switching between Metering Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

4 Changing My C amera Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Registering M y Camera Setting s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 When the power is turned on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 LCD monitor[...]

5 Handling Pr ecautions T est Shots Before you try to photograph important subjects, we highly recommend that you shoot several trial images to confirm that the camera is operating and being operated correctly . Please note that Canon Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates, and it s distributors are not liable for any consequential damages arising f[...]

6 Video Format Please set the camera's video signal forma t to the one used in your region before using it with a TV monitor (p. 89). Language Setting Please see the Basic Guide (p. 4) to change the language setting. z Before using the camera, please ensure that you read the safety precautions described below and in the "Safety Precaution[...]

7 War nin gs Equipment z Do not aim the camera dire ctly into the sun or at other intense light sources th at could damage your eyesight. z Store this equipment out of the re ach of children and infants. Accidental damage by a child could result in serious injury . • Wrist strap: Placement of the strap around the child's neck could result in[...]

8 Batter y z Do not place the battery near a heat so urce or expose it to direct flame or heat. z The battery should not be imm ersed in water or sea water . z Do not attempt to disass emble, alter or apply heat to the battery . z A void dro pping or subjecting the batte ry to severe impact s that could damage th e casing. z Use only recommended ba[...]

9 Other s z Do not trigger the flash in c lose proximity to human or animal eyes. Exposure to the intense light produced by t he flash may damage eyesigh t. In particular , remain at least one meter (39 inches) away from infants when using the flash. z Keep objects that are sensitive to magnetic fields (suc h as credit cards) away from the speaker [...]

10 Flash z Do not operate the flash wit h dirt, dust or other items stuck to the surface of the flash. z Be careful not to cover the flash with your fingers or clothing when shooting. The flash may be damaged and emit smoke or noise. The resulting heat build-up could damage the flash. z Do not touch the surface of t he flash after taking several pi[...]

11 Prev enting Malfunctions Av oid Strong Magnetic Fields z Never place the camera in close p roximity to electric motors or other equipment generat ing strong electromagnetic fields. Exposure to strong magnetic fields may cause malfunctions or corrupt image data. Av oid Condensation R elated Problems z When moving the equi pment rapidly between ho[...]

12 Before Using th e Camera—T he Components Gui de F r ont View A/V OUT (Audio/Video output) T erminal (p. 89) DIGIT AL T erminal ( Basic Guide p. 19) T erminal Cover ( Basic Guide p. 19) Wrist S trap Mount Microphone (p. 76) AF-assist Beam (p. 28) Red-Eye Reduction Lamp ( Basic Guide p. 9) Self-T imer Lamp (p. 40) Viewfinder Window (p. 21) Flash[...]

13 Before Using the Camera—The Co mponents Guide Back View LCD Monitor (p. 15) Viewfinder (p. 21) T ripod Socket Lock Release Switch DC Coupler T ermin al Cover Memory Card Slot/Battery Cover ( Basi c Guide p. 2) Battery Compartment (Memory Card/Battery Compartment)[...]

14 Operation Panel Speaker Indicators (p. 22) Power Button ( Basic Guide p. 5) Power Lamp Zoom Lever (p. 69 , Basic Guide p. 8) Shooting: (Wide Angle)/ (T elephoto) Playback: (Index)/ (Magnify) Shutter Button ( Basic Guide p. 5) Mode Dial ( Basic Guide pp. 5, 6) (Print/Share) Button ( Basic Guide p. 14) DISP . (Display) Button (p. 15) FUNC./SET (Fu[...]

15 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations Before Using the Camer a—Basic Operations z The LCD monitor on or off setting is retained even after the camera power is turned off. z The LCD monitor does not shut o ff in the , , or mode. z The LCD monitor will not switch to the detailed display in the index playback mode (p. 70). Using the LCD Mon[...]

16 Using the Clock Y ou can display the current d ate and time for a 5-second* interval using the following two methods. * Default setting Method 1 Hold the FUNC./SET button d own while turning on the power . Method 2 In a shooti ng mode, hold th e FUNC./SET button down co ntinuousl y . If you hold the camera horizontally , it displays the t ime. I[...]

17 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations LCD Monitor Brightness Settings The brightness of the LC D monitor can be changed in the following two ways . z Changing Settings Using the Set up Menu (p. 30) z Changing Settings Using the DISP . Button (Quick-bright LCD Function) Y ou can set the LCD monitor to the brightest setting regardless of the[...]

18 Shooting Infor mation (Shooting mode) * Appears even if the LCD monitor is set to S t andard display . Inf or mation Displaye d on the LCD Monito r Exposure Compensation (p. 51) Long Shutt er Mode (p. 52) White Balance (p. 54) Compression (p. 32) Resolution (pp. 32 , 34) Low Battery (p. 105) Shooting Method (pp. 3 8, 40) Shooting Mode ( Basic Gu[...]

19 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations If the indicator blinks orange and the camera shake icon displays, it indicates there is insufficient illumination and a slow shutter speed will be selected. Raise the ISO speed (p. 64) or select a setting other than (flash off), or attach the camera to a tripod or other device. Playback Inf or mation [...]

20 Detailed The following information may also be displayed with some images. Information for images shot on other cameras may not disp lay correctly . A sound file in a format other than the WAVE format is attached or the file format is not recogn ized. JPEG image not conforming to De sign rule for Camera File System Standards RAW imag e Unrecogni[...]

21 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations The viewfinder can be used to conserve power by turning the LCD monitor off (p. 15) while shooting. Histogr am Function The histogram is a graph that allows you to judge the brightness of the shot image. The greater the bias t oward the left in the graph, the darker the image. The gr eater the bias tow[...]

22 The indicators light or blink whe n the power button or the shutter button is pressed. z Upper Indicator Green: Ready to shoot Blinking Green: Image recording/reading/erasing/transferring (when connected to a computer) Orange: Ready to shoot (flash on) Blinking Orange: Ready to shoot (camera shake warnin g) z Lower Indicator Y el low: Macro mode[...]

23 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations Y ou should always format a new memory card or one from which you wish to erase all images and other data. Low Level Format We recommend you select [Low Level Format] when you think that the recording/reading speed of a memory card has dropped. A low level format may require 2 to 3 min utes with some m[...]

24 When traveling abroad, you can record images with local dates and times simply by switching the time zone setting if you pre-register the destination time zones. Y ou can enjoy the convenience of not having to switch the Date/Time settings. Setting the Home/World Time Zones Setting the W or ld Clock 1 (Set up) Menu [Time Zone] . See Menus and Se[...]

25 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations Switching to the Destina tion Time Zone If you change the date and time when the World option is selected, the Home date and time will also change automatically . ( Basic p. 4) 5 Use the or button to select a destina- tion time zone . z As in S tep 3, you can set the day- light saving option. 6 Use the[...]

26 Menus are used to set the shooting and playback settings as well as such camera settings as the date/time and electr onic beep. The following menus are available. z FUNC. Menu z Rec., Play , Set up and My Camera Menus FUNC. Menu This menu sets many of the common shooting functions. T urn the mode dial to , , or . Press the FUNC./SET bu tton. Use[...]

27 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations Rec., Play , Set up and My Camera Menus Convenient settings for shooting or playback can be set with these menus. Press the MENU button. Use the or button t o switch between menus. Y ou can a lso use the zoom lever to switch between menus. Use the or b utton to select menu items. Some items may not be [...]

28 FUNC. Menu Rec. Menu Menu List Menu Item Page Menu Item Page Manual Mode p. 35 My Colors p. 58 Special Sce ne Mode p. 35 Stitch Assist p. 44 Movie Mode p. 42 Metering Mode p. 50 Exposure Compensation p. 51 Compre ssion p. 32 Long Shutter Mo de p. 52 Frame Ra te (Movie) p. 34 White Balance p. 54 Resolution (Still Im age) p. 32 Photo Effect p. 57 [...]

29 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations Play Menu Set up Menu Menu Item Page Menu Item Page Protect p. 82 Slide Show p. 78 Rotate p. 75 Print Order p. 83 Sound Memo p. 76 Transf er Order p. 87 Erase All p. 82 Transit ion p. 76 Menu Item Options Page/T opic Mute On/Off* Set to [On] to silence the start-up, operation, self-timer and shutte r s[...]

30 LCD Brightness -7 to 0 * to +7 Use the or button to ad just the brightness. If you press the or button, the display ret urns to the Set up menu. You can check th e brightness i n the LCD monitor whi le you are adjusting the settin g. Power Saving p. 22 Auto Power Down On*/Off Sets whe ther or not the camera automatic ally powers down aft er a se[...]

31 Before Using the Camera—Basic Op erations My Camera Menu z Settings cannot be res et when the camera is connected t o a computer or t o a printer. z The following cannot be reset. - Shooting mode - The [Tim e Zone], [Date/T ime], [Lan guage] and [Vid eo Sy ste m] o ptio ns in t he (Set up) menu (p. 30) - White balance data recorded with the cu[...]

32 Shooting Appr o ximate V alues for R esolutions * Paper sizes va ry according to region. Changing th e R eso lution and Compr ession (Still Images) Shooting Mode 1 FUNC. Menu * (R esolution)/ * (Com- pression). See Menus and Settings (p. 26). * Default setting. z Use the or button to select resolution/compression settings and press the FUNC./SET[...]

33 Shooting Appr o ximate V alues for Compression Settings z See Image Data Sizes (Estimated) (p. 1 18). z See Memory Cards and Estimated Capacities (p. 1 17). Compression Purpose Superfine High Quality Shoot higher quality images Fine Shoot normal quality images Normal Normal Shoot more images[...]

34 Y ou can change the r esolution and frame rate when the movie mode is set to (St andard) or (My Co lors). Resolutio ns and Frame Rates * Frame rates indicate the number of frames recor ded or played back each second. The hig her the frame rate, the smoot her the appearance of motion. * The resolution and frame rate are fixed in the and modes. z [...]

35 Shooting Y ou can take an optimal pictur e simply by selecting the appropriate shooting mode. Y ou can adjust se ttings yourself, such as the exposure, white balance and photo effect, when shooting in this mode. Shooting in a Special Scene Mode Shooting Mode 1 FUNC. Menu * (P or tr ait). See Menus and Settings (p. 26). * Default setting. z Use t[...]

36 Y ou can shoot a subject from as cl ose as 5 cm (2.0 in.) (minimum focal distance) from the end of the lens at the maximum wide angle setting. With the digital zoom, the image area is 14 x 1 1 mm (0.55 x 0.43 in.) at maximum zoom (approximately 4 times). Magnified Close-Up Shooting (Digital Macro) Shooting Mode 1 FUNC. Menu (Manual) (Digital Mac[...]

37 Shooting Y ou can shoot zoomed images using th e combined digital and optical zooms. z S tills: zoom up to approximately 12 times z Movies (S tandard): zoom up to approximately 12 times Images become coars er the more they ar e digitally zoomed. Using the Digital Zoom Shooting Mode The digital zoom cannot be used when the LCD monitor is turned o[...]

38 In this mode, the camera shoots continuously while the shutter button is held down. If you use the recommended memory card*, you can shoot continuously (smooth continuous shooting) at a set shooting interval until the memory card is full (p. 1 17). *Recommended Memory Card Super high speed SDC-512 MSH memory card (sold separately) immediately af[...]

39 Shooting Y ou can shoot images with the optimal settings for p ostcards by composing them inside the print area (width-to-height ratio of approximately 3:2) shown in the LCD monitor . For printing instructions, refer to the Direct Print User Gu ide . P ostcar d Date Imprint Mode Shooting Mode 1 FUNC. Menu * (Resolution) (P ost Card Date Imprint)[...]

40 Y ou can set a 10 sec. ( ) or 2 sec. delay ( ), or a custom delay time and the number of shots ( Custom Timer), for shooting after the shutter button is pressed. T o Cancel the Self-Timer Press the button to display . Y ou ca n change the self-timer sound (p. 31). z Ensure that the camera’s date/time is set beforehand (p. 30). z The date stamp[...]

41 Shooting Changing the De lay Time and Number of Shot s ( ). Y ou can change the delay time (0–10, 15, 20, 30 sec.) and number of shots (1–10). These settings, however , cannot be set for the S titch Assist mode, movie mode or My C olors modes. 1 (Rec .) Menu [Self-timer] . See Menus and Set tings (p. 27). 2 Change [Delay]/[Shots] . z The sel[...]

42 The following four movie modes are available. • The recording time will vary according to the cap acity of the memory card you use (p. 1 17). Mo vie Shooting Shooting Mode St andard Y ou ca n s elect the resolution and frame rate and record until the memory card is full (when a super high-speed memory card is used, such as the recommended SDC-[...]

43 Shooting 1 FUNC. Menu * (Stand ar d). See Menus and Settings (p. 26). * Default setting. z Use the or button to select a movie mode and press the FUNC./SET button. z In or mode, you can change the resolution and frame rate (p. 34). 2 Shoot. z Pressing the shutter button halfway aut omatically sets the exposure, focus and white balance settings. [...]

44 z Before recording, you can set th e AE lock (p. 48) and exposure shift. 1. Press the button. The exposure will lock (AE lock) and the exposure shift bar will appear in the LCD monitor . 2. U se the o r button to adjust the exposure. Press the button again to release the setting. Also, the setting will be canceled if you press the MENU button or[...]

45 Shooting Use PhotoS titch, a supplied software progr am, to merge the images on a computer . 1 FUNC. Menu * (Manual) (Stitch Assist). See Menus and Settings (p. 26). * Default setting. z Y ou can select from the following two shooting directions. - Left to right horizontally - Right to left horizo ntally 2 Shoot the first ima ge in the sequence.[...]

46 Y ou can select betw een the following two focusing modes according to the AiAF setting. z The focus is locked to the center AF frame when the digital zoom is used. z The AF frame ap pears as follows (when the LCD monitor is on) when the shutter button is pressed ha lfway . - Green: Shooting preparations complete - Y ellow: Focusing difficulty ([...]

47 Shooting It may be difficult to focus on the following types of subjects. z Subjects with extremely low contrast to the surroundings z Scenes with a mixture of near and far subjects. z Subject s with extreme ly bright object s at the center o f the composition z Subjects that are moving quickly z Subjects through gla ss: T ry t o shoot as close [...]

48 T o Release the AF Lock Press the / button. z When shooting with the focus lock or AF lock using the LCD monitor , setting [AiAF] to [Off] (p. 28) makes shooting ea sier since the camera focuses using the center AF frame only . z The AF lock is convenient because you can let go of the shutter button to compose the ima ge. Moreover , the AF lock [...]

49 Shooting z AE lock can also be set and released in mode (p. 44). z Y ou ca n use the FE lock when using the flash. Y ou can lock the f lash exposure so that the exposure settings are correctly set regardless of the composition of your subject. T o Release the FE Lock Press the button. Locking the Flash Exposure Setting (FE Lock) Shooting Mode 1 [...]

50 Metering Methods Switc hing between Metering Modes Shooting Mode 1 FUNC. Menu * (Evaluativ e). See Menus and Settings (p. 26). * Default setting. z Use the or button to select the metering mode and press the FUNC./SET button. Evaluative Appropriate for standard shooting conditions, including backlit scenes. The camera divides images into several[...]

51 Shooting Adjust the expo sure compensation sett ing to avoid making the subject to o dark when it is ba cklit or shot aga inst a bright ba ckground or to avoid makin g lights appear too br ight in night shots. T o Cancel the Exposure Compensation Restore the compensation value to [0]. z Exposure compensation is not available in the or My Colors [...]

52 Y ou can set the shutter speed to a slow setting to make dark subjects appear brighter . T o Cancel the Long Shutter Mo de Press the MENU button when the Long Shutter FUNC. menu is displayed. Shooting in Long Shutter Mode Shooting Mode 1 (Rec. ) Menu [Long Shutter] [On]. See Menus and Settings (p . 27). 2 FUNC. Menu * (Exposure Compensation) . S[...]

53 Shooting z Use the LCD monitor to confirm that the image was recorded at the desired brightness. z Please note that camera shake becomes a factor at low shutter speeds. If the camera shake warning appears on the LCD monitor , secure the camera to a tripod be fore shooting. z Use of the flash may result in an over-exposed image. If this occurs, s[...]

54 Normally , the (Auto) white balance setting selects an optimal white balance. When the (Auto) se tting cannot produce natural looking colors, change the white balance using a setting appropriate for the light source. W hite Balance Settings Adjusting the T one (W hite Balance) Shooting Mode 1 FUNC. Menu * (Auto). See Menus and Settings (p. 26). [...]

55 Shooting Using the Custom W hite Balance Y ou can set a custom white balance to obtain the optimal setting for the shooting conditions by having the ca mera evaluate an object, such as a piece of white paper or cloth, or a photo-quality gray card that you wish to establish as the standard white color . In particular , take a custom white balance[...]

56 z Y ou are recommended to set the shooting mode to and the exposure compensation setting to [±0] before setting a custom white balance. The correct white balance may not be obtained when the exposure setting is incor rect (image appears completely black or white). z Shoot with the same settings as when reading the white balance data. If the set[...]

57 Shooting By setting a photo effect before you shoot, you can change the look and feel of the pictures you take. Photo Effect Settings Changing the Photo Ef f ect Shooting Mode 1 FUNC. Menu * (Effect Of f). See Menus and Settings (p. 26). * Default setting. z Use the or button to select a photo effect and press the FUNC./SET button. Effect Off Re[...]

58 A My Colors mode easily changes the colors in an image when it is shot, allowing you to alter the balance between red, green and blue, transform pale or tanned skin or change a color specified in the LCD monitor into a different color . Since they work with both stills and movies, these modes let you enjoy producing various image or movie effect[...]

59 Shooting * The skin colors of non-human subject s may also be alter ed. * Y ou may not obt ain the expected results depend ing on the skin color . Color Swap Use this option to transform a color specified in the LCD monitor into another . The specified color can only be swapped into one other color , multiple colors cannot be chosen. Custom Colo[...]

60 The ISO speed will rise with some settings, which may increase the "noise" in the image. Changing the Sav e Method for the Original Ima ge When you are shooting still images in a My Colors mode, you can specify whether or not both the altered image and the original image are recorded. 1 (R ec.) Menu [Sav e Original] [On]/[Off]. See Men[...]

61 Shooting Setting the Camera to the Color Accent Mode Colors other than the color specified in the LCD monitor are shot in black and white. 1 (Color Accent) . See Menus and Set tings (p. 26) . z The camera will switch to color input mode and the display will alternate between the original image and the color accent image (using the previously set[...]

62 Setting the Camera to the Color Sw ap Mode This mode allows you to transform a color specifie d in the LCD monitor into another . 1 (Color Swap) . See Menus and Settings (p. 26). z The cam era will switch to color in put mode and the di s- play wi ll alter nate between the ori ginal image and the color swap image (usin g the previously set color[...]

63 Shooting 4 . z This completes the setting. z If you press th e MENU button at this point, you will return to the scr een where you can select a My Colors mode. z The default setting for color swap mode changes green into white. z Y ou may not obtain the expe cted results after color input mode if you use the flash, or change the white balance or[...]

64 Raise the ISO speed when you wish to reduce the effects of camera shake, turn the flash off when shooting in a dark area, or use a fast shutter speed. Adjusting the ISO Speed Shooting Mode 1 Press the button and switc h settings. z C y c l e t h r o u g h t h e //// A u t o I S O s peed with each press of the button. z Selecting [Auto] sets the [...]

65 Shooting Y our camera is equipped with an Intelligent Orientation sensor that detects the orientation of an image shot with the camera held vertically and automatically rotates it to the correct orientation when viewing it in the LCD monitor . z When the camera is held vertically to shoot, the Intelligent Orientation sensor judges the upper end [...]

66 Y ou can create a n ew folder at any time and the recorded images will be automatically saved to that folder . Creates a folder the n ext time you shoot. Setting the Day or Time for A utomatic F older Cr ea tion Creating an Ima ge Destina tion (Folder) Shooting Mode Playback Mode Create New Folder Creates a new folder the next time you shoot ima[...]

67 Shooting Up to 2000 images can be saved into one folder . A new folder will automatically be created when you record more than that number even if you are not creating new folders. The images you shoot are automatically assigned file numbers. Y ou can select how the file number is assigned. File Number R eset Function * When a blank memory card [...]

68 File and F older Number s Recorded images are assigned cons ecutive file numbers starting with 0001 and ranging up to 9999, while folders are assigned numbers starting with 100 and ranging up to 999. Up to 2,000 images can be saved into a single folder. z Images may be saved to a new folder when there is insu f ficient free space even if the tot[...]

69 Playback/Erasing Playback/Erasing Please also see the Basic Camera User Gu ide (p. 1 1). T o Cancel the Magnified Display Press the zoom lever toward . (Y ou can also cancel it immediately by pressing the MENU button.) Magnifying Ima ges 1 Press the zoom le ver to war d . z will display and a magnified portion of the image will display . z Image[...]

70 T o Return to Single Image Playback Press the zoom lever toward . Viewing Ima ges in Sets of Nine (Inde x Playbac k) 1 Press the zoom lev er toward . z Up to nine images can be viewed at once. z Use the , , or button to change the image selection. Switching between Sets of Nine Ima ges The jump bar will display if you press the zoom lever toward[...]

71 Playback/Erasing When you have many images record ed onto a memory card, it is handy to use the five search keys below to jump over images to find the object of your search. T o Return to Single Image Playback Press the MENU button. J umping to Ima ges Jump 10 Images Jumps over 10 images at a time. Jump 100 Images Jumps over 100 images at a time[...]

72 Operating the Mo vie Control Panel z Use the television’s controls to adjust the volume when playing a movie on a TV set (p. 89). z The sound cannot be played in slow motio n playback. Viewing Mo vies Movies cannot be played in the index playback mode. 1 Display a mo vie and press . z Images with a icon are movies. 2 Select (Play) and press . [...]

73 Playback/Erasing Y ou can delete por tions of recorded movies. Editing Mo vies Movies 1 second or longer before editing can be edited in 1- second increments, but those that are protected or less than 1 second long cannot be edited. 1 Select (Edit) in the mo vie contr ol panel and press . z The movie editing panel and the movie editing bar will [...]

74 It may take approximately 3 minutes to save an edited movie. If the battery runs out of charge partway through, edited movie clips cannot be saved. When editing movies, it is recommended to use a fully charged battery or the separately sold AC Adapter Kit ACK900 (p. 109). 4 Select [New File] or [Ov erwrite] and press . z [New File] saves the edi[...]

75 Playback/Erasing Images can be rotated clockwise 90° or 270° in the display . R otating Images in the Display 1 (Play) Menu . See Menus and Settings (p. 27). 2 Use the or button to select an image to rotate and press to r otate it. z Cycle through the 90°/270°/orig inal orientations with each press of the FUNC./SET button. z This also can be[...]

76 Y ou can select the transition effect displayed when switching between images. The transition effect will not display when an image is switched while the camera is reading of an ima ge from the memory card. In playback mode (including single image playback and index playback), you can attach sound memos (up to 60 seconds) to an image. The sound [...]

77 Playback/Erasing Sound Memo P anel 2 Use the or button to select an image to attac h a sound memo to and press . z The sound memo control panel will display . 3 Select (Record) and press . z The elapsed time and the remaining time display . z Pressing the FUNC./SET button pauses the recording. Pressing it again resumes recording. z Up to 60 seco[...]

78 Automated Playback of Memory Card Images. Image settings for slide shows are based on the D igital Print Order Format (DPOF) standard (p. 83). Automa ted Playback (Slide Shows) All Images Plays all images on a memory card in order. Date Plays images bearing a specified date in order . Folder Plays images in a specified fol der in order . Movie P[...]

79 Playback/Erasing T ran sition Effects Y ou can select the transition effect used when one image is replaced by another . In single image playback mode, you can start a slide show from the current image displayed by h olding the FUNC./SET button while you press the button. Please note that if you do this while the last image shot is displayed, th[...]

80 Selecting an Ima ge Date or F older for Playback ( / ) 1 Select or and press . 2 Use the or button to select the date or folder to be played bac k and press . Selecting Images f or Playback ( – ) Select onl y the images th at you wish to play back and save them as a sli de show (Custom 1, 2 o r 3). Up to 998 i mages can be selec ted. They will[...]

81 Playback/Erasing Selecting All Images 1 After s electing – in step 1 (p. 80), use the button to select [Mark all ] and press t he FUNC./SET button. 2 Use the button to select [Mark all], press the FUNC./SET button. 3 Use the button to select [OK] and press the FUNC./SET button. T o deselect all images, select [Reset]. Adjusting th e Play Time [...]

82 Y ou can protect i mportant images and movi es from accidental erasure. Please format the memory car d when you want to erase not onl y image data but also all the data contained on the card (p. 23). Protecting Ima ges 1 (Play) Menu . See Menus and Settings (p . 27). 2 Select an image to protect and pr ess . z Pressing the FUNC./SET button again[...]

83 Print Settings/T ransfer Settings Print Settings/T ransfer Settings Y ou can select images on a memory card for printing and specify the number of print copies in advance using the camera. This is extremely convenient for printing on a direct p rint compatible printer , or for sending the imag es to a photo developing service that supports DPOF [...]

84 All the Images on a Memor y Car d 3 Select images for printing. z Selection methods differ for the Print T ype settings (p. 85). - (St andard)/ (Both) Select an image, press the FUNC./SET button and use the or button to select the number of print copies (up to maximum of 99). - (Index) Select an image and the press FUNC./SET button to select or [...]

85 Print Settings/T ransfer Settings z Images are printed in order according to the file n umber . z A maximum of 998 images can be selected. z When [Print T ype] is set to [Both], the number of copies can be set. When it is set to [Index], the number of copies cannot be set (only one copy will be printed). z Do not set the date in the DP OF print [...]

86 z The Date and File No. settings change according to the Print T ype as follows. - Index [Date] and [File No.] cannot be set to [On] at the sa me time. - S tandard or Both [Date] and [File No.] can be set to [On] at the same time, however , the printable information may vary between printe rs. z Embedded dates in (Postcard Da te Imprint mode) (p[...]

87 Print Settings/T ransfer Settings Y ou can use the camera to specify settings for images before downloading to a computer . Refer to the Software St arter Guide for instructions on how to transfer images to your computer . The settings used on the camera comply with the Dig ital Print Order Format (DPOF) standards. Single Images Setting the DPOF[...]

88 All the Images on a Memor y Car d z Images are transferred in order according to t he file number . z A maximum of 998 images can be selected. 1 (Play) Menu . See Menus and Settings (p . 27). 2 Select [Mar k all] and press . z Selecting [Reset] cancels all transfer order settings. 3 Select [OK] and press .[...]

89 Viewing Images on a TV set Viewing Ima ges on a TV set Y ou can use a vid eo-compatible television as a monitor to shoot or play back images when it is connected to the camera with the supplied A V Cable. The video output signal can be switched (NTSC or P AL) to accommodate different regional standards (p. 30). The default setting varies between[...]

90 Customizing the Camer a (My Camera Set tings) My Camera allows you to customize the start-up image and start- up, operation, self-timer and shutter sounds. Y ou can change and register these settings, enabling you to customize the camera to suit your own tastes. Changing My Camera Settings 1 (My Camera) Menu Menu Item. See Menus and Settings (p [...]

91 Customizing the Camera (My Camera Settings) Images recorded onto the memory card and newly recorded sounds can be added as My Camera settings to the and menu items. Y ou ca n also use the supplied software to upload your computer ’s images and sounds to the camera. A computer is required to restore the My Camera settings to the defaults. Use t[...]

92 See the supplied Software Starter Guide for more information on creating and adding to the My Camera data. 3 Select an image or recor d a sound. z St art-up Image Select the image you wish to reg- ister and press the FUNC./SET button. z St art-up, Operation, Self-tim er and Shutter Sound s Select (Record) and press the FUNC./SET button. After re[...]

93 T roublesh ooting T roubleshooting Camer a Camera will not operate. Power is not turned on. z Pr ess the power button ( Basic Guide p. 5). Memory card slot/battery cover is open. z Confirm that the memory card slot/ battery cover is securely closed ( Basic Guide p. 2). Insufficient battery voltage ("Change the battery pack" message dis[...]

94 LCD monitor The display dar kens. The image in the LCD monitor will darken in strong sunlight or bright light. z This does not constitute a malfunction and has no effect on images that have been shot. Display flick er s. Display flickers when shot under fluorescent lighting. z This is not a camera malfunction (flickering recorded in movies, but [...]

95 T roublesh ooting Noise displays./Subject's mo vements ar e ir re gular . Camera automatically lightened the image displayed on the LCD monitor to make it easier to see when shooting in a dark area (p. 17). z There is no effect on the recorded image. Shooting Camera will not recor d. Mode dial is set to (playback). z Set the mode dial to , [...]

96 Image is blur red or out of focus. AF-assist Beam is set to [Off]. z In dark places where it is difficult for the camera to focus, the AF-assist Beam will emit to assist focusing. As the AF-assist Beam will not function when turned of f, set it [On] to ac tivate it (p . 28 ). T ake care not to obstruct the AF-assist Beam with your hand when used[...]

97 T roublesh ooting Subject in recor ded image is too bright. Subject is too close, making the flash too strong. z Shoot within correct shooting distance of the subject when using the built-in flash (p. 1 14). Subject is bright in contrast to the background. z Set the exposure compensation to a negative (-) setting ( p. 51 ) . z Use AE lock or use[...]

98 Eyes appear red. Light reflecting back from eyes can make them appear red when the flash is used in dark areas. z Use the (auto with red-eye reduction) mode ( Basi c Guide p. 9). For this mode to be effective, the subject must be looking right at the red-eye reduction lamp. Try asking them to look directly at the lamp . z Even better results can[...]

99 T roublesh ooting Shooting Mo vies The r ecording time may not display pr operl y or filming may stop une xpectedly . The following types of memory cards are used. - Slow re cording cards. - Cards formatted on a different camera or a computer . - Cards which have had images recorded and erased repeatedly . z Although the recording time may not d[...]

100 Playback Cannot play bac k. Y ou attempted to play back images shot with another camera or images edited with a computer . z Computer images that cannot be played back will play back if they are added to the camera using the supplied software program ZoomBrowser EX or ImageBrowser . See ZoomBrowser EX/ ImageBrowser Software User Guide (PDF). Fi[...]

101 T roublesh ooting Reading images from memor y car d is slow . Memory card was formatted in another device. z Use a memory card formatted in your camera (p. 23). Batter y/Batter y Char ger Batter y consumed quic kl y . Battery life exceeded if battery loses its charge quickly at normal temperature (23 °C/73 °F). z Replace the battery with a ne[...]

102 List of Messages The following messages may appear on the LCD mo nitor during shooting or playback. Please refer to the Direct Print Us er Guide for the messages that display during a printer connectio n. Busy ... z Image is being recorded to, or read from, memory card. The playback mode is starting up. No memory card z Y ou turn ed on the came[...]

103 List of Messages Change the battery pack. z Battery charge is insufficient to operate the camera. Replace it at once with a charged one or recharge the battery . No image. z No images recorded on me mory card. Image too large. z Y ou attem pted to play back an image larger than 4992 x 3328 pixels or with a large data size. Incompatible JPEG for[...]

104 Cannot register this image! z Y ou attempted to register an image recorded in a different camera or a movie as a start-up image. Protected! z Y ou attempted to erase or edit a protected image, movie or sound memo. T oo many marks. z T oo many images have been marked with print settings, transfer settings or slide show settings. C annot process [...]

105 Appendix Appendix Batter y Handling Batt er y Char ge The following icon and message will display . Batter y Handling Precaution s z Keep the battery terminals clean at all times. Dirty terminals may cause poor contact between the battery and camera. Polish the terminals with a soft cotton swab before charging or using the battery . z At low te[...]

106 z Y ou are recommended to use it in the camera until it is completely discharged and to sto re it in an indoor location with low relative humidity and between the temperatures of 0 – 30 °C (32 – 86 °F). S toring a fully charged battery for long periods of time (about one year) may shorten its life cycle or affect it s performance. If you [...]

107 Appendix Handling the Memor y Car d Write Protect T ab Cautions W hen Handling z Memory cards are high- precision electronic devices. Do not bend them, apply force to them, or subject them to shocks or vibration. z Do not attempt to dis assemble or alter the memory card. z Do not allow dirt, water or foreign objects to contact the terminals on [...]

108 F or matting z Please note that formatting (init ializing) an memory card erases all data, including protected images. z Y ou are recommended to use memory cards that have be en formatted in your camera. • The card supplied with the camera may be used without further formatting. • When the camera is malfunctioning, a corrupted memory card m[...]

109 Appendix It is best to power the camera with AC Adapter Kit ACK900 (sold separately) when you are using it for long periods of time or connecting it to a computer . Using an AC Adapter Kit (Sold Separately) T urn the camera pow er off before connecting or disconnecting the AC adapter . 1 Connect the pow er cor d to the compact po wer adapter fi[...]

110 High-Po wer Flash HF-DC1 This flash is used to supplement the camera's built-in flash when the subject is too far away for proper illumination. Use the following procedures to affix the camera and High-Power Flash to the supporting bracket. Please read the instructions accompanying the flash along w ith this explanation. Using an Exter nal[...]

111 Appendix z Before attaching the bracket to the flash, check that the lithium battery (CR123A or DL123) is installed. z T o illuminate the subjects properly , install the flash so that it is up against the side of the camera and parallel with the camera’s front p anel. z A tripod can be used even when the flash is attached. Batteries z Charge [...]

112 Camera Body Gently wipe dirt off the camera body with a soft cloth or eyeglass lens wiper . Lens First use a lens blower brush to remove dust and dirt, then remove any remaining dirt by wiping the lens lightly with a soft cloth. Viewfinder and LCD Monitor Use a lens blower brush to remove dust and dirt. If necessary , gently wipe with a soft cl[...]

113 Appendix All data is based on Canon’s st andard testing methods. Subject to change without notice. Po werShot SD550 DIGIT AL ELPH/DIGIT AL IXUS 750 Specifications (W): wide angle (T) : telephoto Camera Effective Pixels Approx. 7.1 million Image Sensor 1/1.8-inch CCD (T otal number of pixels: Approx. 7.4 million) Lens 7.7 (W) – 2 3.1 (T) mm [...]

114 White Bala nce TTL auto, pr e-set (available s ettings: Daylight, Cloudy , Tungsten, Fluoresc ent or Fluorescent H) or custom Built-in Fl ash Auto, auto with red-eye reduction, flash on with red-eye reduction, flash on, flash off, slow synchro Flash Range Normal: 50 cm – 5.0 m (1.6 – 16.4 ft.) (W), 50 cm – 3.0 m (1.6 – 9.8 ft.) (T) Macr[...]

115 Appendix Number of Recording Pixels (Movies) Standard, My Colors: 640 x 480 pixels (30 frames/sec. , 15 frames/sec.) 320 x 240 pixels (30 frames/sec. , 15 frames/sec.) Recording can continue until the memory card is full* (ca n record up to a maxi mum of 1 GB at one time). Fast Frame Rate: (ca n record for 1 min.) 320 x 240 pixel s (60 frames/s[...]

116 *1 This digital camera support s Exif 2.2 (also called “Exif Print”). Exif Prin t is a standard for enhancing the communicatio n between digital camera s and printers. B y connect ing to an Exif Print-co mpliant printer , the came ra’s image data at th e time of shooting is used and optimize d, yielding extremely high quality print s. Bat[...]

117 Appendix Memor y Car ds and Estimated Capacities : Card included with the camera • Capable of smooth conti nuous shooting (p. 38) (*Only availabl e when card has been fo rmatted with a low level format). • This refl ects standa rd shooting criteria esta blished by Canon. Actual result s may vary according to the subject a nd shooting condit[...]

118 * Maximum movie clip length at : 1 min., at : 3 min. The figures indicate the maxim um continuous recording time. Image Data Sizes (Estimated) Resoluti on Compression (3072 x 2304 pi xels) 3045KB 1897KB 902KB (2592 x 1944 pixels) 2503KB 1395KB 695KB (2048 x 1536 pixels) 1602KB 893KB 445KB (1600 x 1200 pixels) 1002KB 558KB 278KB (640 x 480 pixel[...]

119 Appendix SD Memor y Car d Batter y P ack NB-3L Batter y Charger CB-2LU/CB-2L UE Compact P ower Adapter CA-PS500 (Included with the separately sold AC Adapter Kit ACK900) Interface Compatible with SD memory card standards Dimensions 32.0 x 24.0 x 2.1 mm (1.3 x 0.9 x 0.1 in .) Weight Approx. 2 g ( 0.07 oz.) Ty p e Lithi um-ion Rechar geable batt [...]

120 INDEX A AC Adapter Kit AC K900 ....... 109 AE Lock . ............................ .... 48 AF Frame .................... ..... 46, 47 AF Lock........................... ....... 47 AF-assist Beam ...................... 28 AiAF .............. ......................... 28 Auto Play (Slide Sh ow) .......... 78 Auto Rotate Function ............. 65 A[...]

121 M Macro........... ........... 14, Basic 10 Magnifying .............. ................ 69 Memory Card Estimated Capac ities ........ 117 Formatting ... ............... 23, 108 Handling ........................... 107 Inserting................. ..... Basic 2 Menu FUNC. Menu ................ 26, 28 Menu List .......................... .. 28 Menus[...]

122 MEMO[...]

123 MEMO[...]

124 MEMO[...]

125 MEMO[...]

126 T r ademark Acknowledgments • Canon, PowerShot, PIXMA and SELPH Y are trademarks of Canon Inc. • Macintosh, Mac OS and QuickT ime a re trademarks of Apple Computer Inc., re gistered in the Un ited S tates and/or other cou ntries. •M i c r o s o f t ® and Windows ® are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation i[...]

127 Canadian Radio Inte rference Regulations This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Réglementation canadienne sur les interférences radio Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada. FCC Notice (Digital Camera, Model PC1 169) This device comp l ies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Opera[...]

128 Functions A vailable in Eac h Shooting Mode The chart bel ow is a refere nce for the sett ings available for various shoo ting conditi ons. The settings selected in each shoot ing mode are saved after you finish shooti ng. Function Page Resolution Large  *  *  *  * U *  * – p.32 p.34 Medium 1     U  – Medium 2 [...]

129 *Default setting  Setting available U Setting can only be selected for the first image . (Shaded Area):Setting is retained ev en when the camera powe r is shut off. With the exception of the [Date/Time], [Language] and [Video System] settings, all the other menu settings and changes made with the camera buttons can be reset to the default va[...]