Fantasea Line FANTASEA FA-480 User manual

FA-480 Housing Operator's Manual
For Canon PowerShot A480 Digital Camera

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................................................2
GENERAL INFORMATION..........................................................................................................................3
THE FANTASEA FA-480 HOUSING ...................................................................................................................3
FANTASEA FA-480 USES.................................................................................................................................3
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CAMERA ...............................................................................................................8
USING THE FANTASEA FA-480 HOUSING..............................................................................................9
OPENING THE HOUSING ...................................................................................................................................9
INSERTING THE CAMERA................................................................................................................................9
CHECKING THE O-RING..................................................................................................................................10
CLOSING THE HOUSING..................................................................................................................................11
VIEWING THE SUBJECT...........................................................................................................................12
TAKING THE PICTURE ....................................................................................................................................12
CHOOSING IMAGE FILES ................................................................................................................................12
BATTERY LIFE.............................................................................................................................................13
USING THE FLASH......................................................................................................................................13
ACCESSORY SLAVE FLASH ............................................................................................................................14
LENS ACCESSORIES .......................................................................................................................................15
FANTASEA COMPACT DIGITAL ACCESSORY SYSTEMS AND SETS...................................................................15
SHOOTING TECHNIQUES.........................................................................................................................16
EXPOSURE MODES (PRE-SET BEFORE CAMERA INSERTION)..........................................................................16
ZOOM CONTROL ............................................................................................................................................16
MACRO FOCUS...............................................................................................................................................16
CAMERA POWER SAVING...............................................................................................................................17
CARE & MAINTENANCE...........................................................................................................................17
FLOOD INSURANCE ...................................................................................................................................18

3
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Fantasea FA-480 Housing
Fantasea has specially designed the FA-480 housing for the Canon PowerShot A480 digital
camera. This housing is ideal for outdoor and underwater photographers who enjoy the camera’s
automatic exposure features for capturing fast action pictures easily and creatively. The FA-480
housing ensures easy handling and accurate access to camera functions through the critical
placement of push-button controls and a compact design.
The FA-480 housing provides access to all control functions: On / Off, Shutter Release, Zoom In
/ Out, Mode Switch, Menu, Display, FUNC / Set, Macro / Infinity, ISO / Jump, Timer / Erase
and Flash, and has a built in Flash Diffuser and an anti-glare hood over the LCD screen.
Fantasea FA-480 Uses
The Fantasea FA-480 housing is designed as an underwater / outdoor camera housing. It features
double O-rings on all controls, and has a working depth of 200 feet/60 meters. Underwater
photographers can dive or snorkel and capture all the excitement of this fascinating world, while
outdoor photographers also have the option of capturing the action of such activities as white
water and paddle sports, swimming, sailing and boating, surfing, fishing and hunting,
backpacking and camping. The Fantasea FA-480 will protect the PowerShot camera from water,
sand, dust, and other damaging elements.

4
Top / Front Side of Housing
Numbered descriptions below refer to corresponding numbers on the above graphic.
1. Shutter Release
This is a two stage shutter-release button. First lightly press the shutter-release button halfway, stopping
when you feel minimal resistance. When the camera successfully focuses, it beeps twice. Press the
shutter-release button the rest of the way down to release the shutter and take the picture.
2. Power On / Off
To turn on the camera, press the power switch. The start-up image will display on the LCD monitor.
To turn off the camera, press the power switch again.
3. Removable Flash Diffuser
The Flash Diffuser is used to diffuse the flash intensity [the internal flash]. See the section on
"Accessory Slave Flash" for additional information.
2. Power On/Off
1. Shutter Release
5. Buckles to
Secure Housing
3. Removable Flash
Diffuser
4. Threaded Lens
Port

5
4. Threaded Lens Port
The Fantasea FA-480 features a threaded 46mm lens port. This threaded port is designed to work with
some of the lens accessories that are currently on the market. The following “wet” lens accessories fit
over the housing port and can be installed and removed during the course of the dive:
•BigEye Lens M46 (#5131): Perfect for shooting seascape, divers, ship wrecks and schools of fish,
without moving further away from the subject, thereby still taking full advantage of water clarity and
artificial light sources.
•SharpEye Lens M46 (#5127): Perfect for shooting close-up images of fish, corals, textures and more.
The macro lens magnifies the subject and enables the camera to focus on short distances for creating
super sharp images.
•RedEye Filter M46 (#5178): Used to restore the red color absorbed by the water. In shallow depths,
these filters can serve as an attractive alternative to artificial light sources.
For more information please refer to the Fantasea Line website www.fantasea.com.
5. Buckles to Secure Housing
Refer to the section "Using the Fantasea FA-480 Housing" on how to open and close the camera housing.
Back Side of Housing Buttons
7. Playback
6.
Zoom In/Out
8. ISO / Jump
9. Flash
11. Macro / Infinity
10. Erase /
Self Timer
13. Menu
14. Mode
12. FUNC/Set

6
Numbered description below refers to corresponding numbers on above graphic.
6. Zoom In/Out
•In the Shooting mode, pressing the right zoom button will zoom in on your subject, making it
appear larger. Pressing the left zoom button will zoom out from your subject, making it appear
smaller.
•In the Playback mode, press the right zoom button in order to magnify your image. Press the
left zoom button in order to view images in sets of 9 (index display).
7. Playback
•In order to review images on the screen, press the Playback button. The last image taken will
appear on the screen.
•Browse through the images using the multi-selector buttons.
•Pressing the Playback button again will turn the camera off.
•In order to switch to the Shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway or the Mode
button.
Multi-Selector buttons (8-12)
8. ISO / Jump
•Raise the ISO speed to use a fast shutter speed when you wish to reduce the effects of camera
shake, to avoid blurry subjects, or to turn the flash off when shooting in a dark area. However,
please note that making use of high ISO values may cause the images to appear coarse.
oIn the Shooting mode, press the ISO / Jump button.
oUse the multi-selector arrows to alter the ISO speed and press the FUNC / Set button.
•When there are many images on the memory card, you can search them by a specified method or
image unit.
oIn single image playback, press the ISO / Jump button.
oPress the up/down multi-selector buttons in order to select the desired search mode.

7
oPressing the left/right multi-selector buttons will browse images by using the selected
search method.
oTo return to single image playback, press the Menu button.
9. Flash
•Press the Flash button.
•Use the multi-selector left/right arrows to choose the desired flash mode, and press FUNC / Set.
•Pressing the Menu button when this screen is displayed will allow you to set flash functions such as
Red-Eye Correction and Red-Eye Lamp.
10. Erase / Self-Timer
•In the Playback mode, in order to erase an image, use the multi-selector right/left arrows to select an
image and press the Erase button. Confirm that the erase is selected, and press the FUNC / Set button.
•In the Shooting mode, in order to activate the Self-Timer, use the multi-selector up/down arrows to
select the desired mode (Off, 2 seconds, 10 seconds or Custom Timer) and press the FUNC / Set
button.
oPressing the Menu button while this screen is displayed will allow you to select the delay and
number of shots as when the Custom Timer is selected.
11. Macro / Infinity
Press the Macro / Infinity mode, use the multi-selector right/left arrows to select Normal, Macro or
Infinity and press the FUNC / Set Button.
•Macro Close-Up mode is used for taking pictures of objects as close as 3cm/1.2 inch.
•Infinity mode is used for taking pictures of objects 3m/9.8 feet or more from the end of the lens.
12. FUNC / Set
The FUNC / Set button sets many of the common shooting functions.
•Choose any of the shooting modes displayed when pressing the Mode button.
•Press the FUNC / Set button.
•Use the multi-selector up/down arrows to select a menu item.
•Use the multi-selector right/left arrows to select an option for the menu item.
•Press the FUNC / Set button again.

8
13. Menu
Convenient settings for shooting, playback or printing can be set with these menus.
•Press the Menu button.
•Use the multi-selector left/right arrows to switch between menus.
•Use the multi-selector up/down arrows to select a menu item.
•After selecting an item, use the multi-selector left/right arrows to select an option.
•Press the Menu button again.
14. Mode
•In order to switch between the different shooting modes, press the Mode button.
•Use the left/right multi-selector buttons to browse available shooting modes.
•Use the up/down multi-selector buttons to browse the different scenes when the Scene mode is
selected.
•Press the Func / Set button in order to confirm your selection.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CAMERA

TheCanonPowerShotA480cameraisextra‐
compact,comfortabletoworkwithand
affordable.Redesignedforevenmoreintuitive
operation,thePowerShotA480offersanewbuild
anddesignthatis25%smallerthanthatofits
predecessor–inachoiceofsilver,red,blueor
black.EveryaspectofthePowerShotA480has
beenredesignedwithonethinginmind:easeof
Note! It is strongly recommended that you familiarize yourself with all the
controls topside before using these controls while diving.

9
use.Thankstoanew,simplifiedbuttonlayout–withdedicatedbuttonsforzoom,modeandplaybackand
animprovedUserInterface,it’saseasytooperateasitistocarry.ThePowerShotA480usesa10.0
Megapixelsensortocaptureeverysceneinvividdetail,readyforprintingatsizesaslargeasA3+.Thisis
complementedbya3.3xopticalzoom,whichprovidestheflexibilitytoframeeverydayshotstoperfection.
AttheheartofthePowerShotA480isCanon’sDIGICIIIimageprocessor.Aswellasensuringexceptional
imagequality–withultra‐lownoiselevelsandoutstandingcolorreproduction–DIGICIIIdrivestherapid
responsetimes.Tokeepshotslookingsharp,MotionDetectionTechnologyuseschangesinscene
informationtoidentifysubjectmotionandcamera‐shake.ISOisthenoptimizedforminimumblurand
maximumimagequality.
Arangeof15presetshootingmodesallowsanyusertoinstantlygetthecorrectsettingsforcommon
scenes.Amongthedifferentsceneoptionsyoucanalsofindthe“FishScene”,whichwasspeciallydesigned
fortakingpicturesunderwater.
It’salsoequallyeasytoshootspontaneous30fpsvideoclips,readyforuploadtotheinternetorsharingvia
thebright2.5”LCDscreen.Plus,becausethePowerShotA480ispoweredbyAAbatteries,userscanenjoya
convenient,readilyavailablesourceofpower.

USING THE FANTASEA FA-480 HOUSING
OPENING THE HOUSING
1. Release all four latches at the same time, and lift off the back half to open the housing.
INSERTING THE CAMERA
Since the Fantasea FA-480 is specifically designed for the PowerShot A480 digital camera, inserting the
camera into the housing is quite simple.
Note!
It is strongly recommended to take the first dive without the camera
inside the housing. You should check that the water tight seal has
not been affected during transport and long periods of storage.

10
1. Mount the camera on the removable tray, using the tripod screw.
2. Slide the tray and camera into the housing tray slot. Make sure it is completely inserted.
3. Make sure the camera lens is more or less centered in the rounded port area and that the lens does not
distort the round black rubber seat. The housing is designed to have the camera fit in place perfectly,
but if you are not careful, it is possible to put it in at an improper angle and it will then be impossible
to get a good seal or easy closure of the housing.
4. After camera insertion, check that the extended camera lens does not catch or bend the black
rubber seat on the inside of the lens port. It is vital that the lens does not disturb this rubber
seat.
Notes:
1. It is recommended to make some camera settings prior to
inserting the camera into the housing. Please refer to the
PowerShot owner's manual for menu options and personal
preferences.
2. Take a few test shots: it is recommended to turn the camera
"on" and program to “Flash Always” mode before inserting
it into the housing and then take test shots to make sure all
systems are working.
Underwater photographers will probably want to set the flash mode to the Flash Always setting to ensure
that they always have a flash with every exposure. It is also wise to set the focus mode to allow the lens to
focus in the macro range for capturing great images of the tiny and exotic subjects that you can find
underwater.
CHECKING THE O-RING
Prior to each closure of the housing the O-ring should be visually inspected. If there is any debris present,
including dirt, sand, dust, hair, grease or other matter, it must be cleaned to ensure a proper watertight seal.
Cleaning the O-ring is a simple matter of wiping it with a damp, soft cloth to remove the foreign matter. Be
careful the cloth you use does not leave any of its own material behind as this can also affect the
effectiveness of the seal. When replacing the O-ring, place it back into the groove starting at one corner and
gently place it in by pressing it into the groove all around the housing until it is all sitting in the groove and