Canon PowerShot A550 User manual

ENGLISH
The Components Guide
Preparations
Shooting
Single Playback/Erasing
Menus and Settings
Printing
Basic
Downloading Images
to a Computer
CDI-E280-010 © 2007 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.

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
The Components Guide
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
You may not be able to achieve the
full performance of this camera with
the included memory card.

1
The Components Guide
Front View
aMicrophone (Advanced Guide pp. 37, 64)
bAF-assist Beam (Advanced Guide p. 21)
cRed-Eye Reduction Lamp (p. 15)
dSelf-Timer Lamp (p. 17)
eViewfinder Window (Advanced Guide p. 16)
fFlash (p. 14)
gTerminal Cover
hA/V OUT (Audio/Video output) Terminal (Advanced Guide p. 67)
iDIGITAL Terminal (p. 27)
jDC IN (Power input) Terminal (Advanced Guide p. 98)
kLens
The Components Guide

2
Back View
aLCD Monitor (Advanced Guide p. 12)
bViewfinder (Advanced Guide p. 16)
cSpeaker
dWrist Strap Mount
eMemory Card Slot / Battery Cover Lock (p. 5)
fMemory Card Slot / Battery Cover (p. 5)
gTripod Socket
In order to avoid dropping the camera, we recommend
attaching the wrist strap before using the camera.
The LCD monitor may be covered with a thin plastic film for
protection against scratches during shipment. If so, remove
the film before using the camera.
Attaching the
Wrist Strap

3
The Components Guide
Controls
aIndicators (p. 4)
bPower Button (p. 9)
cZoom Lever (p. 14, Advanced Guide p. 58)
Shooting: (Wide Angle)/ (Telephoto)
Playback: (Index)/ (Magnify)
dShutter Button (p. 10)
eShooting Mode Dial (pp. 9, 11)
f(Print/Share) Button (p. 22)
g
FUNC./SET (Function/Set) Button (p. 20 ,Advanced Guide p. 18)
hMENU Button (p. 21, Advanced Guide p. 19)
iDISP. (Display) Button (Advanced Guide p. 12)
j(Playback)/ (Shooting) Button (p. 7)
k(Macro)/ Button (p. 16)
l/ (Jump)/ Button (Advanced Guide pp. 52, 60)
m(Flash)/ Button (p. 14)
n(Continuous)/ (Self-timer)/ (Single Image Erase)/
Button (pp. 17, 19, Advanced Guide p. 31)

4
Indicators
The camera indicators will light or blink under the following conditions.
z
Upper Indicator
z
Lower Indicator
Never do the following while the indicator blinks green. These
actions may corrupt image data.
- Shake or jolt the camera
- Shut off the power, or open the memory card slot/battery
cover
Green: Ready to shoot (camera beeps twice)/when
connected to a computer
Blinking Green: During camera startup/image recording/reading/
erasing/transferring (when connected to a
computer/printer)
Orange: Ready to shoot (flash on)
Blinking Orange: Ready to shoot (camera shake warning),
charging flash
Yellow: Macro mode/AF lock mode
Blinking Yellow: Focusing difficulty (camera beeps once)

5
Preparations
1. Installing the batteries.
1. Slide the memory card slot/battery cover lock (
a
) and
open the cover (
b
).
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 (
a
), pressing
down and sliding it until it clicks into place (
b
).
Preparations
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Battery Handling (p. 91)
Positive end (+)Negative
end (–)
Front

6
To Remove the Memory Card
Push the memory card with your finger until the memory card clicks
and then release it.
Ensure that the memory card is correctly oriented before
inserting it in the camera. It may damage the camera, or
the camera may not recognize the card, if it is inserted
incorrectly.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Handling the Memory Card (p. 93).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Formatting Memory Cards (p. 25).
You can use SD memory cards, SDHC memory cards and
MultiMediaCards with this camera. These cards are
collectively called memory cards in this guide.

7
Preparations
Turning the Power On/Off
Turning the Camera On/Off in Shooting Mode
1. Press the power button.
The indicators blink while the
camera turns on.
2. Pressing the power button again
turns the power off.
Turning the Camera On/Off in Playback Mode
1. Press the / button.
The indicators blink while the
camera turns on.
2. Press the power button to turn
the power off.
Switching between Shooting Mode and Playback
Mode
Power Button
Indicators
/ ButtonIndicators
Press the
/ button.
Press the power button.
Press the shutter
button halfway.
Press the
/ button.
Shooting
Mode
Playback
Mode
Power Off
Press the power
button.

8
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. 21).
Setting the Display Language
1. Press the / button.
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. 21).
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 battery is depleted.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Replacing the Date Battery (p. 101).

9
Shooting
1. Press the power button.
The start-up sound will play and the
start-up image will display on the LCD
monitor.
• 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 shooting mode dial to
.
3. Aim the camera at the subject.
Shooting
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Using the LCD Monitor (p. 12).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Power Saving Function (p. 17).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Set up Menu (p. 22).
Power Button
DISP. Button

10
4. Focus and shoot.
1. Press the shutter button halfway
to focus.
When the camera focuses
automatically, the camera beeps
twice and the indicator lights green
(orange when using the flash). Also,
the AF frame appears in green on
the LCD monitor at the point where the camera is focused.
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.
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.
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 11).
ÎSee Indicators (p. 4).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Selecting an AF Frame (p. 39).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide for the various shooting methods available.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Review (p. 21).
ÎSee Erasing (p. 19).
Indicators
Indicators

11
Shooting
Selecting a Shooting Mode
1. Set the shooting mode dial to the desired mode (
a
).
In the and modes, press the FUNC./SET button (b) and
use the or button to select a shooting mode (c), then press
the FUNC./SET button (d).
Shooting Modes
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
Produces a soft
effect when
photographing
people.
Landscape
Optimized for
shooting
landscape
scenes which
contain both near and far
subjects.
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.
Kids&Pets
Allows you to
capture subjects
that move
around, such as
children and pets, without missing
photo opportunities.
Manual
Auto
Image zone

12
Image
zone
Indoor
Prevents camera shake and maintains the subject’s
true color when shooting under fluorescent or
tungsten lighting.
(Special Scene)
You can shoot with the most appropriate settings for the scene.
Movie
Shoots a movie when you press the shutter button.
Apart from (Standard) mode, you can also select from (Fast
Frame Rate) which is suitable for shooting sports or fast motion,
(Compact) which is convenient for email attachments.
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.
Fireworks
Captures
fireworks in the
sky sharply
and at optimal
exposure.
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.
Beach
Shoots without
making people
appear dark
near water or
sand where reflected sunlight is
strong.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 35).

13
Shooting
Manual Allows you to select settings yourself, such as the exposure
compensation, white balance, My Colors or ISO speed.
• 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.
• In mode, shoot with the subject more than 1 m (3.3 ft.)
away from the front of the lens.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide for the various shooting methods available.

14
Using the Zoom
1. Press the zoom lever toward or .
The zoom can be adjusted from 35 – 140 mm (focal length) in
35mm film equivalent terms.
Using the Flash
1. Press the button to cycle through flash settings.
* When red-eye reduction is enabled (p. 15), the red-eye reduction lamp lights
when the flash fires.
Red-eye reduction: This feature reduces the effect of light reflecting back from
the eyes and making them appear red.
*Auto The flash fires automatically.
*Flash on The flash always fires.
Flash off The flash will not fire.
Telephoto: Zooms in on the
subject.
Wide Angle: Zooms out from the
subject.
Each time you press the
button, the flash settings will
change.

15
Shooting
Setting the Red-Eye Reduction Function
You can set whether the camera automatically performs red-eye
reduction when the flash fires.
1. (Rec.) Menu (Red-Eye) [On]*/[Off].
See Menus and Settings (p. 21).
* Default setting.
Setting the Slow Synchro Function
The flash timing is adjusted to slow shutter speeds. This reduces the
chance that only the background will appear dark when a night scene
or an interior shot is taken.
1. (Rec.) Menu (Slow Synchro) [On]/[Off].*
See Menus and Settings (p. 21).
* Default setting.
cannot be set in mode.
You are recommended to shoot with the camera attached to
a tripod or other device if the camera shake warning icon
( ) appears.
When the LCD monitor is on and flash recharging begins, the
lamp blinks orange and the LCD monitor turns off. When
recharging ends, the orange lamp turns off and the LCD
monitor turns on. The time required for flash recharging will
change depending on usage conditions and remaining
battery power.
cannot be set in mode.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 119).
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 11).
Î
See the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 119).
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 11).

16
Shooting Close-ups (Macro)
1. Press the button.
To cancel the macro mode, press the button to turn off the
display.
When (Slow Synchro) is set to [On], camera shake may
become a factor. Use of a tripod is recommended.
Macro
Use this mode to shoot close-ups of flowers or small items.
Image Area at Minimum Focusing Distance from End of
Lens to Subject:
• Maximum wide angle setting: 60 × 45 mm
(2.4 × 1.8 in.)
Minimum focusing distance: 5 cm (2.0 in.)
• Maximum telephoto setting: 94 × 71 mm (3.7 × 2.8 in.)
Minimum focusing distance: 33 cm (1.1 ft.)
• Use the LCD monitor to compose close-ups in macro mode
since images composed with the viewfinder may be
offcenter.
• Check the range of the flash when using it in macro mode
(Advanced Guide p. 105).
This setting cannot be set in some shooting modes.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 119).
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 11).

17
Shooting
Using the Self-Timer
1. Press the button to cycle through self-timer settings.
• When the shutter button is pressed fully, the self-timer lamp will
blink. When using redeye reduction, the self-timer lamp will blink
and then stay lit for the last 2 seconds.
To cancel the self-timer, press button to select .
Changing the Delay Time
1. (Rec.) Menu (Self-timer) *1//.
See Menus and Settings (p. 21).
*1 Default setting.
*2 Default setting.
*3 Default setting is 3 shots.
10 sec. delay: The shutter releases 10 sec. after the shutter
button is pressed.
• 2 sec. before the shutter releases, the self-timer sound beeps
quickly and the lamp will speed up.
2 sec. delay: The shutter releases 2 sec. after the shutter button
is pressed.
• The self-timer sound beeps quickly when the shutter button is
pressed and the shutter will release 2 sec. later.
Custom Timer: You can change the delay time (0–10*2, 15, 20, 30
sec.) and number of shots (1–10*3) (p. 18).
• When a delay time of over 2 seconds is set for the [Delay] option,
the self-timer sound beeps quickly 2 seconds before the shutter
releases. If multiple shots have been specified for the [Shots]
option, the sound will play for the first shot only.
Each time you press the button,
the self-timer settings will change.
*
*1 Depending on the shooting
mode, may also appear. For
details on how to use , refer
to p. 31 of the Advanced Guide.

18
Changing the Delay Time and Number of Shots
()
1. (Rec.) Menu (Self-timer) .
See Menus and Settings (p. 21).
2. Press the FUNC./SET button.
3. Use the or button to select [Delay] or [Shots] and the
or button to change the setting and press the FUNC./SET
button.
4. Press the MENU button.
This setting cannot be set in some shooting modes.
If the [Shots] option is set to 2 or more shots, the following
occurs.
- The exposure and white balance are locked at the settings
selected for the first shot.
- If the flash is used, the interval between shots lengthens
because the flash must charge.
- The interval between shots may lengthen when the built-in
memory of the camera fills.
- Shooting will automatically cease if the memory card
becomes full.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 119).
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 11).