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happens after 30 seconds, but you can change the shutdown delay to
1, 2, 4, 8, or 15 minutes. Or you can disable auto shutdown altogether
by selecting the Off setting, although even at that setting, the monitor
still turns itself off if you ignore the camera for 30 minutes. Just give the
shutter button a quick half-press and release, or press the Disp button
to bring the monitor out of hibernation.
✓
Auto Rotate: If you enable this feature, your picture files include a piece
of data that indicates whether the camera was oriented in the vertical
or horizontal position when you shot the frame. Then, when you view
the picture on the camera monitor or on your computer, the image is
automatically rotated to the correct orientation. Chapter 5 details this
playback option, which is enabled by default.
✓
Format: The first time you insert a new memory card, use this option to
format the card, a maintenance function that wipes out any existing data
on the card and prepares it for use by the camera.
If you previously used your card in another device, such as a digital
music player, be sure to copy those files to your computer before you
format the card. You lose all data on the card when you format it, not
just picture files.
When you choose the Format option from the menu, you can opt to
perform a normal card formatting process or a low-level formatting. The
latter gives your memory card a deeper level of cleansing than ordinary
formatting and thus takes longer to perform. Normally, a regular format-
ting will do although performing a low-level formatting can be helpful if
your card seems to be running more slowly than usual. However — and
this is a however for anyone with a high-security clearance who's shoot-
ing pictures that should never fall into enemy hands — a regular-level
formatting leaves enough bits of data intact that a determined computer
wiz could recover your images. To prevent that possibility, do a low-
level formatting or crush the card under your heel. Or run over it with
your car. You can never be too safe, with all these spies running around
looking just like your mild-mannered neighbor.
✓
File Numbering: This option controls how the camera names your pic-
ture files.
•
Continuous: This is the default; the camera numbers your files
sequentially, from 0001 to 9999, and places all images in the same
folder. The initial folder name is 100Canon; when you reach image
9999, the camera creates a new folder, named 101Canon, for your
next 9,999 photos. This numbering sequence is retained even if you
change memory cards, which helps to ensure that you don't wind
up with multiple images that have the same filename.
•
Auto Reset: If you switch to this option, the camera restarts file
numbering at 0001 each time you put in a different memory card or
create a new folder, an option discussed next. Enabling this option
isn't a good idea, for the reason we stated already.
Chapter 1: Getting the Lay of the Land
35
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