Postcard Mode - Date Stamp - Canon PowerShot A540

[sammy212]

I need to have the date stamp of the bottom corner of my photos when I print them out. The only mode the Canon PowerShot A540 has for this option is the "Postcard" mode at 1600 X 1200.

How many pixels is this setting?

Is this setting O.K. for printing 4 X 6 prints as well as an occasional 5 X 7 or even an 8 X 10.

Will I regret taking pictures in this mode, or should I increase to 2272 X 1704 (would rather not do this because I need the date stamp)? Or just get another camera that has the date stamp?

This photos are just for personal use - photos to put into photo albums.

Thank you.
Liz

[mwfanelli]

I need to have the date stamp of the bottom corner of my photos when I print them out. The only mode the Canon PowerShot A540 has for this option is the "Postcard" mode at 1600 X 1200.

How many pixels is this setting?

Is this setting O.K. for printing 4 X 6 prints as well as an occasional 5 X 7 or even an 8 X 10.

Will I regret taking pictures in this mode, or should I increase to 2272 X 1704 (would rather not do this because I need the date stamp)? Or just get another camera that has the date stamp?

Digital cameras do not print date stamps on the photo. It is kept in the EXIF data. Film cameras had this print option because there was no other way to store the information. The vast majority of people hated it.

The smaller setting should be fine for 4x6 and 5x7. I don't know if it will be good for 8x10. You can always use an editing program to place the date on the photos but that takes a lot more effort.

May I ask why you want the dates right on the image?

[sammy212]

Thanks for the help.

I just found out that the Kodak EasyShare digital cameras do the date stamp. I like the Canon better so would like to stay with it.

I like to have the date stamp on the photos so I know when I took the picture. I'm kind of obsessive when it comes to knowing when a picture was taken and who is in it!

I still have Snapfish.com print out prints for me to put into albums. I'm old fashioned I know, but I still like having some prints in my hand with a date on them!

My film camera stamped the date on the picture but it was really small. From what I can tell from the Kodak EasyShare digital cameras, the date stamp is pretty large.

By the way, I found how to use the Canon ZoomBrowser software to put the date stamp on an individual picture. Anyone know how to put the date stamp on a batch of pictures all at one time using this software?


Thanks again.
Liz

[salvarez]

Liz,

I myself am trying to figure out how to apply the date stamp to my canon photos. You mentioned that you figured out a way to apply this using ZoomBrowser? Can you share your find? I'm desperate...

Thanks.

Sheila

[sammy212]

Sheila -

It's pretty easy to put the the date (& time) stamp on the photos individually, but unfortunately I have not figured out how to do more than one at a time.

To do it one at a time:

Open the ZoomBrowser Software that came with your Canon camera.

Click on the photo you want to edit.

On the tool bar click "edit" then click "insert text".

With your cursor click where you want the date (& time) stamp to be. When you do that, on the right side of the screen you then can click "import shooting date/time".

Use your cursor to move the date (& time) around to where you want it or stretch it, etc.

I want to put the date on the photos just because I've always done it that way. For me it's just easier to keep track of them.

May I ask why you want to do it? I feel odd because I want to!

Liz

[salvarez]

Thanks Liz. I'll give that a try tonight ;) See, we need to submit some photos to our Homeowner's Association to dispute an issue. In order to prove our case, we need dates/times on the photos. Couldn't figure out, for the life of me, how to do it from the camera. Then I read your post regarding ZoomBrowser. We should be all set now! Also, what version of ZoomBrowswer are you using?

Thanks again for your help!

[sammy212]

Sheila -

I am using ZoomBrowser Version 5.6.027

To get the date/time to be on your photos while taking the picture so you don't have to use the software later do this:

When in the mode to take pictures, press the round "Function Set" button and change the recording pixels to "Postcard 1600 X 1200". "Postcard" is the only setting that will allow the time/date stamp to be recorded on the picture.

Then press the "Menu" button and scroll down to "Date Stamp". You can select "Date", "Date & Time" or "Off". You can only do this when your pictures are set to the "Postcard" mode.

Hope you understand all of this!

Liz

[salvarez]

Thanks Liz,

Actually my camera is a Powershot S300 and doesn't have the menu option to apply the Date Stamp. I got to the setting where I can adjust the pixels to 1600x1200 though. I just can't get additional menus from here. I just don't think this model allows for it. But I'm going to download the latest version of ZoomBrowser to fiddle with the steps you explained earlier. Let you know what happens!