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Canon PowerShot sd500 with CHDK

Experiment with Canon PowerShot sd500 with CHDK and Ultra Intervalometer script. Main issues: wrong camera settings, battery power and snow on window.

What's the difference between the canon powershot SD500 and the SD550?

Dec 17, 2005 by Aaron Armstrong Skomra | Posted in Cameras

I bought the SD500 before the SD550 came out. I know the lcd screen is bigger. Are there any other differences? AND is the bigger screen that much of a difference?

Also I know that there were problems with people cracking the screen on the SD500. Did the SD550 resolve these problems?

It also appears there may be some *tiny* other changes. The comparison seems to show a few and the software may be slightly different.

There was also a long discussion of this at http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=16049717

How you set a Canon PowerShot SD500 digital camera to take timed pictures?

Sep 25, 2006 by loveme | Posted in Cameras

Tried to following the instruction manual but either I am missing something or not doing it right. Camera will not take pictures when set for a timed photo.

From your question, it seems that you are trying to use the self timer mode to take a picture.

There are two items to consider when using th self timer on this camera. The first is the duration that the camera waits after you press the shutter button before it takes the photo. The second is how to actually take a phot in self timer mode.

The duration that the camera waits can be set ot 2 or 10 seconds and is set by pressing the menu button while in record mode, and then moving down to "Self-Timer" with the down arrow button, and then using the left/right arrow buttons to toggle the selected value (2 or 10).

Just in-case you are not sure what the "arrow buttons" are, look at the back of the camera, to the right of the display. There is a small "FUNC. SET" button that is in the center of a larger circular button that is called the "Omni Selector". If you think of this Omni Selector as a clock, you can press 12 o'clock (up) or 6 o'clock (down) or 9 o'clock (left) or 3 o'clock (right).

The issue of actually taking a photo while in self timer mode is accomplished by again using the Omni Selector button. While out of the menu and in record mode, press the down button. By repeatedly pressing down the down button, you will cycle through three modes, normal shooting, continuous, and self timer. In the LCD display you will see the self timer circular graphic being displayed when you are in self timer mode. This is the same circular icon that was in the menu, where you select 2 or 10 seconds delay, as well as printed on the camera just below the down button.

No matter which display setting mode the camera is in, the LCD should display for about 6 seconds when most camera settings are changed (including self timer) However, If the LCD is not showing a picture and you are in record mode, or the LCD does not show camera settings superimposed over the images you need to press the "DISP." display button which is to the right of the "Canon" name on the back of the camera. Pressing the DISP button cycles between three preview settings: off (use the optical viewfinder to take pictures), preview image only (no information displayed) and show full information. you need to be the in the "show full" info mode to see the self timer icon.

When in record mode and you set it to use self timer (the self timer graphic is displayed) press the shutter button as you normally would take a picture and after 2 or 10 seconds (depending on how you set it) the camera will take the picture.

What is the best way to take pictures of the lunar eclipse tonight with a Powershot SD500?

Aug 28, 2007 by Stacy | Posted in Astronomy & Space

You might have to walk me through the steps, because I'm not too experienced with my camera. I need to know the best settings to take pictures of the lunar eclipse, and how to set the settings.

Hi. Sorry but that lunar eclipse has passed. Usually it is best to bracket each exposure by taking several shots at various exposure lengths. I had one published that was 120 seconds at f/5 or so. Experiment! That's most of the fun!

can you use a powershot sd500 digital elph as a webcam?

Jan 03, 2009 by Dyrelene R | Posted in Cameras

because my family from spain wants to see me and i dont have a webcam and im wondering if it would work,

Yes, you can. Just put your camera in movie playback mode, and plug it into a USB port. There is a menu option to turn off the battery save feature. It's kind of overkill, but it will work. Your messaging program should detect the camera automatically. Any imaging device that can be plugged into a USB port can be used as a webcam. Your battery life will still be the limitation. BTW, you can buy some fairly good webcams for under $25.

What is a good upgrade to the Powershot SD500 as a Christmas gift for my GF!!?

Dec 08, 2008 by Matt M | Posted in Cameras

She is wonderful and very deserving to begin =).

She has had a PowerShot SD500 for about 4 years and she absolutely loves it. She loves how compact it is and how good the quality is. She always brags how much better her pics look than her friends with other brands of cameras.

Last May we went to Cancun (which we purchased the underwater case for and it was awesome!) and on the way home the camera fell and nearly broke. It kept giving her the lens error but we got it fixed!

Anyway - I feel it is time for her to get an upgrade and I feel Christmas is the perfect time but I want to make sure what I get her is definitely better and she will definitely enjoy it!

I want to stay with canon obviously and I'm looking at some of the new models. By the way, she really likes photography and has a Sony Digital SLR but really like the portability of her canon.

Anyway, what would be a great upgrade for her from the SD500?

I kinda think the SD990 IS looks or is it really a lot bigger? Is there anything she would lose by getting that one?

Or should I go SD880 IS or SD1100 IS?

Thanks for the input!!!!!! I really appreciate the HELP!!
Well like I said she did take a photography course, so she knows about cameras and she already has a digital slr so she doesn't need another slr.

Basically what is going to take better pictures, the 990IS or the 890IS? The 890IS has less MP but is it going to actually take a better picture than the 990IS because of it? - What would she get the best performance from for just being an everyday camera?

The 1100IS is kinda outa the question, too simple, too point and shoot.

Canon PowerShot SD500?

Jul 22, 2008 by lumberjack | Posted in Cameras

When i turn it on the lens wont work! sometimes it does but its all blury! please help, p.s. don't tell me to go to a service center!

Call Canon's help line .. they can tell you what you need to do.

(800) OK-CANON

Problem with Canon powershot SD500 D.E. Camara!?

Jun 22, 2007 by Luis Rene | Posted in Cameras

After my parents last trip, the poor camara came back home useless, every time I power it on the LCD screen comes up blurry and then automaically shuts down, showing "E18" text/phrase before turning off. Any way I could fix it, before they charge me $$ for doing it?

Instead of doing a long answer here.
Please go to the site below it has all the answers.

http://www.e18error.com/

whenever i upload a picture from my digital camera, the pictures show up so dark?

Nov 25, 2008 by battleship grey | Posted in Photography

...it's like, they've been taken in the shadows or something, and u can't see the facial features or something...

what do i do to brighten the images?

the camera says "canon powershot sd500 digital elph"
and this isn't for art... it's just random pictures for facebook...

What that is telling you is you are underexposing the shots.

Make sure you don't have the EV is set to + 2 or so. That will underexpose all your images.

Call the Canon help line if that is not the reason. 800.OK-CANON

How do you upload photos from your computer to your memory card so that you can view them on your camera?

Sep 03, 2007 by Trevor J | Posted in Cameras

I've been trying this on my small Canon Powershot SD500 (I assume it should be the same for all Canon Digitals). I have a card reader on my computer, and can easily add other jpg files to the memory card for my camera, but when I put the card back in the camera and try to view the pics, the ones I've added from the computer don't show up. I tried re-naming the files so that they were in the same format as the photos on the card that I've taken with the camera, but when I look on the camera it shows an error message saying 'unrecognizable jpg format' (or something like that). Anyone know how to successfully pull this off?

I have tried this way on my camera and it worked. Not the best way but the only i know.. lol

-Open a picture editing program like pain or photoshop or something that allows you to edit photos.

- Then You open any picture already taken on your camera in the editor.

-Then you copy the picture you want over the picture you opened in the editor.

then save it. It will ask if you want to save the changes click yes. If you open up the camera again it should show up.

Help me choose a camera, please?

Jul 17, 2006 by airfrogyto19 | Posted in Cameras

I need to choose between the Canon Powershot series. I have narrowed it down to the Powershot Sd450 or the Powershot Sd500. Please don't say get a nikon or a sony because I have set my mind on these two. I want to know if anyone has had experience with either of these and would help me. I want good lense and night pictures. I can get the Sd500 for $20 more than the Sd450 and want to know if its worth it. Thanks in advance.
Are any of these better than the A620?
Are any of these better than the Canon Powershot A620?

Of course the newer one will be better, here are some reasons why the SD500 is better:

Image sizes: 640 x 480 - 3072 x 2304
450 only goes up to 2592 x 1944

Sensor: 7.1 million effective pixels
450 only has 5 million

Movie clips: Up to 1GB(Depending on memory card size)

Lens: 37 - 111 mm (35 mm equiv) 3x optical zoom, 4x Digital zoom
450 only has 35 - 105mm equiv. (3x optical zoom)


Bad things:
It's 13grams heavier than the 450.

It's also a little larger, 500 is 90 x 57 x 27 mm and
the 400 is 86.0 x 53.5 x 21.6 mm.