For beginners or anyone that just wants to "point-n-shoot" there's your typical Auto exposure mode (camera icon with an A on mode dial.)

Auto menu options:

Pict. Size - depends on what aspect ratio you are using
16:9 - 8M, 5.5M, 2M
3:2 - 7M, 4.5M, 2.5M
4:3 - 6M, 4M, 3M, 2M, 1M

Quality - Fine, Normal, TIFF and RAW
D.Zoom - On/Off

Program AE mode is also an automatic exposure mode, but the user has a wide array of menu settings available (see Normal menu options below.) The screen here shows the flash is set to Forced off, ISO 80, image size is 8M, image quality is Fine, the battery level is at 2/3, there's room on the SD card for another 104 shots, and the image stabilizer is set to Mode 1 (shaking hand icon.)

When the shutter is half-pressed and the auto focus is achieved, the AF target brackets in the center turn green (red if AF fails) and a focus confirmation "green dot" is displayed. The shutter speed and aperture will also be displayed.

Pressing the Stabilizer button located on the top of the camera will briefly display this menu of options.

Aperture priority mode (A icon on the mode dial), allows you to select a specific aperture value to control depth of field (range of focus). A small aperture number gives you a shallower depth of field to put the background out of focus.

Shutter-speed priority is the direct opposite of aperture priority, it allows you to select the desired shutter speed and the camera matches the proper aperture. Fast shutter speeds allow you to "freeze" rapid moving subjects or "blur" them with a slower shutter speed.

In Manual exposure mode you select both the shutter speed and aperture value - you must also select the right combination to get the proper exposure level. An on-screen meter will display the exposure value when you half-press the shutter release.

Normal menu options:

White Balance - Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent or Manual set
Sensitivity - Auto, 80, 100, 200 or 400 ISO equivalent
Pict. Size - depends on what aspect ratio you are using
16:9 - 8M, 5.5M, 2M
3:2 - 7M, 4.5M, 2.5M
4:3 - 6M, 4M, 3M, 2M, 1M

Quality - Fine, Normal, TIFF and RAW
Audio Rec. - Record 10 sec audio note with still image, On or Off
Metering Mode - Multiple, Center-weighted or Spot
AF Mode - Select the desired AF-area sensor combination (9-area, 3-area, 1-area or Spot)
Continuous AF - Continuous auto focus, On or Off
AF Assist Lamp - On or Off
AF/AE Lock - Choose settings for AF/AE lock button (AF, AE, AF/AE)
D. Zoom - Digital zoom option, On or Off
Color Effect - Off, Cool (bluer), Warm (redder), B/W (monochrome)
Picture Adjust - Natural (softer), Standard, Vivid (sharper)
Flip Animation - Create small in-camera animations

Rotating the Mode Dial to the SCN1 or SCN2 position gives access to 14 scene specific modes that are optimized for variety of shooting environments and subjects. You can choose from Portrait, Sports, Food, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Baby, Soft Skin, Candle Light, Party, Fireworks, Snow, Starry Shy and Panning. While scrolling through the Scene menu, pressing "Left" on the 4-way controller will give a brief description of the Scene modes intended use.

Press the 4-way controller "Down" to enable the Quick Review function to view or delete the last image taken.

Macro (close up) focus mode lets you get as close as 1.97 in. (5cm) Wide or 11.8 in. (30cm) Telephoto.

Movie mode captures QucikTime video at either VGA (640x480) or QVGA (320 x 240) resolution with audio. You can also choose a frame rate of 30 or 10 frames per second. The length of capture is limited only by the amount of available memory. Because sound is recorded, the zoom may be preset before recording, but it can not be used during. The aspect ratio can also be adjusted using the control mounted on the lens. 4:3 mode gives a normal view, while 3:2 and 16:9 give you a more wide screen or letterbox effect.

Movie Capture Capacities (in seconds)

Movie mode recording options:

White Balance - Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent, Flash or Manual set
Picture Mode - VGA (30 or 10fps), QVGA (30 or 10fps)
Metering Mode - Multiple, Center-weighted or Spot
AF Mode - Select the desired AF-area sensor combination desired
Continuous AF - Continuous auto focus, On or Off
AF Assist Lamp - On or Off
Digital Zoom - Digital zoom option, On or Off
Color Effect - Off, Cool, Warm, Black/White, Sepia