Canon PowerShot A710 IS User manual

ENGLISH
The Components Guide
Preparation
Shooting
Playback/Erasing
Menus and Settings
Printing
Basic
Downloading Images
to a Computer
CDI-E291-010 XXXXXXX © 2006 CANON INC. PRINTED IN JAPAN
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

1
The Components Guide
Front View
aMicrophone (Advanced Guide p. 79)
bAF-assist Beam (Advanced Guide p. 20)
cRed-Eye Reduction Lamp (p. 12)
dSelf-Timer Lamp (p. 16)
eSpeaker
fViewfinder Window (Advanced Guide p. 16)
gFlash (p. 12)
hTerminal Cover
iA/V OUT (Audio/Video output) Terminal (Advanced Guide p. 88)
jDIGITAL Terminal (p. 27)
kDC IN Terminal (Power input) (Advanced Guide p. 109)
lRing Release Button (Advanced Guide p. 112)
mRing (Advanced Guide p. 112)
nLens
The Components Guide

2
Back View
aLCD Monitor (Advanced Guide p. 12)
bViewfinder (Advanced Guide p. 16)
cWrist Strap Mount
dMemory Card Slot / Battery Cover Lock (p. 5)
eMemory Card Slot / Battery Cover (p. 5)
fTripod Socket
The LCD monitor is covered with a thin plastic film for
protection against scratches during shipment. Remove it
before using the camera.
Attaching the
Wrist Strap

3
The Components Guide
Controls
aIndicators (p. 4)
bPower Lamp
cPower Button (p. 8)
dZoom Lever (p. 12, Advanced Guide p. 70)
Shooting: (Wide Angle)/ (Telephoto)
Playback: (Index)/ (Magnify)
eShutter Button (p. 8)
fShooting Mode Dial (pp. 8, 9)
gMode Switch (pp. 8, 18)
h(Print/Share) Button (pp. 22, 30)
iFUNC./SET (Function/Set) Button (Advanced Guide p. 18)
jMENU Button (Advanced Guide p. 19)
kDISP. (Display) Button (Advanced Guide p. 12)
l(Exposure)/ (Single Image Erase) Button
(p. 19, Advanced Guide p. 51)
mButton
n(Flash)/ (Jump)/ Button (p. 12, Advanced Guide p. 72)
oButton
p(Macro)/ (Manual Focus)/ Button
(p. 15, Advanced Guide p. 47)

4
Indicators
The camera indicators will light or blink under the following conditions.
• Upper Indicator
• 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
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 warning),
charging flash
Yellow: Macro mode/Manual focus 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 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. 103).
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. 105).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Formatting Memory Cards (p. 26).
N
egat
i
ve en
d(
–
)
Positive end (+)
Front

6
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, SDHC memory cards and
MultiMediaCards with this camera.
These cards are collectively called memory cards in this guide.

7
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. 21).
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. 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/time battery is depleted.
a
b
c
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Replacing the Date Battery (p. 116).

8
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
(
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 (orange when using the flash).
Also, the AF frame appears in green on
the LCD monitor at the point where the
camera is focused.
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).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: My Camera Menu (p. 24).
Power button
DISP. button
a
b
Indicators

9
Shooting
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.
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.
ÎSee Indicators (p. 4).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Selecting an AF Frame (p. 44).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Setting the Image Stabilizer Function (p. 28).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide for the various shooting methods available.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Review (p. 20).
ÎSee Erasing (p. 19).
Creative zone
Image zone
Auto
a
b

10
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
Blurs the background
and makes a person
stand out.
Landscape
Optimized for
shooting landscape
scenes which contain
both near and far
subjects.
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.
(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.
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.
Underwater
Appropriate for
shooting images
with Waterproof
Case WP-DC6
(sold separately). This mode uses an
optimal white balance setting to
reduce bluish tones and record
images with a natural hue.

11
Shooting
Image
zone
Stitch Assist
Allows you to shoot overlapping images that can later be
merged (stitched) to create one panoramic image on a
computer.
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, [ 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.
• In mode, shoot with the subject more than 1 m (3.3
ft.) away from the front of the lens.
• To shoot underwater, install the camera in Waterproof
Case WP-DC6 (sold separately).
• We recommend you use Waterproof Case WP-DC6 for
shooting at ski resorts or beaches.
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. 57).
Color Swap
Use this option to
transform a color
specified in the LCD
monitor into another.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 59).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 39).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (p. 35).
ÎSee the Advanced Guide (pp. 40 – 43).

12
Using the Zoom
1. Press the zoom lever toward or .
The zoom can be adjusted from 35 mm – 210 mm (focal length)
in 35mm film equivalent terms. The zoom bar appears when you
press the zoom lever.
Using the Flash
1. Press the button to cycle through flash settings.
Telephoto: Zooms in
on the subject.
Wide Angle: Zooms
out from 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:

13
Shooting
Red-eye reduction: This feature reduces the effect of light reflecting back from the eyes
and making them appear red.
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.
ÎSee Setting the Red-Eye Reduction Function (p. 14).
ÎSee Setting the Slow Synchro Function (p. 14).
or 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 indicator blinks orange and the LCD monitor
turns off. When recharging ends, the indicator turns off
and the LCD monitor turns on. The time required for flash
recharging will change depending on usage conditions
and remaining battery power.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 136).
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 9).

14
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].
* 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 person is
shot against a twilight background or night scene, or when an interior
shot is taken.
1. (Rec.) Menu [Slow Synchro] [On]/[Off]*.
* Default setting.
ÎSee Menus and Settings (p. 20).
ÎSee Menus and Settings (p. 20).
Slow Synchro cannot be set in mode.
When [Slow Synchro] is set to [On], camera shake may
become a factor. Use of a tripod is recommended.

15
Shooting
Shooting Close-ups (Macro)
1. Press the button.
When using the zoom in macro mode, a yellow bar appears
below the zoom bar to indicate the range in which you cannot
use macro mode to shoot the subject.
If the zoom bar enters the yellow bar range, the macro mode
icon will turn gray. You can still shoot the image, however,
the shot will be taken as if in standard shooting mode. The zoom
bar disappears after approx. 2 sec.
To cancel the macro mode, press the button to turn off the
or display.
Macro
Use this mode to shoot close-ups of flowers or small items.
Image Area at Minimum Shooting Distance from End of Lens to Subject
• Maximum wide angle setting: 24 x 18 mm (0.94 x 0.71 in.)
Minimum shooting distance: 1 cm (0.39 in.)
• Use the LCD monitor to compose close-ups in macro
mode since images composed with the viewfinder may
be off-center.
• Check the range of the flash when using it in macro
mode (Advanced Guide p. 120).
This setting cannot be set in some shooting modes.
Zoom bar Yellow bar
Macro mode icon
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 136).
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 9).

16
Using the Self-Timer
1. FUNC. Menu * (Drive Mode) / / .
* Default setting.
• When the shutter button is pressed fully,
the self-timer lamp will blink. When using
red-eye reduction, the self-timer lamp
will blink and then stay lit for the last 2 seconds.
To cancel the self-timer, follow step 1 and select .
* 1 May differ depending on My Camera settings.
* 2 Default setting.
* 3 Default setting is 3 shots.
ÎSee Menus and Settings (p. 20).
10 sec. Self-Timer: Shoots 10 sec. after you press the shutter button.
• 2 sec. before the shutter releases, the self-timer sound and lamp will
speed up*1.
2 sec. Self-Timer: Shoots 2 sec. after you press the shutter button.
• The self-timer sound beeps quickly*1when you press the shutter button
and the shutter releases 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).
• When [Delay] is set to 2 or more sec., the self-timer sound begins to
beep 2 sec. before the shutter releases. When [Shots] is set higher than
1, the self-timer sound only beeps before the first shot.
This setting cannot be set in some shooting modes.
ÎSee the Advanced Guide: Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode (p. 136).
ÎSee Selecting a Shooting Mode (p. 9).

17
Shooting
Changing the Delay Time and Number of Shots
()
1. FUNC. Menu (Drive Mode) (Custom Timer).
2. Press the MENU button.
3. Select [Delay] or [Shots] using the or button and
change the settings using the or button.
ÎSee Menus and Settings (p. 20).
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.

18
1. Set the mode switch to (playback)(
a
) .
The last image that was played back
appears (Resume Playback). If additional
images were shot after viewing images in
playback mode, the last image that was shot
will appear instead. If the memory card has
been switched, or the images on the memory
card have been edited with a computer, the
newest image on the memory card appears.
2. Use the or button to display the image you wish
to view (
b
).
Use the button to move to the previous image and the
button to move the next image.
Holding the button down advances the images more rapidly, but
shows them less clearly.
Playback
ÎSee the Advanced Guide for the various playback methods available.
b
a