Canon Powershot SX120 IS User manual

Canon
'RwerShot SX120 IS
Getting Sta ed
ENGLISH
II II 11111 II
CDI-E408
Make sure you read this guide before using the camera.
Store this guide safely so that you can use it
in the future.
Please use this manual along with the PDF manuals included on the
CD-ROM
(p. 2).

Checking the Package Contents
Check ifthe following items are included in your camera package. If anything
is missing, contact the retailer from which you purchased the camera.
Camera
Interface Cable
IFC-400PCU
rn
Getting Started
(This Guide)
AA-size Alkaline
Batteries (x2)
AV Cable
AVC-DC400
DIGITAL
CAMERA
Solution Disk
D
Warranty
Card
[)
Memory Card
Wrist Strap WS-800
D
"Canon Customer
Support" Leaflet
Using the PDF Manuals
Also refer to the PDF manuals on the CD-ROM. After installation, shortcut
icons appear on the desktop. If the software installation fails, you can find the
manuals in the Readme folder on the CD-ROM.
Camera
User Guide
Once you have mastered the basics, use the camera's many features to shoot
more challenging photos.
Personal Printing Guide
Read when you want to connect the camera to aprinter ®
(sold separately) and print.
Software Guide
Read when you want to use the included software.
•You can use the included memory card to try out your new camera and
take some test shots.
•Adobe Reader is required to view the PDF manuals.
2

R~ad Thi~ Fir~t
Test Shots
Take some initial test shots and play them back to make sure the images
were recorded correctly. Please note that Canon Inc., its subsidiaries and
affiliates, and its distributors are not liable for any consequential damages
arising from any malfunction
of acamera or accessory, including memory
cards, that results
in the failure of an image to be recorded orto be recorded
in away that is machine readable.
Warning Against Copyright Infringement
The images recorded with this camera are intended for personal use. Do not
record images that infringe upon copyright laws without the prior permission
ofthe copyright holder. Please be advised that
in certain cases the copying
of images from performances, exhibitions, or commercial properties by
means of acamera or other device may contravene copyright or other legal
rights even if the image was shot for personal use.
Warranty Limitations
This camera's warranty is only effective in the country of sale. Ifthere is a
problem with the camera while abroad, please return it to the country ofsale
before proceeding with awarranty claim to aCanon Customer Support Help
Desk. For Canon Customer Support contacts, please see the customer
support list supplied with your camera.
LCD Monitor
The LCD monitor is produced with extremely high-precision
manufacturing techniques. More than
99.990/0 of the pixels operate to
specification, but occasionally non-performing pixels may appearas bright
or dark dots. This is not amalfunction and has no effect on the recorded
image.
The LCD monitor may
be covered with athin plastic film for protection
against scratches during shipment. If so, remove the film before using the
camera.
Camera Body Temperature
Please take care when operating the camera for an extended period as the
camera body may become warm. This is not amalfunction.
Memory Cards
The various types of memory cards that can be used in this camera are
collectively referred to as memory cards
in this guide.
Trademark Acknowledgments
The SDHC logo is atrademark. 3

recautions
Before using the camera, please ensure that you read the safety precautions
described below. Always ensure that the camera is operated correctly.
The safety precautions noted on the following pages are intended to prevent injuries
to yourself and other persons,
or damage to the equipment.
Be sure to also check the guides included with any separately sold accessories you
use.
Lt Warning Denotes the possibility of serious injury or death.
Lt Caution Denotes the possibility of injury.
Caution Denotes the possibility of damage to the equipment.
A Warning
Camera
Do not trigger the flash in close proximity to human eyes.
Exposure to the intense light produced by the flash could damage eyesight. In
particular, remain at least one meter (39 inches) away from infants when using the flash.
Store this equipment out of the reach of children and infants.
Strap: Putting the strap around achild's neck could result in asphyxiation.
Memory card, day/date battery: Dangerous
if accidentally swallowed. If this occurs,
contact adoctor immediately.
Do not attempt to disassemble or alter any part of the equipment that is not
expressly described in this guide.
To
avoid the risk of injury, do not touch the interior of the camera if it has been
dropped or otherwise damaged.
Stop operating the camera immediately ifit emits smoke, astrange smell, or
otherwise behaves abnormally.
Do
not use organic solvents such as alcohol, benzine, or thinner to clean the
equipment.
Do
not allow liquids or foreign objects to enter the camera.
This could result in fire or electrical shock.
If liquid orforeign objects come into contact with the camera interior, immediately turn
the camera power offand remove the batteries.
Use only recommended power sources.
Using other power sources could result in fire or electrical shock.
4

Safety Precautions
Battery
Use only recommended batteries.
Do not place the batteries near or in direct flame.
Do not let the batteries come into contact with water (e.g. sea water) or other
liquids.
Do not attempt to disassemble, alter or apply heat to the batteries.
Avoid dropping or subjecting the batteries to severe impacts.
This may cause explosions
or leaks, resulting in fire, injury and damage to the
surroundings.
In the event that abattery leaks and the eyes, mouth, skin or clothing
contacts these substances, immediately flush with water and seek medical
assistance.
Other Warnings
Do not play the supplied CD-ROM(s) in any CD player that does not support
data CD-ROMs. ,
Playing the CD-ROM(s) in an audio CD player (music player) could damage the
speakers. It is also possible to suffer hearing loss from listening with headphones to
the loud sounds of aCD-ROM played on amusic CD player.
ACaution
Be careful not to bang the camera or subject it to strong impacts or shocks
when hanging it by the strap.
Be careful not to bump or push strongly
on the lens.
This could damage the camera or lead to injury.
Avoid using, placing or storing the camera
in the following places.
-Places subject to strong sunlight.
-Places subject to temperatures above 40 °C (104
OF).
-Humid or dusty areas.
These could cause leakage, overheating or
an explosion of the batteries, resulting in
electrical shock, fire, burns or other injuries. High temperatures may also cause
deformation
of the casing.
When using the flash, be careful not to cover it with your fingers or clothing.
This could result
in burns or damage to the flash.
5

Safety Precautions
Caution
Do not aim the camera at bright light sources (the sun, etc.).
Doing so may cause malfunctions or damage the image sensor.
When using the camera on abeach or at awindy location, be careful not to
allow dust or sand to enter the camera.
This may cause the camera to malfunction.
In regular use, small amounts of smoke may be emitted from the flash.
This is due to the high intensity
of the flash burning dustand foreign materials stuck to
the front
of the unit. Please use acotton swab to remove dirt, dust or other foreign
matter from the flash to prevent heat build-up and damage to the unit.
Remove and store the batteries when you are not using the camera.
If the batteries are left inside the camera, damage caused by leakage may occur.
Before you discard batteries, cover the terminals with tape or other insulators.
Contacting other metal materials
in waste containers may lead to fire or explosions.
Do not sit
in achair with the camera in your pocket.
Doing so may cause malfunctions or damage the LCD monitor.
When putting the camera
in your bag, ensure that hard objects do not come into
contact with the LCD monitor.
Do not attach accessories to the strap.
Doing so may cause malfunctions
or damage the LCD monitor.
6

Tah~ ftf CftJ!te __ ts
Checking the Package Contents 2
Read This First 3
Safety Precautions 4
Attaching the Strap/Holding the Camera 7
Inserting the Batteries and Memory Card 8
Setting the Date and Time 12
Setting the Display Language 14
Pressing the Shutter Button 15
Taking Pictures 16
Viewing Images 19
Erasing Images 20
Printing Images
21
Shooting in Easy mode 23
Viewing or Erasing
in Easy mode 24
Shooting Movies 25
Viewing Movies 27
Transferring Images to aComputer 28
Accessories 32
Separately Sold Accessories 34
Attaching the Strap/Holding the Camera
Attach the included strap and place it around your wrist to avoid dropping
the camera during use.
Keep your arms tight against your body while holding the camera firmly by
the sides. Be sure that your fingers do not block the flash while it is raised.
L,
Strap
7

In5e -ng the Batteries and lVIelmory Car
Insert the included batteries and memory card into the camera.
~auu
/1,
Check the card's write-protect tab.
Ifthe memory card has awrite-protecttab,
you will not be able to record images ifthe
tab
is in the locked position. Slide the tab
up until you hear aclick.
Open the cover.
Slide and hold the cover lock CD, then
slide and open the cover ®as shown.
Insert the batteries.
Insert the batteries with (+) and (-) ends
oriented correctly.
8
Insert the memory card.
Insert the memory card as shown until it
locks into place with aclick.
Be sure the memory card is oriented
correctly. Inserting the memory card
in the
wrong direction could damage the
Label camera.

Inserting the Batteries and Memory Card
Close the cover.
Close the cover CD and press downward
as you slide it until it clicks into place ®.
Removing the Memory Card
Push the memory card in until you hear a
click, then slowly release it.
The memory card will pop up.
9

PowerSource
Inserting the Batteries and Memory Card
Approximate Number of Shots That Can Be Taken
Alkaline Batteries NiMH Batteries
(Supplied) (Sold Separately)
Number
of Shots* 130 370
Playback Time (Hours) 7 9
....
*The number of shots that can be taken is based on the Camera &Imaging Products
Association (CIPA) measurement standard.
Under some shooting conditions, fewer shots can be taken.
Depending on the brand
of alkaline batteries used, the number of shots that can be
taken may vary widely.
The values for NiMH batteries are based on fully charged batteries.
Compatible Batteries
AA-size alkaline batteries and Canon AA-size NiMH batteries (sold
separately) (pp. 32, 34).
Can any other batteries be used?
We cannot recommend the use of any other batteries than those listed above
because performance varies widely.
tIWhy use NiMH batteries?
NiMH batteries last much longer than alkaline batteries, especially in cold
weather.
Battery Charge Indicator
When battery charge is low, an icon and message will appear. If the
batteries are charged, the icon and message will not display.
10
Display
"Change the batteries"
Summary
Battery charge is low. Prepare new batteries to
continue using the camera.
The batteries are depleted. Insert new batteries.

8GB
2994
Inserting the Batteries and Memory Card
Approximate Number of Shots per Memory Card
Memory Card 2GB
Number of shots 749
Values are based on the default settings.
The number of shots that can be taken will vary depending on camera settings, the
subject and the memory card used.
Can you check the number of shots that can be taken?
You can check the number of shots that can be taken when the camera is in a
Shooting mode
(p. 16).
Number of shots that can be taken
Compatible Memory Cards
so memory cards
S~
SOHC memory cards 1='3
MultiMediaCards
MMCplus memory cards
HC MMCplus memory cards
What is the write-protect tab?
SO and SOHC memory cards have awrite-protect tab. Ifthis tab is in the locked
position, [Card locked!] will appear
on the screen and you will not be able to take
or erase images.
11

etting the Date and Time
The DatelTime settings screen will appearthe first time the camera is turned
on. Since the dates and times recorded into your images are based on these
settings, be sure to set them.
Turn on the camera.
Press the power button.
The DatelTime screen will appear.
Set the date and time.
Press the ~ ~ buttons to choose an
option.
Press the
AT buttons orturn the 0dial
to set avalue.
Make the setting.
Press the @button.
Once the date and time have been set,
the DatelTime screen will close.
Pressing the power button will turn off the
camera.
Reappearing DatelTime screen
Set the correct date and time. Ifyou have not set the date and time, the Date/
Time screen
will appear each time you turn on the camera.
12

Setting the Date and Time
Changing the Date and Time
You can change the current date and time settings.
Display th~ menus.
Press the MENU button.
Choose [DatelTime] in the" tab.
Press the ~ ~ buttons to choose the tT
tab.
Press the ........ buttons orturn the 0dial
to choose [Date/Time], then press the @
button.
Change the date and time.
Follow Steps 2and 3 on p. 12 to adjust
the setting.
To close the menus, press the
MENU
button.
\ .,
DatelTime battery
If the [Date/Time] screen appears even when the date/time have been correctly
set, insert anew date/time battery (see Camera User Guide).
13

Setting the Display a gage
You can change the display language in the LCD monitor menus and
messages.
Enter Playback mode.
Press the [E button.
Display the settings screen.
Press and hold the @button CD, then
immediately press the
MENU button @.
Set the display language.
Press the ... ~ ~ ~ buttons or turn the
dial to choose alanguage, then press the
@button.
Once the display language has been set,
the language menu will close.
You can also change the display language by pressing the MENU button,
choosing the
fT tab, and choosing the [Language] menu item.
14

Pressing the Shutter _ utton
The shutter button has two stops. To take images that are in focus, be sure
to first press the shutter button lightly (halfway) to focus, then take the shot.
Press halfway (lightly to the first
stop).
The camera automatically focuses and
selects the necessary settings for
shooting, such as the brightness.
When the camera focuses, it will beep
twice and the indicator will light green.
Press fully (to the second stop).
The camera plays the shutter sound and
takes the shot.
Since the shot is being taken while the
shutter sound plays, be careful not to
move the camera.
Does the length of the shutter sound change?
Since the time required to shoot differs according to the scene you want to take,
the length of the shutter sound may change.
If the camera or subject moves while the shutter sound is playing, the recorded
image may
be blurry.
~ If you just press the shutter button fully without pausing halfway, the
Wimage may not be in focus.
15

Taking Pictures
Since the camera can determine the subject and shooting conditions, you
can let it automatically select the best settings for the scene and just shoot.
The camera can also detect and focus on faces, setting the color and
brightness to optimal levels.
Turn on the camera.
Press the power button.
The start-up sound will play, and the start-
up screen will appear.
Pressing the power button again will turn
the camera off.
Choose aDD> mode.
Set the mode dial to tmID.
When you point the camera toward the
subject, the camera will make aslight
noise as it determines the scene.
The camera focuses on the subject
it
judges to be the main subject, and the
icon for the determined scene appears
in
the upper right of the screen.
When faces are detected, awhite frame
appears on the face
of the main subject,
while gray frames appear on other
detected faces.
Even ifthe detected faces move, the camera
will follow the faces within acertain range.
Compose the shot.
Moving the zoom levertoward [tJwill zoom
in on your subject, makin.9.J.t appear larger.
Moving the lever toward
lillJ will zoom out
from your subject, making it appear smaller.
Keep your subject within the available
focusing range that appears on the screen
for agiven zoom position.
Focus.
Press the shutter button halfway to focus.
When the camera focuses, it will beep
twice and the indicator will light green.
~ ~~ ~_-~-d~J
Focus range (approx.)
Zoom bar
16

AF Frames
Taking Pictures
Green AF frames appear where the
subject is
in focus.
Several AF frames will appear when the
camera focuses
on more than one point.
Ifthe indicator lights orange and "Raise
the flash" appears on the screen, it is
recommended to shoot with the flash.
Raise the flash manually, it will fire when
you shoot. When you are not using the
flash, lower it until it closes (the flash will
turn off).
Shoot.
Press the shutter button fully.
The camera will play the shutter sound
and shoot.
The indicator will blink green while the
image is recorded to the memory card.
The image will appear on the screen for
about two seconds.
You can take asecond picture even while
an image is displayed by pressing the
shutter button again.
What if...
the indicator blinks orange and Bblinks on the screen?
Attach the camera to atripod so that the camera does not move and blur the
image.
the camera does not play any sounds?
Pressing the DISP. button while turning on the camera power will turn off all
sounds exceptfor warning sounds. To turn the sounds on, press the
MENU button,
choose the
tT tab, and then choose [Mute]. Press the ~ ~ buttons to choose [Off].
17

Taking Pictures
the image comes out dark even if the flash fired when shooting?
The subject is too far away for the flash to reach. Shoot within the effective flash
range
of approximately 50 cm -4.0 m(1.6 -13 ft.) at maximum," ide angle, and
approximately 1.0 -2.5 m(3.3 -8.2 ft.) at maximum telephoto.
the camera beeps once when the shutter button is pressed halfway?
Your subject is too close. When the camera is at maximum wide angle, move
about 5cm (2.0 in.) or more away from your subject and shoot. Move about
1.0 m(3.3 ft.) or more away when the camera is at maximum telephoto.
the lamp lights when the shutter button is pressed halfway?
To reduce red-eye and to assist in focusing, the lamp may light when shooting in
dark areas.
the screen turns off when you try to take an image?
When flash recharging begins, the screen turns off. The screen turns on again
when recharging ends.
Scene Icons
The camera displays an icon for the scene it has determined and then
automatically focuses and selects the optimum settings for subject
brightness and color.
Background Bright
Including Blue Dark
Skies Sunsets When
Subject
Backlit
Backlit Using
Tripod
People *
SubjectsOtherThan •*
People/Landscapes
Close
Subjects
.
Icon Background Gray Light Blue Orange Dark Blue
Color
*Appears when the camera is attached to atripod.
Under certain conditions, the icon that appears may not match the actual
scene. Especially when there is an orange
or blue colored background (a
wall for example), or the "Blue Skies' icons may appear and it may
not be possible to shoot with the appropriate color. Ifthis happens, try
shooting
in Pmode (see Camera User Guide).
18

Viewing Images
You can view your images on the screen.
Enter Playback mode.
Press the IE button.
The last image you took will appear.
Choose an image.
Pressing the ~ button will cycle through the
images in reverse order.
Pressing the ~ button will cycle through
the images
in the order they were taken.
The images change more quickly if you
keep the
~ ~ buttons pressed, but they
will appear coarse.
Turning the dial counter-clockwise
displays images
in reverse order, while
turning
it clockwise displays images in the
order they were taken.
Ifyou press the shutter button halfway or
turn the mode dial while
in Playback
mode, the camera will switch to Shooting
mode.
The lens will retract after approximately 1
minute elapses.
19

Erasing Images
You can choose and erase images one at atime. Please note that erased
images cannot
be recovered. Exercise adequate caution before erasing an
image.
Enter Playback mode.
Press the IE button.
The last image you took will appear.
Choose an image to erase.
Press the ~ ~ buttons or turn the 0dial
to display an image to erase.
Erase the image.
Press the I@ button.
[Erase?] appears.
Press the
~ ~ buttons or turn the 0dial
to choose [Erase], then press the @
button.
The displayed image will
be erased.
To exit instead of erasing, press the
~ ~
buttons or turn the 0dial to choose
[Cancel], then press the @button.
20