Sony a500 Instruction Manual Download

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156

Others

Specifications

Camera

[System]

Camera Type

Digital Single Lens Reflex
Camera with built-in flash
and interchangeable lenses

Lens

All of

Lenses

[Image sensor]

Image format

DSLR-A550

23.4×15.6 mm (APS-C
format) CMOS image
sensor

DSLR-A500

23.5×15.6 mm (APS-C
format) CMOS image
sensor

Total pixel number of image sensor

DSLR-A550

Approx. 14 600 000 pixels

DSLR-A500

Approx. 12 900 000 pixels

Effective pixel number of camera

DSLR-A550

Approx. 14 200 000 pixels

DSLR-A500

Approx. 12 300 000 pixels

[SteadyShot]

System

Image sensor-shift
mechanism

[Anti-Dust]

System

Charge protection coating
on Low-Pass Filter and
image sensor-shift
mechanism

[Auto Focus System]

System

TTL phase-detection
system, CCD line sensors
(9 points, 8 lines with
center cross-hair sensor)

Sensitivity Range

0 to 18 EV (at ISO 100
conversion)

AF illuminator

Approx. 1 to 5 m (3.3 to
16.4 feet)

[Manual focus check]

Image format

Image sensor for shooting

Field of View

100%

[Live View]

Type

Pentamirror tilt mechanism

Image format

Exclusive image sensor for
Live View

Metering method

1200-zone evaluative
metering

Metering range

1 to 17 EV (Multi segment,
Center weighted, Spot) (at
ISO 100 conversion with
F1.4 lens)

Field of View

90%

[Viewfinder]

Type

Fixed eye-level penta-
Dach-mirror

Field of View

95%

Magnification

0.80 × with 50 mm lens at
infinity, –1 m

–1

(diopter)

Summary of Contents for a500

Page 1: ...s to frequently asked questions can be found at our Customer Support Website Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera Instruction Manual DSLR A500 A550 Preparing the camera Before your operation Shooting images Using the shooting function Using the viewing function Changing your setup Viewing images on a computer Printing images ...

Page 2: ...adaptor of the proper configuration for the power outlet Battery pack If the battery pack is mishandled the battery pack can burst cause a fire or even chemical burns Observe the following cautions Do not disassemble Do not crush and do not expose the battery pack to any shock or force such as hammering dropping or stepping on it Do not short circuit and do not allow metal objects to come into con...

Page 3: ...and recycling location nearest you For more information regarding recycling of rechargeable batteries call toll free 1 800 822 8837 or visit http www rbrc org Caution Do not handle damaged or leaking Lithium Ion batteries Battery pack This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 This device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this d...

Page 4: ...ment and receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help The supplied interface cable must be used with the equipment in order to comply with the limits for a digital device pursuant to Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC Rules Declaration of Conformity Trade Name SONY Model ...

Page 5: ...fail restart the application or disconnect and connect the communication cable USB etc again Disposal of Old Electrical Electronic Equipment Applicable in the European Union and other European countries with separate collection systems This symbol on the product or on its packaging indicates that this product shall not be treated as household waste Instead it shall be handed over to the applicable...

Page 6: ...staff only To ensure that the battery will be treated properly hand over the product at end of life to the applicable collection point for the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment For all other batteries please view the section on how to remove the battery from the product safely Hand the battery over to the applicable collection point for the recycling of waste batteries For more deta...

Page 7: ...fect the images in any way To deal with such issues that may appear in Live View mode you may reduce the effect by using the Pixel mapping function page 163 Do not hold the camera by taking hold of the LCD monitor Do not expose the camera to direct sunlight If sunlight is focused on a nearby object it may cause a fire When you must place the camera under direct sunlight attach the lens cap Images ...

Page 8: ...display DISP 40 LCD monitor 41 Selecting a function setting 43 Selecting a function with the Fn Function button 44 The functions selected by the Fn Function button 45 The functions selected by the MENU button 45 Shooting images Shooting an image without camera shake 47 Correct posture 47 Using the SteadyShot function 48 Using a tripod 49 Shooting with the automatic setting 50 Using the Face Detect...

Page 9: ... 73 LCD monitor Graphic Display 74 LCD monitor Standard Display 76 Viewfinder 78 Using the shooting function Selecting the focus method 79 Using autofocus 79 Shooting with your desired composition Focus lock 81 Selecting the focus method to suit the movement of the subject Autofocus mode 82 Selecting the focus area AF area 83 Adjusting the focus manually Manual focus 84 Checking the focus by enlar...

Page 10: ...ocessing Creative Style 101 Changing the range of color reproduction Color Space 102 Setting ISO 103 Adjusting the color tones White balance 104 Adjusting the white balance to suit a specific light source Auto Preset white balance 104 Setting the color temperature and a filter effect Color Temperature Color filter 105 Registering the color tones Custom white balance 106 Selecting the drive mode 10...

Page 11: ...rd 130 Changing the noise reduction setting 132 Changing the function of the AEL button 133 Changing other settings 134 Setting the LCD monitor 135 Confirming the version of the camera 137 Resetting to the default 138 Viewing images on a computer Using your computer 140 Using the software 147 Printing images Specifying DPOF 152 Printing images by connecting the camera to a PictBridge compliant pri...

Page 12: ...the number of pieces BC VM10 Battery charger 1 Power cord mains lead 1 Rechargeable battery pack NP FM500H 1 USB cable 1 Shoulder strap 1 Eyepiece cover 1 Body cap 1 Attached on the camera Eyecup 1 Attached on the camera CD ROM Application Software for α camera 1 Instruction Manual This manual 1 ...

Page 13: ... fully depleted battery pack supplied at a temperature of 25 C 77 F is as follows The charging time differs depending on the remaining capacity of the battery back or charging conditions Charging the battery pack 1 Insert the battery pack on the battery charger Push the battery pack until it clicks 2 Connect the power cord mains lead Light on Charging Light off Normal charge completed One hour aft...

Page 14: ...to charge them posing a risk of injury from electrocution and burns When the CHARGE lamp flashes this may indicate a battery error or that a battery pack other than the specified type has been installed Check that the battery pack is the specified type If the battery pack is the specified type remove the battery pack replace it with new one or another one and check if the battery charger operates ...

Page 15: ... Type British Type B3 Type British Type C Type CEE Type SE Type CEE Type O Type Ocean Type Countries regions Voltage Frequency Hz Plug type Austria 230 50 C Belgium 230 50 C Czech 220 50 C Denmark 230 50 C Finland 230 50 C France 230 50 C Germany 230 50 C Greece 220 50 C Hungary 220 50 C Iceland 230 50 C Ireland 230 50 C BF Italy 220 50 C Luxemburg 230 50 C Netherlands 230 50 C Norway 230 50 C Pol...

Page 16: ...0 A Guatemala 120 60 A Honduras 110 60 A Jamaica 110 50 A Mexico 120 127 60 A Nicaragua 120 240 60 A Panama 110 220 60 A Countries regions Voltage Frequency Hz Plug type Argentina 220 50 C BF O Brazil 127 220 60 A C Chile 220 50 C Colombia 120 60 A Peru 220 60 A C Venezuela 120 60 A Countries regions Voltage Frequency Hz Plug type Iran 220 50 C BF Iraq 220 50 C BF Israel 230 50 C Saudi Arabia 127 ...

Page 17: ...tery cover open lever open the battery cover 2 Firmly insert the battery pack all the way while pressing the lock lever with the tip of the battery Lock lever 3 Close the battery cover Turn off the camera and slide the lock lever in the direction of the arrow Be careful not to drop the battery pack Lock lever ...

Page 18: ...mera Notes The displayed level may not be correct under certain circumstances Do not expose the battery pack to water The battery pack is not water resistant Do not leave the battery pack in extremely hot places such as in a car or under direct sunlight Available battery packs Use only an NP FM500H battery pack Note that the NP FM55H NP FM50 and NP FM30 cannot be used The battery cover can be remo...

Page 19: ...in the viewfinder mode When you feel that the battery consumption is too fast switch to the viewfinder mode Doing so makes the battery last longer Battery life The battery life is limited Battery capacity decreases little by little as you use it more and more and as time passes If the battery operating time seems shortened considerably a probable cause is that the battery pack has reached the end ...

Page 20: ...lid from the rear of the lens When changing the lens quickly change the lens away from dusty locations so as to keep dust or debris from getting inside the camera Packaging lid 2 Mount the lens by aligning the orange index marks on the lens and camera Orange index marks 3 Turn the lens clockwise until it clicks into the locked position Be sure to put the lens on straight Body cap ...

Page 21: ...hange the lens away from dusty locations when attaching removing a lens If dust or debris lands on the image sensor Clean the image sensor using Cleaning mode in the Setup menu page 33 1 Press the lens release button all the way in and turn the lens counterclockwise until it stops Lens release button 2 Replace the packaging lid on the lens and attach the body cap to the camera Before you attach th...

Page 22: ...red to as the Memory Stick PRO Duo media and the SD memory card and SDHC memory card are referred to as the SD memory card in this Instruction Manual 1 Open the memory card cover 2 Insert Memory Stick PRO Duo media or an SD memory card Insert the memory card until it clicks as illustrated Face side SD memory card Terminal part 3 Select the type of memory card you want to use using the memory card ...

Page 23: ...strongly magnetized material or use the memory card in a static prone or electrically noisy environment We recommend backing up important data such as to a hard disk of a computer When you carry or store the memory card put it in the case supplied with it Do not expose the memory card to water Do not touch the terminal section of the memory card with your hand or a metal object When the write prot...

Page 24: ... the Memory Stick media used with the camera The types of Memory Stick media that can be used with this camera are listed in the table below However proper operation cannot be guaranteed for all Memory Stick PRO Duo media functions This is equipped with MagicGate function MagicGate is copyright protection technology that uses encryption technology Data recording playback that requires MagicGate fu...

Page 25: ... turn the camera on To turn the camera off set it to OFF 2 Verify that OK is selected on the LCD monitor then press the center of the controller 3 Select each item with b B and set the numeric value with v V When changing the sequence of YYYY MM DD first select YYYY MM DD with b B then change it with v V 4 Repeat step 3 to set other items then press the center of the controller ...

Page 26: ...26 To cancel the date time setting operation Press the MENU button To set up the date time again MENU button t 1 t Date Time setup 5 Verify that OK is selected then press the center of the controller ...

Page 27: ...yecup The other accessories are described in the following pages Rechargeable battery pack page 13 Battery charger Power cord mains lead page 13 USB cable pages 141 154 CD ROM page 148 Attaching the shoulder strap Attach both ends of the strap onto the camera You can also attach the eyepiece cover page 28 on the strap Eyepiece cover ...

Page 28: ...the LCD monitor may continue to flash In such cases turn off both Eye Start AF page 71 and Auto off w VF page 136 Using the eyepiece cover and eyecup 1 Tilt the LCD monitor downward 2 Carefully slide the eyecup off by pushing on each side of the eyecup Put your fingers under the eyecup and slide it upward When attaching the FDA M1AM Magnifier sold separately the FDA A1AM Angle Finder sold separate...

Page 29: ...rmatted with this camera The values are defined using Sony standard memory cards for testing The values may vary depending on the shooting conditions Image size L 14M DSLR A550 L 12M DSLR A500 Aspect ratio 3 2 Memory Stick PRO Duo DSLR A550 Units Images Once you insert a memory card into the camera and set the power switch to ON the number of images that can be recorded should you continue to shoo...

Page 30: ...e 3 2 aspect ratio Capacity Size 1GB 2GB 4GB 8GB 16GB Standard 242 512 1015 2039 4136 Fine 174 368 730 1467 2975 RAW JPEG 49 105 210 423 860 RAW 70 149 296 596 1210 Capacity Size 1GB 2GB 4GB 8GB 16GB Standard 222 442 890 1793 3642 Fine 157 313 631 1271 2582 RAW JPEG 45 90 183 370 752 RAW 64 128 259 522 1062 Capacity Size 1GB 2GB 4GB 8GB 16GB Standard 252 502 1011 2036 4136 Fine 181 361 727 1465 29...

Page 31: ...d in the following situation At an ambient temperature of 25 C 77 F Quality is set to Fine Autofocus mode is set to Automatic AF Shooting once every 30 seconds The flash strobes once every two times The power turns on and off once every ten times The measurement method is based on the CIPA standard CIPA Camera Imaging Products Association The number of images that can be recorded using a battery p...

Page 32: ...e casing Chemical products such as thinner benzine alcohol disposable cloths insect repellent sunscreen or insecticide etc Do not touch the camera with the above on your hand Do not leave the camera in contact with rubber or vinyl for a long time Do not use a cleaning solution containing organic solvents such as thinner or benzine When cleaning the lens surface remove dust using a commercially ava...

Page 33: ...ow battery power during cleaning can cause damage to the shutter The cleaning should be completed quickly The use of an AC PW10AM AC Adaptor sold separately is recommended Do not use a spray blower because it may scatter water droplets inside the camera body Cleaning the image sensor 1 Confirm that the battery is fully charged page 18 2 Press the MENU button then select 3 with b B on the controlle...

Page 34: ...n the image sensor surface and the surrounding area Do not touch the image sensor with the tip of the blower Complete the cleaning quickly Hold the camera s face downward to prevent the dust from resettling in the camera When cleaning the image sensor do not put the tip of a blower into the cavity beyond the mount 7 Attach the lens and turn the camera off ...

Page 35: ...ses for details of operation A Shutter button 50 B Power switch 25 C Control dial 64 D Self timer lamp 109 E Remote sensor F Lens contacts G Mirror H Mount I Built in flash 88 J Mode dial 50 70 K Flash pop up button 88 L Lens release button 21 M Focus mode switch 79 84 Do not directly touch these parts Front side ...

Page 36: ...us shooting situations G Light sensor 135 H Playback button 115 I Delete button 123 J Smart teleconverter button 87 K For shooting Exposure button 93 For viewing Zoom out button 116 Image index button 117 L For shooting AEL AE lock button 68 92 For viewing manual focus check mode Zoom in button 85 116 M For shooting Fn Function button 44 45 For viewing Image rotation button 116 N Access lamp 23 Re...

Page 37: ...Before your operation 37 O Controller v V b B 43 P Controller Enter 43 AF button 83 Do not directly touch these parts ...

Page 38: ... Accessory shoe 91 B LIVE VIEW OVF switch 71 87 C MF CHECK LV Manual focus check Live View button 85 D Image sensor position mark 81 E ISO button 103 F Drive button 108 G D RANGE Dynamic range button 98 Top ...

Page 39: ...rminal When connecting the AC PW10AM AC Adaptor sold separately to the camera turn the camera off then plug the connector of the AC Adaptor to the DC IN terminal on the camera F Memory card switch G SD memory card insertion slot 22 H Memory Stick PRO Duo media insertion slot 22 I Memory card cover J Battery cover 17 K Tripod receptacle Use a tripod with a screw length of less than 5 5 mm 7 32 inch...

Page 40: ...DISP Each time you press the DISP button the screen changes as follows in Live View mode For the indicators in viewfinder mode see page 74 DISP button Histogram on Recording information off Recording information on Histogram page 94 Graphic Display ...

Page 41: ...dial 50 70 Image quality 129 Overheating warning 170 Image size 128 Aspect ratio 128 Memory card 22 100 Remaining number of recordable images 29 100 Remaining battery 18 Display Indication Spot metering area 97 AF area 83 Shutter speed indicator 65 Aperture indicator 63 MF CHECK LV Manual focus check 85 Display Indication z Focus 80 1 125 Shutter speed 65 F3 5 Aperture 63 EV scale 68 111 AE lock 9...

Page 42: ...s mode 82 AF area 83 Face Detection 52 Smile Shutter 113 Smile Detection Sensitivity indicator 113 Display Indication ISO sensitivity 103 Metering 97 2 0 Flash compensation 95 AWB 7500K G9 White balance Auto Preset Custom Color temperature Color filter 104 D Range Optimizer 98 Auto HDR 99 Creative Style 101 ...

Page 43: ...lt icons Example Fn button t AWB White balance t Select the desired setting The operation guide list The operation guide also indicates operations other than the controller operation The indications of icons are as follows When you start an operation an operation guide of controller functions will be displayed at the bottom of the screen Press v V b B on the controller to move the cursor z Press t...

Page 44: ...e Fn button 2 Select the desired item with v V b B on the controller then press the center z to execute The setup screen appears 3 Following the operation guide select and execute the desired function For details on how to set up each item see the corresponding page Operation guide Turn the control dial without pressing the center z in step 2 You can set up the camera directly from the recording i...

Page 45: ...ings for the camera as a whole or execute functions such as shooting playback or other operations The functions selected by the Fn Function button The functions selected by the MENU button Recording menu 1 Image size 128 Aspect ratio 128 Quality 129 Flash control 96 AF illuminator 90 SteadyShot 48 Color Space 102 2 Long exp NR 132 High ISO NR 132 Custom menu 1 Eye Start AF 71 AEL button 92 Red eye...

Page 46: ...etup menu 1 LCD brightness 135 Date Time setup 25 Power Save LV 134 Power Save OVF 134 CTRL FOR HDMI 127 Language 134 Help Guide disp 134 2 File number 130 Folder name 130 Select folder 131 New folder 131 USB connection 141 154 Audio signals 134 3 Cleaning mode 33 Pixel mapping 163 Version 137 Reset default 138 ...

Page 47: ...en pressed resulting in a blurred image To reduce camera shake follow the instructions below Stabilize your upper body and take a position that keeps the camera from moving Point 1 One hand holds the grip of the camera and the other hand supports the lens Point 2 Take a secure stance with your feet shoulder width apart Correct posture In Live View mode In viewfinder mode ...

Page 48: ... is not displayed in M S modes The SteadyShot function is set to On in the default setting The SteadyShot scale indicator To deactivate the SteadyShot function MENU button t 1 t SteadyShot t Off Due to potential camera shake the Camera shake warning indicator flashes In this case use a tripod or the flash Camera shake warning indicator Using the SteadyShot function The SteadyShot scale indicator s...

Page 49: ...cases we recommend that you mount the camera on a tripod Shooting without a flash under dark conditions Shooting with slow shutter speeds which are typically used in night time shooting Shooting a close subject such as in macro shooting Shooting with a telescopic lens Note When using a tripod deactivate the SteadyShot function because there is a potential for malfunction of the SteadyShot function...

Page 50: ...f the selected mode and methods of shooting are displayed on the screen Help Guide disp You can clear the Help Guide page 134 1 Set the mode dial to or Flash Off 2 Adjust the LCD monitor to an easily viewable angle and hold the camera 3 Overlay the AF area on the desired subject If the Camera shake warning indicator flashes carefully shoot the subject holding the camera steady or by using a tripod...

Page 51: ...adjust various settings set the mode dial to P then shoot your subject 5 Press the shutter button halfway down to focus When the focus is confirmed z or Focus indicator lights up page 80 Waiting until the SteadyShot scale indicator is low makes the SteadyShot function more effective SteadyShot scale indicator 6 Press the shutter button fully down to shoot Focus indicator ...

Page 52: ... faces can be detected Using the Face Detection function When the camera detects faces white Face Detection frames appear When the camera judges that autofocus is possible the Face Detection frames turn orange When you press the shutter halfway down the Face Detection frames turn green If a face is not positioned inside the AF area available when you press the shutter button halfway down the AF ar...

Page 53: ...Shooting images 53 The camera may not detect any faces or may detect some other object depending on the shooting conditions ...

Page 54: ...g for the subject When you turn the mode dial the explanation of the selected mode and methods of shooting are displayed on the screen Help Guide disp Notes Since the camera judges the settings automatically many features will be unavailable such as exposure compensation ISO setting The flash is set to Autoflash or Flash Off for each Scene Selection mode You can change these settings page 88 ...

Page 55: ...using on the eye that is closer to the lens Use the lens hood sold separately to shoot backlit subjects Use the red eye reduction function if the eyes of your subject turn red from the flash page 90 Taking portrait photos This mode is suitable for zBlurring away backgrounds and sharpening the subject zExpressing skin tones softly Shooting techniques ...

Page 56: ... to Landscape To accentuate the openness of the scenery set the lens to wide angle Taking landscape photos This mode is suitable for zShooting the entire range of scenery in sharp focus with vivid colors Shooting technique ...

Page 57: ... lens sold separately Set the flash mode to Flash Off when you shoot a subject within 1 m 3 3 feet When shooting in macro mode the SteadyShot function will not be fully effective Use a tripod to achieve better results Taking small subject photos This mode is suitable for zShooting close subjects such as flowers insects dishes or small goods Shooting techniques ...

Page 58: ... images continuously while the shutter button is pressed Press and hold the shutter button halfway down until the right moment Taking moving subject photos This mode is suitable for zShooting moving subjects outdoors or in bright places Shooting techniques ...

Page 59: ...ed to shoot an image accentuating the red color compared with other modes This is also suitable for shooting the beautiful red of the sunrise Taking sunset photos This mode is suitable for zShooting the red of the sunset beautifully Shooting technique ...

Page 60: ...event the image from blurring The shutter speed is slower so using a tripod is recommended Note The picture may not be taken properly when shooting a wholly dark night scene Taking night view photos This mode is suitable for zShooting portraits in night scenes zShooting night scenes at a distance without losing the dark atmosphere of the surroundings Shooting techniques ...

Page 61: ...e by the amount of exposure When using a faster shutter speed the camera opens the shutter for a shorter time This means less time for the camera to take in light resulting in a darker picture To take a brighter picture you can open the aperture the hole through which the light passes to some extent in order to adjust the amount of light the camera takes in at one time The brightness of the pictur...

Page 62: ...tic exposure while keeping the custom settings for ISO sensitivity Creative Style D Range optimizer etc 1 Set the mode dial to P 2 Set the shooting functions to your desired settings pages 79 to 112 To fire the flash press the button 3 Adjust the focus and shoot the subject ...

Page 63: ... the subject in sharp focus and blur everything in front of and beyond the subject Opening the aperture narrows the range that is in focus Depth of field becomes shallower zShooting the depth of the scenery Narrowing down the aperture widens the range that is in focus Depth of field becomes deeper 1 Set the mode dial to A ...

Page 64: ...F number with the control dial Smaller F number The foreground and background of the subject are blurred Larger F number The subject and its foreground and background are all in focus You cannot check the blurring of an image on the LCD monitor or in the viewfinder Check the recorded image and adjust the aperture Aperture F number 3 Adjust the focus and shoot the subject The shutter speed is autom...

Page 65: ...is mode is suitable for zShooting a moving subject at a moment in time Use a faster shutter speed to crisply shoot an instant of the movement zTracing the movement to express the dynamism and flow Use a slower shutter speed to shoot a trailing image of the moving subject 1 Set the mode dial to S ...

Page 66: ...ing the reduction Press the button when you shoot with the flash However when using the flash if you close the aperture a larger F number by making the shutter speed slower the light of the flash will not reach distant subjects 2 Select the shutter speed with the control dial Shutter speed 3 Adjust the focus and shoot the subject The aperture is automatically adjusted to obtain correct exposure Wh...

Page 67: ...table for zShooting with the desired exposure setting by adjusting both the shutter speed and aperture 1 Set the mode dial to M 2 Rotate the control dial to adjust the shutter speed and while pressing the button rotate the control dial to adjust the aperture button Shutter speed Aperture F number ...

Page 68: ...h the flash check the flash range page 90 Manual shift You can change the shutter speed and aperture value combination without changing the exposure you set 3 Shoot the image after the exposure is set Check the exposure value on the EV scale Toward Images become brighter Toward Images become darker The b B arrow appears if the set exposure is beyond the range of the EV scale The arrow starts flash...

Page 69: ... is suitable for zShooting trails of light such as fireworks zShooting trails of stars 1 Set the mode dial to M 2 Rotate the control dial to the left until BULB is indicated BULB 3 While pressing the button rotate the control dial to adjust the aperture F number button ...

Page 70: ...a tripod turn off the SteadyShot function page 48 The longer the exposure time the more conspicuous the noise on the image After shooting noise reduction Long exp NR will be done for the same amount of time that the shutter was open You cannot do any further shooting during the reduction When the Smile Shutter or Auto HDR function is activated you cannot set the shutter speed to BULB If the Smile ...

Page 71: ... Off When attaching the FDA M1AM Magnifier sold separately the FDA A1AM Angle Finder sold separately or the FDA ME1AM Magnifying Eyepiece sold separately to the camera setting Eye Start AF to Off is recommended because the eyepiece sensors located below the viewfinder may be activated Note A thin line may extend outward from the focus area in the viewfinder This is not a malfunction Switching to t...

Page 72: ... the display appears clearly in the viewfinder Training the camera on a light allows you to adjust the diopter easily When the indicators do not appear clearly even if you adjust the diopter it is recommended that you use a dioptic adjustment attachment sold separately Put your fingers under the eyecup and slide it upward to remove the eyecup then adjust the diopter ...

Page 73: ...ess the DISP button to switch between the Graphic Display and the Standard Display When you rotate the camera to a vertical position the display automatically rotates to adjust to the camera position DISP button Standard Display No display Graphic Display Default setting ...

Page 74: ...raphic Display Display Indication P A S M Mode dial 50 70 Image quality 129 Image size 128 Aspect ratio 128 Memory card 22 100 Remaining number of recordable images 29 100 Remaining battery 18 Display Indication Shutter speed indicator 65 Aperture indicator 63 Exposure compensation indicator 93 Display Indication Flash mode 88 Red eye reduction 90 Drive mode 108 is only for the DSLR A550 Focus mod...

Page 75: ...Shooting images 75 D Display Indication 1 250 Shutter speed 65 F4 Aperture 63 1 0 Exposure compensation 93 AE lock 92 SteadyShot 48 ...

Page 76: ... 100 Remaining number of recordable images 29 100 Remaining battery 18 Display Indication Flash mode 88 Red eye reduction 90 Drive mode 108 is only for the DSLR A550 Focus mode 82 AF area 83 AWB 7500K G9 White balance Auto Preset Custom Color temperature Color filter 104 D Range Optimizer 98 Auto HDR 99 Creative Style 101 Metering mode 97 Exposure compensation 93 Flash compensation 95 EV scale 68 ...

Page 77: ...Shooting images 77 C Display Indication 1 125 Shutter speed 65 F2 8 Aperture 63 1 0 Exposure 93 AE lock 92 SteadyShot 48 ...

Page 78: ...he flash Viewfinder Display Indication AF area 83 Spot metering area 97 Shooting area for aspect ratio 16 9 128 Display Indication Flash compensation 95 Flash charging 88 WL Wireless flash 91 High speed sync Manual focus 84 z Focus 125 Shutter speed 65 5 6 Aperture 63 EV scale 68 111 AE lock 92 0 Shooting unavailable warning 108 Camera shake warning 48 SteadyShot scale 48 Aspect ratio 16 9 128 ...

Page 79: ...o auto focus To switch to manual focus The lens is equipped with a focus mode switch Lens Always set the focus mode switch on the camera to AF Set the focus mode switch on the lens to AF Set the focus mode switch on the lens to MF The lens is not equipped with a focus mode switch Camera Set the focus mode switch on the camera to AF Set the focus mode switch on the camera to MF Using autofocus 1 Se...

Page 80: ... as the facade of a building A subject that is very bright or glittering such as the sun the body of an automobile or the surface of water Ambient light is not sufficient 3 Press the shutter button halfway down to check the focus and shoot the image When the focus is confirmed the focus indicator changes to z or below The AF area where the focus has been confirmed turns green Focus indicator Shoot...

Page 81: ...e image sensor When you measure the exact distance between the camera and the subject refer to the position of the horizontal line The image sensor is the part of the camera that acts as the film Shooting with your desired composition Focus lock 1 Place the subject within the AF area and press the shutter button halfway down The focus and exposure are fixed 2 Keep the shutter button halfway down a...

Page 82: ...en the Smile Shutter function is used Selecting the focus method to suit the movement of the subject Autofocus mode Single shot AF The camera focuses and the focus is locked when you press the shutter button halfway down Automatic AF The Autofocus mode is switched between Single shot AF and Continuous AF according to the movement of the subject When you press and hold the shutter button halfway do...

Page 83: ...ocus area AF area Select the desired AF area to suit the shooting conditions or your preference The AF area where the focus has been confirmed turns green and the other AF areas disappear The AF area used for focusing is illuminated briefly in viewfinder mode AF area Wide The camera determines which of the nine AF areas is used in focusing Spot The camera uses the AF area located in the center are...

Page 84: ... is selected with the controller is used When using a tele converter sold separately etc rotation of the focusing ring may not be smooth The correct focus in the viewfinder is not achieved if the diopter is not adjusted properly in viewfinder mode page 72 Adjusting the focus manually Manual focus 1 Set the focus mode switch on the lens to MF 2 When the lens is not equipped with the focus mode swit...

Page 85: ...osure are fixed when the manual focus check starts The camera meters the light again right before shooting and the exposure is set The image is displayed with the proper brightness regardless of the determined exposure The exposure compensation is not reflected in the displayed image however it is reflected in the recorded image MF CHECK LV button 2 Press the button to enlarge the image and select...

Page 86: ...e temperature decreases page 170 When using the manual focus check function in viewfinder mode it is recommend that you attach the eyepiece cover page 28 When you perform continuous or exposure bracket shooting in manual focus check mode the autofocus is set at the first shot 3 Confirm and adjust the focus You can adjust the focus manually in manual focus check mode If you press the AF button in a...

Page 87: ...the manual focus check function is available the Smile Shutter function is set to On or Quality is set to RAW or RAW JPEG When the smart teleconverter is available when in autofocus mode AF area is set to Spot When the smart teleconverter is available Metering mode is set to Multi segment 1 Set the LIVE VIEW OVF switch to LIVE VIEW 2 Press the button Each time you press the button the zoom scaling...

Page 88: ...ally pops up if the amount of light is insufficient or the subject is backlit The built in flash does not pop up even if you press the button button 3 After the flash has finished charging shoot the subject z Flashing The flash is being charged When the indicator flashes you cannot release the shutter z Lit The flash has been charged and is ready to fire When you press the shutter button halfway d...

Page 89: ...ired to prevent shadows from appearing on an image vary depending on the lens When the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection the Slow sync Rear sync and Wireless items cannot be selected Flash Off Does not fire even the built in flash pops up Autoflash Fires if it is dark or against light Fill flash Fires every time you trigger the shutter Slow sync Fires every time you trigger the shutt...

Page 90: ... the AF illuminator of the external flash is used AF illuminator does not operate when Smile Shutter is set to On To deactivate the AF illuminator MENU button t 1 t AF illuminator t Off To use the red eye reduction The red eye reduction reduces the red eye phenomenon by providing pre flash low flash light a few times before shooting when using the flash MENU button t 1 t Red eye reduc t On Apertur...

Page 91: ...d while the wireless flash mode is still active inaccurate flash exposures will result Change the channel of the external flash when another photographer is using a wireless flash nearby and his her built in flash light causes your external flash to fire To change the channel of the external flash refer to the operating instructions supplied with it Setup of the AEL button When using a wireless fl...

Page 92: ...ct point the camera forwards a spot that is brighter than the subject and use the light meter to lock the exposure of the entire image To make the subject brighter point the camera forwards a spot that is darker than the subject and use the light meter to lock the exposure of the entire image This section describes how to shoot a brighter image of the subject using the Spot Shooting with fixed bri...

Page 93: ...hter by shifting to the side The entire image becomes darker when you shift it to the side 3 Press the AEL button to lock the exposure AE lock mark appears AEL button 4 While pressing the AEL button focus on the subject and shoot the subject If you continue to shoot with the same exposure value press and hold the AEL button after the shooting The setting is canceled when the button is released Usi...

Page 94: ...he histogram 1 Press the button The exposure compensation screen is displayed in the viewfinder mode button 2 Adjust the exposure with the control dial Toward over Brightens an image Toward under Darkens an image Standard exposure 3 Adjust the focus and shoot the subject Shooting techniques The histogram displays the luminance distribution that shows how many pixels of a particular brightness exis...

Page 95: ...sh range Fn button t Flash compens t Select the desired setting Toward Makes the flash level higher Toward Makes the flash level lower Notes This item cannot be set when the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection The exposure compensation will change the histogram accordingly The right illustration is an example Shooting with the exposure compensation on the positive side brightens the wh...

Page 96: ...orm more accurate flash compensation by using more accurate distance information Notes When the distance between the subject and the external flash sold separately cannot be determined wireless flash shooting using an external flash sold separately shooting with an off camera flash using a cable shooting with a macro twin flash etc the camera automatically selects Pre flash TTL mode Select Pre fla...

Page 97: ...t to shoot with the optimal exposure using the spot metering function and take advantage of an AE lock shooting page 92 Note When the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection Metering mode is fixed to Multi segment and you cannot select other modes Selecting the method for measuring the brightness of a subject Metering mode Multi segment This mode measures light on each area after dividing ...

Page 98: ...ucing the image with the optimal brightness and gradation Auto HDR Shoots two images with different exposures and then overlays the bright area of the under exposed image and the dark area of the over exposed image to create an image with rich gradation Correcting the brightness of the image D Range Optimizer 1 D RANGE button t DRO 2 Select an optimal level with b B on the controller Auto Corrects...

Page 99: ...ion when the subject is motionless or does not blink Do not recompose When you photograph people we recommend that you use the Live View mode Notes When the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection you cannot select Auto HDR You cannot start the next shoot until the capture process is completed after you shoot Compensating automatically with rich gradation Auto High Dynamic Range 1 D RANGE ...

Page 100: ... the shooting conditions When the flash is used this function has little effect An image recorded with this function is limited to one overlaid image You cannot use this function on RAW images When the contrast of the scene is low or when camera shake or subject blur is occurred you may not obtain good HDR images In such cases is indicated on the recorded image to inform you of this situation Shoo...

Page 101: ...r ocean views Portrait For shooting the skin color in a soft tone ideally suited to shooting portraits Landscape The saturation contrast and sharpness are heightened for shooting vivid and crisp scenery Distant landscapes also stand out more Sunset For shooting the beautiful red of the setting sun B W For shooting images in black and white monotone Contrast The higher the value selected the more t...

Page 102: ...t and DCF2 0 option color space Using some applications or printers that do not support them may result in or print images that do not faithfully reproduce the color When displaying images that were recorded with Adobe RGB on the camera or non Adobe RGB compliant devices the images are displayed with low saturation Changing the range of color reproduction Color Space sRGB This is the standard colo...

Page 103: ...other ISO numbers When the exposure mode is set to P A S and ISO is set to AUTO ISO is automatically set between ISO 200 and ISO 1600 The AUTO setting is not provided in exposure mode M If you change the exposure mode to M with the AUTO setting it is switched to 200 Set the ISO according to your shooting conditions 1 Press the ISO button to display the ISO screen ISO button 2 Select the desired va...

Page 104: ... set to AUTO or Scene Selection White balance is fixed to AWB Auto WB and you cannot select other modes If the only light source available is a mercury lamp or a sodium lamp the camera will not be able to acquire the accurate white balance because of the characteristics of the light source Use the flash in such cases Fn button t AWB White balance t Select the desired setting When AWB is not select...

Page 105: ...ith b B To set the color filter select the compensation direction with b B Note Since color meters are designed for film cameras the values differ under fluorescent sodium lamp mercury lamps We recommend that you use the custom white balance or do a test shooting AWB Auto WB The camera automatically detects a light source and adjusts the color tones Daylight If you select an option to suit a speci...

Page 106: ...d on using the set color temperature as the standard the color can be compensated to G Green or M Magenta Registering the color tones Custom white balance 1 Fn button t AWB White balance t Custom 2 Select SET with b B on the controller then press the center of the controller 3 Hold the camera so that the white area fully covers the AF area located in the center and then press the shutter button do...

Page 107: ... turns yellow on the recording information display on the LCD monitor You can shoot at this point but it is recommended that you set the white balance again to get a more correct white balance value To call the custom white balance setting Fn button t AWB White balance t Custom Note If the flash is used when the shutter button is pressed a custom white balance is registered with the flash light ta...

Page 108: ...amera records the images continuously at the following speeds Our measurement conditions The speed of continuous shooting is slower depending on shooting conditions Shooting single shot Shooting continuously Live View mode Maximum 4 images per second Maximum 3 images per second Viewfinder mode Maximum 5 images per second Maximum 3 images per second 1 button t Continuous adv t Select the desired sp...

Page 109: ...tection is set to On the speed of continuous shooting may be slower The 10 second self timer is convenient when the photographer appears in a photo and the 2 second self timer is convenient to reduce the camera shake To cancel the self timer Press the button DSLR A550 DSLR A500 Fine 32 images 12 images Standard 116 images 58 images RAW JPEG 7 images 3 images RAW 14 images 6 images Using the self t...

Page 110: ... shooting is used to shift the amount of flash light To shoot press the shutter button shot by shot Notes When the mode dial is set to M the exposure is shifted by adjusting the shutter speed When you adjust the exposure the exposure is shifted based on the compensated value The bracket cannot be used when the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection Shooting images with the exposure shifte...

Page 111: ...ppear one by one Based on the selected white balance and the color temperature color filter three images are recorded with the white balance shifted Mired a unit to indicate the color conversion quality in color temperature filters Ambient light bracket 0 3 steps three shots Exposure compensation 0 Flash bracket 0 7 steps three shots Flash compensation 1 0 LCD monitor Live View mode LCD monitor Vi...

Page 112: ...Also refer to the operating instructions supplied with the Wireless Remote Commander Note When you shoot images using the viewfinder use the eyepiece cover page 28 Shooting with the Wireless Remote Commander 1 button t Remote Commander 2 Focus on the subject point the transmitter of the Wireless Remote Commander to the remote sensor and shoot the image ...

Page 113: ...ect the desired Smile Detection Sensitivity mode When the Smile Shutter is activated the Smile Detection Sensitivity indicator appears on the LCD monitor 2 Wait detecting a smile The camera detects a smile and the focus is confirmed When the smile level exceeds the b point on the indicator the camera records images automatically When the camera detects faces orange Face Detection frames appear aro...

Page 114: ...mile Shutter function works only when the camera is set to the autofocus in Live View mode It does not work in the following cases if the camera is in viewfinder mode when using the manual focus manual focus check or smart teleconverter functions The drive mode is automatically set to Single shot adv The AF illuminator does not work with the Smile Shutter function If the camera does not detect a s...

Page 115: ...he DISP button the screen changes as follows To select the orientation when playing back an image recorded in the portrait position MENU button t 1 t PlaybackDisplay t Select the desired setting Note When you play back the image on a TV or a computer the image will be displayed in the portrait position even if Manual rotate is selected 1 Press the button button 2 Select an image with b B on the co...

Page 116: ...r examination This is convenient to check the focus condition of a recorded image Rotating an image 1 Display the image you want to rotate then press the button button 2 Press the center of the controller The image is rotated counter clockwise When you want to do another rotation repeat step 2 Once you rotate the image the image is played back in the rotated position even if you turn off the power...

Page 117: ...age at the same display magnification When you shoot multiple images with the same composition you can compare their focus conditions button 3 Select the portion you want to enlarge with v V b B on the controller Image size Scaling range DSLR A550 DSLR A500 L Approx 1 1 14 Approx 1 1 13 4 M Approx 1 1 11 Approx 1 1 10 1 S Approx 1 1 7 2 Approx 1 1 6 7 Switching to the display of the image list 1 P...

Page 118: ...the center of the controller Pressing again starts the slide show again To end in the middle of the slide show Press the MENU button To choose the interval between the images in slide show MENU button t 1 t Slide show t Interval t Select the desired number of seconds 2 Press the DISP button repeatedly to select the desired screen format The screen changes in the following order 9 images t 4 images...

Page 119: ...Using the viewing function 119 To play back repeatedly MENU button t 1 t Slide show t Repeat t On ...

Page 120: ...lay Indication Memory card 22 100 0003 Folder file number 145 Protect 122 DPOF3 DPOF set 152 Image quality 129 Image size 128 Aspect ratio 128 Remaining battery warning 18 1 125 Shutter speed 65 F3 5 Aperture 63 ISO200 ISO sensitivity 103 2009 1 1 10 37AM Date of recording 3 7 File number total number of images Auto HDR image warning 99 Display Indication ...

Page 121: ...ect ratio 128 Remaining battery warning 18 Display Indication Histogram 94 P A S M Mode dial 50 70 1 125 Shutter speed 65 F3 5 Aperture 63 ISO200 ISO sensitivity 103 0 3 Exposure compensation 93 0 3 Flash compensation 95 Metering mode 97 35mm Focal length 158 Creative Style 101 AWB 1 5500K M1 White balance Auto Preset Color temperature Color filter Custom 104 D Range Optimizer 98 Auto HDR Auto HDR...

Page 122: ... 1 MENU button t 1 t Protect t Marked images 2 Select the image you want to protect with b B on the controller then press the center of the controller A mark appears on the selected image To cancel a selection press the center again 3 To protect other images repeat step 2 4 Press the MENU button 5 Select OK with v then press the center of the controller ...

Page 123: ...image you want to delete and press the button button 2 Select Delete with v then press the center of the controller Deleting the selected images 1 MENU button t 1 t Delete t Marked images 2 Select the images you want to delete with the controller then press the center of the controller A mark appears on the selected image Total number 3 To delete other images repeat step 2 4 Press the MENU button ...

Page 124: ...a computer or format the memory card using the camera Deleting all the images in the folder 1 Press the button 2 Select the folder bar with b on the controller Folder bar 3 Press the center of the controller then select the folder you want to delete with v V 4 Press the button 5 Select Delete with v then press the center of the controller Deleting all the images all at once ...

Page 125: ...a and a connector suitable for connection to your TV on the other end 1 Turn off both your camera and the TV and connect the camera to the TV 2 Turn on the TV and switch the input See also the operating instructions supplied with the TV 3 Turn on the camera Images shot with the camera appear on the TV screen Select the desired image with b B on the controller The LCD monitor on the camera does not...

Page 126: ...ression of subtle textures and colors To use your camera abroad The camera automatically detects the color system to match that of the connected video device On TV color systems If you want to view images on a TV screen you need a TV with a video input jack and the video cable The color system of the TV must match that of your digital still camera Check the following lists for the TV color system ...

Page 127: ...If the camera performs unnecessary operations in response to the TV Remote Control when the camera is connected to another manufacturer s TV using an HDMI connection set CTRL FOR HDMI in the Setup menu to Off Using BRAVIA Sync 1 Connect a TV that supports BRAVIA Sync to the camera page 125 The input is automatically switched and the image shot with the camera appears on the TV screen 2 Press the L...

Page 128: ...ize of the RAW image corresponds to L This size is not displayed on the LCD monitor MENU button t 1 t Aspect ratio t Select the desired ratio Image size L 14M 4592 3056 pixels M 7 4M 3344 2224 pixels S 3 5M 2288 1520 pixels L 12M 4272 2848 pixels M 6 4M 3104 2072 pixels S 3 0M 2128 1416 pixels L 12M 4592 2576 pixels M 6 3M 3344 1872 pixels S 2 9M 2288 1280 pixels L 10M 4272 2400 pixels M 5 4M 3104...

Page 129: ...ratio Quality RAW File format RAW Records using the RAW compression format This format does not perform any digital processing on the images Select this format to process images on a computer for professional purposes The image size is fixed to the maximum size The image size is not displayed on the LCD monitor RAW JPEG File format RAW Records using the RAW compression format JPEG A RAW image and ...

Page 130: ...il the number reaches 9999 Reset The camera resets numbers in the following cases and assigns numbers to files from 0001 When the recording folder contains a file a number one higher than the largest number is assigned When the folder format is changed When all the images in the folder are deleted When the memory card is replaced When the memory card is formatted Selecting the folder name format S...

Page 131: ... folder t Select the desired folder Note You cannot select the folder when you select the setting Date form Note that formatting irrevocably erases all data on a memory card including protected images MENU button t 1 t Format t OK Notes During the format the access lamp lights up Do not eject the memory card while the lamp is lit Format the memory card using the camera If you format it on a comput...

Page 132: ...erformed on continuous shooting or continuous bracketing images even when it is set to On When the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection you cannot turn off noise reduction When shooting with the ISO set at 1600 or above the camera reduces the noise that becomes more noticeable when the camera sensitivity is high Select High to prioritize the image quality Select Normal to prioritize the...

Page 133: ...own AEL hold Holding the locked exposure value by pressing the AEL button until the button is pressed again AEL toggle MENU button t 1 t AEL button t Select the desired setting Notes While the exposure value is locked appears on the LCD monitor and in the viewfinder Be careful not to reset the setting The Hold and Toggle settings affect the manual shift page 68 in the manual exposure mode Changing...

Page 134: ...era to switch to power save mode Power save for the Live View LV and viewfinder modes OVF Pressing the shutter button halfway down returns the camera to the shooting mode MENU button t 1 t Power Save LV or Power Save OVF t Select the desired time Note Regardless of the setting here the camera turns to power save mode after 30 minutes when the camera is connected to a TV or the drive mode is set to...

Page 135: ...When using the camera with the AC PW10AM AC Adaptor sold separately the brightness of the LCD monitor is always set to the brightest setting even if you select Auto You can check the recorded image on the LCD monitor right after the shooting You can change the displayed time MENU button t 1 t Auto review t Select the desired setting Note In auto review the image will not be displayed in the vertic...

Page 136: ...the battery pack from wearing down If you want to turn on the LCD monitor while looking into the viewfinder select Off MENU button t 1 t Auto off w VF t Off You can select whether the grid line is displayed or not in manual focus check mode page 85 MENU button t 1 t Grid Line t Select the desired setting Keeping the LCD monitor tuned on while looking into the viewfinder Turning the grid line on of...

Page 137: ...a Confirm the version when a firmware update is released MENU button t 3 t Version Note An update can be performed only when the battery level is three remaining battery icons or more We recommend that you use a sufficient battery or the AC PW10AM AC Adaptor sold separately Displaying the version ...

Page 138: ...lash mode 88 Fill flash differs based on whether the built in flash is open or not Autofocus mode 82 AF A AF area 83 Wide Face Detection 52 On Smile Shutter 113 Off ISO 103 AUTO Metering mode 97 Multi segment Flash compens 95 0 0 White balance 104 AWB Auto white balance ColorTemperature Color filter 105 5500K Color filter 0 Custom white balance 106 5500K DRO Auto HDR 98 DRO Auto Creative Style 101...

Page 139: ...ec Auto off w VF 136 On Grid Line 136 On Items Reset to Specify Printing Date imprint 153 Off Slide show Interval 118 3 sec Slide show Repeat 118 Off PlaybackDisplay 115 Auto rotate Items Reset to LCD brightness 135 Auto Power Save LV 134 20 sec Power Save OVF 134 10 sec CTRL FOR HDMI 127 On Help Guide disp 134 On File number 130 Series Folder name 130 Standard form USB connection 141 154 Mass Sto...

Page 140: ...OS X v10 4 Mac OS X v10 5 USB jack Provided as standard Notes on connecting your camera to a computer Operations are not guaranteed for all the recommended computer environments mentioned above If you connect two or more USB devices to a single computer at the same time some devices including your camera may not operate depending on the types of USB devices you are using Operations are not guarant...

Page 141: ...a or connect the camera to a wall outlet wall socket with the AC Adaptor sold separately When you copy images to your computer using an insufficiently charged battery pack copying may fail or image data may become corrupted if the battery pack shuts down too soon 4 Turn on the camera and the computer 5 Check that USB connection in 2 is set to Mass Storage 6 Connect the camera and your computer The...

Page 142: ... folder to view files For Windows XP Open folder to view files t OK as the wizard screen appears automatically on the desktop When the wizard screen does not appear click Computer For Windows XP My Computer t Removable Disk 2 Double click DCIM 3 Double click the folder where the image files you want to copy are stored Then right click an image file to display the menu and click Copy On the storage...

Page 143: ...le name exists in the copy destination folder the overwrite confirmation message appears When you overwrite an existing image with a new one the original file data is deleted To copy an image file to the computer without overwriting change the file name to a different name and then copy the image file However note that if you change the file name you may not be able to play back that image with yo...

Page 144: ...SB cable Removing the memory card Turning off the camera x For Windows Double click on the tasktray then click USB Mass Storage Device t Stop Confirm the device on the confirmation window then click OK The device is disconnected x For Macintosh Drag and drop the drive icon or the icon of the memory card to the Trash icon The camera is disconnected from the computer Deleting the USB connection ...

Page 145: ...ed using this camera The first three digits show the folder number BYou can create a folder in date form page 130 You cannot record play back any images in the MISC folder Image files are named as follows ssss file number stands for any number within the range of 0001 to 9999 The numerical portions of the name of a RAW data file and its corresponding JPEG file are the same JPEG files DSC0ssss JPG ...

Page 146: ...lick Rename Change the file name to DSC0ssss Enter a number from 0001 to 9999 for ssss If the overwrite confirmation message appears enter a different number An extension may be displayed depending on the computer settings The extension for images is JPG Do not change the extension 2 Copy the image file to the memory card folder in the following order 1 Right click the image file then click Copy 2...

Page 147: ...ion are not supported 2 Starter Edition is not supported CPU Memory Pentium 4 or faster is recommended RAM 1 GB or more is recommended Display 1024 768 dots or more Recommended environment for using PMB OS pre installed Microsoft Windows XP 1 SP3 Windows Vista 2 SP2 1 64 bit editions and Starter Edition are not supported To create a disc Windows Image Mastering API IMAPI Ver 2 0 or higher is requi...

Page 148: ...ministrator Installing the software 1 Turn on your computer and insert the CD ROM supplied into the CD ROM drive The installation menu screen appears If it does not appear double click Computer For Windows XP My Computer t SONYPICTUTIL t Install exe Under Windows Vista the AutoPlay screen may appear Select Run Install exe and follow the instructions that appear on the screen to proceed with the in...

Page 149: ...nstalled and shortcut icons appear on the desktop Sony Image Data Suite Image Data Converter SR Image Data Lightbox SR Sony Picture Utility PMB PMB Guide 1 Turn on your Macintosh computer and insert the CD ROM supplied into the CD ROM drive 2 Double click the CD ROM icon 3 Copy the IDS_INST pkg file in the MAC folder to the hard disk icon 4 Double click the IDS_INST pkg file in the copy to folder ...

Page 150: ... details on Image Data Converter SR refer to Help To start Help click Start t All Programs t Sony Image Data Suite t Help t Image Data Converter SR Ver 3 With Image Data Lightbox SR you can Display and compare RAW JPEG images recorded with this camera Rate the images on a scale of five Set color labels and so on Display an image with Image Data Converter SR and make adjustments to it For details o...

Page 151: ... Programs t Sony Picture Utility t Help t PMB Guide Note The confirmation message of the Information tool appears on the screen when starting PMB for the first time Select Start This function informs you of news such as software updates You can change the setting later Using PMB With PMB you can Import images shot with the camera and display them on the computer Organize images on the computer on ...

Page 152: ...unspecify them after printing Notes You cannot specify DPOF on RAW data files You can specify any number up to 9 Specifying unspecifying DPOF on selected images 1 MENU button t 1 t Specify Printing t DPOF setup t Marked images t OK 2 Select the image with b B on the controller 3 Select the number of sheets with the center of the controller To unspecify DPOF set the number to 0 4 Press the MENU but...

Page 153: ...n printing them The position of the date inside or outside the image character size etc depends on your printer MENU button t 1 t Specify Printing t Date imprint t On Note This function may not be provided depending on the printer Dating images ...

Page 154: ...n print images shot using your camera by connecting the camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer PictBridge is based on the CIPA standard CIPA Camera Imaging Products Association Stage 1 Connecting the camera to the printer 1 MENU button t 2 t USB connection t PTP 2 Turn the camera off and select the type of memory card you want to print images from using the memory card switch 3 Connect ...

Page 155: ... printer The screen used for selecting images you want to print appears Stage 2 Printing 1 Select the image to print with b B on the controller then press the center of the controller To cancel press the center again 2 Select OK in the menu then press the center of the controller The image is printed After the screen indicating that the print is completed appears press the center of the controller...

Page 156: ...ystem Charge protection coating on Low Pass Filter and image sensor shift mechanism Auto Focus System System TTL phase detection system CCD line sensors 9 points 8 lines with center cross hair sensor Sensitivity Range 0 to 18 EV at ISO 100 conversion AF illuminator Approx 1 to 5 m 3 3 to 16 4 feet Manual focus check Image format Image sensor for shooting Field of View 100 Live View Type Pentamirro...

Page 157: ...ly controlled vertical traverse focal plane type Speed range 1 4000 second to 30 seconds bulb 1 3 EV step Flash sync speed 1 160 second Built In Flash Flash G No GN 12 in meters at ISO 100 Recycling time Approx 4 seconds Flash coverage Covering 18 mm lens focal length that the lens indicates Flash compensation 2 0 EV 1 3 EV step Recording media Memory Stick PRO Duo media Memory Stick PRO HG Duo me...

Page 158: ... 25 95 mm 2 7 8 1 3 3 4 inches W H D Mass Approx 90 g 3 2 oz Rechargeable battery pack NP FM500H Used battery Lithium ion battery Maximum voltage DC 8 4 V Nominal voltage DC 7 2 V Maximum charge current 2 0 A Maximum charge voltage DC 8 4 V Capacity Typical 11 8 Wh 1 650 mAh Minimum 11 5 Wh 1 600 mAh Maximum dimensions Approx 38 2 20 5 55 6 mm 1 9 16 13 16 2 1 4 inches W H D Mass Approx 78 g 2 8 o...

Page 159: ... are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and or other countries HDMI the HDMI logo and High Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC Macintosh and Mac OS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Inc PowerPC is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation in the United States The SDHC logo...

Page 160: ...runs out too quickly This phenomenon occurs when you use the camera in an extremely hot or cold location page 172 The battery pack is discharged Install a charged battery pack page 13 The battery pack is dead page 19 Replace it with a new one Cannot turn on the camera Install the battery pack correctly page 17 The battery pack is discharged Install a charged battery pack page 13 The battery pack i...

Page 161: ...e and nearly shuts down To cancel the power save operate the camera such as pressing the shutter button halfway down page 134 The image is not clear in the viewfinder Adjust the diopter scale properly using the diopter adjustment dial page 72 No images in the viewfinder The LIVE VIEW OVF switch is set to LIVE VIEW Set it to OVF page 71 The screen of the viewfinder is dark The battery pack is disch...

Page 162: ...ooting in manual focus mode set the focus mode switch to AF autofocus page 79 When the focus mode switch is equipped with the lens set it to AF Ambient light is insufficient Eye Start AF does not work Set Eye Start AF to On page 71 Press the shutter button halfway down The flash does not work The flash mode is set to Autoflash If you want to make sure the flash fires without fail set the flash mod...

Page 163: ...e filter and improper attachment of the hood the filter or the hood may partially appear in the image The optical properties of some lenses may cause the periphery of the image to appear too dark insufficient light The eyes of the subject come out red Activate the red eye reduction function page 90 Get close to the subject and shoot the subject within the flash range using the flash page 90 Dots a...

Page 164: ... your computer page 145 When an image file has been processed by a computer or when the image file was recorded using a model other than that of your camera playback on your camera is not guaranteed The camera is in USB mode Delete the USB connection page 144 Your camera cannot delete an image Cancel the protection page 122 You have deleted an image by mistake Once you have deleted an image you ca...

Page 165: ...necting the camera with your computer page 141 Follow the designated copy procedure for your OS page 142 When you shoot images with a memory card formatted by a computer you may not be able to copy the images to a computer Shoot using a memory card formatted by your camera page 131 The image cannot be played back on a computer If you are using PMB refer to the PMB Guide Consult the computer or sof...

Page 166: ...ending on your printer the left right top and bottom edges of the image may be cut off Especially when you print an image shot with the aspect ratio set to 16 9 the lateral end of the image may be cut off When printing images using your own printer cancel the trimming or borderless settings Consult the printer manufacturer as to whether the printer provides these functions or not When having image...

Page 167: ... to the operating instructions supplied with the printer Cannot print images Check that the camera and the printer are properly connected using the USB cable RAW images cannot be printed Images shot using cameras other than this camera or images modified with a computer may not be printed Cannot print the image at the size selected Disconnect the USB cable and reconnect it whenever you change the ...

Page 168: ...attery pack make sure the camera is turned off and the access lamp is not illuminated pages 17 36 The camera does not work properly Turn off the camera Remove the battery pack and insert it again If an AC Adaptor sold separately is used disconnect the power cord If the camera is hot allow it to cool down before trying this corrective procedure If the camera does not work after doing these solution...

Page 169: ...ry card again however all previous data in the memory card is erased It may take a some time to complete the format If the message still appears change the memory card Card error An incompatible memory card is inserted or the format has failed Reinsert Memory Stick Reinsert SD memory card The inserted memory card cannot be used in your camera The memory card is damaged The terminal section of the ...

Page 170: ...age protected You tried to delete protected images Unable to print You tried to mark RAW images with a DPOF mark Initializing USB connection A USB connection has been established Do not disconnect the USB cable Check the connected device A PictBridge connection cannot be established Disconnect the USB cable and connect it again Camera overheating Allow it to cool The camera has become hot because ...

Page 171: ...t create more folders The folder with a name beginning with 999 exists on the memory card You cannot create any folders if this is the case Printing canceled The print job was canceled Disconnect the USB cable or turn the camera off Unable to mark You attempted to mark RAW images on the PictBridge screen Printer error Check the printer Check if the image you want to print is corrupted Printer busy...

Page 172: ...r Lens Cap ALC R55 also On operating temperatures Your camera is designed for use under the temperatures between 0 and 40 C 32 and 104 F Shooting in extremely cold or hot places that exceed this range is not recommended On moisture condensation If the camera is brought directly from a cold to a warm location moisture may condense inside or outside the camera This moisture condensation may cause a ...

Page 173: ...cord one time events make a trial recording to make sure that the camera is working correctly This camera is neither dust proof nor splash proof nor water proof Do not look at the sun or a strong light through a removed lens or the viewfinder This may cause irrecoverable damage to your eyes Or it may cause a malfunction of your camera Do not use the camera near a location that generates strong rad...

Page 174: ...79 Autofocus mode 82 B Battery pack 13 17 Bracket 110 BULB shooting 69 C Center weighted 97 Charging battery pack 13 Cleaning mode 33 Color filter 105 Color Space 102 Color temperature 105 Compression ratio 129 Continuous AF 82 Continuous bracket 110 Continuous shooting 108 Contrast 101 Controller 43 Creative Style 101 CTRL FOR HDMI 127 Custom white balance 106 D Date imprint 153 Date Time setup 2...

Page 175: ...82 Focus lock 81 Folder name 130 Format 131 H Help Guide disp 134 High ISO NR 132 High speed sync 78 Histogram 94 I Image Data Converter SR 150 Image Data Lightbox SR 150 Image Index 117 Image quality 129 Image size 128 ISO sensitivity 103 J JPEG 129 L Landscape 56 Language 134 LCD brightness 135 LCD monitor 41 73 120 Lens 20 Live View 7 71 Long exp NR 132 M Macro 57 Manual exposure 67 Manual focu...

Page 176: ... RAW 129 150 Rear sync 88 Red eye reduc 90 Reducing camera shake 47 Remote Commander 112 Reset 138 Rotate 116 S Saturation 101 Scene Selection 54 SD memory card 22 Select folder 131 Self timer 109 Set the clock 25 Sharpness 101 Shooting 50 Shoulder strap 27 Shutter speed 61 65 Shutter speed priority 65 Single shot AF 82 Slide show 118 Slow sync 88 Smart teleconverter 87 Smile Shutter 113 Specifica...

Page 177: ...Index 177 Viewing image 115 Viewing images on a TV screen 125 W White balance 104 White balance bracket 111 Wireless flash 91 Wireless Remote Commander 112 Z Zoom 87 ...

Page 178: ...178 ...

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