Nikon S4 User Manual

EnThe Nikon Guide to Digital Photographywith theDIGITAL CAMERA

viiiUse Only Nikon Brand Electronic AccessoriesNikon COOLPIX cameras are designed to the highest standards and include com-plex electronic circuitry.

90Technical NotesProblem SolutionCan not zoom in on picture• Picture is a movie.• Picture was created with small picture option.• Picture has been cr

91Technical Notes Getting Good Results with AutofocusAutofocus performs best when there is contrast between the subject and the back-ground and the su

92Technical NotesFile StorageThe following table shows the approximate number of pictures that can be stored in internal memory and on a 256-megabyte

93Technical NotesFiles copied using Copy > Selected images/Selected fi les are copied to the current folder, where they are assigned new fi le number

94Technical NotesSpecifi cationsNikon COOLPIX S4 Digital Camera* A standard widely used in the digital camera industry to ensure compatibility among di

95Technical Notes Specifi cationsNikon will not be held liable for any errors this manual may contain. The appearance of this product and its specifi c

96Technical NotesSymbols (auto) mode, 2, 12 (delete) button, 3, 16, 34, 40, 41, 44 (internal memory) indicator, 4, 12, 15 (memory card) indicator, 4,

97Technical NotesNNight landscape, 29Night Portrait, 27NTSC, see Video modeNumber of exposures remain-ing, 12, 92OOn/off, see Power switchPPAL, see Vi

No reproduction in any form of this manual, in whole or in part (except for brief quotation in critical articles or reviews), may be made without writ

1IntroductionIntroductionThank you for your purchase of a Nikon COOLPIX S4 digital camera. This manual has been written to help you enjoy taking pict

2IntroductionParts of the CameraLens ( 13, 83, 94)Self-timer lamp ( 19) / AF-assist illuminator (LED; 15, 79, 82, 94)Built-in fl ash ( 17)Shutter-r

3IntroductionMemory card slot cover ( 8, 9)Tripod socketBattery-chamber cover ( 7)Battery-chamber latch ( 7)Cable connector ( 45, 47, 52)Monitor ( 4

4IntroductionThe MonitorThe following indicators may appear in the monitor during shooting and play-back (actual display varies with current camera se

5Introduction 1 Shooting mode... 12, 21, 36 2 Exposure lock ... 32, 39, 62 3 Zoom indicator 1...

6First StepsFirst StepsInserting the BatteriesThe camera uses two AA batteries. Depending on the country or region of purchase, the package will inclu

7First Steps2.3 Close the battery-chamber coverClose the cover (햲) and slide it in the direction shown until it latches (햳). Replacing BatteriesTurn t

8First StepsInserting Memory CardsPictures are stored in the camera’s internal memory (approximately 13.5 MB) or on removable Secure Digital (SD) memo

9First Steps3 Close the memory card slot coverClose the cover (햲) and slide it in the direction shown until it latches (햳). Formatting Memory CardsBef

Trademark InformationMacintosh, Mac OS, and QuickTime are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademar

10First StepsTurning the Camera OnPress the power switch until the power-on lamp lights. The power-on lamp shows camera status as follows:Power-on la

11First Steps6HOME TIME ZONEHOME TIME ZONEHOME TIME ZONEBackBackConfirmConfirmBack ConfirmMadrid, Paris, BerlinSelect home time zone.5HOME TIME ZONEHO

12Basic PhotographyAUTOAUTOAUTO99Basic PhotographyThis section describes how to take pictures in (auto) mode, an automatic, “point-and-shoot” mode r

13Basic Photography Using a TripodRotate the lens to shooting position before mounting the camera on a tripod. Contact with the tripod can damage the

14Basic Photography3 Frame the subjectThe camera is equipped with two types of built-in zoom: optical zoom, in which the camera’s tele-scoping lens ca

15Basic PhotographyAUTO9Step 3 — Focus and Shoot1 FocusPress the shutter-release button halfway to set focus and exposure. In mode, the camera wi

16Basic Photography2 View additional picturesPress the multi selector down or right to view pic-tures in the order recorded, up or left to view pic-tu

17More on PhotographyMore on Photography Using the FlashThe following fl ash modes are available:Mode How it works When to use it AUTOAutoFlash fi res

18More on Photography When Lighting Is PoorWhen lighting is poor, sensitivity is raised to compensate and the image in the monitor may be slightly “gr

19More on Photography2OFFOFFOFFOFFON:Confirm:Confirm:ConfirmSelf-timerHighlight ON.1Self-timerOFFONOFFOFFOFFDisplay self-timer menu.The self-timer la

iSymbols and ConventionsTo make it easier to fi nd the information you need, the following symbols and conventions are used:This icon marks tips, addi

20More on Photography Easy Close-ups: Macro Close-up ModeMacro close-up mode is used for taking close-up shots of small objects at very short distanc

21Scene ModeScene ModeScene mode offers a choice of twelve “scene” and four “assist” settings. Camera settings are automatically optimized for the se

22Scene ModeFraming Assist: , , , and These modes offer a selection of framing assist options that allow you to com-pose pictures with the help of

23Scene Mode Portrait Assist (portrait assist) mode is used to frame portraits in which the main subject stands out clearly while back-ground detail

24Scene ModeTaking Pictures with Face-Priority AF ( 23) Face-Priority AFThe camera’s ability to detect faces depends on a variety of factors, includi

25Scene ModeLANDSCAPE: No guides are displayed. Use to focus on distant objects through foreground objects such as windows or a screen of branches.

26Scene Mode Sports Assist (sports assist) mode is used for dynamic action shots that capture moving objects. No guides are displayed in the monitor.

27Scene Mode Night Portrait Assist (night portrait assist) mode is used for taking portrait shots at night, when it provides a natural balance be-twee

28Scene ModeOther ScenesIn addition to the four “assist” modes described on the preceding pages, scene mode offers a selection of eleven “scenes,” eac

29Scene ModeOffOffOff Use tripod Hold camera steady *Hold camera steady Night landscapeSlow shutter speeds are used to produce stunning night landscap

iiTo prevent damage to your Nikon product or injury to yourself or to others, read the following safety precautions in their entirety before using th

30Scene ModeHold camera steady Off *Use tripod OffOff * *— CopyProvides clear pictures of text or drawings on a white board or in printed matter such

31Scene ModeOff * *— Panorama assist ( 32)Use when taking a series of pic-tures that will later be joined to-gether in PictureProject to form a panor

32Scene ModeMake selection (to return to step 3, press center of multi selector again). Pan direction displayed in white. Yel-low AE-L icon shows t

33Voice RecordingsVoice RecordingsAudio voice recordings can be recorded over the built-in microphone and played back over the built-it speaker.Making

34Voice RecordingsPlaying Voice RecordingsTo play voice recordings back, display the voice recording screen shown in Step 2 on the preceding page and

35Voice RecordingsCopying Voice RecordingsTo copy voice recordings between internal memory and a memory card, display the voice recording list shown i

36Movies Movie ModeThe camera can record the following types of movie. All movies have a frame rate of fi fteen frames per second; except in the case

37Movies5MOVIE OPTIONSMOVIE OPTIONSMOVIE OPTIONSExitExitExit ConfirmConfirmConfirmSmall size 320Smaller size 160Time-lapse movieTV movie 640TV movie 6

38MoviesRecording Movies0h 0m 19s0h 0m 19s0h 0m 19sEnd recording. Recording will end automatically when movie has reached maximum length or memory is

39MoviesRecording Time-Lapse MoviesSelecting Time-lapse movie from the MOVIE menu ( 36) displays the menu shown in Step 1, below. TIME-LAPSE MOVIE

iii• Batteries are prone to leakage when fully discharged. To avoid damage to the product, be sure to remove the bat-teries when no charge remains.•

40MoviesViewing MoviesIn full-frame playback ( 16, 41), movies are indicated by a icon and can be viewed by pressing the center of the multi select

41More on PlaybackMore on PlaybackViewing Pictures on the CameraTo view pictures full-frame in the monitor (full-frame playback), press the button

42More on PlaybackTaking a Closer Look: Playback ZoomUse zoom control to zoom in on images displayed in full-frame playback ( 16, 41). Playback zoom

43More on PlaybackEnhancing Contrast: D-LightingD-lighting can be used to create a copy of a picture with enhanced brightness and contrast, brightenin

44More on PlaybackVoice Memos: Recording and PlaybackA voice memo can be recorded and appended to any picture marked with a (voice memo recording gu

45More on PlaybackViewing Pictures on TVThe EG-CP14 audio / video (A / V) cable included with the camera can be used to connect the camera to a televi

46More on PlaybackViewing Pictures on a ComputerThe supplied UC-E6 USB cable and PictureProject software can be used to view photographs and movies on

47More on PlaybackTo choose a USB option, highlight Interface in the setup menu ( 79) and press the multi selector to the right. The menu shown in

48More on PlaybackTransferring PicturesIf PictureProject is installed, the PictureProject Transfer window will be dis-played in the computer monitor w

49More on PlaybackDisconnecting the CameraIf PTP is selected in the USB menu, you can turn the camera off and discon-nect the USB cable once transfer

ivNotice for customers in the U.S.A.Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio Frequency Interference StatementThis equipment has been tested and f

50More on PlaybackPrinting PicturesPictures can be printed by any of the following methods:• Select pictures for printing using Print set (see below)

51More on Playback8PRINT SELECTIONPRINT SELECTIONPRINT SELECTIONBackBackBack ConfirmConfirmConfirm01.10.200515:301/411Select current picture and set n

52More on PlaybackPrinting Via Direct USB ConnectionWhen the camera is connected to a PictBridge-compatible printer via the UC-E6 USB cable, selected

53More on Playback4 Print picturesPress the center of the multi selector to print the current picture or press the button to select multiple pictures

54More on PlaybackOption DescriptionStart printHighlight this option and press center of multi selector to print the selected picture. Message shown

55More on PlaybackPrinting Multiple PicturesTo print all pictures or multiple selected pictures, press the button. The menu shown at right will be

56More on Playback2PRINT SELECTIONPRINT SELECTIONPRINT SELECTIONBackBackBack ConfirmConfirmConfirm01.10.200515:301/411Select current picture and set n

57More on PlaybackPrinting the Current Print Order: DPOF PrintingTo print the current print order ( 50), select DPOF printing in the PictBridge menu

58The Shooting MenuMenu GuideThe Shooting MenuThe shooting menu contains the following options:Option DescriptionImage mode Choose image size and qual

59The Shooting Menu Image ModePictures taken with a digital camera are recorded as image fi les. The size of the fi les, and with it the number of imag

vNotice for customers in CanadaCAUTIONThis class B digital apparatus meets all re-quirements of the Canadian Interference Causing Equipment Regulation

60The Shooting Menu White BalanceThe color of the light refl ected from an object varies with the color of the light source. The human brain is able t

61The Shooting Menu Exposure CompensationExposure compensation is used to alter exposure from the value suggested by the camera by from –2.0 EV (under

62The Shooting Menu Interval Timer PhotographyTo display the interval timer menu, highlight Intvl timer shooting in the CONTINUOUS menu and press th

63The Shooting Menu Best Shot Selector (BSS)The options in the “best-shot selector” (BSS) menu are recommended for situ-ations in which inadvertent ca

64The Shooting Menu SensitivitySensitivity (ISO equivalency) is a measure of how quickly the camera reacts to light. The higher the sensitivity, the

65The Playback MenuThe Playback MenuThe playback menu contains the following options:Option DescriptionPrint setSelect pictures for printing on DPOF-

66The Playback Menu1BackBackBack ConfirmConfirmConfirmPROTECTPROTECTPROTECT01.10.200515:301/4Scroll through pictures. Current pic-ture shown at cente

67The Playback Menu Slide ShowThis option is used to play pictures back in an automated “slide show” with about three seconds between each picture.2Be

68The Playback Menu DeleteThe delete menu contains the following options:Option Description Erase selected imagesSelect images for deletion ( 66).

69The Playback Menu Transfer MarkingThis option is used to mark pictures for transfer to any computer to which PictureProject has been installed ( 46

viTable of ContentsFor Your Safety ... iiIntroduction 1

70The Playback Menu Small PictureSmall copies of pictures can be created in any of the following sizes:Option Description 640 × 480 Can be displayed

71The Playback Menu CopyThis option is only available when a memory card is inserted, when it can be used to copy pictures between internal memory and

72The Setup MenuThe Setup MenuThe setup menu contains the following options:Option DescriptionShooting menuScene menuMoviePlayback menuReturn to menu

73The Setup Menu Welcome ScreenChoose the welcome screen displayed when the camera is turned on.Option DescriptionDisable welcome(default)No welcome s

74The Setup Menu DateThis option is used to set the camera clock and to choose home and travel destination time zones.Option DescriptionDate Set camer

75The Setup Menu Time ZonesThe time zone can not be selected if the date and time have not been set.The camera supports the time zones listed below.

76The Setup Menu Date ImprintThis option is used to imprint date information on pictures as they are taken. It can not be used to imprint date inform

77The Setup Menu Sound SettingsThe options in this menu control the sound settings listed below.Option DescriptionButton soundIf On is selected, beep

78The Setup Menu Auto OffChoose the time before the monitor turns off automatically to save power ( 10).Option DescriptionAuto offChoose delay before

79The Setup Menu LanguageChoose the language for camera menus and messages ( 10). InterfaceAdjust settings for connection to a computer or video devi

viiColor Options ... 64The Playback Menu ...

80The Setup MenuOption DescriptionSound settingsButton sound OnShutter sound NormalStart-up sound OffAF-assist AutoBlur warning OnOption DescriptionAu

81Technical NotesTechnical NotesOptional AccessoriesAt the time of writing, the following optional accessories were available for this camera. Contac

82Technical NotesCaring for the CameraTo ensure continued enjoyment of this Nikon product, observe the following precautions when storing or using th

83Technical NotesCleaning Lens: Avoid touching glass parts with your fi ngers. Remove dust or lint with a blower (typically a small device with a rubb

84Technical NotesStorageTurn the camera off when not in use. Check that the power-on lamp is off before putting the camera away and remove the batter

85Technical NotesError Messages The following table lists the error messages and other warnings that appear in the monitor and how to deal with them.D

86Technical NotesDisplay Problem SolutionIMAGE CANNOTBE SAVED or • Camera has run out of fi le numbers.• Not enough memory to copy picture using crop,

87Technical NotesDisplay Problem SolutionTRANSFER ERRORPictures can not be copied to computer.Restart transfer after checking that camera is connected

88Technical NotesTroubleshootingIf the camera fails to function as expected, check the list of common problems below before consulting your retailer o

89Technical NotesProblem SolutionPictures are out of focus• Camera can not focus on selected subject using autofo-cus. Use focus lock.• AF-assist il