Canon PowerShot A550 Page 2 Advanced User'S Manual Download

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Main Features

Shooting

Avoid the effects of camera shake or blurry subjects when
shooting by using a high ISO speed

Automatically adjusts shooting settings to match particular
conditions

Automatically detects camera orientation with an Intelligent
Orientation sensor

Playback

Plays movies with sound

Plays back automatically
using the Auto Play

Editing

Records sound memos
for still images

Printing

Makes printing easy with
the Print/Share button

Also supports non-
Canon brand PictBridge
compliant printers

Uses of Recorded Images

Effortlessly transfer them to a computer with the Print/Share
button

Summary of Contents for PowerShot A550

Page 1: ...ing the Camera Shooting Playback Erasing Print Transfer Settings Troubleshooting List of Messages Appendix Advanced ENGLISH CDI E281 010 2007 CANON INC PRINTED IN MALAYSIA Camera User Guide This guide...

Page 2: ...detects camera orientation with an Intelligent Orientation sensor Playback zPlays movies with sound zPlays back automatically using the Auto Play Editing zRecords sound memos for still images Printing...

Page 3: ...rmance when used with genuine Canon accessories Canon shall not be liable for any damage to this product and or accidents such as fire etc caused by the malfunction of non genuine Canon accessories e...

Page 4: ...ording Pixels and Compression Still Images 26 Using the Digital Zoom Digital Tele Converter 28 Continuous Shooting 31 Postcard Mode 32 Embedding the Date in the Image Data 33 Setting the Display Overl...

Page 5: ...ng Images in the Display 63 Attaching Sound Memos to Images 64 Automated Playback Auto Play 65 Protecting Images 66 Viewing Images on a TV Set 67 Erasing All Images 68 Setting the DPOF Print Settings...

Page 6: ...93 Using the Power Kits Sold Separately 95 Using an Externally Mounted Flash Sold Separately 99 Replacing the Date Battery 101 Camera Care and Maintenance 103 Specifications 104 Appendix 91 INDEX 113...

Page 7: ...cameras are intended for personal use and should never be used in a manner that infringes upon or contravenes international or domestic copyright laws and regulations Please be advised that in certai...

Page 8: ...camera and its accessories to prevent injuries or damage to yourself other persons and equipment zEquipment refers to the camera battery battery charger sold separately and compact power adapter sold...

Page 9: ...To avoid the risk of high voltage electrical shock do not touch the flash portion of the camera if it has been damaged z Stop operating the equipment immediately if it emits smoke or noxious fumes z...

Page 10: ...to disassemble alter or apply heat to the batteries z Avoid dropping or subjecting the batteries to severe impacts that could damage the casing z Use only recommended batteries and accessories Use of...

Page 11: ...other insulators to prevent direct contact with other objects Contact with the metallic components of other materials in waste containers may lead to fire or explosions Others z Do not trigger the fl...

Page 12: ...the rated capacity of the electrical outlet or wiring accessories Do not use if the power cord or plug is damaged or if not fully plugged into the outlet z Do not use in locations with poor ventilatio...

Page 13: ...elds Exposure to strong magnetic fields may cause malfunctions or corrupt image data Avoid Condensation Related Problems z When moving the equipment rapidly from a cold place to a hot place you can av...

Page 14: ...nitor and the brightness of the actual image recorded will be different Using the LCD Monitor 1 Press zThe display mode changes as follows with each press zThe shooting information displays for approx...

Page 15: ...p 39 Low Battery p 91 Exposure Compensation p 44 Long Shutter Mode p 45 Stills Recordable Shots Movies Remaining Time Elapsed Time Macro Basic Guide p 16 Grid Lines p 34 Zoom Magnification p 28 Flash...

Page 16: ...speed will be selected Shoot using the following methods Raise the ISO speed p 52 Select a setting other than flash off Attach the camera to a tripod or other device Protection Status p 66 WAVE Forma...

Page 17: ...gn rule for Camera File System Standards p 105 RAW image Unrecognized data type Information for images shot on other cameras may not display correctly Histogram p 16 Metering Mode p 43 Exposure Compen...

Page 18: ...eater the bias toward the left in the graph the darker the image The greater the bias toward the right the brighter the image If the image is too dark adjust the exposure compensation to a positive va...

Page 19: ...amera The LCD monitor automatically turns off 1 minute after the last control is accessed even if Auto Power Down is set to Off Press any button other than the power button or change the camera orient...

Page 20: ...de dial to the shooting mode you want to use bPress the FUNC SET button cUse the or button to select a menu item Some items may not be selectable in some shooting modes dUse the or button to select an...

Page 21: ...lect a menu item Some items may not be selectable in some shooting modes dUse the or button to select an option Menu items followed by an ellipsis can only be set after pressing the FUNC SET button to...

Page 22: ...ings Menu List Menu Item Reference Page Special Scene Mode Basic Guide p 12 Movie Mode p 35 Exposure Compensation p 44 Long Shutter Mode p 45 White Balance p 47 My Colors p 49 Metering Mode p 43 Compr...

Page 23: ...ed Eye On Off Basic Guide p 15 Self timer Basic Guide p 17 Custom Delay 0 10 15 20 30 sec Shots 1 10 1 AF assist Beam On Off Review Off 2 10 seconds Hold Basic Guide p 10 Disp Overlay p 34 Still Image...

Page 24: ...if Mute is set to On Start up Vol Adjusts the volume of the start up sound when the camera is turned on Operation Vol Adjusts the volume of the operation sound that beeps when any button other than th...

Page 25: ...f when no camera operation is performed Date Time Basic Guide p 8 Format You can also set a low level format p 25 File Numbering Continuous Auto Reset p 56 Create Folder p 54 Create New Folder Check m...

Page 26: ...e size other than return the mode to Auto however the connection method cannot be changed while connected to a printer Reset All p 24 Resetting Settings to Their Default Values 1 Set up Menu Reset All...

Page 27: ...p 19 2 Select OK and press zTo perform a low level format use the button to select Low Level Format and the or button to add a check mark zYou can stop formatting a card when Low Level Format is sele...

Page 28: ...ls Purpose Large 3072 2304 pixels High Printing to about A3 size Approx 297 420 mm 11 7 16 5 in Medium 1 2592 1944 pixels Printing to about A4 size Approx 210 297 mm 8 3 11 7 in Printing to about Lett...

Page 29: ...8 pixels Printing wide size prints Images are recorded with 16 9 aspect ratios Areas not recorded will display as black bars on the LCD monitor Compression Purpose Superfine High Quality Normal Shoot...

Page 30: ...560 mm Enables shooting at zoom factors of up to 16x with digital and optical zoom combined Off 35 140 mm Enables shooting without digital zoom 1 5x 52 5 210 mm Digital zoom is fixed at the selected z...

Page 31: ...zoom setting will display in the LCD monitor zBased on the number of recording pixels set the Safety Zoom feature calculates the maximum zoom factor beyond which image quality will begin to deteriora...

Page 32: ...ppears on the LCD monitor zDepending on the number of recording pixels set image quality may deteriorate and the zoom factor appear in blue About the Digital Tele Converter The digital tele converter...

Page 33: ...his reflects standard shooting criteria established by Canon Actual results may vary according to the subject and shooting conditions Even if continuous shooting suddenly stops the memory card may not...

Page 34: ...flash is used the interval between shots lengthens because the flash must charge Postcard Mode Shooting Mode 1 FUNC Menu Recording Pixels Postcard See Menus and Settings p 18 Default setting z The re...

Page 35: ...en Postcard mode is selected 1 Rec Menu Date Stamp Off Date Date Time See Menus and Settings p 19 Default setting zLCD monitor display Off Date Date Time zEnsure that the camera s date time is set bef...

Page 36: ...nes can be set Grid Lines Displays grid lines to divide the screen into 9 parts Helps confirm the vertical and horizontal positioning of the subject 3 2 Guide Helps confirm the print area for a 3 2 pr...

Page 37: ...ing even if the recorded data volume has not reached 1GB Movie Shooting Shooting Mode Standard You can select the recording pixels and frame rate and record until the memory card is full when a super...

Page 38: ...alfway automatically sets the exposure focus and white balance settings zPressing the shutter button fully starts recording video and sound simultaneously z During shooting the recording time and zRec...

Page 39: ...by the camera automatically adjusting the exposure may also be recorded zThe focus and optical zoom settings remain fixed for subsequent frames at the values selected for the first frame zDo not point...

Page 40: ...Pixels and Frame Rates Movies You can change the recording pixels and frame rate when the movie mode is set to Standard 1 FUNC Menu Frame Rate Recording Pixels See Menus and Settings p 18 Default set...

Page 41: ...lects between 9 AF frames to focus on according to the shooting conditions Off The camera focuses using the center AF frame This is convenient for ensuring that your intended subject is in focus and f...

Page 42: ...glass as possible to reduce the chances of light reflecting back off the glass Shooting with the Focus Lock Shooting Hard to Focus Subjects Focus Lock AF Lock Shooting Mode Cannot be used in mode 1 Ai...

Page 43: ...ear on the LCD monitor 4 Re aim the camera to compose the shot as desired and shoot zWhen shooting with the focus lock or AF lock using the LCD monitor setting AiAF to Off in the Rec menu p 39 makes s...

Page 44: ...ode You must set the flash to The AE lock cannot be set if the flash fires 1 Turn on the LCD monitor 2 Focus on the part of the subject on which you wish to lock the exposure setting 3 Press and hold...

Page 45: ...lect flash on 3 Focus on the part of the subject on which you wish to lock the flash exposure setting 4 Press and hold the shutter button halfway and press the button zThe flash will pre fire and icon...

Page 46: ...subject the brightness the direct light and the backlighting and adjusts the settings to the correct exposure for the main subject Center Weighted Average Averages the light metered from the entire f...

Page 47: ...posure shift can be set canceled p 37 Shooting in Long Shutter Mode Shooting Mode 1 FUNC Menu Exposure Compensation See Menus and Settings p 18 Default setting 2 Use the or button to select the shutte...

Page 48: ...y images A certain amount of processing time however may be required before the next image can be shot zUse the LCD monitor to confirm that the image was recorded at the desired brightness zPlease not...

Page 49: ...tically set by the camera Day Light For recording outdoors on a bright day Cloudy For recording under overcast shady or twilight skies Tungsten For recording under tungsten and bulb type 3 wavelength...

Page 50: ...r the Auto setting to detect correctly Shooting close ups Macro Shooting subjects of monotone color such as sky sea or forest Shooting with a particular source of light such as a mercury vapor lamp 1...

Page 51: ...re recommended to set the shooting mode to and the exposure compensation setting to 0 before setting a custom white balance The correct white balance may not be obtained when the exposure setting is i...

Page 52: ...ings p 18 Default setting zUse the or button to select a My Colors mode z Mode See Setting the Camera to a Custom Color Mode p 51 zModes other than Press the FUNC SET button The display will return to...

Page 53: ...18 2 Use the or button to select Contrast Sharpness or Saturation and the or button to adjust it zThe altered color will display 3 zThis completes the setting If you press the MENU button at this poi...

Page 54: ...o sets the optimal ISO speed according to the light level when shooting Since the ISO speed setting will automatically be raised in dark places the camera will select a faster shutter speed and reduce...

Page 55: ...left end is down will appear in the display zThis function may not operate correctly when the camera is pointed straight up or down Check that the arrow is pointing in the right direction and if it i...

Page 56: ...lder the next time you shoot images To create an additional folder insert the check mark again Auto Create You can also specify a date and time if you wish to create a new folder using a shooting time...

Page 57: ...and a time in the Time option z displays when the specified time arrives The symbol will cease to display after the new folder is created Up to 2000 images can be saved into one folder A new folder w...

Page 58: ...name duplication when changing folders or memory cards When a blank memory card is used If a memory card with recorded data is used the 7 digit number for the last recorded folder and image is compar...

Page 59: ...of images in a folder is less than 2 000 because the following types of images are always saved together into the same folder Images from continuous shooting Self timer images custom zImages cannot be...

Page 60: ...a factor of approximately 10x 2 Use the or button to move around the image zIf you press the FUNC SET button while in magnified display the camera switches to image advance mode and will display You c...

Page 61: ...zUse the or button to change the image selection Switching between Sets of Nine Images The jump bar will display if you press the zoom lever toward while in index playback and you can switch the displ...

Page 62: ...mp 100 Images Jumps over 100 images at a time Shot Date Jumps to the first image of each shooting date Movie Jumps to a movie Folder Jumps to the first image of each folder 1 In single image playback...

Page 63: ...f you press the FUNC SET button during playback It will resume when you press the button again zWhen playback ends the movie stops at the last frame displayed Press the FUNC SET button to display the...

Page 64: ...Motion Playback You can use the button to slow down or the button to speed up playback Displays the first frame Previous Frame Rewinds if the FUNC SET button is held down Next Frame Fast Forwards if t...

Page 65: ...lect an image to rotate and press to rotate it zCycle through the 90 270 original orientations with each press of the FUNC SET button zThis also can be set in the index playback mode zMovies cannot be...

Page 66: ...p 19 2 Use the or button to select an image to which to attach a sound memo and press zThe sound memo control panel will display 3 Select Record and press zThe elapsed time and the remaining time disp...

Page 67: ...LCD monitor displays each image for approximately 3 seconds Exit Record Pause Play Erase Select Erase in the confirmation screen and press the FUNC SET button zYou cannot attach sound memos to movies...

Page 68: ...n Fast forwarding rewinding Press the or button hold down the button to switch between images more rapidly Stopping the Auto Play Press the MENU button Protecting Images 1 Play Menu See Menus and Sett...

Page 69: ...ect the AV cable to the camera s A V OUT terminal zSlip your fingernail under the lower end of the camera s terminal cover lift it open and plug the interface cable in all the way 3 Plug the other end...

Page 70: ...uding Taiwan Oceania and others If the video system is set incorrectly the camera output may not display properly Erasing All Images zNote that erased images cannot be recovered Exercise adequate caut...

Page 71: ...his is extremely convenient for printing on a direct print compatible printer or for sending the images to a photo developing service that supports DPOF Single Images Setting the DPOF Print Settings T...

Page 72: ...t copies up to 99 Index Select an image and press the FUNC SET button to select or deselect it zYou can also select images in the index playback mode zIf the camera is connected to a printer the butto...

Page 73: ...s the button confirm that Print is selected and when the FUNC SET button is pressed printing will begin 2 Select OK and press zThe output of some printers or photo developing services may not reflect...

Page 74: ...t a reduced size in an index format Both Prints the images in both the standard and index formats Date On Off Adds the date to the print File No On Off Adds the file number to the print Clear DPOF dat...

Page 75: ...and File No can be set to On at the same time however the printable information may vary between printers zImages dated using Postcard Date Imprint mode p 33 are always printed with the date regardles...

Page 76: ...on the camera comply with the Digital Print Order Format DPOF standards Single Images Setting the DPOF Transfer Settings The icon may display for a memory card with transfer settings set by a differen...

Page 77: ...ssing the FUNC SET button again deselects the setting zYou can also select images in the index playback mode 2 Select Mark all and press zSelecting Reset cancels all transfer order settings 3 Select O...

Page 78: ...ize alkaline batteries or Canon AA size NiMH batteries p 91 Battery charge is low and the camera will not operate Change the batteries message displays zReplace the camera batteries with two unused or...

Page 79: ...monitor Nothing displays The LCD monitor is set not to display zPress the DISP button to turn on the LCD monitor p 12 The display darkens The image in the LCD monitor will darken in strong sunlight or...

Page 80: ...nsufficient lighting z Raise the ISO speed p 52 z Set the flash to any setting other than flash off Basic Guide p 14 z Set the self timer and secure the camera to something such as a tripod appears Th...

Page 81: ...uter and erase them from the memory card to make space Memory card is not formatted correctly zFormat the memory card p 25 zIf reformatting does not work the memory card logic circuits may be damaged...

Page 82: ...ct is hard to focus on zUse the focus lock or AF lock to shoot p 40 Subject in recorded image is too dark Insufficient light for shooting zSet the flash to Flash on Basic Guide p 14 The subject is und...

Page 83: ...he flash to Flash off Basic Guide p 14 Image contains noise ISO speed is too high zHigher ISO speeds or may increase image noise For higher image quality use as low an ISO speed as possible p 52 zIn a...

Page 84: ...1 second after the red eye reduction lamp fires in order to improve the effect Continuous shooting slows down The memory card s performance has dropped zTo enhance the continuous shooting performance...

Page 85: ...lay properly if you format the memory card in this camera excluding slow recording memory cards p 25 displays on the LCD monitor in red and shooting automatically stopped There is insufficient free sp...

Page 86: ...e Starter Guide for details Movies do not play back correctly Movies recorded with high recording pixels and frame rates may momentarily stop playing if played on slow reading memory cards You may exp...

Page 87: ...peratures zIf shooting in a cold location warm the batteries such as by placing them in your pocket before using them Battery terminals are dirty zWipe the terminals well with a dry cloth before use z...

Page 88: ...for your TV p 23 Printing with a direct print compatible printer Cannot print The camera and printer are not properly connected zSecurely connect the camera and printer with the specified cable The p...

Page 89: ...or SDHC memory card is write protected Cannot record You attempted to shoot an image without a memory card installed with a memory card installed in the wrong orientation or attempted to attach a soun...

Page 90: ...mera Replace both batteries immediately with unused AA size alkaline batteries or fully charged Canon AA size NiMH batteries Also refer to Battery Handling p 91 No image No images recorded on memory c...

Page 91: ...irect Transfer menu you attempted to select an image with corrupted data an image taken with a different camera or data type You may have also attempted to select a movie when Wallpaper was selected i...

Page 92: ...on and resume shooting or playback If this message continues to display contact your Canon Customer Support Help Desk as there may be a problem with the lens Exx xx number Camera detected an error Tur...

Page 93: ...under low temperature conditions or over long periods you are recommend to use of Canon AA size NiMH batteries sold separately Camera operating time may shorten at low temperatures when alkaline batte...

Page 94: ...using the camera for long periods remove the batteries from the camera and store them separately If the batteries are left inside the camera the camera may become damaged from battery leakage WARNING...

Page 95: ...e memory card or cover it with another label or sticker z When writing on the memory card do not use a pencil or ball point pen Only use a soft point pen e g felt tip pen z Do not use or store memory...

Page 96: ...oblem Memory cards formatted in other cameras computers or peripheral devices may not operate correctly in this camera When that happens reformat the memory card with this camera z If formatting in th...

Page 97: ...batteries After inserting the batteries plug the charger CB 5AH into an outlet or attach the power cord to the charger CB 5AHE not shown and plug the other end into an outlet Do not insert and charge...

Page 98: ...message Repeatedly recharging batteries before they are depleted may cause batteries to lose capacity zWipe the battery terminals well with a dry cloth in the following situations as the terminals may...

Page 99: ...e them with new batteries If you are purchasing new batteries look for Canon AA size NiMH batteries zLeaving batteries in the camera or charger may result in damage from battery leakage When not in us...

Page 100: ...ong periods of time or connecting it to a computer Turn the camera power off before connecting or disconnecting the AC adapter 1 Connect the power cord to the compact power adapter first and then plug...

Page 101: ...t is too far away for proper illumination Use the following procedures to affix the camera and High Power Flash to the supporting bracket Please read the instructions accompanying the flash along with...

Page 102: ...he power mode switch to OFF when you finish using the flash zBe careful not to touch the flash window or sensor windows with your fingers while the flash is in use zThe flash may fire if another flash...

Page 103: ...rated lifespan after the camera has been purchased Be particularly careful to keep the date batteries out of the reach of children Seek medical assistance immediately if a child swallows a battery si...

Page 104: ...Time menu appears set the date and time Basic Guide p 8 After purchasing the camera and turning on the power for the first time although the Date Time menu will appear you do not need to replace the d...

Page 105: ...gently wipe with a soft cloth or an eyeglass lens wiper to remove stubborn dirt Camera Care and Maintenance Never use thinners benzine detergents or water to clean the camera These substances may dist...

Page 106: ...nder LCD Monitor 2 0 inch low temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD approx 86 000 pixels Picture coverage 100 AF System TTL autofocus AF lock available Focusing frame 9 point AiAF 1 point...

Page 107: ...ye reduction and Slow Synchro are available Flash Range Normal 45 cm 3 5 m 1 5 11 ft W 45 cm 2 2 m 1 5 7 2 ft T Macro 30 45 cm 12 in 1 5 ft W 33 45 cm 1 1 1 5 ft T When ISO speed is set to AUTO Shooti...

Page 108: ...36 pixels Medium 3 1600 1200 pixels Small 640 1480 pixels Postcard 1600 1200 pixels Widescreen 3072 1728 pixels Movies Standard 640 480 pixels 30 frames sec 15 frames sec 320 240 pixels 30 frames sec...

Page 109: ...or Movie slow motion play back possible Direct Print PictBridge compliant and Canon Direct Print and Bubble Jet Direct compatible Interface USB 2 0 Hi Speed mini B Audio Video output NTSC or PAL sele...

Page 110: ...ges Approx 9 hours AA size NiMH Batteries NB 3AH fully charged Approx 550 images Approx 1400 images Approx 11 hours Shooting Normal temperature 23 C 2 C 73 F 3 6 F normal relative humidity 50 20 alter...

Page 111: ...to the subject and shooting conditions Recording Pixels Compression 16MB SDC 128M SDC 512MSH Large 3072 2304 pixels 4 40 156 7 64 251 16 134 520 Medium 1 2592 1944 pixels 5 49 190 10 87 339 21 173 671...

Page 112: ...sec 320 240 pixels 22 sec 3 min 1 sec 11 min 42 sec 43 sec 5 min 55 sec 22 min 53 sec Fast Frame Rate 320 240 pixels 11 sec 1 min 32 sec 5 min 59 sec Compact 160 120 pixels 1 min 47 sec 14 min 29 sec...

Page 113: ...660 KB sec 330 KB sec Fast Frame Rate 320 240 pixels 1320 KB sec Compact 160 120 pixels 120 KB sec Interface Compatible with MultiMediaCard standards Dimensions 32 0 24 0 1 4 mm 1 3 0 9 0 06 in Weigh...

Page 114: ...kel metal hydride battery Nominal Voltage 1 2 V DC Typical Capacity 2500 mAh min 2300 mAh Cycle Life Approx 300 times Operating Temperatures 0 35 C 32 95 F Diameter Length 14 5 50 0 mm 0 57 2 0 in Wei...

Page 115: ...ng 31 Create Folder 54 D Date Stamp 21 33 DCF 15 105 Default Values 24 Detailed Display 15 Digital Tele Converter 28 DIGITAL Terminal Basic 27 Digital Zoom 28 Direct Transfer Basic 30 Display Overlays...

Page 116: ...tter Mode 45 M Macro Basic 16 Magnifying 58 MANUAL Shooting Mode Basic 13 Memory Card Estimated Capacities 109 Formatting 25 Handling 93 Memory card Inserting Basic 5 MENU 19 Basic 3 Menu FUNC Menu 18...

Page 117: ...Time Basic 8 Setting the Language Basic 8 Shooting Information 13 Shooting Mode Basic 11 Functions Available 119 Image Zone Basic 11 Shutter Button Fully Basic 10 Halfway Basic 10 Shutter Volume 22 Si...

Page 118: ...116 MEMO...

Page 119: ...tions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interferen...

Page 120: ...ns Canon reserves the right to change the specifications of the hardware and software described herein at anytime without prior notice No part of this guide may be reproduced transmitted transcribed s...

Page 121: ...edium 1 c c c c Medium 2 c c c c Medium 3 c c c c Small c c c Postcard c c c c Widescreen c c c Compression Movie c 1 p 38 Compression Super Fine c c c c p 27 Fine z z z z Normal c c c c Frame Rate Mo...

Page 122: ...s c c c p 31 10 sec self timer c c c c c Basic Guide p 17 2 sec self timer c c c c c Custom Timer c c c c Date Stamp c c c c p 33 AiAF c c c 4 c p 39 AF Lock c c p 41 AF assist Beam z z z 4 z z p 21 D...

Page 123: ...e set in mode 5 Slow Synchro will be fixed to On in the or modes Off cannot be selected 6 Slow Synchro will be fixed to On in the mode Off cannot be selected 7 This cannot be set in or mode 8 Can only...

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