HP PhotoSmart C500 User manual

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 30

Chapter3-TakingPhotos

ThischapterdescribestheprocessoftakingphotoswithyourHPPhotoSmart C500 DigitalCamera,includinghow

totakeStill,Burst,andTimelapsephotos,anddetaileddescriptionsofadjustingthecamerasettings.Ifyouwanta

quickoverview,seetheBasicsguidethatyoureceivedwithyourcamera.

Therearethree settingsyoucanusetotakephotos:Still,Burst,andTimelapse.

Tip: TheBurstsettingisidealfortakingactionphotos.UsetheTimelapsesettingforobservingasubjectovera

longerperiod of time.

Overview

Taking a Photo

TheHPPhotoSmartC500DigitalCamerahasa2-stepShutterbutton.WhenyoupresstheShutterbutton1/2way

down,thecameraadjuststhefocusandexposureofthephoto.Afterthesesettingsareadjusted,a greenlight

appearstothe leftof the viewfinder,indicatingthatyoucanpresstheShutterbuttonallthewaydowntotakethe

photo.Youmaywanttopracticetoget used to thetiming,beforetakingimportantphotos.

Still Usethissettingfortakingasinglecolororblackandwhitephoto.

Burst Usethissettingfortakingupto4 photosinrapidsuccession.

Timelapse Usethissettingfortakingseveralphotos,withasetamountoftime(1minuteto24

hours)betweenphotos.

Overview

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 31

To take a photo:

1. Removethelenscover.

2. Turnthecameraonandturnthecameramodedialto Rec.

Thecameraisautomaticallyready to takeaStillphoto.

3. Frameyour subject inthe viewfinder.

4. PressandholdtheShutterbutton1/2way downto allowthe

cameratoadjustthefocusandexposure.

5. Whenyousee the greenlighttotheleftof the viewfinder,press theShutterbuttonallthe way downtotakethe

photo.Waitforthe beeps,indicatingyourphotohasbeentaken,thenreleasetheShutterbutton.

Tip: When you are takinga photo,beespeciallycarefultokeep yourfingersawayfromthelens,flash,and

sensorsonthefrontofthe camera.Thefollowing illustrationsgiveyou examplesofhow toholdthecamera.

Cameramode dial On/offbutton

Shutter button

Overview

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 32

CheckingtheCameraStatus

UsethestatusLCD and the colorLCDto checkthestatusofthecamera.Basiccamerainformationsuchasbattery

level,numberofphotosremaining,photoquality,flashstatus,andmemorycardstatusdisplayonthestatusLCD.

ThecolorLCD showsinformationsuchasthe numberofphotosstoredonthememorycard,thecurrent

compression level,resolutionsetting,andbatterystatus.

UsingtheStatus LCD

Use the status LCD on the top of the cameratocheck the status of the memory card,the battery level, and the

numberofphotosavailableonthememorycard.ThestatusLCDalsodisplaystheflashandphotoqualitysettings,

andanycameraerrormessages.

To view the camera status on the status LCD:

•Presstheon/off buttontoturnthecameraon.

Individualiconsarediscussedthroughoutthisguideoryoucanseea listofalltheicons in AppendixB“Icons”

on page 129.

Photoquality

Battery level Photos

remaining

Memory

card status

Flash

Overview

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 33

UsingtheColorLCD

UsethecolorLCD on thebackofthecameratocheckcurrentcamerasettingsandstatus,includingthenumberof

photos stored on the memory card, and the compression and resolution settings.

To view the camera status on the color LCD:

1. Turnthecameraonandturnthecameramodedialto

Rec.

2. Press the color LCD on/off buttontoturnthecolor

LCD on.

3. PresstheStatus button(rightsoftkey).

ThecolorLCD displaysthecurrentcamerasettings

andstatus.To changethecamerasettings,usethe

cameramenus.Seethefollowingsectionsofthis

chapterfordetails.Oneormoreiconsmayalso

appearonthe Statusscreen,depending on the

camera status.

ColorLCD

Color LCD

on/offbutton Softkeys

Overview

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 34

4. When youhave finished viewing the camera status,press theExitbutton(rightsoftkey).

Color LCD Status

Images taken Thenumberofphotosstoredonthe

memorycard.

Compression Thecurrentcompressionlevel.

Resolution Thecurrentresolutionsetting.

White Bal Thecurrentwhitebalancesetting.

Digita Thecamerafirmwareversionnumber.

Memory card inserted Battery status

TakingStill,BurstandTimelapsePhotos

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 35

Taking Still, Burst andTimelapse Photos

TakingStillPhotos

Usethe Still setting to take one photo each time you press the Shutterbutton.

To take a Still photo:

1. Removethelenscover.

2. Turnthecameraonandturnthecameramodedialto Rec.

ThestatusLCDdisplaystheapproximatenumberofphotos

available onthe memory card.Thecamera isnot readyuntil

this number appears.

3. Adjust your camera settingsas needed.See“Adjustingthe

Camera Settings” on page 42 for details.

4. Pressthecolor LCD on/off buttontoturnthecolorLCD on,thenpresstheleft softkeyuntilthe

Still icon appears on the lower overlay bar.

Tip: Toconservebatterypower,turnthecolorLCD offafteryouchoosethephototype.

5. Frameyoursubjectinthe viewfinder,thenpressandholdthe Shutterbutton1/2way downtoallowthecamera

to adjust the focusand exposure. If you see an orange light to the leftof theviewfinder, you mayneed to

change theflashsettingtoadjustforthelightingconditions.

Status LCD

Shutterbutton

On/offbuttonCameramode dial

Number of

photos available

Still icon

TakingStill,BurstandTimelapsePhotos

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 36

6. Whenyouseethegreenlighttothe leftof theviewfinder,presstheShutter buttonallthewaydowntotakethe

photo.Waitforthe beeps,indicatingthephotohasbeentaken,beforereleasingtheShutterbutton.

7. If Instant Review is on, your photo appears briefly on the color LCD. If you arehappy with the photo, press the

Save button (rightsoft key) to save it on the memory card. If not,presstheDeletebutton(centersoftkey)to

discard the photoandtry again.Ifyoudo not press eitherbutton,thecameraautomaticallysavesthephoto.

TakingBurstPhotos

UsetheBurstsettingtotake photosinrapidsuccessionwhileholdingtheShutter buttondown.Youcantakeupto

fourphotosatarateofoneto three frames per second.TheBurstsettingisrecommendedfortakingactionphotos.

ThedefaultBurstrateistwoframespersecond.IfyouwanttochangetheBurstrate,seebelow.Notethatyoucannot

usetheflashforBurstphotos;theflashbuttonisinactive.

Note: BurstphotostakelongertoprocessthanStillphotos becausethecameratakes up tothreeframesper

second rather than a single photo.

To take Burst photos:

1. Turnthecameraonandturnthecameramodedialto Rec.

ThestatusLCDdisplaystheapproximatenumberofphotos

available on the memory card. The camera is not ready until

this number appears.

2. Adjustyourcamerasettingsasneeded.See“Adjustingthe

Camera Settings” on page 42 for details.

3. Pressthecolor LCD on/off buttontoturnthecolorLCDon.

StatusLCD

Shutter button

On/off buttonCameramodedial

Number of

photosavailable

TakingStill,BurstandTimelapsePhotos

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 37

4. PresstheleftsoftkeyuntiltheBurst iconappearsontheloweroverlaybar.

Tip: Toconservebatterypower,turnthecolorLCD offafteryouchoosethephototype.

If thereisnot enough space on the memory card forthe numberofphotosspecified, the red

lighttotheleftoftheviewfinderflashesandtheupperoverlaybardisplays“Notenoughmemory.”Tosolvethis

problem, insert a new memory card, or try a lower photo quality setting.

5. Frameyoursubjectinthe viewfinder,thenpressandholdthe Shutterbutton1/2way downtoallowthecamera

to adjust the focusand exposure. If you see an orange light to the leftof theviewfinder, there may not be

enoughlightonyour subject.Youcanstilltakethephoto.

6. Whenyouseeagreenlighttotheleftoftheviewfinder,presstheShutterbuttonallthewaydownandholditfor

the amount of time you want to take photos, or until the camera beeps.

Tip: Ifyouaretakinganactionsequence,youcanmovethecameratofollowyoursubjectasyouholdthe

Shutterbuttondown.

7. IfInstantReviewison,yourfirstphotoappearsbrieflyonthe color LCD.If you are happywiththephoto, press

the Save button(rightsoftkey)tosavetheseriesofphotosonthememorycard.Ifnot,presstheDelete button

(centersoftkey)todiscardthephotosandtryagain.PressingDeletediscardstheentireseriesofphotos,notjust

thefirstphoto.Ifyoudonotpresseitherbutton,thecameraautomaticallysavesthephoto.

Bursticon

TakingStill,BurstandTimelapsePhotos

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 38

To change the Burst rate:

1. Turnthecameraonandturnthecameramodedialto Rec.

2. Press the Menubutton.

The color LCD displays the Media Settings menu.

3. Usethe4-wayarrowbuttontoscrolltoBurst.

4. PresstheEdit button (left soft key), and then scroll down to Burst Rate.

5. Usethe4-wayarrowbuttontochoosethedesiredsetting,from1to3

framespersecond.

6. PresstheExit button(rightsoftkey)twicetosaveyoursettingsand exitthemenus.

TakingTimelapsePhotos

UsetheTimelapsesettingto takeaseriesofphotosatpresettimeintervals.You can specifythenumberofphotos

youwantthecameratotake, as wellastheamountoftimebetweenphotos.Itisrecommendedthatyouattachthe

camera to a tripod, or place it on a firm surface at an appropriate distance and height from the subject, to keep the

camera steady.

It is recommended that you use an AC power adapter for long Timelapse photo sequences. See “Using an ACPower

Adapter(recommended)”on page 29formore information.

Tip: Bydefaultthecameratakes10 photoswith1 minuteintervalsbetweenphotos.Ifyouwanttochangethe

Timelapsesettings,seebelow.

TakingStill,BurstandTimelapsePhotos

HP PhotoSmart C500 Digital Camera User’s Guide 39

To take Timelapse photos:

1. Turnthecameraonandturnthecameramodedialto Rec.

ThestatusLCDdisplaystheapproximatenumberofphotos

availableonthe memorycard. Thecamera isnot readyuntil

this number appears.

2. Adjustyourcamerasettingsasneeded.See“Adjustingthe

Camera Settings” on page 42 for details.

3. Press the color LCD on/off buttontoturnthecolorLCDon.

4. PresstheleftsoftkeyuntiltheTimelapseiconappearson theloweroverlaybar.

Tip: Toconservebatterypower,turnthecolorLCDoffafteryouchoosethephototype.

If thereisnot enough space on the memory card forthe numberofphotosspecified, the

redlighttotheleftoftheviewfinderflashesandtheupperoverlaybardisplays“Notenoughmemory.”Tosolve

thisproblem,insertanewmemorycard,trya lowerphotoqualitysettingordecreasethenumberof photos

specifiedin the Timelapse settings.

5. Frameyoursubjectinthe viewfinder,thenpressandholdthe Shutterbutton1/2way downtoallowthecamera

to adjust the focusand exposure. If you see an orange light to the leftof theviewfinder, there may not be

enoughlightonyour subject.Youcanstilltakethephoto.

StatusLCD

Shutter button

On/offbuttonCamera mode dial

Number of

photosavailable

Timelapse

icon

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