Summary of Contents for GE A730 - Digital Camera - Compact
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WARNING To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the This symbol [crossed-out wheeled bin unit to rain or moisture. WEEE Annex IV] indicates separate collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment in the For customers in the U.S.A. EU countries.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Battery notes: Camera notes: Incorrect use of the batteries may cause them to Do not store or use the camera in the following leak, become hot, ignite or burst. Always observe types of locations: the precautions given below. •...
BEFORE YOU START Preface Safety information Thank you for purchasing the GE A-series digital Please read the following important information camera. Please read this manual carefully and carefully before using the product. keep it in a safe place for future reference. •...
• Do not expose the camera to moisture, or ex- About this manual treme temperatures. Extreme environments may shorten the life of your camera or damage the This manual provides you with instructions on batteries. how to use your GE digital camera. Every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of •...
CONTENTS BEFORE YOU START ........ 1 Inserting an SD/SDHC card .......12 Turning on and off ........13 Preface ............1 Using the Mode Dial ........14 Copyright ..........1 Setting display language, date, and time Trademarks ..........1 Setting the Date and Time ....15 Safety information ........
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Size ............23 Night landscape ........31 Color ............24 Night portrait ........31 Return to the scene mode palette ..32 USING THE MODES .......26 Panorama mode..........32 LCD Screen display ........26 Image stabilization ........34 Still shooting mode display ....26 Face detection ..........35 Video shooting mode display .....28 PLAYBACK..........36 Playback mode display ......29 Scene mode ..........30...
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Continuous shot ........45 Red-eye removal ........56 Grid ............45 Setup menu ..........57 Review .............46 Format ............57 Digital zoom ...........46 Beep ............58 Histogram ..........47 LCD brightness ........59 Bulb shutter ...........47 Power save ..........59 Movie menu ..........48 Date/Time ..........60 Continuous AF ........48 World time ..........60 Metering ..........49 File Numbering ........61 Stabilization ...........49...
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Transferring files to your PC ....66 Connecting to a PictBridge compatible printer ............67 Setting the USB mode ......68 Using the PictBridge menu .......70 Print with date ........70 Print without date ........71 Print index ..........72 Print DPOF ..........72 Exit ............73 Appendices ..........74 Specifications ..........74 Error messages ...........78 Troubleshooting ..........80...
GETTING READY Unpacking Make sure that your package contains the following items. If any item is missing or appears to be damaged, please contact your vendor. Camera AA-size alkaline User Manual Quick start guide Wrist strap batteries (X2) USB cable AV cable CD-ROM Warranty card...
Top View Bottom View 19 20 21 Flash Flash mode/ Left button Lens Func/ok button Speaker AF assist beam/Timer indicator USB/ AV port LCD screen DC IN port Left View T&W button Power button Face detection AF button Status LED Menu button Mode dial Erase button...
2. Insert the battery while observing Inserting the battery the correct polarity. Use the side of 1. Open the battery compartment. battery to press down the stopper as shown, allowing the battery to be inserted properly.
Inserting an optional SD/SDHC card 1. Open the battery compartment. 2. Insert an optional SD/SDHC card into the memory card slot as shown. Optional SD/SDHC cards are not included. The use of 64MB to 4GB memory cards from recognized manufacturers such as SanDisk, Panasonic and Toshiba is recommended for reliable data storage.
3. Close the battery compartment. Turning on and off Press the Power button to turn the camera on. To turn off the camera, press the Power button again. Power Button When turned on, the camera will enter the mode according to the mode dial setting. You can also turn the mode dial to change the modes after the camera is turned on.
Using the Mode Dial camera provides a convenient mode dial that allows you to switch between differ- A-series ent modes with ease. All the available modes are listed as follows. Mode Name Icon Description Auto Switch to take still pictures. (The camera uses the default pro- grammed automatic settings.) Playback Switch to view the pictures/videos stored on the memory card and...
Setting display language, date, and time To set the language ,date and time, the following settings need to be configured in the Setup menu. • Date and Time • Display language To access the Setup menu, do the following: 1 .Press Power to turn the camera on. button and use Up/Down/Left/ 2.
2. Press the Left/Right to highlight each field and use the Up/Down to adjust the value. 3. Press the button to confirm the setting. Setting the Language 1. Use the Up/Down to select Language. Then press the Right to enter the setting. 2.
About the LCD screen When you turn the camera on, various icons If the LCD monitor is damaged, take are shown on the 2.5” LCD screen to indicate particular care with the liquid crystal in the current camera settings and status. To the monitor.
BASIC OPERATION Shooting in Auto mode Using the zoom function Auto mode is the easiest mode to take pho- The camera is equipped with 3X optical zoom and 4.5X digital zoom. Use the Zoom scroll tos. While operating in this mode, the camera wheel on the top of the camera to zoom in automatically optimizes your photos for best results.
Using the flash Using the self-timer There are four flash modes. Press the Left/ To enable the self-timer function, press the Flash to cycle through the following flash Down/Self-timer to select 2-second timer modes. delay, 10-second timer delay, or a continuous shot.
Using Macro mode Exposure compensation In Macro mode, you can capture tiny details The exposure compensation allows you to of the subject at a very close range. Press the adjust the background brightness to produce Right/Macro to take close-up shots. the best result of photos.
Advanced function menu WB (White Balance) select an option. The following options are available: The white balance allows the user to adjust the color temperature under different light • Auto source to ensure faithful color reproduction. • Day light To set the white balance, do the following: •...
The ISO function allows you to set the camera sensor sensitivity to light. To improve the performance in darker environments, a higher ISO value is required. On the other hand, a lower ISO value is needed when in bright conditions. To set the ISO value, do the following: button to enter the Function 3.
To set the image quality, do the following: • : Fine quality (High compression) button to enter the Function 1. Press the • Normal quality (Maximum compression) menu. 4. Press the button to confirm your setting. 2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to highlight the Quality function.
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• 4M: 2272x1704 • 5M(16:9): 3088x1737 (16:9) • 6M(3:2): 3088x2058 (3:2) • 7M: 3088x2320 • 7M(3:2): 3312x2208 (only A830) • 8M: 3312x2488 (only A830) 3. Use the Up/Down navigation buttons to 4.Press the button to confirm your select a resolution. The following options setting.
Color 3. Use Up/Down to select an option. The following options are available: The color setting allows you to add artistic effects directly when taking shots. You can try • different color tones to alter the mood of your • Black &...
USING THE MODES LCD Screen display Still shooting mode display Scene 2 Scene icon (only available for mode) Mode: Fireworks Sport Children Glass Indoor Museum Leaf Landscape Snow Night landscape Night portrait Sunset 3 Light metering method Spot AE Center-Weight Ai AE 4 EV indicator 1 Shooting mode icon...
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6 Macro mode indicator 12 Focus frame Macro mode 13 Zoom indicator Manual 7 Flash mode indicator 14 White balance (only available for mode) Auto flash Manual 15 ISO (only available for mode) Red-eye reduction flash 16 Image quality Forced flash 17 Image size Flash off Manual...
Video shooting mode display 4 Self-timer indicator 2-second self-timer Mode: 10-second self-timer Continuous shot 5 Macro mode indicator Macro mode 6 Battery status 7 Mode name Appears for 3 seconds when the mode is first switched to. 8 Remaining time for videos that can be taken. 9 Warning icon Appears when the camera is held un- 1 Shooting mode icon...
14 Record icon 1 Playback mode icon 15 Exposure value 15 Memory card/internal memory indicator 2 DPOF file icon 16 Memory capacity For best movie results, the use of SD cards is (current picture/ 3 File protection icon recommended. Movie recordings using internal total picture number) 4 Audio file icon memory are subject to quality degradations.
Scene mode In Scene mode, you can select from a total Use Up/Down/Left/Right to select a of 12 scene types to match your needs. You scene, and press the button. just need to select the right scene for the Sport occasion and the camera will automatically For shooting fast-moving objects.
Snow Landscape For shooting snow scenes. Balances the white For shooting landscapes. Vivid reproduction scenery. of green and blue. Sunset Night landscape For shooting sunsets. Vivid reproduction of For shooting night scenes. Use of tripod is red and yellow. recommended. Fireworks Night portrait For shooting at night and fireworks.
Return to the scene mode palette Panorama mode Panorama mode allows you to shoot ultra wide panoramic shots. It allows you to create beautiful wide-view photos by stitching three images into a single panoramic picture. To stitch a panoramic picture, follow the steps below: 1.
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2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons 6. The camera will then stitch the pictures to select which side to record from; left to into a panorama automatically. right or right to left. Then press the 7.Set the mode dial to playback mode to view button.
Image Stabilization mode The Image Stabilization mode combats the Setting the Image Stabilization function effect of hand shake and allows you to take under ( ) mode. pictures that would otherwise be blurred. 1.Switch the mode dial to ( ) mode. 2.Press Menu, and use Up/Down to select the Image Stabilization settings.
Face Detection The Face Detection mode will detect the faces of persons in a photo so that the faces will be as clear as possible. 1.In Shooting mode, press to enable Face Detection. 2.Hold the camera securely, and point the camera towards the subject to start the face detection process.
PLAYBACK Viewing photos and videos To view the captured photos and video clips on the LCD screen: 1. Turn your camera to Playback mode. The last recorded photo or video clip is displayed. 2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to scroll through the photos or video clips stored in the internal memory or memory card.
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During the video playback, an operation During the slow motion playback, you can use the Left/Right navigation buttons to guide appears on the screen. You can use the navigation pad to perform the functions ac- adjust the speed of playback. cordingly.
Editing video new end of the playback. Press the Edit program button to enter 2. Select the button to play the editing the following screen and use the buttons on section. the left side to edit the playback. Use the Up/ 3.
• Back: Do not save the file and return to Thumbnail view the Edit screen. When in Playback mode, move the zoom 5. Press the button to confirm your scroll wheel to the Wide position ( ) once setting. to display the thumbnail of photos and video clips on the screen.
Using zoom playback (for still pictures only) The camera’s zoom scroll wheel can also be used during playback. This allows you to magnify photos up to 8X. 1. Turn your camera to Playback mode. 2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to select a photo to magnify.
Using the Delete button The camera is equipped with a quick Delete 4. Press the Up/Down navigation buttons button for you to delete photos or video- to select Yes or No. Then press the clips without entering the Playback menu. button to confirm.
USING THE MENUS Still menu 3. Use the Up/Down navigation buttons to Mode: select an option. In still shooting modes, press the button 4. Press the button to confirm the setting to enter the Still menu. and exit the menu. Refer to the following sections for more de- tailed information on each setting.
AF mode(Auto-Focus mode) AF-assist beam Use this setting to control the auto-focus Use this setting to aid focus in dark condi- tions. Select On to turn on the AF assist mechanism while taking pictures. beam, or Off the disable the function. Two options are available: •...
Cont. AF (Continuous AF) Expo Metering (Exposure Metering) Use this setting to turn On or Off the auto Use this setting to select an area for the continuous focus function when shooting on a exposure to be obtained. moving subject. Three options are available: •...
Cont. Shot (Continuous shot) but only the last 5 shots are recorded. • Time-Lapse : Automatically capture Use this setting to perform continuous shoot- ing. An extended press of the shutter button is pictures in at predefined intervals. required. Grid Use this setting to turn on or off the framing grids when taking photos.
Quick Review Digital zoom This setting refers to the quick photo review Use this setting to enable or disable the digi- immediately after taking a picture. The pic- tal zoom function. When disabled, only the ture stays on the LCD screen for an adjustable optical zoom is enabled.
Histogram Slow Shutter The histogram is used for checking the expo- Slow Shutter mode will keep the shutter open sure while taking pictures. Use this setting to as long as you push down the shutter button. enable or disable the histogram display on the So, you are in complete control of the exposure.
Movie menu 3. Use the Up/Down navigation buttons to Mode: select an option. In movie shooting mode, press the button 4. Press the button to confirm the setting to enter the Movie menu. and exit the menu. Refer to the following sections for more de- tailed information on each setting.
Playback menu Refer to the following sections for more de- Mode: tailed information on each setting. In playback mode, press the button to enter the Playback menu. Protect To prevent pictures or videos being erased accidentally, you can use this setting to lock one or all files.
Delete To protect/unprotect a picture or video: 1. Turn your camera to Playback mode and This setting allows you to delete a single or all files stored in the internal memory or your display the picture or video that you would like to protect.
3. Use the Up/Down navigation buttons DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) to select One, and press the Right DPOF allows you to record your selection of navigation button. pictures that you would like to print, and will button to select Yes to confirm 4.
Info. Box (Information Box) Trim Use this setting to enable or disable the text The trim setting allows you to trim a picture display for taking pictures. The following to adjust the part that you desired and save it information will be displayed on the screen: as a new picture.
3. Press the Shutter button to save what you 2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to see on the LCD screen as a new picture, or select a picture to resize. button to cancel and return to the 3. Use the Up/Down navigation buttons Playback menu.
Playback menu as described previously. Slide show 2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to This setting allows you to view all the stored select a picture to rotate. pictures as a slideshow. 1. Select the Slide show setting from the Playback menu as described previously.
to select Start to run the slideshow or Cancel to return to the Playback menu. 4. Press the button to confirm the setting. Red-eye removal Use this setting to remove red eye effect in your photos. 1. Select the Red-eye removal setting from the Playback menu as described previously.
Setup menu 2. Press the Right navigation button to enter Mode: the setting. The Setup menu is available in all modes. Refer to the following sections for more de- Press the button in any modes, then use tailed information on each setting. the navigation buttons to select the Setup menu.
2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to To change this setting: select Yes or No, and press the button 1. Select the Beep setting from the Setup to confirm. menu as described previously. 2. Use the Up/Down navigation buttons to switch between volume, shutter tone, key tone, self-timer tone, and power tone fields.
LCD Brightness Power Saver Use this setting to adjust the brightness of This setting allows you to save power and get your LCD screen. the maximum possible running time for your battery. Follow the steps below to turn off the 1.
3. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to to display the local time on the LCD screen specify the idle period before automatic while you are overseas. power-off. The level bars correspond to the 1. Select the World time setting from the following idle periods.
File Numbering After capturing photos or videos, the camera will automatically save the file with a numeric suffix. You can use this setting to determine whether the number should continue on from the last photo you have taken, or reset the counter to 1 and save files in a new folder in the memory card.
Copy to Card (Copy internal memory select NTSC or PAL. Then press the to memory card) button to confirm. Use this setting to copy the files stored in the internal memory to the memory card. 1. Select the Copy to memory card setting from the Setup menu as described previously.
Reset Settings FW Ver.(Firmware version) Use this setting to restore the camera to its Use this setting to view the current camera default settings. firmware version. 1. Select the Reset setting from the Setup 1. Select the FW Ver. setting from the Setup menu as described previously.
CONNECTIONS Connecting to a TV Make sure that both the camera and TV are turned off before con- Video Audio necting the AV cable. By using the AV cable, you can view the captured images on a TV. Follow the steps below to connect the supplied AV cable to a TV.
Connecting to a PC By using the USB cable, you can transfer the captured photos and videos to a PC. Follow the steps below to connect the camera to a PC. 1. Make sure both the camera and PC are turned on.
Setting the USB mode Since the camera’s USB port can be set to connect with either a PC or a Printer, the following steps will allow you to ensure that the camera is correctly configured to connect with a PC. button and use the Up/Down 1.
Connecting to a PictBridge compatible printer With the PictBridge function on your camera, you can print the captured photos directly with a PictBridge compatible printer using the supplied USB cable, without the need for a PC. 1. Make sure both the camera and printer are turned on.
Setting the USB mode Since the camera’s USB port can be set to connect with either a PC or a Printer, the following steps will allow you to ensure that the camera is correctly configured to connect with a Printer. button and use Up/Down 1.
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The above error message would also appear if the USB mode were set incorrectly, in which case you should disconnect the USB cable, check the USB mode settings, en- sure that the Printer is turned on, and then try connecting the USB cable again.
Using the PictBridge menu Print with date After setting the USB mode to Printer, the PictBridge menu appears. If you have set the date and time of your camera, the date record would be saved with the photos you take. You can print the photos with date by following the steps below.
Print without date 2. Use the Left/Right navigation buttons to scroll through the photos. Use this setting to print the photos without 3. Use the Up/Down navigation buttons to dates on them. select the number of prints for the current 1.
Print index displayed image. You can use this setting to print all indexes to 4. Press the button and the following show all the photos currently in your camera. screen appears. 1. Select Print index from the PictBridge menu. The following screen appears. 5.
Print DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) Exit To exit the PictBridge menu, select Exit. To use DPOF printing, you must make the The “Remove USB cable” message will be selection of photos for printing using the DPOF displayed. settings before hand. See “DPOF” section on page 52.
Appendices Specifications A730/A830 "Design and specifications are subject to change without notice." Effective Image Sensor Pixels 7.07 /8.0 Megapixels Image Sensor 7.40 /8.5 Megapixels [1/2.5” (CCD)] Lens Focal Length F = 6.1mm (Wide) ~ 18.3mm (Tele) [35mm film equivalent] [36mm (Wide) ~ 108mm (Tele)] F number F2.8 (Wide) ~ F4.8 (Tele) Lens Construction...
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Number of Still Image A830: 8MP: 3264×2448, (3:2)7MP: 3264×2176 Recording A730: 7MP:3072x2304, (3:2)6MP: 3072x2048, Pixels (16:9)5MP: 3072x1728, 3MP: 2048x1536, 2MP: 1600x1200, 1MP:1024x768, 0.3MP: 640x480 Movie 640x480pixels: 30fps/15fps, 320x240pixels: 30fps/15fps Image Compression Best, Fine, Normal DCF, DPOF (Ver1.1) Support File Format Still Image Exif 2.2 (JPEG) Movie Image Compression: MPEG4, Audio: G.711 [Monoaural]...
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Panorama Stitching LCD Display 2.5 inch LTPS (low-temperature polycrystalline silicon) TFT color LCD(153,600 pixels) ISO Sensitivity Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 (In Auto mode, the best ISO value is automatically selected.) AF Method Multi AF, Spot AF, AF Assist beam (On/Off), Face-Detection Light Metering Method Artificial Intelligence AE (Ai AE), Center-weight Average, Spot (Fixed to center of frame)
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Internal Flash (Shooting Range) Auto/Red-Eye Reduction/Forced Flash/No Flash/Slow Synchro/Red-Eye Reduction+Slow Synchro Gno. 6.5 (ISO 100) (Shooting Range) Wide: Approx. 0.3m~3.4m / Tele: Approx. 0.3m~3.0m (ISO 400) Recording Media Internal Memory: 26MB SD Card/SDHC Card (Up to 4GB support) Other Features PictBridge, ExifPrint Support, Multi-language Support (11 languages) Jacks...
Error messages Messages Explanation No card • The memory card is not inserted. Card error • The memory card is not formatted. (See P.57) Card full • The memory card is full and cannot store any new images. Write protect •...
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Messages Explanation Card is not formatted, format? • Confirm whether the memory card should be formatted. This image cannot be deleted • The picture or video you are trying to delete is protected. Cannot record movie • The write protection switch on the memory card is set to the “LOCK”...
Troubleshooting Problem Possible causes Solution Camera does not turn on. • The battery has run out. • Charge the battery or replace with a fully charged battery. • The battery is not in- serted correctly. • Re-insert the battery observing the correct polarity.
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Problem Possible causes Solution No picture is taken when • The memory card is full. • Replace the memory card with pressing the shutter but- a new one or clean off current • No available space to ton. memory card. store the files.
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