Canon SX20 IS Shooting in Various Conditions

The camera will select the necessary settings for the conditions in which you

wish to shoot when you choose the matching mode.

Choose the Shooting mode.

●Set the mode dial to the desired Shooting

mode.

Shoot.

ITake portraits (Portrait)

●Produces a soft effect when

photographing people.

JTake landscapes (Landscape)

●Lets you shoot majestic landscapes.

FTake snapshots at night

(Night Snapshot)

●Lets you take beautiful snapshots of

people against city nightscapes or night

backgrounds.

●If you hold the camera firmly, you can take

pictures with reduced camera shake, even

without a tripod.

Take shots of moving subjects

(Sports)

●Shoots continuous images while focusing

automatically.

Shooting in Various Conditions

Contents

Main Checking the Package Contents Using the Manuals Test Shots Read This First Warning Against Copyright Infringement Warranty Limitations LCD Monitor Camera Body Temperature IF wP J t y Page Table of Contents 1 Getting Started.................... 13 2 Learning More......................41 3 Shooting in Special Conditions and Commonly Used Functions................... 57 4 Choosing Settings Yourself............................... 67 5 Getting More Out of Your Camera..................... ........... 81 6 Using Various Functions for Shooting Movies......... 107 7 Using Playback and Other Functions........................... 115 8 9 Useful Information............ 155 Customizing the Camera .....141 Conventions Used in this Guide Camera Safety Precautions Warning Caution Caution Warning Battery Other Warnings Caution Getting Started Attaching the Strap/Removing the Lens Cap Inserting the Batteries Approximate Number of Shots That Can Be Taken Compatible Batteries AA-size alkaline batteries and Canon AA-size NiMH batteries (sold separately) (pp.38, 40). Battery Charge Indicator Can any other batteries be used? Why use NiMH batteries? Inserting the Memory Card Approximate Number of Shots per Memory Card Compatible Memory Cards Can you check the number of shots that can be taken? What is the write-protect tab? Open the LCD Monitor. Rotate the LCD monitor. Opening the LCD Monitor Set the date and time. Setting the Date and Time Changing the Date and Time Display the menus. Choose [Date/Time] in the 3 tab. Change the date and time. Display the settings screen. Setting the Display Language Choose [Format]. Format the memory card. Formatting Memory Cards Press halfway (lightly to the first stop). Press fully (to the second stop). Pressing the Shutter Button Choose A mode. Taking Pictures Compose the shot. Page Scene Icons Viewing Images Choose an image to erase. Erasing Images Erase the image. Printing Images Print images. Set the mode dial to E. Compose the shot. Shooting Movies Stop shooting. Estimated Shooting Times Choose a movie. Play the movie. Viewing Movies Transferring Images to a Computer System Requirements Windows Macintosh Preparations Install the software. Connect the camera to the computer. Open CameraWindow. Transfer Images X Accessories Battery and Charger Kit CBK4-300 Supplied with Camera Page Separately Sold Accessories Flash Power Supplies Other Accessories Page Mode Dial Components Guide Use the mode dial to change the Shooting mode. Control Dial 1 Button Shooting (Information Display) The same information will display on the viewfinder. Information Displayed on the Screen Playback (Detailed Information Display) Switching the Display Shooting Playback Display in Dark Conditions during Shooting Overexposure Warning during Playback Indicators Histogram Choose a shooting mode. Display the FUNC. menu. Choose a menu item. FUNC. Menu Basic Operations Menu Basic Operations Muting Sounds Changing the Sound Settings Adjusting the Volume With the Menu Choose [LCD Brightness]. Change the brightness. Changing the Screen Brightness Choose [Reset All]. Reset the settings. Returning the Camera to Default Settings Choose [Format]. Perform the low level format. Low Level Memory Card Formatting Power Saving during Shooting Power Saving during Playback X Power Saving Function (Auto Power Down) Clock Functions Adjusting the Viewfinder Attaching the Lens Hood Page Page Shooting in Various Conditions Shooting in Special Scenes Page Page Move the zoom lever toward i. X Move it toward i again. X Zooming in More Closely on Subjects (Digital Zoom) Digital Tele-Converter Choose [Digital Zoom]. Accept the setting. X Combinations that Cause Image Deterioration Inserting the Date and Time Press the p button. Choose . Using the Self-Timer Choose ". Compose the shot and press the shutter button halfway. Press the shutter button fully. Join the subjects and look at the camera. Using the Face Self-Timer Choosing Settings Yourself Shooting in Program AE Adjusting the Brightness (Exposure Compensation) Turning the Flash On Choose the recording pixels. Change the image quality. Changing the Recording Pixels (Image Size) Changing the Compression Ratio (Image Quality) Approximate Values for Recording Pixels and Compression Ratio Approximate Values for Paper Size attachments. Press the q button. Choose e or . Shooting Close-ups (Macro/Super Macro) X X Shooting Range About the zoom bar in e How can I take better close-ups? Choose the ISO speed. Changing the ISO Speed Changing the ISO speed Choose the white balance. Adjusting the White Balance X Custom White Balance X Continuous Shooting Choose My Colors. X Changing the Tone of an Image (My Colors) Custom Color Shooting Using the Two Second Self-Timer Choose . Choose $. Choose the settings. Customizing the Self-Timer Shooting Using a TV Monitor Recompose. Changing the Composition with the Focus Lock Page Getting More Out of Your Camera Choose [AF Frame]. Face Detect FlexiZone/Center Changing the AF Frame Mode Press the button. Move the AF frame. Change the AF frame size. Complete settings. Changing the AF Frame Position and Size Choose [AF-Point Zoom]. Check the focus. Magnifying the Focal Point Lock the focus. X Compose the scene and shoot. Choose [Servo AF]. Shooting with the AF Lock Shooting with Servo AF Set the camera to [Face Detect] (p. 82). Set Face Select mode. Choose the face on which to focus. Choosing the Person to Focus On (Face Select) Choose the Metering mode. X Linking the Spot AE Point Frame to the AF Frame Set the AF Frame to [FlexiZone] (p. 82). Choose [Spot AE Point]. Changing the Metering Mode X Focusing roughly. X Fine tuning the focus. Shooting in Manual Focus Mode Set the focus adjustment level. Focus Bracketing (Focus-BKT Mode) Lock the exposure. Compose the scene and shoot. Shooting with the AE Lock Shooting with the FE Lock Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB Mode) Set the exposure compensation amount. Raise the flash (p. 69). Choose . Shooting with Slow Synchro Set the mode dial to M. Available Shutter Speeds Setting the Shutter Speed What if aperture value is displayed in orange? Setting the Aperture Value Set the mode dial to D. X X Setting the Shutter Speed and Aperture Value Choose [i-Contrast]. X Correcting the Brightness and Shooting (i-Contrast) Choose [Flash Control]. Adjust the setting. X Red-Eye Correction Choose ~. Adjusting the Flash Exposure Compensation Adjusting the Flash Output Changing the Flash Timing Checking for Shut Eyes Registering Shooting Settings T Color Accent Choose T. Press the l button. Specify the color. Changing the Color and Shooting Y Color Swap Specify the range of colors to be swapped. Shooting Stitch Assist Images Set the mode dial to L. Choose a shooting direction. Take the first shot. X Page Using Various Functions for Shooting Movies Shooting Movies in Modes Other than E Choose the image quality. X Image Quality Table Changing the Image Quality Focus while shooting a movie. X What if 4 changes and you cant take a still image? X Taking Still Images while Shooting a Movie Adjusting the recording volume Using the Wind Filter Sound Settings Lock the exposure. Change the exposure. AE Lock/Exposure Shift Other Shooting Functions The following functions can be used in the same way as for still images. Playback Functions Summary for Viewing Movies (p. 33) Choose *. X Set the editing range. Editing Check the edited movie. Save the edited movie. Page g Searching Images Using Index Display Quickly Searching Images Move the zoom lever toward g. Change the displayed images. Searching Images Using the Control Dial Search by , , and Viewing Images in Filtered Playback Viewing images using filter playback. Jump by and Images Choose [Slideshow]. Choose [Start]. X Viewing Slideshows Checking the Focus Move the zoom lever toward k. Magnifying Images Choose [Transition]. Changing Image Transitions Viewing Images on a TV Viewing Images on a High-Definition TV Choose [Protect]. Choose a selection method. Choose images. Protecting Images Choose [Select Range]. Choose the starting image. Choose the ending image. Choose All Images Choose [Erase]. Erasing All Images Choose a selection method. Choose All Images Choose [My Category]. Organizing Images by Category (My Category) Choose [Select Range]. Choose the setting. Choose [Rotate]. Rotating Images Rotate the image. Choose [Resize]. Choose an image size. Save the new image. Resizing Images Choose [Trimming]. Adjust the trimming area. Trimming Choose [My Colors]. Choose a menu option. Adding Effects with the My Colors Function Choose [i-Contrast]. Choose a menu item. Correcting the Brightness (i-Contrast) What if the image wasnt corrected by the [Auto] option as well as you would like? Choose [Red-Eye Correction]. Correct the image. Correcting the Red-Eye Effect Easily Add Images to the Print List Print Added Images Printing from the Print List (DPOF) Print Settings Choose [Print Settings]. Adjust the settings. X Choosing Images for Printing (DPOF) Choosing the Number of Copies Choose [Select Images & Qty.]. Set the number of prints. Choose Range Set All Images to Print Once Clearing All Selections Page Turning off the Power Saving Function Changing Functions Setting the Screen Shut-Off Time Using the World Clock Set the home time zone. Set the world time zone. Choose the world time zone. Turning off Hints & Tips Changing the File Number Assignment Creating Folders by Shooting Date Changing Distance Units Changing the Lens Retract Time Switching the Focus Setting Turning off the AF Assist Beam Changing Shooting Functions Turning off the Red-Eye Reduction Function Changing the Image Display Time Changing the Way the Image Displays Right After Shooting Customizing Display Information X X Changing the IS-Mode Settings Registering Functions to the Button Choose [My Menu settings]. Choose the menu items to register. Registering Commonly Used Shooting Menus Change the order in which menu items are displayed. Choosing the Image that First Displays in Playback Changing Playback Functions Change Sounds Changing the Start-up Screen Registering the Start-up Screen Changing the Start-up Image or Sound Page Page Page Replacing the Date/Time Battery Using Household Power Attach the flash to the cameras hot shoe. Turn the external flash on and turn the camera on. X Display the flash settings screen. X Using an Externally Mounted Flash (Sold Separately) Speedlite 220EX, 270EX, 430EXII, and 580EX II Canon Flashes Other than Speedlite EX Series Power Troubleshooting TV output Shooting Page Shooting movies Playback Computer List of Messages that Appear on the Screen Page Functions Available in Each Shooting Mode Page 4 Shooting Menu Menus Page 3 Set up Menu 1 Playback Menu 2 Print Menu Equipment Handling Precautions Memory Cards Specifications Specifications Page Numerics Index A B C D G H I L M R S T V W Trademark Acknowledgments Disclaimer