Nikon CoolPix S550 User manual

Nikon
DIGITAL CAMERA
COOLPIX 5550
User's Manual

Trademark Information
•Microsoft, Windows and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
•Macintosh, Mac as, and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Inc.
•Adobe and Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc.
•The SO logo is atrademark of the SO Card Association.
•PictBridge is atrademark.
•O-Lighting technology is provided by!! Apical Limited.
•All other trade names mentioned in this manual or the other documentation
provided with your Nikon product are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.

I ntrod uction
First Steps
Basic
Photography and Playback: Auto Mode
~ High Sensitivity Mode
~
SlINI Shooting Suited for the Scene
[~] Smile Mode
[B More on Playback
Movies
IVoice Recordings
Connecting to Televisions, Computers and Printers
MENU Shooting, Playback and Setup Menus
Technical Notes

To prevent damage to your Nikon product or injury to yourself or to others, read
the following safety precautions
in their entirety before using this equipment.
Keep these safety instructions where
all those who use the product will read them.
The consequences
that could result from failure to observe the precautions listed
in this section are indicated by the following symbol:
~ This icon marks warnings, information that should be read before using this Nikon
~ product, to preventpossible injury.
WARNINGS
ii
~ Turn off in the event of
malfunction
Should you notice smoke or an
unusual smell coming from the
camera or
AC adapter, unplug the AC
adapter and remove the battery
immediately, taking care
to avoid
burns. Continued operation could
result
in injury. After removing or
disconnecting
the power source, take
the
equipment to aNikon-authorized
service representative for inspection.
~ Do not disassemble
Touching the internal parts of the
camera or
AC adapter could result in
injury.
Repairs should be performed
only by qualified technicians. Should
the camera or AC adapter break open
as the result of afall or other accident,
take
the product to aNikon-authorized
service representative for inspection,
after
unplugging the product and/or
removing the battery.
~ Do not use the camera or AC
adapter in the presence of
flammable gas
Do not use electronic equipment in
the presence of flammable gas, as this
could result
in explosion or fire.
.Lh. Handle the camera strap with
care
Never place the strap around the neck
of an infant or child.
~ Keep out of reach of children
Particular care should be taken to
prevent infants from putting the
battery or other small parts
into their
mouths.

it. Observe caution when
handling the battery
The battery may leak or explode if
improperly handled. Observe the
following precautions when handling
the battery for use in this product:
•Before replacing
the battery, turn
the product off. Ifyou are using the
AC adapter, be sure it is unplugged.
•Only use aRechargeable Li-ion
Battery
EN-EL 11 (supplied). Charge
the battery by inserting it in a
Battery Charger MH-64 (supplied).
•When inserting
the battery, do not
attempt to insert it upside down or
backwards.
•Do
not short or disassemble the
battery or attempt to remove or
break the battery insulation
or
casing.
•Do
not expose the battery to flame
or
to excessive heat.
•Do
not immerse in or expose to
water.
•Return
the battery to the battery
case for transportation. Do not
transport or store with metal objects
such
as necklaces or hairpins.
•The battery
is prone to leakage
when fully discharged. To avoid
damage
to the product, be sure to
remove the battery when no charge
remains.
•Discontinue use
immediately should
you notice any change in
the
battery, such as discoloration or
deformation.
•If liquid from
the damaged battery
comes in
contact with clothing or
For Your Safety
skin, rinse immediately with plenty
of water.
~ Observe the following
precautions when handling
the battery charger
•Keep dry. Failure to observe this
precaution could result
in fire or
electric shock.
•Dust on or near
the metal parts of
the plug should be removed with a
dry cloth. Continued use could
result in fire.
•Do
not handle the power cable or
go near the battery charger during
lightning storms. Failure to observe
this precaution could result in
electric shock.
•Do
not damage, modify, forcibly tug
or bend the power cable, place it
under heavy objects, or expose it to
heat orflames. Should the insulation
be damaged and
the wires become
exposed, take it to aNikon-
authorized service representative for
inspection. Failure
to observe these
precautions could result in fire
or
electric shock.
•Do
not handle the plug or battery
charger
with wet hands. Failure to
observe this precaution could result
in electric shock.
iii

IV
For Your Safety
.Lt. Use appropriate cables
When connecting cables to the input
and output jacks, use only the cables
provided or sold by Nikon for the
purpose,
to maintain compliance with
product regulations.
.Lt. Handle moving parts with
care
Be careful that your fingers or other
objects are not pinched by the lens
cover or
other moving parts.
.Lt. CD-ROMs
The CD-ROMs supplied with this
device should
not be played back on
audio
CD equipment. Playing CD-
ROMs on an audio CD player could
cause hearing loss or damage
the
equipment.
.Lt. Observe caution when using
the flash
Using the flash close to your subject's
eyes could cause temporary visual
impairment. Particular care should be
observed
if photographing infants,
when the flash should be no less than
one meter (39
in.) from the subject.
.Lt. Do notoperate the flash with
the flash window touching a
person or object
Failure to observe this precaution
could result in burns or fire.
~ Avoid contact with liquid
crystal
Should the monitor break, care should
be taken
to avoid injury caused by
broken glass and
to prevent liquid
crystal from
the monitor touching the
skin or entering
the eyes or mouth .

Notice for Customers in the U.S.A.
Federal Communications
Commission
(FCC) Radio
Frequency Interference Statement
This equipment has been tested and
found
to comply with the limits for a
Class Bdigital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful
interference in aresidential installation.
This
equipment generates, uses, and
can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference
to radio
communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not
occur in aparticular installation. Ifthis
equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television
reception,
which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on,
the user
is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more
of the
following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving
antenna.
•Increase the separation between the
equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an
outlet on acircuit different from that
to which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or
an
experienced radio/television
technician for help.
Nikon
COOLPIX S550
CAUTIONS
Modifications
The FCC requires the user to be
notified that any changes or
modifications made to this device that
are not expressly approved by Nikon
Corporation may void the user's
authority
to operate the equipment.
Interface Cables
Use the interface cables sold or
provided by Nikon foryour equipment.
Using other interface cables may
exceed the limits
of Class BPart 15 of
the FCC rules.
Noticefor customers in the State of
California
WARNING
Handling the cord on this product will
expose you
to lead, achemical known
to the State of California to cause birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling.
Nikon Inc.,
1300 Walt Whitman Road
Melville, New York 11747-3064
USA
Tel: [phone]
v

vi
Notices
Notice for customers in Canada
CAUTION
This Class Bdigital apparatus complies
with Canadian ICES-003.
ATTENTION
Cet appareil numerique de la c1asse B
est
conforme a la norme NMB-003 du
Canada.
Symbol for Separate Collection in
European Countries
This symbol indicates that )t
this product is to be
collected separately. .
The
following apply only to
users in European countries:
This
product is designated for separate
collection at
an appropriate collection
point. Do
not dispose of as household
waste.
For more information, contact
the
retailer or the local authorities in
charge
of waste management.

For Your Safety ii
WARNINGS ii
Notices v
Introduction 1
About This Manual 1
Information and Precautions 2
Parts
of the Camera 4
The Camera Body 4
The Monitor 6
Basic Operations 8
The [EI (Shooting/Playback) Button 8
The
Ii!iI!I!l3 (Mode) Button 8
The Multi Selector 9
The
MENU Button 10
Help Displays 11
Attaching the Camera Strap 11
Shutter-release Button 11
First Steps 12
Charging
the Battery 12
Inserting the Battery 14
Removing the Battery 15
Turning On and Off the Camera 15
Setting Display Language, Date and Time 16
Inserting Memory Cards 18
Removing Memory Cards 19
oBasic Photography and Playback: Auto Mode 20
Step 1Turn the Camera On and Select 0(Auto) Mode 20
Indicators Displayed in 0(Auto) Mode 21
Step 2Frame aPicture 22
Using the Zoom 22
Step 3Focus and Shoot 24
Step 4Viewing and Deleting Pictures 26
Viewing Pictures (Playback Mode) 26
Deleting Pictures 26
Using the Flash 28
Setting the Flash Mode 28 vii

viii
Table of Contents
Taking Pictures with the Self-timer 30
Macro Mode 31
Exposure Compensation 32
mHigh Sensitivity Mode 33
Shooting in the High Sensitivity Mode 33
~ Shooting Suited for the Scene 34
Shooting in the Scene Mode 34
Setting the Scene Mode 34
Features
35
Taking Pictures for aPanorama ..41
£;;.1 Smile Mode 43
Shooting in the Smile Mode 43
The Smile Menu 45
Adding to List 45
~ More on Playback 46
Viewing Multiple
Pictures: Thumbnail Playback .46
Taking a Closer Look: Playback Zoom .47
Pictures taken in Face Priority 47
Editing Pictures 48
Enhancing Brightness and Contrast: D-Lighting 49
Compensating Blurring After Shooting: Electronic
VR 50
Creating aCropped Copy: Crop
51
~ Resizing Pictures: Small Picture 52
Voice Memos: Recording and Playback 53
Recording Voice Memos 53
Playing Voice Memos 54
Deleting Voice
Memos 54
Viewing Pictures by Date 55
Selecting aDate in Calendar Mode 55
Selecting aDate in List by Date Mode 56
Using Calendar
Mode and List by Date Mode 57
Calendar and List by Date Menus 58
Viewing Smile Pictures 59
Viewing Pictures Shooting in the Smile Mode 59
Smile
Menu in Playback Mode 60

Table of Contents
.. Movies 61
Recording Movies 61
The Movie Menu 62
Selecting Movie Options 62
Electronic VR 63
Autofocus mode 63
Time-Lapse Movies 64
Movie Playback 66
Deleting Movie Files 66
I Voice Recordings 67
Making Voice Recordings 67
Playing Voice Recordings
69
Deleting Sound Files 70
Copying Voice Recordings 71
Connecting to Televisions, Computers and Printers 72
Connecting to aTV 72
Connecting to aComputer 73
Before Connecting the Camera 73
Transferring Pictures from aCamera to a Computer 74
Connecting to aPrinter 77
Connecting the Camera and Printer 78
Printing Pictures One at aTime 79
Printing Multiple Pictures 80
Creating aDPOF Print Order: Print Set 83
MENU Shooting, Playback and Setup Menus 85
Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu 85
Displaying the Shooting Menu and High sensitivity Menu 86
~!. Image Mode 87
LJB White Balance 89
~ Continuous 91
ISO ISO Sensitivity 93
@Color Options 93
[+] AF Area Mode 94
8Distortion Control 97
Restrictions on Camera Settings 98
ix

x
Table of Contents
Playback Options: The Playback Menu 99
Displaying the Playback Menu 99
~ Slide Show 101
ifi1 Delete 1 02
Of, Protect 1 02
51 Rotate Image 103
C-fl Copy 104
Basic Camera Setup: The Setup Menu 105
Displaying the Setup Menu 106
~ Menus 106
IPI Welcome Screen 107
@Date 108
101 Monitor Settings 111
III Date Imprint 112
eVR Electronic VR 114
:It AF Assist 115
~ Digital Zoom 115
~,» Sound Settings 116
~~j'\
~ Auto Off 116
d!I Format Memory/L) Format Card 117
.. Language 118
~ Video Mode 118
£';;";l Blink Warning 118
~ Reset All 120
U![ Firmware Version 122
Technical Notes 123
Optional Accessories 123
Approved Memory Cards 123
Image/Sound File 124
Image/Sound File and Folder Names 124
Cropped Image Size 125
Caring for the Camera 126
Cleaning 128
Storage 129
Error Messages 130
Troubleshooting 134
Specifications 140
Supported Standards 143
Index 144

Thank you for your purchase of aNikon COOLPIX S550 digital camera. This manual
was
written to help you enjoy taking pictures with your Nikon digital camera. Read
this manual thoroughly before use, and keep it where all those who use the
product will read it.
Symbols and Conventions
To make it easier to find the information you need, the following symbols and
conventions are used:
Notations
• A Secure Digital (SO) memory card is referred to as a "memory card."
•The setting at
the time of purchase is referred to as the IIdefault setting.
1I
•The names of menu items displayed in the camera monitor, and the names of
buttons or messages displayed in the computer monitor appear in bold.
Screen Samples
In this manual, images are sometimes omitted from monitor display samples so
that monitor indicators can be more clearly shown.
Illustrations and Screen Display
Illustrations and text displays shown in this manual may differ from actual display.
~ Memory Cards
Pictures taken with this camera can be stored in the camera's internal memory or on removable
memory cards. If amemory card
is inserted, all new pictures will be stored on the memory card and
delete, playback and format operations will apply only
to the pictures on the memory card. The
memory card must be removed before the internal memory can be formatted or used
to store,
delete or view pictures. 1
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Life-Long Learning
As part of Nikon's "Life-Long Learning" commitment to ongoing product support and education,
continually updated information is available online at the following sites:
•For users in
the USA.: http.//www.nikonuso.com/
•For users in Europe and Africa: http.//www.europe-nikon.com/support/
•For users in Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East: http.//www.nikon-osio.com/
Visit these sites to keep up-to-date with the latest product information, tips, answers to frequently
asked questions (FAQs), and general advice on digital imaging and photography. Additional
information may be available from the Nikon representative in your area. See the URL below for
contact information:
http'//nikonimoging.com/
Use Only Nikon Brand Electronic Accessories
Nikon COOLPIX cameras are designed to the highest standards and include complex electronic
circuitry. Only Nikon brand electronic accessories (including battery chargers, batteries and
AC
adapters) certified by Nikon specifically for use with this Nikon digital camera are engineered and
proven
to operate within the operational and safety requirements of this electronic Circuitry.
THE
USE OF NON-NIKON ELECTRONIC ACCESSORIES COULD DAMAGE THE CAMERA AND MAY
VOID
YOUR NIKON WARRANTY.
For more information about Nikon brand accessories, contact alocal authorized Nikon dealer.
Holographic seal: Identifies this
device
as an authentic Nikon product
Rechargeable Li-ion
Battery
EN-EL 11
2
Before Taking Important Pictures
Before taking pictures on important occasions (such as at weddings or before taking the camera on
atrip), take atest shot
to ensure that the camera is functioning normally. Nikon will not be held liable
for damages or lost profits
that may result from product malfunction.
About the Manuals
•No part of the manuals included with this product may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed,
stored in aretrieval system, or translated
into any language in any form, by any means, without
Nikon's prior written permission.
•Nikon reserves
the right to change the specifications of the hardware and software described in
these manuals at any
time and without prior notice.
•Nikon will
not be held liable for any damages resulting from the use of this product
•While every effort was made to ensure that the information in these manuals is accurate and
complete,
we would appreciate it were you to bring any errors or omissions to the attention of the
Nikon representative in your area (address provided separately).

Information and Precautions
Notice Concerning Prohibition of Copying or Reproduction
Note that simply being in possession of material that was digitally copied or reproduced by means
of ascanner, digital camera or other device may be punishable by law.
•Items prohibited by law from being copied or reproduced
Do not copy or reproduce paper money, coins, securities, government bonds or local government
bonds, even if such copies or reproductions are stamped "Sample." The copying or reproduction
of paper money, coins, or securities which are circulated in aforeign country is prohibited. Unless
the prior permission
of the government was obtained, the copying or reproduction of unused
postage stamps or post cards issued by
the government is prohibited. The copying or
reproduction of stamps issued by the government and of certified documents stipulated by law is
prohibited.
•Cautions on certain copies and reproductions
The government has issued cautions on copies or reproductions of securities issued by private
companies (shares, bills, checks,
gift certificates, etc.), commuter passes or coupon tickets, except
when a minimum of necessary copies are to be provided for business use by acompany. Also, do
not copy or reproduce passports issued by the government, licenses issued by public agencies
and private groups,
ID cards and tickets, such as passes and meal coupons.
•Comply with copyright notices
The copying or reproduction of copyrighted creative works such as books, music, paintings,
woodcut prints, maps, draWings, movies and photographs is governed by na ional and
international
copyright laws. Do not use this product for the purpose of making illegal copies or to
infringe copyright laws.
Disposing of Data Storage Devices
Please note that deleting images or formatting data storage devices such as memory cards or built-
in camera memory does not completely erase the original image data. Deleted files can sometimes
be recovered from discarded storage devices using commercially available software, potentially
resulting in
the malicious use of personal image data. Ensuring the privacy of such data is the user's
responsibility.
Before discarding adata storage device or transferring
ownership to another person, erase all data
using commercial
deletion software, or format the device and then completely refill it with images
containing
no private information (for example, pictures of empty sky). Be sure to also replace any
pictures selected for
the welcome screen (~ 107). Any pictures registered in Add to list (~ 45) will
be
completely removed using Remove from list. Care should be taken to avoid injury or damage
to property when physically destroying data storage devices.
3

The Camera Body
12 3 4
Lens cover closed
56789
4
aShutter-release button 24
II Power-on lamp 20, 116
II Power switch 20
I.Self-timer
lamp 30, 127
AF-asslst
illuminator 25, 115, 127
11 Eyelet for camera strap l1
II Built-in flash 28
II Lens 128, 140
aLens cover 126
II Built-in microphone 53, 61,67

Parts of the Camera
6789
10
3
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a Monitor 6
II Multi selector 9
II ~ (mode) button 8
Zoom buttons 22
W :wide 22
T :tele 22
~ : thumbnail playback 46
q :playback zoom ..47
@ :help 11
IIndicator lamp
67
Flash lamp 29
aTripod socket
II Speaker 54, 66, 69
II Multi connector 72,74,78
IBattery-chamber/
•
memory card slot cover 14, 18
1m MENU button 10, 34, 62, 86, 99
II 1ifJ (delete) button 26,27,54,66,70
II ®(apply selection) button 9
II
[E] (shooting/playback) button
............................................................................ 8, 26
II Power connector cover 123
lEI Memory card slot 18
II Battery-chamber 14
II Battery latch 14, 15
5

Parts ofthe Camera
The Monitor
The following indicators may appear in the monitor during shooting and playback
(actual display varies
with current camera settings).
~ The information on indicators in the monitor during shooting and playback will
8.- display only for afew seconds (~ 111).
c
g. Shooting
::J
6
~.]a
[~]
[mJ ~] b
[~]
6
aShooting mode * 20, 33, 34, 61 Ia Number of exposures remaining
II Macro mode 31 (still pictures) 20
DZ.
d' t 22 31 bMovie length 61
oom In Ica or..................................... Im
51 EFxpos~red~oCtk 424
2m
~~:~~;;e~~ry'~~'cat~r~:
... ocus In Ica or 1m
~ FI h d 28 ~ Focus area 24,94
~ as mo e....................................................... m
II
B tt
I I ·
d' t20 Focus area (Face Priority) 24,94
aery eve In Ica or................................ II.'n
~ EI t . VR' 114 ~ Shutter speed 24
Uec ronlc Icon IIrr:I
~ D' t' t I 97 W ISO sensitivity 29,93
... IS ortlon con ro I:P.lI
I"Date
not set" indicator 130 ~ Exposure compensation value 32
ITime zone indicator 108 mSelf-timer indicator .30
mDate imprint 112 mColor options 93
IImage
mode 87 m White balance mode 89
Movie options 62 ED Continuous shooting mode 91
*Differs according
to the current shooting mode. Refer to the sections on each mode for details.

Electronic VR gUide 50
1m Movie playback indicator 66
II Calendar/List by Date gUide 55, 56
II Print-order icon 83
lEI Small picture 52
II D-Lighting icon 49
II Protect icon 102
II Voice memo icon 53
II File number and type 124
Parts ofthe Camera
Playback
1 2 3 4
I I I I 5
I ~~~~~rDiJ ~l ~ a
17--+-~J~ @uu ~+--
16-l mI ~ b
15---=------
13 14-1 ~
ITD[[3[J12Ii
I [Q] j Ii] IiIlI : ~
(QI~[i]
(QI ~ lD]i]
11
aDate of recording 16
II Time of recording 16
II Volume indicator 53,66,69
II Battery level indicator 20
IaCompensated image
bElectronic
VR not available 50, 114
IImage
mode* 87
Movie options* 62
7aCurrent frame
number/
total number offrames 26
bMovie length 66
Ellnternal memory indicator 26
*The displayed icons vary with the settings in shooting mode.
7
~
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~

The [B (Shooting/Playback) Button
000
::::l
.-+
.....
o
0...
C
()
.-+
o
::::l
Press [E] once in shooting mode to enter playback
mode; press again
to switch back to shooting mode.
Pressing
the shutter-release button halfway in playback
mode (~ 26) will also activate shooting mode.
If
the camera is turned off, hold down [E] to turn the
camera on in playback
mode (~ 26).
The ~ (Mode) Button
o0 0 Press ~ during shooting to display the shooting-
o0 0 mode selection menu, or during playback to display the
playback-mode selection menu.
Use the multi selector
(~ 9) to choose the desired mode.
• Press [E] to switch between the mode-selection
menus for shooting
mode and playback mode.
Shooting-mode Selection Menu
Smile mode (~ 43)
Auto mode
(~ 20)
Scene mode
(~ 34)
Setup mode
(~ 105)
High sensitivity mode
(~ 33)
Movie mode
(~ 61 )
Voice recording mode
(~ 67)
Playback-mode Selection Menu
Calendar mode (~ 55)
8
Playback mode (~ 26)
Smile
mode (~59)
List by date mode (~ 56)
Setup mode (~ 105)
Sound file playback mode
(~ 69)