Canon PowerShot A530 Operating and maintenance manual

ENGLISH
Preparation
Shooting
Playback/Erasing
Menus and Settings
Printing
Downloading Images
to a Computer
Basic
CDI-E220-010 © 2006 CANON INC. PRINTED IN MALAYSIA
Camera User Guide
Please Read This First
This guide explains how to prepare the camera and use its basic features.
Photo of PowerShot A540

The following guides are available. Refer to them as necessary
according to the flowchart below.
In this guide, the Basic Camera User Guide is called the Basic Guide,
and the Advanced Camera User Guide is called the Advanced Guide.
Flowchart and Reference Guides
For information on included items
and items sold separately
Preparations
• Installing the batteries and memory card
• Setting the date, time and language
Shooting
Playback/Erasing
Menus and Settings
Handling precautions, references to
the various shooting and playback
functions
Printing
• Installing the software
• Downloading images to a
computer
• Using the software
System Map
Basic Camera User
Guide (This Guide)
• Read this first.
Advanced Camera
User Guide
Direct Print User Guide
Basic Camera User
Guide (This Guide)
Software Starter Guide
ZoomBrowser EX/
ImageBrowser
Software User Guide
• PDF manuals available
on the Canon website.
http://web.canon.jp/
Imaging/information-
e.html
In this guide, explanations are given using illustrations for PowerShot A540.

1
Preparations
1. Installing the batteries.
1. Slide the memory card slot/battery cover lock in the
direction of the arrow and open the cover.
2. Insert the 2 supplied AA-size alkaline batteries, or
separately sold AA-size NiMH batteries.
2. Inserting the Memory Card.
1. Insert the memory card until it clicks into place.
2. Close the memory card slot/battery cover.
Preparations
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Battery Handling (p. 102)
Ensure that the memory card is correctly oriented before
inserting it in the camera. It may damage the camera if
inserted incorrectly.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Handling the Memory Card (p. 104)
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Formatting Memory Cards (p. 30)
Negative end (–)
Positive end (+)
Front

2
To Remove the Memory Card
Push the memory card with your finger until the memory card clicks
and then release it.
You can use SD* memory cards and MultiMediaCards with this camera.
These cards are collectively called memory cards in this guide.
* SD stands for Secure Digital, a copyright protection system.

3
Preparations
First Time Settings
Setting the Date/Time
1. Press the power button (
a
).
2. Use the or button to select an item and the or
button to change its value (
b
).
3. Confirm that the correct time is displayed and press the
FUNC./SET button (
c
).
The date and time can also be set in the Set up menu (p. 13).
Setting the Display Language
1. Set the mode switch to (playback).
2. Hold down the FUNC./SET button and press the MENU
button.
3. Use the , , or button to select a language and
press the FUNC./SET button.
The display language can also be set in the Set up menu (p. 13).
The date/time setting screen will appear when the
camera power is turned on for the first time, or when the
capacity of the lithium date/time battery is depleted.
a
b
c
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Replacing the Date Battery (p. 114)

4
1. Press the power button.
The start-up sound will play and the start-up
image will display in the LCD monitor.
• Pressing the power button again turns the
power off.
• Pressing the power button while pressing
and holding the DISP. button will turn on the mute setting which
will mute all sounds except for warning sounds.
2. Set the mode switch to (shooting) (
a
).
3. Set the shooting mode dial to
(Auto)
(
b
) .
4. Aim the camera at the subject.
5. Focus and shoot.
1. Press the shutter button halfway to
focus.
When the camera focuses, the camera
beeps twice and the indicator lights green.
2. Press the shutter button fully to shoot.
The shutter sound will play and the image will
record. The indicator will blink green while the
image is recorded to the memory card.
Shooting
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Using the LCD Monitor (p. 15)
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Power Saving Function (p. 21)
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Set up Menu (p. 26)
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: My Camera Menu (p. 28)
ÎSee Basic Shooting Functions (p. 5).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Indicators (p. 20)
ÎSee the Advanced Guide for the various shooting methods
available.
Power button
a
b
Indicators

5
Shooting
Reviewing an Image Right After Shooting
After a shot is taken, the image appears in the LCD monitor for
approximately 2 seconds.
You can continue to display images regardless of the review duration
setting with the following procedures.
• Keeping the shutter button pressed after a shot.
• Pressing the FUNC./SET or DISP. button while the image is
displayed in the LCD monitor.
To stop displaying the image, press the shutter button halfway.
Basic Shooting Functions
Selecting a Shooting Mode
1. Set the shooting mode dial to the desired mode (
a
).
In the and modes, use the or button (
b
) to select
a shooting mode.
Shooting Modes
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Review (p. 24)
ÎSee Erasing (p. 11)
AUTO The camera automatically selects settings.
Image
zone
When a shooting mode appropriate for the shooting conditions is selected, the
camera automatically adjusts settings for optimal shooting.
Portrait
Blurs the background
and makes a person
stand out.
Landscape
Optimized for
shooting landscape
scenes which contain
both near and far
subjects.
Creative zone
Image zone
Auto
a
b
•[Av] and [Tv] modes only apply
to PowerShot A540.

6
Night scene
Allows you to capture human subjects against the backdrop of
an evening sky or night scene. The flash is directed at the
person and the shutter speed is slow, so both the person and
the background can be beautifully shot.
Image
zone
(Special Scene)
You can shoot with the most appropriate settings for the scene.
Snow
Shoots without a
blue tinge and
without making
people appear dark
against a snowy background.
Foliage
Shoots trees and
leaves - such as
new growth,
autumn leaves or
blossoms - in vivid colors.
Beach
Shoots without
making people
appear dark near
water or sand
where reflected sunlight is strong.
Underwater
(PowerShot A540 only)
Appropriate for shooting
images with Waterproof
Case WP-DC2 (sold
separately). This mode
uses an optimal white
balance setting to
reduce bluish tones and record images with a
natural hue. The exposure is regulated to use
the flash as little as possible.
Kids&Pets
Allows you to
capture subjects
that move around,
such as children
and pets, without missing photo
opportunities.
Night
Snapshot
Allows you to take
snapshots of
people against
twilight or night backgrounds by
reducing the effects of camera shake
even without using a tripod.
Indoor
Prevents camera
shake and
maintains the
subject’s true color
when shooting under fluorescent or
tungsten lighting.
Fireworks
Captures fireworks
in the sky sharply
and at optimal
exposure.
Color Accent
Use this option to
have only the color
specified in the LCD
monitor remain and to
transform all others to black and white.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 60)
Color Swap
Use this option to
transform a color
specified in the LCD
monitor into another.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 60)

7
Shooting
Stitch Assist
Allows you to shoot overlapping images that can later be
merged (stitched) to create one panoramic image on a
computer.
Image
zone
Shoots a movie when you press the shutter button.
Apart from [ Standard] mode, you can also select from [ Fast Frame Rate]
(PowerShot A540 only) which is suitable for shooting sports or fast motion,
[ Compact] which is convenient for email attachments, [ Color Accent]
which has only the color specified in the LCD monitor remain and transforms all
others to black and white, and [ Color Swap] which transforms a color
specified in the LCD monitor into another color.
Creative
zone
You can freely select camera settings such as the exposure and
aperture value to suit your shooting purposes.
• The shutter speed is slow in or mode. Always
use a tripod to avoid camera shake.
• In , , , *, , , or mode, the
ISO speed may increase and cause noise in the image
depending on the scene being shot.
*PowerShot A540 only
• To shoot underwater, install the camera in Waterproof Case
WP-DC2 (sold separately).
• We recommend you use Waterproof Case WP-DC2 (sold
separately) for shooting at ski resorts or beaches.
• In mode, shoot with the subject more than 1 m (3.3
ft.) away from the front of the lens.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 43)
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 39)
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 44 – 47)

8
Using the Zoom
1. Press the zoom lever toward or .
The zoom can be adjusted from 35 mm – 140 mm (focal length)
in 35mm film equivalent terms.
Using the Flash
1. Press the button to cycle through flash settings.
Red-eye reduction: This feature reduces the effect of light reflecting back from
the eyes and making them appear red. You can set this feature on and off in
the Rec. menu.
Auto with red-eye
reduction
The flash fires automatically and fires the red-
eye reduction lamp each time.
Auto The flash fires automatically.
Flash on with red-
eye reduction
The red-eye reduction lamp and flash always
fire.
Flash on The flash always fires.
Flash off The flash will not fire.
Wide Angle: Zooms
out from the subject.
Telephoto: Zooms in
on the subject.
Each time you press the button, the
flash settings will change.
With the red-eye reduction function on:
With the red-eye reduction function off:
Flash settings cannot be used in some shooting modes.