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III. MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR CAMERA ...37

1. Auto focus Techniques ...38

2. Pre-Focus Shooting ...40

3. Manual (Power) Focus ...42

4. Macro Setting ...43

5. Continuous Shooting Mode ...46

6. Metering Modes ...49

7. Understanding Programmed AE ...53

8. Auto Program Shift ...53

9. Manual Program Shift ...54

10. AE Lock ...56

11. Exposure Compensation ...58
 

1. AUTO FOCUS TECHNIQUES

Your camera is equipped with a highly accurate auto focus system that is designed to operate efficiently under most shooting conditions. However, in certain rare conditions, it will be unable to focus properly.

These conditions include:
Subjects with poor contrast, such as misty scenes or uniformly white or black objects. (Fig. 1)
Subjects with an obstruction in front of them, such as caged animals at the zoo, subjects shot through leaves, etc. (Fig. 2)

Subjects with repeating patterns or those containing only horizontal lines. (Fig. 3-A)

Subjects moving fast (Fig. 3-B)

Subjects that are extremely bright in the center of the screen

* Please be aware that some special filters cannot be used with this camera.4www.butkus.org

When AF is impossible, the red > < Symbols will flash in the Viewfinder. If this occurs, you must use either pre-focus or switch to the manual focus mode.

2. PRE FOCUS SHOOTING

When the main subject you wish to focus on is not within the Autofocus Frame, or if the subject is difficult to focus on, you should use one of the following pre-focus shooting techniques.
 
 

· When the subject is not within the Autofocus Frame: 1. If you want to photograph two or more people, there may be cases where the subject are not within the central Autofocus Frame If you release the shutter under such conditions, the people (the main subject) will b out-of-focus. (Fig. 4)	2. Move your camera so one of the people appears in the Autofocus Frame. Gently press the Shutter Release Button halfway so that the green O symbol lights up in the Viewfinder and the correct focus distance is indicated on the LCD Panel. Keep holding your finger halfway down on the Shutter Release Button. (Fig. 5)	3. Now return your camera to its original position so that all the subjects are properly composed in the frame again, and depress the Shutter Release Button fully to take the picture. (Fig. 6)

3. MANUAL (POWER) FOCUS

· When the subject is difficult to auto focus on:

1. Find another subject at about the same distance from your camera You can pre-focus on that subject in the same way as described in the page 40-41.

* When you remove your finger from the Shutter Release Button, the pre-focused condition is cleared, so that you can prefocus again as many times as you wish.4www.butkus.org

1. Set the Focus Mode Switch to M (Manual). (Fig. 7)
2. Center the Focus Frame on your subject.
3. Rotate the dual-purpose Zoom Selector Dial while keeping the ME (Manual Focus) Button depressed until the subject appears sharp and the green focus signal lights in the Viewfinder. (Fig. 8)

4. Gently press the Shutter Release Button to
take pictures.

* This chart illustrates the focus signals when the Focus Mode is set to M.

· :Your subject is in focus.

> :Rotate the Selector Dial in the direction of arrow (toward near).

< :Rotate the Selector Dial in the direction of arrow (toward infinity).

4. MACRO SETTING
Close-up photography is possible at distances between 1.2m (3.9ft.) and 0.49m (1.6ft).
See above photograph.

Fig. 9

If the  and/or > < blinks when you press the Shutter Release Button halfway, your camera is too close to your subject. (Fig. 9) You should use the Macro Mode, or move farther away from your subjects. If you choose to use the Macro Mode:

1) Set the Main Operating Switch to Macro. (Fig. 10)
 

The mark  will light up. (Fig. 11)
 

2) Use the dual-purpose Zoom Selector Dial to manually focus. The green · symbol lights up to confirm the subject in focus. (Fig. 12)

3) Press the Shutter Release Button fully to take the picture.
* The slow shutter speed warning (blinking shutter speed indicator in Viewfinder) will occur below 1/60 sec.

5. CONTINUOUS SHOOTING MODE

Your camera is designed with 2 types of film advance modes: Single-shot and Continuous. Whenever the camera is turned ON, it is automatically in the single-shot mode.4www.butkus.org

The film advance mode can easily be changed from Single-Shot to Continuous-and back again- by pressing the Continuous Shooting Mode Button, located under the Creative Control Panel Cover. (Fig. 13)

1. Select the Continuous Shooting Mode by depressing the Continuous Shooting Mode Button. Confirm that the mark appears on the LCD Panel. (Fig. 14)

2. Press and hold down the Shutter Release Button. Your camera will continuously take pictures at a rate of two frames per second as long as Shutter Release Button is held down. (Fig. 15)

* To return to the Single-shot Mode, press the Continuous Shooting Mode Button again or the Reset Button.

* Do not use the built-in flash in the Continuous Mode. The flash will not recycle fast enough to keep up with the continuous shooting rate. (If the flash is used in the Continuous Mode, the shutter release will "lock-up" until the flash has recycled then it will fire automatically.)

6. METERING MODES

Your camera is designed with 2 types of exposure metering systems: Automatic Backlight Control (ABLC) and Center-weighted Average. Either system can be selected by pressing the AV Button. Which one you choose depends on your subject and experience. Whenever the camera is turned ON, it is automatically in the ABLC Mode.

Automatic Backlight Control (ABLC) (Fig. 16)
The ABLC setting is effective when your subject is surrounded by an especially light or dark background. This modifies (increases or decreases) the average reading to obtain proper exposure for the main subject.4www.butkus.org

Center weighted Average Exposure Metering System (Fig. 17)
It is ideally suited to silhouette photography and similar techniques since it provides the average metering between the subject and the background lighting. Center-weighted Average Metering Mode is also recommended when using reversal film.
 

To select Center weighted Averaging:

1) Press the AV (Average) Button under the Creative Control Panel Cover. (Fig. 18)
 

2) Make sure that the AV mark appears on the LCD Display Panel. (Fig. 19)

* To cancel the Center-weighted Average and return to ABLC, press the AV Button or the Reset Button.

7. UNDERSTANDING PROGRAMMED AE
The Mirai automatically sets the proper speed and aperture combination according to the rightness of your subject. This allows you to Imply point and shoot, concentrating on composition and capturing the moment.

8. AUTO PROGRAM SHIFT
Your camera is designed with four different auto exposure programs. The program modes are set automatically according to the lens focal length (wide, standard, tale, or macro mode) of the built-in zoom lens to ensure correct obtaining the correct exposure. For detailed specifics on each program, see page 86.
 

9. MANUAL PROGRAM SHIFT

When you wish to take pictures with a increased depth-of-field requirement, such as scenics and portraits, or to capture action with a faster shutter speed, you can easily modify the preset programs according to the taking conditions and the subject. For detailed specifics on the program, see pages 87 - 90.

To use Manual Program Shift:

1) Press the Up/Down Buttons to select the desired shutter speed and aperture combination according to your subject and brightness level. (Fig. 20)

2) Monitor your selection in the Viewfinder display. (Fig. 21) The Viewfinder LCD will display an S symbol and the shifted shutter speed/aperture combination.

3) To cancel Manual Program Shift, press the Reset Button or turn the Main Operating Switch to OFF.4www.butkus.org
 

10. AE LOCK

Example 1

When the contrast between a subject and background is excessive (such as a backlit or spot-lit scene), under or over exposed pictures may result. Use the AE lock to remember, or lock into the camera's electronic memory, a pre-selected close-up reading of the subject.

Example 1: Not using the AE lock
Example 2: Using the AE lock. Fig. 22

1. Bring the camera close enough to subject so the exposure will not be affected by the back ground.

2. Press the AE Lock Button once to memorize the exposure. (Fig. 22)
A flickering AEL is now displayed on the Viewfinder LCD. (Fig. 23)

3. The AE Lock is automatically cancelled after the Shutter is released.

* To cancel the AE Lock before taking any pictures, press the AE Lock Button again or press the Reset Button.
* When the power source goes to OFF condition automatically to save power, AE Lock is cancelled.

If the contrast is excessive between your subject and the background, you can use the Exposure Compensation with the Center-weighted Average Exposure Metering System.

Exposure Compensation may also be used to intentionally take over/underexposed pictures for creative effects, and to adjust ISO speeds away from DX values or set Non-DX films to ISO speeds other than the default value of ISO 100.

Exposure adjustment examples:

SUBJECT	EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENT
Figures against backlight scenery with much sky	+4 to +1
Figures with snow covered mountains or the sea on the background	+1
Spotlit figures (on stage, etc.)	-1 to-4

1. Set the Center-weighted Average Metering Mode.
2. Press and hold the Exposure Compensation Button. (Fig. 24)
3. Press the Up or Down Button (Fig. 25) until the desired amount and direction of compensation appears on the top LCD Display and the new aperture and shutter speed combination appears in the Viewfinder. Adjustment will be made up to +4 EV (stops) in 1/3 EV increments.4www.butkus.org
 

Non-DX ISO Adjustment
Non-DX films default to a nominal ISO 100. If you are using ISO 200 film, set Exposure Compensation to -1.0 to reduce exposure by one step. Similarly, if you are using a Non-DX Film rated at ISO 25, set the Exposure Compensation to+2.0.