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Casio EXILIM PRO EX-P600

6.0 megapixels, a Canon 4x zoom lens, and a host of features.

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Page 9:Camera Modes & Menus
Review First Posted: 07/30/2004

Camera Modes and Menus

Movie Mode: Accessed by turning the Mode dial to the movie camera symbol, Movie mode lets you capture movies (with sound) for as long as the memory card has available space. Shutter speed is set automatically, depending on light levels and the camera's ISO setting. Most other menu options are available, including ISO and white balance.

Audio Mode: Records audio only, for as long as the memory card, or internal memory, has available space. (A maximum of 40 minutes on the internal memory.)

Playback Mode: This mode lets you view previously captured images using the Four-Way Arrow Pad to scroll through frames stored in memory. The Zoom Lever switches the image display to Index mode when moved in the wide angle direction, and when moved in the telephoto direction, enlarges a single image. While zoomed in on an image, the arrow buttons can move the enlarged view around the full image area, allowing you to inspect all parts of it.

Snapshot Mode: Puts the camera in control of both aperture and shutter speed settings, while you control all other exposure variables, such as white balance, exposure compensation, etc. Shutter speed in this mode is limited to a maximum of 1/8 second.

BESTSHOT Mode: Lets you select from 25 preset scene shooting modes, or enable a custom preset mode. The 25 modes include Portrait, Scenery, Portrait with Scenery, Coupling, Pre-Shot, Soft Focus, Children, Sports, Candlelight Portrait, Party, Pet, Flower, Natural Green, Soft Flowing Water, Splashing Water, Sundown, Night Scene, Night Scene Portrait, Fireworks, Food, Text, Collection, Monochrome, Retro, and Twilight.

Aperture Priority Mode: Allows the user to control the lens aperture setting, from f/2.8 to f/8.0, while the camera adjusts the shutter speed as needed. Shutter speed is again limited to a maximum of 1/8 second.

Shutter Priority Mode: The user can adjust the shutter speed, from 1/2,000 to 60 seconds, while the camera selects the most appropriate aperture setting. A Bulb setting is available for exposures as long as 60 seconds.

Manual Mode: In this mode, the user has full control over the exposure, with the same shutter range as in Shutter Priority mode.

Still Picture Shooting Menu: In capture mode, pressing the Menu button displays the following menu options:

Record
- Size: Sets the resolution to 2,826 x 2,112, 2,816 x 1,872 (3:2 aspect), 2,048 x 1,536, 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, or 640 x 480 pixels.
- Quality: Selects the JPEG compression from among Fine, Normal, or Economy. An uncompressed TIFF option is also available.
- EV Shift: Increases or decreases the exposure from -2 to +2 EV in 1/3-step units. A preview of the image appears as you change the setting. (secondary screen)
- White Balance: Selects the white balance from options of Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, Warm White Fluorescent, White Fluorescent, Flash, or Manual. (secondary screens)
- ISO: Adjusts the ISO sensitivity to Auto, 50, 100, 200, or 400 equivalents.
- AF Mode: Sets the AF to Hybrid, Continuous, or Contrast modes.
- AF Area: Selects Spot, Multi, or Free AF area modes.
- Metering: Selects between Multi, Spot, and Center-Weighted metering modes.
- Audio Snap: Records a 30-second sound clip to accompany a captured image.
- Filter: Alters the overall image color. Options are Black and White, Sepia, Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink, or Purple. (secondary screens)
- Sharpness: Adjusts the in-camera sharpening to Hard, Normal, or Soft.
- Saturation: Alters the overall color saturation. Choices are High, Normal, or Low.
- Contrast: Sets image contrast to High, Normal, or Low.
- Flash Intensity: Controls flash power. Choices are Strong, Normal, or Weak.
- Grid: Turns the alignment grid display on the LCD monitor on or off.
- Digital Zoom: Turns digital zoom on or off.
- Review: Activates or deactivates a post-capture image review.
- L/R Key: Sets the function of the left and right arrow keys to EV Shift, White Balance, ISO, Metering, AF Area, Off.
Memory: Designates whether the following settings are remembered whenever the camera is powered off: Flash, Focus, White Balance, ISO, AF Area, Metering, Continuous Shooting/Bracketing mode, Flash Intensity, Digital Zoom, MF Position, and Zoom Position. (All options are simple yes/no choices, so I only showed the first one in the screenshot at right.)

Setup
- Sounds: Controls the following camera sounds: (secondary screens)
  - Startup: Sets the startup sound to one of Sounds 1 through 5 or turns it off.
  - Half Shutter: Sounds 1 through 5 or off.
  - Shutter: Sounds 1 through 5 or off.
  - Operation: Sounds 1 through 5 or off.
  - Volume: Controls the volume of camera sounds.
- Startup: Selects a specific image to appear at camera startup, or defaults to the Exilim screen. You can also turn the startup screen off. (secondary screen)
- File Number: Continues or Resets file numbering with each new memory card.
- World Time: Sets your home time and a destination time, both of which are saved in the camera's memory. (secondary screen)
- Date Style: Changes the display of the date.
- Adjust: Sets the clock and calendar. (secondary screen)
- Language: Sets the menu language to one of 10 choices. (secondary screen)
- Sleep: Controls how long the camera is inactive before going to "sleep." Times are 30 seconds, one or two minutes, or off.
- Auto Power Off: Sets the maximum period of inactivity before the camera shuts itself off entirely. Options are two or five minutes.
- USB: Assigns the USB mode to Mass Storage or PTP (PictBridge). (secondary screen)
- Video Out: Sets the video signal to NTSC or PAL.
- Format: Formats memory card or internal memory. (secondary screen)
- Reset: Resets all menu options to their defaults.

Playback Menu: Play menu options

Play
- Slideshow: Controls an automated slide show of captured images. A submenu lets you start the show, designate which images to play, show length, the interval between images, or you can cancel the show. (secondary screens)
- Calendar: Shows a calendar view of images currently stored in memory, one image for each date on which photos were captured. (secondary screen)
- Favorite: Shows images that have been saved as favorites, you can also save new images as favorites. (secondary screen)
- DPOF: Lets you select images or all images for printing on a DPOF compatible printer. (secondary screens)
- Protect: Write-protects all files or the image displayed. You can also remove protection. (secondary screen)
- Rotation: Rotates the selected image in 90-degree increments. (secondary screen)
- Resize: Resizes images to 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, or 640 x 480 resolutions. (secondary screen)
- Trimming: Lets you crop an image. (secondary screen)
- Create Album: Saves selected images to an album folder, for use in creating an html album on a computer post capture. (secondary screens)
- Dubbing: Records a short sound clip (maximum 30 seconds) to accompany a captured image. (secondary screen)
- Alarm: Sets up to three alarms. You can specify an image to appear on the LCD monitor as the alarm sounds. (secondary screen)
- Copy: Lets you copy files from a memory card to the internal memory, or in the opposite direction. (secondary screen)
Setup
- (The Setup screens in playback mode are the same as in Record mode.)

BestShot Modes
The BestShot mode options are really pretty self-explanatory, thanks to clear explanations on the selection screens. You select the desired BestShot mode by pressing the Set button, and then scrolling with the right or left arrow keys through the available options. The table below shows the screens describing each option.