Canon Powershot A2500 User Guide

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Cover
Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
Still ImagesMovies
Scene Icons
In [] mode, shooting scenes determined by the camera are indicated 
by the icon displayed, and corresponding settings are automatically 
selected for optimal focusing, subject brightness, and color.
Subject
Background
People Other SubjectsIcon 
Background  ColorIn 
Motion*1Shadows 
on Face*1In 
Motion*1At Close  Range
Bright
Gray
Backlit–
With Blue 
Sky
Light Blue
Backlit–
Sunsets –– Orange
Spotlights
Dark Blue
DarkTripod 
Used*2–*2–
*1
 
Not displayed for movies.
*2

 
Displaye

d in dark scenes when the camera is held still, as when mounted on a tripod.
•	 Try shooting in [G] mode (= 47) if the scene icon does not match 
actual shooting conditions, or if it is not possible to shoot with your \
expected effect, color, or brightness.
Movies
•	 The camera may become warm when shooting movies repeatedly 
over an extended period. This does not indicate damage.
•	Keep your fingers away from the 
microphone while shooting movies. 
Blocking the microphone may prevent 
audio from being recorded or may 
cause the recording to sound muffled.
•	 Avoid touching camera controls other than the movie button when 
shooting movies, because sounds made by the camera will be 
recorded.
•	 Audio recording is monaural.
Microphone
 
						

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Cover
Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
Common, Convenient Features
Still ImagesMovies
Zooming In Closer on Subjects (Digital Zoom)
When distant subjects are too far away to enlarge using the optical zoom\
, 
use digital zoom for up to about 20x enlargement.
1 Move the zoom lever toward 
< i>.
zzHold the lever until zooming stops.
XXZooming stops at the largest possible 
zoom factor (before the image becomes 
noticeably grainy), which is then indicated 
on the screen.
2 Move the zoom lever toward 
 again.
XXThe camera zooms in even closer on the 
subject.
•	Moving the zoom lever will display the zoom bar (which indicates 
the zoom position). The color of the zoom bar will change depending 
on the zoom range.
-
 
White range: optical zoom range where the image will not appear 
grainy

.
-
 
Y
 ellow range: digital zoom range where the image is not noticeably 
grainy (ZoomPlus).
-
 
Blue range: digital zoom range where the image will appear grainy
 .
Zoom Factor
Still ImagesMovies
On-Screen Frames
A variety of frames are displayed once the camera detects subjects you ar\
e 
aiming the camera at.
•	A white frame is displayed around the subject (or person’s face) 
determined by the camera to be the main subject, and gray frames are 
displayed around other detected faces. Frames follow moving subjects 
within a certain range to keep them in focus.
However, if the camera detects subject movement, only the white frame 
will remain on the screen.
•	 When you are pressing the shutter button halfway and the camera 
detects subject movement, a blue frame is displayed, and the focus and 
image brightness are constantly adjusted (Servo AF).
•	Try shooting in [G] mode (= 47) if no frames are displayed, if 
frames are not displayed around desired subjects, or if frames are 
displayed on the background or similar areas.
 
						

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Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
XXOnce you start the self-timer, the lamp 
will blink and the camera will play a self-
timer sound.
XXTwo seconds before the shot, the blinking 
and sound will speed up. (The lamp will 
remain lit in case the flash fires.)
zzTo cancel shooting after you have 
triggered the self-timer, press the 
 button.
zzTo restore the original setting, choose  
[] in step 1.
Still ImagesMovies
Using the Self-Timer to Avoid Camera ShakeThis option delays shutter release until about two seconds after you hav\
e 
pressed the shutter button. If the camera is unsteady while you are pres\
sing 
the shutter button, it will not affect your shot.
Configure	the	setting.
zzFollow step 1 in “Using the Self-Timer” 
(= 33) and choose [ [].
XXOnce the setting is complete, [[] is 
displayed.
zzFollow step 2 in “Using the Self-Timer” 
(= 33) to shoot.
Because the blue range will not be available at some resolution 
settings (= 36), the maximum zoom factor can be achieved by 
following step 1.
•	 Focal length when optical and digital zoom are combined is as follows (\
35mm 
film equivalent).
28 – 560 mm (28 – 140 mm with optical zoom alone)
Still ImagesMovies
Using the Self-Timer
With the self-timer, you can include yourself in group photos or other timed 
shots. The camera will shoot about 10 seconds after you press the shutter 
button.
1	 Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button, choose  
[] in the menu, and then choose the 
[]] option (= 25).
XXOnce the setting is complete, []] is 
displayed.
2 Shoot.
zzFor Still Images: Press the shutter button 
halfway to focus on the subject, and then 
press it all the way down.
zzFor Movies: Press the movie button.
 
						

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Cover
Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
Still Images
Deactivating the Flash
Prepare the camera for shooting without the flash as follows.
Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button repeatedly until [ !] 
is displayed.
XXThe flash will no longer be activated.
zzTo activate the flash, press the  
button again. ([] is displayed.) The 
flash will automatically fire in low-light 
conditions.
•	 If a flashing [] icon is displayed when you press the shutter button 
halfway in low-light conditions, mount the camera on a tripod or take 
other measures to keep it still.
Still ImagesMovies
Customizing the Self-TimerYou can specify the delay (0 – 30 seconds) and number of shots (1 –\
 10).
1 Choose [ $].
zzFollowing step 1 in “Using the Self-Timer” 
(= 33), choose [$] and press the 
 button.
2	 Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  buttons to choose 
[Delay] or [Shots].
zzPress the  buttons to choose a 
value, and then press the < m> button.
XXOnce the setting is complete, [$] is 
displayed.
zzFollow step 2 in “Using the Self-Timer” 
(= 33) to shoot.
•	For movies shot using the self-timer, [Delay] represents the delay 
before recording begins, but the [Shots] setting has no effect.
•	 When you specify multiple shots, image brightness and white balance are \
determined by the first shot. More time is required between shots when the 
flash fires or when you have specified to take many shots. Shooting will stop 
automatically when the memory card becomes full.
•	 When a delay longer than two seconds is specified, two seconds before the 
shot, the lamp blinking and self-timer sound will speed up. (The lamp w\
ill 
remain lit in case the flash fires.)
            
						

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Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
•	 Shots taken without adding a date stamp can be printed with one as follo\
ws.
However, adding a date stamp this way to images that already have one may 
cause it to be printed twice.
-
 
Print using printer functions ( = 83)
-
 Use camera DPOF print settings ( = 86) to print
-
 Use the software downloaded from the Canon website to print  
For details, refer to the Software Guide (= 17).
Still ImagesMovies
Using Eco Mode
This function allows you to conserve battery power in Shooting mode. Whe\
n 
the camera is not in use, the screen quickly darkens to reduce battery 
consumption.
1	 Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button several times until  
[] is displayed.
XXThe screen darkens when the camera 
is not used for approximately two 
seconds; approximately ten seconds 
after darkening, the screen turns off. 
The camera turns off after approximately 
three minutes of inactivity.
zzBy pressing the  button again,  
[] is displayed, and Eco Mode is 
deactivated.
2 Shoot.
zzTo activate the screen and prepare for 
shooting when the screen is off but the 
lens is still out, press the shutter button 
halfway.
Still Images
Adding a Date Stamp
The camera can add the shooting date to images, in the lower-right corne\
r.
However, note that date stamps cannot be edited or removed, so confirm 
beforehand that the date and time are correct ( =
 12).
1	 Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button, choose [Date 
Stamp ] on the [4] tab, and then 
choose the desired option ( = 26).
XXOnce the setting is complete, [] is 
displayed.
2 Shoot.
XXAs you take shots, the camera adds the 
shooting date or time to the lower-right 
corner of images.
zzTo restore the original setting, choose 
[Off] in step 1.
•	 Date stamps cannot be edited or removed.
 
						

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Cover
Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
Still Images
Red-Eye Correction
Red-eye that occurs in the flash photography can be automatically 
corrected as follows.
Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button, choose 
[Red-Eye Corr.] on the [4] tab, and then 
choose [On] (=
 26).
XXOnce the setting is complete, [R] is 
displayed.
zzTo restore the original setting, repeat this 
process but choose [Off].
•	 Red-eye correction may be applied to image areas other than eyes 
(if the camera misinterprets red eye makeup as red pupils, for 
example).
•	 You can also correct existing images ( = 71).
Image Customization Features
Still Images
Changing Image Resolution (Size)
Choose from 5 levels of image resolution, as follows. For guidelines on \
how many shots at each resolution setting can fit on a memory card, see 
“Number of Shots per Memory Card” ( =
 104).
Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button, choose [] in 
the menu, and choose the desired option 
(=
 25) .
XXThe option you configured is now 
displayed.
zzTo restore the original setting, repeat this 
process but choose [].
Guidelines for Choosing Resolution Based on Paper 
Size
zz[]: For e-mailing images.
zz[]: For images displayed on widescreen 
HDTVs or similar display devices, on a 
16:9 screen.
A2 (16.5 x 23.4 in.)
A3 – A5 (11.7 x 
16.5 – 5.8 x 8.3 in.)
5 x 7 in.
Postcard
3.5 x 5 in.
 
						

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Cover
Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
Helpful Shooting Features
Still Images
Checking for Closed Eyes
[] is displayed when the camera detects that people may have closed 
their eyes.
1	 Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button, choose [Blink 
Detection] on the [4] tab, and then 
choose [On] (=
 26).
2 Shoot.
XX[] is displayed when the camera 
detects a person whose eyes are closed.
zzTo restore the original setting, choose 
[Off] in step 1.
•	 When you have specified multiple shots in [ $] mode, this function is only 
available for the final shot.
•	 A frame is displayed around people whose eyes are closed when you have 
selected [2 sec.], [4 sec.], [8 sec.], or [Hold] in [Display Time] (=
 59).
•	 The frame is not displayed when [Display Time] is set to [Quick] ( = 59).
Movies
Changing Movie Image Quality
2 image quality settings are available. For guidelines on the maximum 
movie length at each level of image quality that will fit on a memory card, 
see “Recording Time per Memory Card” (=
 104).
Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button, choose [] in 
the menu, and choose the desired option 
(=
 25).
XXThe option you configured is now 
displayed.
zzTo restore the original setting, repeat this 
process but choose [].
Image Quality Resolution Frame Rate Details
1280 x 720 25 fps For shooting in HD
640 x 480 30 fpsFor shooting in standard definition
•	In [] mode, black bars displayed on the top and bottom edges of the screen 
indicate image areas not recorded.
 
						

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Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
Customizing Camera Operation
Customize shooting functions on the [ 4] tab of the menu as follows.
For instructions on menu functions, see “MENU Menu” ( = 26).
Still Images
Deactivating the Lamp
You can deactivate the lamp that normally lights up to help you focus in \
low-
light conditions when you press the shutter button halfway, or that lights up 
to reduce red-eye when you shoot in low-light conditions with the flash.
Configure	the	setting.
zzPress the  button, choose 
[Lamp Setting] on the [4] tab, and then 
choose [Off] (=
 26).
zzTo restore the original setting, repeat this 
process but choose [On].
 
						

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Cover
Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
3
Other Shooting Modes
Shoot more effectively in various scenes, and take shots 
enhanced with unique image effects or captured using 
special functions
Specific Scenes ........................ 40
Applying Special Effects
 
 .........42
Special Modes for Other  Purposes
  ................................. 45
4
 
						

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Cover
Preliminary Notes and Legal Information
Contents:  
Basic Operations
Advanced Guide
Camera Basics
Smart Auto 
Mode
Other Shooting 
Modes
P Mode
Setting Menu
Accessories
Appendix
Index
Basic Guide
Playback Mode
Still ImagesMovies
 P Shoot with s nowy backgrounds 
(Snow)
zzBright, natural-colored shots of people 
against snowy backgrounds.
Still ImagesMovies
 t Shoot firewo rks (Fireworks)
zzVivid shots of fireworks.
• In [t] mode, mount the camera on a tripod or take other measures 
to keep it still and prevent camera shake.
• [] mode resolution is [] (2304 x 1728) and cannot be changed.
Specific Scenes
Choose a mode matching the shooting scene, and the camera will 
automatically configure the settings for optimal shots.
1 Choose a shooting mode.
zzPress the  button repeatedly until  
[] is displayed.
zzPress the  button, choose [] in 
the menu, and choose the desired option 
(=
 25).
2 Shoot.
Still ImagesMovies
 I Shoot portraits (Portrait)
zzTake shots of people with a softening 
effect.
Still Images
 Shoot under low light (Low Light)
zzShoot with minimal camera shake and 
subject blur even in low-light conditions.