The date will not stay set. Every time we turn the camera on it opens with the date screen. We set the date and it then goes into shoot mode but the date is not set. All pictures are stamped with the default start date. Tried a new battery already.

Go into the camera menu, it should have a section called Initial setup or something like that.

Try resetting the camera by removing the battery for 5mins, replace the battery and open the camera's Menu then scrool to the Date & Time setting to set the current date and time.
If the problem still exist then you need to take the camera to a digital camera repairer.

Hello Dear,

In all Canon PowerShot and IXUS series cameras date and time can be stamped on the photos shot in Post Card Size, to set the Camera into this mode do the following:
On Camera in Shooting mode (Live view is visible on LCD)
Press Function/Set button once
From right-left move to the Post Card Size
Press Function/Set again.
Now, Press Menu Button
From up-down move down
On Stamp Date (Option Name written, Visible on the Right top Corner of Screen)
From right-left move and select you want only Date or Date and Time both.
Press Menu again
Now, you are ready.

For more clarification please revert.

Warm Regards,
Joseph Manoj

Manual can be downloaded free from here ....

http://safemanuals.com/annexe_POWERSHOT%2020A550%2020CAMERA%2020USER%2020GUIDE%2020ADVANCED%2020_CANON_POWERSHOT%20A550-_E.htm

Basically the date stamp can be turned on / off as an option on the RECORD menu. Page 33 of the manual explains it (with pictures).

Note that if the option is turned on, it states that the date / time is permanently embedded in the picture.

Hope this helps

Hi,
Please follow the steps below to reset the setting to default...

1. Turn on the camera and press the <MENU> button to open the menu. 2. Using the button, highlight the yellow (Set up) tab. 3. Using the button, select [Reset All..] and press . 4. Select [OK] and press .

• Settings cannot be reset when the camera is connected to a computer or to a printer.
• The following cannot be reset:
• • Shooting mode
  • The [Date/Time], [Language] and [Video System] options in the (Set up) menu
  • White balance data recorded with the custom white balance function
  • Colors specified in the [Color Accent] or [Color Swap] modes of My Colors
  • Newly added My Camera settings

Taken from manual:
SETTING THE TIME AND DATE
You can set the time and date on the camera as long as the battery stays in the camera. Once the battery is
removed the time and date settings will be lost:
Symbol on LCD Screen Function
When you see "dAt" on the screen, press SHUTTER button to set the
time and date.
Press POWER/MODE button to toggle from Y09 (2009) to Y30 (2030).
Press SHUTTER to advance to next date setting.
Press POWER/MODE button to toggle from 01 (January) to 12 (December).
Press SHUTTER to advance to next date setting.
Press POWER/MODE button to toggle from d01 (1st day of month) to d31
(31st day of month). Press SHUTTER to advance to next date setting.
Press POWER/MODE button to toggle from H00 (12 a.m. military time) to H23
(11 p.m. military time). Press SHUTTER to advance to next date setting.
Press POWER/MODE button to toggle from 00 (zero minutes) to 59 (59
minutes). Press SHUTTER to advance to next date setting.
1. Once you select the "minutes" setting and press the SHUTTER button, you will return to the SEt entrance
for the settings menu.
EXITING THE SETTINGS MENU
When you see ESC on the screen, press the SHUTTER button to exit the SETTINGS MENU.

The date/time cannot be deleted once it is embedded in the image. To turn off the date/time deselect the date/time stamping by following procedure:
These instructions explain how to insert the date in images.
attention:

• The [Date Stamp] cannot be deleted from the image data once it has been recorded because the date is written in as an image.
• When selecting [Date Stamp] , [Recording Pixels] is set to 1600 x 1200 pixels and the compression (image quality) to [Fine].
• When the shooting mode is set to <Movie> (), settings for inserting the date and time cannot be made.
• The following explanations are provided based on the assumption that the [Shooting Mode] is set to <Program AE> ().

1. Press the <Power> button on the camera.

2. Press the <FUNC./SET> () button.

3. A screen like the one below will appear on the monitor.

Select [Date Stamp] () in the [Recording Pixels] section .
Press the <MENU> () button.


4. A screen like the one below will appear on the monitor.

Operate the <directional buttons> left or right to select [Date Stamp] and set it to [Date] or [Date & Time].
Press the <MENU> () button.


5. Press the <FUNC./SET> () button.

6. Make sure that the [Date Stamp] is set and the following screen will appear with the icon () in the lower-left corner of the screen.

7. When shooting with this setting, the date will be embedded in the image as shown below.

[Date]
[Date & Time]
warning: The date, its font and color, and the position where it is displayed cannot be changed. Also, dates and times recorded with [Date Stamp] cannot be deleted.


If you need a manual for the A480, you can download it from:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&tabact=DownloadDetailTabAct&fcategoryid=320&modelid=18155

Please rate this solution. Thanks.

You can embed the date on image data when (Postcard) is selected. The date will be printed on your images even if it has not been set at the computer or printer.

* Ensure that the camera's date/time is set beforehand.
* Set the camera to a shooting mode (except (Stitch Assist) or Movie).
* Press the <DISPLAY> button so that icons show on the LCD screen.


1. Check that appears on the LCD monitor.
- If it does not, click here to view the procedure for changing the resolution.

2. Press the <MENU> button.

3. Select (Date Stamp) in the [ Rec.] menu using the or buttons.



4. Select [Off], [Date] or [Date & Time] using or .



5. Press the <MENU> button to exit the menu.

6. Shoot the image.
- The Date or Date & Time will be embedded into the actual image.

When you say it's displayed on the screen, do you mean while it's in playback mode, it's embedded there?

If not, you will have to put your resoltion in postcard mode and make sure in menu that your date or date/time stamp is turned on.

To get to your resolution settings, turn camera on to shooting mode, hit function/set button and arrow down to the bottom left corner where it will show your resolution (L,M,S, etc) and this is where you will find postcard mode.

This setting is the only one you can use date time stamp and will show up in prints, but only good for 4 x 6 prints, anything larger will not be good resolution, it will be pixelated because it's only enough quality for a small print.

Hope this helps!

CHANGE THE DATE FORMAT:(1)press the mode button on the back to select no print,year-month-day,hour- -minutes.SETTING THE DATE:(1)select date mode by pressing the mode botton.press the setting button Y,Mand D to set desired date.(2)press the mode button to access the TIME mode and adjust time by pressing the setting button H and M.