Sony A 230 Manual

							Preparing the camera
21
To remove the memory card
 Do not strike, bend or drop the memory card.
 Do not use or store the memory card under the following conditions:
– High temperature locations such as the hot interior of a car parked in 
direct sunlight.
– Locations exposed to direct sunlight.
– Humid locations or locations with corrosive substances present.
 The memory card may be hot just after it has been used for a long time. 
Be careful when you handle it.
 When the access lamp is lit, do not remove the memory card or the 
battery pack, or turn off the power. The data may be corrupted.
 Data may be damaged if you place the memory card near strongly-
magnetized material or use the memory card in a static-prone or 
electrically noisy environment.
 We recommend backing up important data, such as to a hard disk of a 
computer.
 When you carry or store the memory card, put it in the case supplied with 
it.
 Do not expose the memory card to water.
 Do not touch the terminal section of the memory card with your hand or a 
metal object.
 When the write-protect switch of a memory card is set to the LOCK 
position, you cannot perform operations, such as recording or deleting 
images.
4Close the memory card cover.
Check that the access lamp is not lit, then 
open the memory card cover, and push 
the memory card once.
Access lamp
Notes on using memory cards 
						

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 The “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media with a capacity up to 16 GB or the 
SD memory cards with a capacity up to 32 GB have been confirmed to 
operate properly with this camera.
 The memory cards formatted with a computer are not guaranteed to 
operate with this camera.
 Data read/write speeds differ depending on the combination of the 
memory cards and the equipment used.
 Do not press down hard when you write down on the memo area.
 Do not attach a label on the memory cards themselves.
 Do not disassemble or modify the memory cards.
 Do not leave the memory cards within the reach of small children. They 
might accidentally swallow it.
Notes on the “Memory Stick” media used with the camera
The types of “Memory Stick” media that can be used with this camera are 
listed in the table below. However, proper operation cannot be guaranteed 
for all “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media functions.
* This is equipped with MagicGate function. MagicGate is copyright protection 
technology that uses encryption technology. Data recording/playback that requires 
MagicGate functions cannot be performed with this camera.
* Supports high-speed data transfer using a parallel interface. “Memory Stick PRO Duo” 
media*
Available with your camera
“Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo” 
media*
“Memory Stick Duo” mediaUnavailable with your camera
“Memory Stick” media and 
“Memory Stick PRO” mediaUnavailable with your camera 
						

							Preparing the camera
23
Preparing the camera
When you turn the camera on for the first time, the date/time setup screen 
appears.
Setting up the date
1Set the power switch to ON to turn 
the camera on.
 To turn the camera off, set it to OFF.
2Verify that [OK] is selected on the 
LCD monitor, then press the 
center of the control button.
3Select each item with b/B and 
set the numeric value with v/V.
 When changing the sequence of 
[YYYY/MM/DD], first select [YYYY/
MM/DD] with b/B, then change it 
with v/V.
4Repeat step 3 to set other items, then press the center of the 
control button. 
						

							24
To cancel the date/time setting operation
Press the MENU button.
To set up the date/time again
MENU button t  2 t [Date/Time setup]
When it is hard to rotate the diopter-adjustment dial
5Verify that [OK] is selected, then press the center of the control 
button.
Adjusting the focus of the finder (diopter adjustment)
Adjust the diopter-adjustment dial 
to your eyesight until the indicators 
appear clearly in the viewfinder.
 Turn the dial toward + when you are far-
sighted, toward – when you are near-sighted.
 Training the camera on a light allows you to 
adjust the diopter easily.
Put your fingers under the eyecup, and 
slide it upward to remove the eyecup, 
then adjust the diopter.
 When attaching the FDA-M1AM Magnifier 
(sold separately) or the FDA-A1AM Angle 
Finder (sold separately) to the camera, 
remove the eyecup as illustrated and attach 
them. 
						

							Preparing the camera
25
Using the accessories supplied
This section describes how to use the shoulder strap, the eyepiece cover, 
and eyecup. The other accessories are described in the following pages.
 Rechargeable battery pack (page 12)
 Battery charger (page 12)
 Power cord (mains lead) (not supplied in the U.S.A. and Canada) 
(page 12)
 USB cable (pages 122, 138)

Attaching the shoulder strap
Attach both ends of the strap onto 
the camera.
 You can also attach the eyepiece cover 
(page 26) on the strap.Eyepiece cover 
						

							26
You can prevent light from entering through the viewfinder and affecting 
the exposure. When the shutter is released without the use of the 
viewfinder, as in shooting with the self-timer, attach the eyepiece cover.
Note The eyepiece sensors located below the viewfinder may be activated depending on 
the situation, and the focus may be adjusted or the LCD monitor may continue to 
flash. In such cases, turn off both [Eye-Start AF] (page 71) and [Auto off w/ VF] 
(page 117).
Using the eyepiece cover and eyecup
1Carefully slide the eyecup off by 
pushing on each side of the 
eyecup.
 Put your fingers under the eyecup, and 
slide it upward.
2Slide the eyepiece cover over the 
viewfinder. 
						

							Preparing the camera
27
Checking the number of recordable 
images
Notes When “0” (the number of recordable images) flashes in yellow, the memory card is 
full. Replace the memory card with another one, or delete images in the current 
memory card (page 102).
 When “NO CARD” (the number of recordable images) flashes in yellow, it means 
no memory card has been inserted. Insert a memory card.
The table shows the approximate number of images that can be recorded on 
a memory card formatted with this camera. The values are defined using 
Sony standard memory cards for testing. The values may vary depending 
on the shooting conditions.
Image size: L 10M
Aspect ratio: 3:2*
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media (Units: Images) Once you insert a memory card into the 
camera and set the power switch to ON, 
the number of images that can be 
recorded (should you continue to shoot 
using the current settings) is displayed on 
the LCD monitor.
The number of images that can be recorded on a memory 
card
Capacity
Size1GB 2GB 4GB 8GB 16GB
Standard 320 647 1281 2575 5221
Fine 237 480 951 1910 3874
RAW & JPEG 48 98 195 392 797
RAW 60 123 245 494 1004 
						

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SD memory card (Units: Images)
* When [Aspect ratio] is set to [16:9], you can record more images than the numbers 
shown in the table above. However, if it is set to [RAW], the number is the same as 
that of the [3:2] aspect ratio.
The approximate number of images that can be recorded is 510 when you 
use the camera with the battery pack (supplied) at full capacity.
Note that the actual numbers may be less than those indicated depending on 
the conditions of use.
 The number is calculated with a battery pack at full capacity and in the 
following situation:
– At an ambient temperature of 25°C (77°F).
– [Quality] is set to [Fine].
– [Autofocus mode] is set to   (Automatic AF).
– Shooting once every 30 seconds.
– The flash strobes once every two times.
– The power turns on and off once every ten times.
 The measurement method is based on the CIPA standard.
(CIPA: Camera & Imaging Products Association)
Capacity
Size1GB 2GB 4GB 8GB 16GB
Standard 319 634 1277 2571 5221
Fine 236 470 947 1908 3874
RAW & JPEG 47 96 194 392 797
RAW 60 121 245 494 1004
The number of images that can be recorded using a battery 
pack 
						

							Preparing the camera
29
Cleaning
Wipe the screen surface with a commercially available LCD cleaning kit to 
remove fingerprints, dust, etc.
 When cleaning the lens surface, remove dust using a commercially 
available blower. In case of dust that sticks to the surface, wipe it off with 
a soft cloth or tissue paper slightly moistened with lens cleaning solution. 
Wipe in a spiral pattern from the center to the outside. Do not spray lens 
cleaning solution directly onto the lens surface.
 Do not touch the inside of the camera, such as lens contacts, or the mirror. 
Since dust on the mirror or around the mirror may affect the autofocus 
system, blow away dust using a commercially available blower. If dust 
lands on the image sensor, it may appear on the photo image. Turn the 
camera to the cleaning mode, then clean it using a blower (page 30). Do 
not use a spray blower to clean the inside of the camera. Using this may 
cause a malfunction.
 Do not use a cleaning solution containing organic solvents, such as 
thinner, or benzine.
Clean the camera surface with a soft cloth slightly moistened with water, 
then wipe the surface with a dry cloth. Do not use the following as they 
may damage the finish or the casing.
 Chemical products such as thinner, benzine, alcohol, disposable cloths, 
insect repellent, sunscreen or insecticide, etc.
 Do not touch the camera with the above on your hand.
 Do not leave the camera in contact with rubber or vinyl for a long time.
Cleaning the LCD monitor
Cleaning the lens
Cleaning the camera surface 
						

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If dust or debris enters the camera and lands on the image sensor (the part 
that acts as the film), it may appear on the photo image, depending on the 
shooting environment. If there is dust on the image sensor, use a 
commercially available blower and clean the image sensor following the 
steps below. You can easily clean the image sensor using only the blower 
and the anti-dust function.
Notes Cleaning can be performed only when the battery level is   (three remaining 
battery icons) or more. Low battery power during cleaning can cause damage to the 
shutter. The cleaning should be completed quickly. The use of an AC-PW10AM AC 
Adaptor (sold separately) is recommended.
 Do not use a spray blower because it may scatter water droplets inside the camera 
body.
Cleaning the image sensor
1Confirm that the battery is fully charged (page 16).
2Press the MENU button, then 
select   3 with b/B on the 
control button.
MENU button
3Select [Cleaning mode] with v/V, 
then press the center of the 
control button.
The message “After cleaning, turn 
camera off. Continue?” appears.
4Select [OK] with v on the control button, and press the center 
of the control button.
After the image sensor vibrates for a short time, the mirror in front is lifted.