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First and foremost, an user manual of Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950 should contain:
- informations concerning technical data of Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950
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- rules of operation, control and maintenance of the Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950 item
- safety signs and mark certificates which confirm compatibility with appropriate standards
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Usually it results from the lack of time and certainty about functionalities of purchased items. Unfortunately, networking and start-up of Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950 alone are not enough. An instruction contains a number of clues concerning respective functionalities, safety rules, maintenance methods (what means should be used), eventual defects of Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950, and methods of problem resolution. Eventually, when one still can't find the answer to his problems, he will be directed to the Proxima ASA service. Lately animated manuals and instructional videos are quite popular among customers. These kinds of user manuals are effective; they assure that a customer will familiarize himself with the whole material, and won't skip complicated, technical information of Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950.
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After a successful purchase of an item one should find a moment and get to know with every part of an instruction. Currently the manuals are carefully prearranged and translated, so they could be fully understood by its users. The manuals will serve as an informational aid.
Table of contents for the manual
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Page 1
- 1 - Reference Manual DIGIT AL C AMERA COOLPIX 950 Contents Overview First Steps Putting Batteries in Y our Camera Inserting and Removing Memor y Cards Choosing a Language f or the Menus Setting the Time and Date T aking Y our First Photogra ph Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC) Flash Settings Focus Settings Using the Self-Timer Image Quality and Si[...]
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Page 2
- 2 - The Camera Menus The A-REC Menu Using Folders (A-REC, M-REC) LCD Brightness Sound Settings Auto Of f Formatting Memor y Cards The M-REC Menu Digital Zoom (DIGIT AL TELE) Black-and-White Photogr aphy Lens Con verter Settings (LENS) Making a P anoram a—T ips (AE-LOCK) User Settings Restoring Default Settings LCD On/Of f The Contr ols Menu (M-[...]
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- 3 - Ov er vie w Thank you for buying a COOLPIX 950. This Reference Manual explains how to use and care for your COOLPIX 950. It is intended as a supplement to the Fast Track Guide and Pocket Guide , to which you can refer for guidance on topics not covered here. This manual is composed of the following chapters: First Steps lists the steps involv[...]
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- 4 - First Steps This chapter guides you through the steps you will take after removing the camera from the box, from inserting the batteries to making your first photographs and playing them back. Before you will be able to use your camera, you will need to complete the following steps: • attach the camera strap (see For Your Safety ) • inser[...]
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Page 5
- 5 - …remove the memory card Flip the card-release button up and push it down until the card can be removed by hand. 4 Close the card slot cover Inser ting and Remo ving Memor y Cards 1 Turn the camera off Turn the mode dial to OFF. 2 Open the card slot Turn the camera upside down (if the camera is on a tripod, detach it from the tripod first), [...]
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- 6 - Setting the Time and Date When you turn on your camera for the first time, you will need to set the time and date as follows: 1 Turn the mode dial to PLAY. 5 Rotate the command dial to select the item you wish to change, then edit the item using the zoom-in button (T/ ▲ ) to increase its value or the zoom-out button (W/ ▼ ) to decrease it[...]
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- 7 - T aking Y our First Photo graph This section outlines the basic steps involved in taking a photograph in A-REC mode. Step 1—Remove the lens cap Remove the lens cap as shown below. Step 2—Turn the mode dial to A-REC To enter automatic recording mode, turn the selector dial to A-REC. After a short pause while the camera initializes, a beep [...]
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- 8 - Step 3—Check the number of exposures remaining The control panel and LCD monitor show the number of expo- sures remaining at the current image quality setting. Step 4—Adjust camera settings In automatic mode, the user can adjust flash, focus, exposure compensation, and image quality and size. The default settings, which produce the best r[...]
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- 9 - Step 6—Half-press the shutter-release button When the shutter-release button is pressed half way, the camera will automatically adjust focus according to the distance to the subject. If the focus operation is successful, the green autofocus lamp next to the viewfinder will glow . The focus setting will remain unchanged as long as the shutte[...]
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Page 10
- 10 - Step 8—Check the results After a photograph has been taken, the autofocus lamp will blink and an hourglass icon ( ) will be displayed in the LCD monitor while the photograph is recorded. Before the photograph is transferred to the memory card, it will be displayed briefly in the LCD monitor. If the photo was taken at an image-size setting [...]
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- 11 - Using the Buttons (A-REC , M-REC) This chapter details some of the camera settings that can be accessed without using the camera menus: flash, focus, image quality, image size, sensitivity, and exposure mode. Exposure compensation is covered in the Fast Track Guide . Flash Settings The following flash settings are available: Important! Befor[...]
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- 12 - When the mode dial is set to A-REC or M-REC, the current flash setting can be changed using the button next to the control panel. The setting changes each time the button is pressed, cycling through the different flash modes in the following order: SLOW AUTO Tips When lighting is poor and the flash is set to “Off” ( ) or “Slow Synchro?[...]
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- 13 - F ocus Settings With the mode dial set to A-REC, a choice of three autofocus modes is available. In addition, M-REC mode offers a selection of manual focus settings. Autofocus settings The following autofocus settings are available in M-REC and A-REC modes: How it works Setting When to use it When the mode dial is set to A-REC or M-REC, the [...]
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- 14 - Manual focus In M-REC mode, focus distance can be se- lected manually from a list of preset distances ranging from 0.1m (4in.) to infinity. To set focus distance manually: 1 Measure the distance to your subject. 2 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. Focus Distance Focus distance is measured from the cover that protects the lens. Focus distance can [...]
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Page 15
- 15 - Using the Self-Timer The COOLPIX 950 is equipped with an automatic timer with two settings: three seconds, useful when making group photographs, and ten seconds, ideal for self-portraits. To use the self-timer, follow these steps: 1 For self-portraits, mount the camera on a tripod (recom- mended) or rest it on a flat, stable surface. 2 Press[...]
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- 16 - Ima ge Quality and Siz e The image quality/image size setting determines how many photo- graphs can be stored on a single memory card. The following combinations of image quality and size are available: Imag e Quality At settings of BASIC, NORMAL, and FINE, the camera uses JPEG compression to reduce the amount of memory required to store pho[...]
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- 17 - Photographs taken at an image quality setting of HI are stored in uncompressed TIFF format and show no loss in quality. An 8MB memory card is however sufficient to store only one such photo- graph at a time. To take photographs at an image quality of HI, turn the mode dial to M-REC, then hold down the button and turn the command dial until H[...]
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Page 18
- 18 - Program Camera automatically sets shutter speed and aper- ture to produce the best exposure. Best for general use. How it works Setting When to use it Shutter Priority Choose the shutter speed using the command dial. Aperture is set automatically by the camera. Use a high shutter speed to freeze a fast-moving subject. Lower shutter speeds ca[...]
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Page 19
- 19 - Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Exposure Mode Aper tur e Priority An exposure mode of Aperture Priority allows you to choose an aperture setting from three pre-determined f-values. To choose a value for aperture: 1 Set the exposure mode to Aperture Pri- ority. 2 Turn the command dial to choose an aperture setting (if the aperture setting d[...]
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Page 20
- 20 - Using the Buttons (PLA Y) This chapter describes the following playback functions: • viewing photographs • deleting unwanted photographs individually These functions can be accessed using the zoom ( ▼ W/T ▲ ) buttons, the command dial, and the three buttons below the control panel. The options available in the playback menu are descr[...]
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Page 21
- 21 - • To select a photo for viewing: Press the thumbnail ( ) button to display a menu of nine preview images. A number at the bottom right corner of each preview gives the position of the photograph in memory. If there are more than nine photos in memory, use the command dial to page through the previews, nine at a time. Use the ▼ W/T ▲ bu[...]
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Page 22
- 22 - The Camera Men us This chapter supplements “Other Camera Functions” in the Pocket Guide , exploring the options available in the menus for each operating mode. The bulk of the shooting options available in the M-REC menu are described in the Pocket Guide , “Taking Photo- graphs.” The A-REC Menu To display the A-REC menu, turn the mod[...]
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Page 23
- 23 - CONCEPT PRACTICE Using F olders (A-REC , M-REC) By default, photographs taken with the COOLPIX 950 are stored in the memory card in a folder labeled NIKON. To make it easier to locate photographs during playback, you can create additional folders and organize your photographs by theme. The FOLDERS menu enables you to select the folder in whi[...]
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Page 24
- 24 - The Folder Options Menu To create a new folder, or to rename or delete existing folders, choose OPTIONS from the FOLDERS menu. The menu shown at right will be displayed. Creating new folders To create a new folder: 1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight NEW and press the shutter-release button. The window shown at right will be displayed. AU TO[...]
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- 25 - LCDBRIGHT Deleting folders To delete an existing folder: 1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight DE- LETE in the OPTIONS menu and press the shutter-release button. The window shown at right will be displayed. 2 Use the zoom buttons to highlight the folder you want to delete (note that the folder name NIKON can not be deleted) and press the shutt[...]
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- 26 - CONCEPT PRACTICE CONCEPT PRACTICE AU TO SOUND ON OFF Sound Settings The COOLPIX 950 is equipped with a speaker that produces a beep when you turn the camera on or take a picture. This speaker can be turned on and off using the SOUND menu. The SOUND menu can be accessed from the setup menu for each mode. To display the setup menu for M-REC or[...]
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Page 27
- 27 - CONCEPT PRACTICE AU TO FORMA T IMA GES WILL BE DELETED! W ARNING!ALL FORMA T NO F ormatting Memor y Cards Compact flash memory cards must be formatted before they can be used in the camera. You can also format cards to erase all folders and photographs. When memory cards are formatted, all data on the card are permanently deleted; be sure to[...]
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Page 28
- 28 - The M-REC Menu To display the M-REC menu, turn the mode dial to M-REC and press the MENU button. The M-REC menu has two pages of options; you can move from the first to the second page using the MENU button or zoom but- tons. Press the MENU button when the second page is displayed to return to shoot- ing mode. Using the menus If the menu doe[...]
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Page 29
- 29 - LENS (Lens Converter) Offers a choice of settings for achieving optimum results with the following lens converters (available separately): the FC- E8 fish-eye lens converter, the WC-E24 wide-angle lens converter, and the TC-E2 telephoto lens converter. Details of these settings are provided below. AE LOCK Fixes autoexposure and white-balance[...]
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Page 30
- 30 - CONCEPT ➔ AU TO SHOOTING IMG ADJUST WHITE BAL CONTINUOUS METERING BESTSHOT BLACK&WHIT DIGIT AL TELE AU TO AU TO D-TELE X 2 . 0 X 2 . 5 X 1 . 6 X 1 . 2 5 O F F A U T O PRACTICE Digital Zoom (DIGIT AL TELE) In “digital zoom,” images are processed digitally to enlarge the center portion of photographs to fill the frame. Unlike optical[...]
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Page 31
- 31 - PRACTICE Black-and-White Photogra ph y In M-REC mode, photographs can be taken either in color or in black-and-white (in A-REC mode, only color is available). Photo- graphs taken in black-and-white have slightly better image quality than color photos. To switch from color to black-and-white or vice-versa: 1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Pre[...]
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Page 32
- 32 - PRACTICE The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu Lens Con verter Settings (LENS) If you have attached one of the lens converters available sepa- rately for the COOLPIX 950, you can use the LENS option to adjust zoom, flash, and other settings to the optimum values for the chosen converter. The following preset combinations of settings are available[...]
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Page 33
- 33 - CONCEPT PRACTICE Making a P anorama—Tips (AE-LOCK) In M-REC mode, you can lock autoexposure and auto white balance to produce a series of photographs with consistent color balance and exposure. This can be used to take several matching photographs of a single scene, which can later be blended together to create a panorama or a virtual-real[...]
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Page 34
- 34 - CONCEPT PRACTICE ➔ AU TO SHOOTING SET UP FOLDERS LENS CARDFORMA T AE LOCK 1 USER SET RESET ALL AU TO USER SET BSS A U T O User Settings In M-REC mode, the camera can “memorize” up to three combinations of settings, including metering, white balance, multi- shot, image adjustment, best-shot selection, digital zoom, lens converter, and a[...]
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- 35 - CONCEPT ➔ AU TO SHOOTING SET UP FOLDERS LENS CARDFORMA T AE LOCK 1 USER SET RESET ALL AU TO RESET ALL SETTINGS TO DEF A UL TV ALUES RESET ALL RESET C NO PRACTICE Restoring Default Settings The RESET ALL item in the M-REC menu allows you to reset user settings to the default values shown below: Setting Default value White balance automatic [...]
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Page 36
- 36 - LCD On/Off By default, the LCD monitor comes on when the camera is turned on and can only be turned off by pressing the MONITOR button. While the LCD monitor is on, the camera adjusts focus continu- ously, providing a constant preview of the view through the lens. The settings in the LCD ON/OFF menu allow you to change the behavior of the mo[...]
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- 37 - CONCEPT PRACTICE ➔ AU TO SHOOTING FOLDERS LENS CARDFORMA T AE LOCK 1 USER SET RESET ALL SET UP AU TO AU TO OF F DA T E LCD BRIGHT SOUND SEQ.XFER LCD ON/OFF 0 30s E LANGU AGE CONTROLS ON CONCEPT The Contr ols Menu (M-REC) In M-REC mode, the controls menu offers control over the following settings: • SAVE (Flash Mode Save): When this item [...]
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- 38 - CONCEPT PRACTICE ➔ AU TO SHOOTING FOLDERS LENS CARDFORMA T AE LOCK 1 USER SET RESET ALL SET UP AU TO AU TO OF F DA T E LCD BRIGHT SOUND SEQ.XFER LCD ON/OFF 0 30s E LANGU AGE CONTROLS ON Setting How it works Resets sequential numbering to the low- est number available on the current card. When a new card is inserted, file numbering will con[...]
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Page 39
- 39 - The Pla yback Menu In addition to some of the camera settings discussed above, the playback menu offers options for deleting multiple images, creating slide shows, protecting photographs from de le- tion, and hiding photographs during playback. It also includes options for setting up photos for printing on suitably-equipped printers. To disp[...]
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- 40 - CONCEPT PRACTICE Deleting Multiple Photo graphs The DELETE option in the playback menu allows you to: • delete selected photographs • delete all the photographs in the current folder • select a folder for deletion • delete printer information files created with the PRINT SET option (see “Preparing Photographs for Printing,” below[...]
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Page 41
- 41 - 2 Use the zoom buttons to highlight ALL and then press the shutter-release button. The dialog shown at right will be dis- played. Highlight YES and press the shut- ter-release button to delete all visible, unprotected images. Highlight NO or BK to return to the playback menu without deleting the images. Deleting All Photographs in Memory To [...]
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- 42 - CONCEPT PRACTICE Slidesho w The slide-show option allows unattended sequential playback of all images in the current folder that have not been hidden using HIDE IMAGE. Photographs are displayed one after the other, with a pause between each photograph. The steps for setting up and starting a slide show are as follows: 1 Using the zoom button[...]
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Page 43
- 43 - 4 To pause the slide show, press the shut- ter-release button. The slide show will pause and the window shown at right will be displayed. You can restart the slide show by selecting RESTART, choose a new frame interval with FRAME INTVL, or select BK to stop the slide show and return to playback mode. 5 When the slide show finishes, the pause[...]
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- 44 - Hiding Photo graphs During Pla yback When creating a slide show or playing back photographs for an audience, you may want to hide some of the photographs in the current folder. Hidden items are only visible in the HIDE IMAGE menu and can not be deleted using the button or the DELETE—SELECTED or DELETE—ALL options (hidden files will be de[...]
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Page 45
- 45 - 5 To select the number of copies of each image to be printed, highlight COPIES and turn the command dial. Alternatively, press the shutter-release button and use the zoom buttons to select the number of copies in the COPIES menu, then press the shutter-release button to return to the PRINT SET menu. 6 To print the date of recording on the ph[...]
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Page 46
- 46 - Tips When the lens is rotated to point in the same direction as the monitor, the television image will appear upside-down. Connect the camera to the AC adapter (available separately) when you want the television to continue to display images even after the camera has entered “sleep” mode. Depending on the country of purchase, your camera[...]
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Page 47
- 47 - Viewing Photos on a Computer Photographs stored on the memory card can be viewed on a computer either using Nikon View to transfer data directly from the camera, or by removing the memory card from the camera and reading it using a CompactFlash (CF) card reader or PC card adapter. The steps involved in a direct connection are described in th[...]
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- 48 - Caring for Y our Camera To ensure that you continue to get the most from your camera, you should observe the following precautions when cleaning and storing your camera. Cleaning The lens is covered by a clear plastic shield. You should avoid touching this shield with your fingers. Use a blower to remove dirt and dust from the lens shield. I[...]
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Page 49
- 49 - Accessories This chapter identifies the items packaged with your camera and the accessories available for separate purchase. What’ s in the Bo x Purchasers of the COOLPIX 950 should find that the package contains the items listed below. Should you notice that any item is missing or damaged, contact your retailer as soon as possible. Option[...]
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- 50 - T roub leshooting If you should notice any problems with your COOLPIX 950, check the list below before consulting your retailer or Nikon represen- tative. General Pr oblems Nothing shows in the control panel Checklist: • Is the mode dial set to OFF? Turn the mode dial to A-REC, M-REC, or PLAY. • Are the batteries correctly inserted and t[...]
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Page 51
- 51 - The exposure count shows zero • There is not enough memory to record photographs at current settings. There may still be enough memory to record photo- graphs at a lower image quality or size. You will not however be able make a photograph at current settings until you have deleted one or more images from memory as described in “Using th[...]
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Page 52
- 52 - Your television does not mirror the LCD monitor Checklist: • Is the camera correctly connected to the television set or VCR? Connect the camera as described in “Connections: Connect- ing to a Television or VCR.” • Is the television tuned to the video channel? Tune the television to the video channel. • Is your television compatible[...]
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- 53 - Err or Messa ges When there is a problem with the flash-memory card or with the camera’s internal programming and circuitry, an error message will appear superimposed on the image in the LCD monitor. Below is a list of error messages that may be displayed by the COOLPIX 950 and the steps that should be taken to deal with them. NO T CAN BE [...]
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Page 54
- 54 - This error appears when all photo- graphs in the current folder have been hidden using HIDE IMAGE and the mode dial is set to PLAY. It will not be possible to play back or delete images until you have chosen a different folder or used HIDE IMAGE to allow at least one image to be displayed (see “The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu”). A co[...]
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- 55 - Specifications Type: digital camera Recording modes: automatic (A-REC), custom (M-REC; offers monochrome mode and allows manual ad- justments to focus, shutter speed, aperture, sensitivity, white balance, metering, bright- ness, and contrast) Image sensor: high-density 1 / 2 ˝ CCD Pixel count: effective pixel count 1.92 million pixels (1,60[...]
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- 56 - Exposure Range (continuous): EV -2.0–+15.5 (wide angle) EV -0.8–+16.7 (telephoto) (ISO 100 equivalent) Control: programmed auto, shutter-priority auto, ap- erture-priority auto Compensation: -2.0EV–+2.0EV in increments of 1 / 3 EV White balance: automatic TTL homing system ; programs avail- able for sunny and overcast conditions and fo[...]