Casio Exilim EX S500 User Manual

							BASIC IMAGE RECORDING
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[ ] (  )
Flash mode indicator
Using the Flash
Perform the following steps to select the flash mode you
want to use.
The approximate effective range of the flash is shown
below.
Wide Angle Optical Zoom:
Approximately 0.4 to 2.8 meters
(1.3´ to 9.2´) (ISO Sensitivity: Auto)
Telephoto Optical Zoom:
Approximately 0.4 to 1.4 meters
(1.3´ to 4.6´) (ISO Sensitivity: Auto)
*Depends on zoom factor.
1.In the REC mode, press [] ( ).
Each press of [] ( ) cycles through the flash
mode settings described below on the monitor
screen.
To do this:
Have the flash fire automatically when
required (Auto Flash)*
Turn off the flash (Flash Off)
Always fire the flash (Flash On)
Fire a pre-flash followed by image
recording with flash, reducing the
chance of red-eye in the image (Red-
eye reduction)
In this case, the flash fires automatically
when required
Select this setting:
None
*When using Icon Help (page 111), select “ Auto
Flash”.
2.Press the shutter button to record the image.
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 IMPORTANT! 
The flash unit of this camera fires a number of times
when you record an image. The initial flashes are
pre-flashes, which the camera uses to obtain
information that it uses for exposure settings. The
final flash is for recording. Make sure that you keep
the camera still until the shutter releases.
Using the flash while “Auto” is selected for the ISO
Sensitivity setting increases sensitivity, which can
cause large amounts of digital noise to appear in the
image. You can reduce digital noise by using a lower
ISO Sensitivity setting. Note, however, that this also
has the effect of shortening the flash range (the
range that is covered by the light from the flash)
(page 114).
During movie recording, you can press [] (
 ) to
cycle through the flash mode settings for snapshot
recording (page 61).

 Flash On
Select  (Flash On) as the flash mode when backlighting
causes your subject to appear dark, even though there is
enough light to keep the flash from firing automatically.
This will cause the flash to fire and illuminate your subject
whenever you press the shutter button (daylight synchro
flash).

 About Red-eye Reduction
Using the flash to record at night or in a dimly lit room can
cause red spots inside the eyes of people who are in the
image. This happens because the light from the flash
reflects off of the retina of the eye.
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 IMPORTANT! 
Note the following important points when using red-
eye reduction.
Red-eye reduction does not work unless the people
in the image are looking directly at the camera during
the pre-flash. Before pressing the shutter button, call
out to the subjects so they all look at the camera
while the pre-flash operation is performed.
Red-eye reduction may not work very well if the
subjects are located far away from the camera.Flash Unit Status
You can find out the current flash unit status by pressing
the shutter button half way and checking the monitor
screen and operation lamp.
*Operation lamp
It means this:
Flash unit is charging
Flash unit is ready to fire
When the operationlamp is this:
Flashing amber
Lit red
Operation lamp*
The  indicator is also shown
on the monitor screen when the
flash unit is ready to fire.
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Changing the Flash Intensity Setting
Perform the following steps to change the flash intensity
setting.
1.In the REC mode, press [MENU].
2.Use [
] and [] to select the “Quality” tab.
3.Use [] and [] to select “Flash Intensity”,
and then press [].
4.Use [] and [] to select the setting you
want, and then press [SET].
 IMPORTANT! 
Flash intensity may not change if the subject is too
far or too close to the camera.
To make flash intensity:
Stronger
Normal
Weaker
Select this setting:
+2
+1
0
–1
–2
1.In the REC mode, press [MENU].
2.Use [
] and [] to select the “Quality” tab.
3.Use [] and [] to select “Flash Assist”, and
then press [].
Flash assist used Flash assist not used
Using Flash Assist
Recording a subject that is outside the flash range can
cause the subject to appear dark in the resulting image,
because not enough of the flash reaches the subject. When
this happens, you can use flash assist to correct the
brightness of the recorded subject, so it appears as if the
flash illumination was sufficient.
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4.Use [] and [] to select “Auto”, and then
press [SET].
Selecting “Off” disables flash assist.
 IMPORTANT! 
Flash assist may not produce the desired result for
some types of subjects.
Flash assist may have little effect on your image if
you changed any of the following settings when you
recorded it.
—Flash intensity (page 64)
—Exposure compensation (EV shift) (page 79)
—ISO sensitivity (page 114)
—Contrast (page 118)
Using flash assist can cause an increase of digital
noise in recorded images.

 Flash Precautions
Take care that your fingers
do not block the flash when
you hold the camera.
Covering the flash with your
finger can greatly reduce its
effectiveness.
You may not be able to achieve the desired results using
the flash if the subject is too close or too far away.
The flash takes anywhere from a few seconds to as long
as 10 seconds to attain full charge after being fired. The
actual time required depends on the battery level,
temperature, and other conditions.
The flash does not fire during movie recording.
The flash unit may not be able to charge when camera
battery power is low. If this happens, the flash will not fire
properly and you will not be able to obtain the desired
exposure. Be sure to charge the camera’s battery as soon
as possible when power goes low.
Flash
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When the flash is turned off (), mount the camera on a
tripod to record images in an area where available lighting
is dim. Recording images under dim lighting without the
flash can cause digital noise, which makes images
appear coarse.
When red-eye reduction (
) is selected, flash intensity
is adjusted automatically in accordance with the
exposure. The flash may not fire at all when the subject is
brightly lit.
Using flash in combination with another light source
(daylight, fluorescent light, etc.) can result in abnormal
image colors.
Using the Self-timer
The self-timer lets you select either a 2-second or 10-
second delay of the shutter release after you press the
shutter button. A Triple Self-timer feature lets you perform
three consecutive self-timer operations to record three
images.
1.In the REC mode, press [MENU].
2.Use [
] and [] to select the “REC” tab.
3.Use [] and [] to select “Self-timer”, and
then press [].
4.Use [] and [] to select the self-timer type
you want to use, and then press [SET].
Selecting “Off” in step 4 disables the self-timer.
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To do this:
Specify a 10-second self-timer
Specify a 2-second self-timer
Specify Triple Self-timer
Disable the self-timer
Select this setting:
10s 10 sec
2s 2 sec
x3 X3
Off
This causes an
indicator identifying the
selected self-timer type
to appear on the
monitor screen.
With the Triple Self-timer,
the camera records a
series of three images in
the sequence described
below.
1. The camera performs a 10-second countdown
and then records the first image.
2. The camera prepares to record the next image.
The amount of time required for preparation
depends on the camera’s current “Size” and
“Quality” settings, the type of memory (built-in or
card) you are using for image storage, and
whether or not the flash is charging.
3. After preparation is complete, the indicator “1sec”
appears on the monitor screen, and another
image is recorded one second later.
4. Steps 2 and 3 are repeated once more to record
the third image.
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AF assist light/
Self-timer lamp5.Press the shutter
button to record the
image.
When you press the
shutter button, the AF
assist light/self-timer
lamp flashes and the
shutter releases after the
self-timer reaches the
end of its countdown
(about 10 seconds or two
seconds).
You can interrupt an ongoing self-timer countdown
by pressing the shutter button while the AF assist
light/self-timer lamp is flashing.
 NOTE 
The “2 sec” self-timer setting is best when shooting
with a slow shutter speed, because it helps to avoid
blurring of images due to hand movement.
You cannot use the self-timer to record a snapshot
during movie recording.
The following functions are not available for use in
combination with the Triple Self-timer.
Business Shot, movie recording functions
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Specifying Image Size
“Image size” is the size of the image, expressed as the
number of vertical and horizontal pixels. A “pixel” is one of
the many tiny dots that make up the image. More pixels
provide finer detail when an image is printed, but a higher
pixel count also causes the image’s file size to be larger.
You can select an image size to suit your needs for greater
detail or smaller file size.
Note that this setting is valid for snapshots only. For
information about movie image size, see page 95.
1.In the REC mode, press [MENU].
2.Use [
] and [] to select the “Quality” tab.
3.Use [] and [] to select “Size”, and then
press [].
4.Use [] and [] to select the setting you
want, and then press [SET].
When selecting the image size, the image size value
(pixels) will alternate on the display with a
corresponding print size. The print size indicates the
optimum paper size when you print an image that is
the image size you select.The above print sizes are all approximate values when
printing at a resolution of 200 dpi (dots per inch). Use a
larger setting when you want to print at a higher
resolution or when you plan to produce a larger size print.
Selecting the “2560 ×
 1712 (3:2)” image size will record
images with a 3:2 (horizontal : vertical) aspect ratio, which
is optimal for printing on paper with an aspect ratio of 3:2.
Print Size
A3 Print
A3 Print (3:2 horizontal-to-
vertical ratio)
A4 Print
A4 Print
3.5˝ ×
 5˝ Print
E-mail (optimum size when
attaching image to e-mail)Larger
Smaller Image Size
2560 ×
 1920
2560 ×
 1712
(3:2)
2304 ×
 1728
2048 ×
 1536
1600 × 1200
640 ×
 480
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Specifying Image Quality
Compressing an image before storage can cause a
deterioration of its quality. The more an image is
compressed, the greater the loss of quality. The image
quality setting specifies the compression ratio to be used
when an image is stored in memory. You can select an
image quality setting to suit your needs for higher quality or
smaller file size.
• Note that this setting is valid for snapshots only. For
information about movie image quality, see page 95.
1.In the REC mode, press [MENU].
2.Use [
] and [] to select the “Quality” tab.
3.Use [] and [] to select “ Quality”, and
then press [].
4.Use [] and [] to select the setting you
want, and then press [SET].
 IMPORTANT! 
• Actual file size depends on the type of image you
record. This means that the remaining image
capacity noted on the monitor screen may not be
exactly accurate (pages 27, 230).
Fine
Normal
Economy
To get this:
Higher
Quality
Lower
Quality
Select this setting:
High image quality, large file
size
Normal image quality and
normal file size
Low image quality, small file
size
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