User manual SONY CCD-TR517 - annexe 2

3-868-320-11 (1) Video Camera Recorder Operating Instructions Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly, and retain it for future reference. Owner's Record The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom. Record the serial number in the space provided below. Refer to these numbers whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product. Model No. CCD-TR517 Serial No. Model No. AC-L Serial No. CCD-TR517 ©1999 Sony Corporation Welcome! Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony Handycam® camcorder. With your Handycam, you can capture life's precious moments with superior picture and sound quality. Your Handycam is loaded with advanced features, but at the same time it is very easy to use. You will soon be producing home video that you can enjoy for years to come. WARNING To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY. LITHIUM ION BATTERY. DISPOSE OF PROPERLY. You can return your unwanted lithium ion batteries to your nearest Sony Service Center or Factory Service Center. Note: In some areas the disposal of lithium ion batteries in household or business trash may be prohibited. For the Sony Service Center nearest you call 1-800-222-SONY (United States only) For the Sony Factory Service Center nearest you call 416-499-SONY (Canada only) Caution: Do not handle damaged or leaking lithium ion battery. For customers in the U.S.A. CAUTION This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment. Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: -- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. -- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. -- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. -- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. Never expose the battery pack to temperatures above 140 °F (60°C), such as in a car parked in the sun or under direct sunlight. For customers in CANADA CAUTION TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT. 2 Table of contents Quick Start Guide ............................. 4 Getting started Using this manual ................................... 6 Checking supplied accessories .............. 7 Step 1 Preparing the power supply ..... 8 Installing the battery pack .............. 8 Charging the battery pack ............... 9 Connecting to a wall outlet ........... 13 Step 2 Inserting a cassette ................... 14 Editing Dubbing a tape ...................................... 38 Getting started Customizing Your Camcorder Changing the menu settings ................ 39 Resetting the date and time ................. 43 Additional Information Playback modes ..................................... 45 Changing the lithium battery in your camcorder ........................................ 46 Troubleshooting .................................... 48 Self-diagnosis display ........................... 51 Warning indicators and messages ...... 52 Using your camcorder abroad ............ 53 Maintenance information and precautions ...................................... 54 Specifications ......................................... 58 Recording ­ Basics Recording a picture ............................... 15 Shooting backlit subjects (BACK LIGHT) ........................ 18 Shooting in the dark (NightShot) ............................... 19 Superimposing the date and time on pictures ................................ 20 Checking the recording ­ EDITSEARCH / Rec Review ..... 21 Quick Reference Identifying the parts and controls ...... 59 Quick Function Guide .......................... 65 Index ....................................................... 66 Playback ­ Basics Connections for playback .................... 22 Playing back a tape ............................... 23 Advanced Recording Operations Using the wide mode ........................... 25 Using the fader function ...................... 27 Using special effects ­ Picture effect ................................. 29 Using the PROGRAM AE function .... 30 Adjusting the exposure manually ...... 32 Focusing manually ................................ 33 Superimposing a title ........................... 34 Making your own titles ........................ 36 3 Quick Start Guide This chapter introduces you to the basic features of your camcorder. See the page in parentheses "( )" for more information. Connecting the power cord (p. 13) Use the battery pack when using your camcorder outdoors (p. 8). Open the DC IN jack cover. Quick Start Guide AC power adaptor (supplied) Connect the plug with its v mark facing up. Inserting a cassette (p. 14) 1 Slide EJECT in the direction of the arrow while pressing the small blue button. EJECT 2 Insert a cassette into the cassette compartment with its window facing out. 3 Close the cassette compartment by mark pressing the on the cassette compartment. The cassette compartment automatically goes down. 4 Recording a picture 1 Set the POWER switch to CAMERA POWER CAMERA OFF (CHARGE) PLAYER (p. 15) 2 Turn STANDBY to STANDBY. The picture appears in the viewfinder. CK LO while pressing the small green button. START/STOP 3 Press the red button. Your camcorder starts recording. To stop recording, press the red button again. CK LO START/STOP Viewfinder Use the viewfinder placing your eye against its eyecup. Monitoring the playback picture in the viewfinder (p. 23) 1 Set the POWER switch to PLAYER POWER CAMERA OFF (CHARGE) PLAYER 2 Press m to rewind the tape. REW STA ND BY STA ND BY Quick Start Guide while pressing the small green button. 3 Press N to start playback. PLAY NOTE Do not pick up your camcorder by holding the viewfinder or the battery pack. 5 -- Getting started -- Using this manual As you read through this manual, buttons and settings on your camcorder are shown in capital letters. e.g. Set the POWER switch to CAMERA. When you carry out an operation, you can hear a beep sound to indicate that the operation is being carried out. Note on TV color systems TV color systems differ from country to country. To view your recordings on a TV, you need an NTSC system-based TV. Copyright precautions Television programs, films, video tapes, and other materials may be copyrighted. Unauthorized recording of such materials may be contrary to the provision of the copyright laws. Precautions on camcorder care ·The viewfinder is manufactured using high-precision technology. However, there may be some tiny black points and/or bright points (red, blue, green or white) that constantly appear in the viewfinder. These points occur normally in the manufacturing process and do not affect the recorded picture in any way. Effective ratio of pixels and/or screen are 99.99% or more. ·Do not let your camcorder get wet. Keep your camcorder away from rain and sea water. Letting your camcorder get wet may cause your camcorder to malfunction. Sometimes this malfunction cannot be repaired [a]. ·Never leave your camcorder exposed to temperatures above 140°F (60°C ), such as in a car parked in the sun or under direct sunlight [b]. ·Do not place your camcorder so as to point the viewfinder toward the sun. The inside of the viewfinder may be damaged [c]. [a] [b] [c] 6 Checking supplied accessories Make sure that the following accessories are supplied with your camcorder. 1 2 3 Getting started 4 5 1 AC-L10A/L10B/L10C AC power adaptor (1), Power cord (1) (p. 9) 2 NP-F330 battery pack (1) (p. 8, 9) 3 CR2025 lithium battery (1) (p. 46) The lithium battery is already installed in your camcorder. 4 A/V connecting cable (1) (p. 22) 5 Shoulder strap (1) (p. 61) Contents of the recording cannot be compensated if recording or playback is not made due to a malfunction of the camcorder, video tape, etc. 7 Step 1 Preparing the power supply Installing the battery pack Install the battery pack to use your camcorder outdoors. Slide the battery pack down until it clicks. To remove the battery pack Slide the battery pack out in the direction of the arrow while pressing RELEASE down. BATT BATT RELEASE After installing the battery pack Do not carry your camcorder by holding the battery pack. If you do so, the battery pack may slide off your camcorder unintentionally, damaging your camcorder. 8 Step 1 Preparing the power supply Charging the battery pack Use the battery pack after charging it for your camcorder. Your camcorder operates only with the "InfoLITHIUM" battery pack (L series). Getting started (1) Open the DC IN jack cover and connect the AC power adaptor supplied with your camcorder to the DC IN jack with the plug's v mark facing up. (2) Connect the power cord to the AC power adaptor. (3) Connect the power cord to a wall outlet. (4) Set the POWER switch to OFF (CHARGE). Charging begins. The remaining battery time is indicated in minutes on the display window. When the remaining battery indicator changes to u, normal chargeis completed. To fully charge the battery (full charge) leave the battery pack attached for about 1 hour , after normal charge is completed until FULL appears in the display window. Fully charging the battery allows you to use the battery longer than usual. POWER CAMERA OFF (CHARGE) PLAYER 4 1 2 9 Step 1 Preparing the power supply Notes ·Prevent metallic objects from coming into contact with the metal parts of the DC plug of the AC power adaptor. This may cause a short-circuit, damaging the AC power adaptor. ·Keep the battery pack dry. ·When the battery pack is not to be used for a long time, charge the battery pack once fully and then use it until it fully discharges again. Keep the battery pack in a cool place. Remaining battery time indicator The remaining battery time indicator in the display window roughly indicates the recording time. Battery pack The battery pack is charged a little before it leaves the factory. Until your camcorder calculates the actual remaining battery time "­ ­ ­ ­ min" appears in the display window. 10 Step 1 Preparing the power supply Charging time Battery pack NP-F330 (supplied) NP-F530/F550 NP-F730/F730H/F750 NP-F930/F950 NP-F960 Full charge (Normal charge) 150 (90) 210 (150) 300 (240) 390 (330) 420 (360) Getting started Approximate number of minutes to charge an empty battery pack Recording time Battery pack NP-F330 (supplied) NP-F530 NP-F550 NP-F730 NP-F730H/F750 NP-F930 NP-F950 NP-F960 Continuous* 170 (160) 305 (275) 340 (305) 625 (560) 710 (640) 975 (875) 1080 (970) 1260 (1135) Typical** 95 (90) 165 (150) 185 (165) 345 (310) 390 (350) 535 (480) 595 (535) 695 (625) Approximate number of minutes when you use a fully charged battery Numbers in parentheses "( )" indicate the time using a normally charged battery. * Approximate continuous recording time at 77°F (25°C). The battery life will be shorter if you use your camcorder in a cold environment. * *Approximate number of minutes when recording while you repeat recording start/ stop, zooming and turning the power on/off. The actual battery life may be shorter. Playing time Battery pack NP-F330 (supplied) NP-F530 NP-F550 NP-F730 NP-F730H/F750 NP-F930 NP-F950 NP-F960 180 (160) 325 (295) 360 (325) 665 (600) 750 (680) 1035 (930) 1140 (1030) 1330 (1195) Approximate number of minutes when you use a fully charged battery Numbers in parentheses "( )" indicate the time using a normally charged battery. The battery life will be shorter if you use your camcorder in a cold environment. After charging the battery pack Disconnect the AC power adaptor from the DC IN jack on your camcorder. 11 Step 1 Preparing the power supply Note on the remaining battery time indicator during recording The indicator may not be correct, depending on the conditions in which you are recording. What is "InfoLITHIUM"? The "InfoLITHIUM" is a lithium ion battery pack which can exchange data such as battery consumption with compatible electronic equipment. This unit is compatible with the "InfoLITHIUM" battery pack (L series). Your camcorder operates only with the "InfoLITHIUM" battery. "InfoLITHIUM" L series battery packs have the mark. "InfoLITHIUM" is a trademark of Sony Corporation. 12 Step 1 Preparing the power supply Connecting to a wall outlet When you use your camcorder for a long time, we recommend that you power it from a wall outlet using the AC power adaptor. (1) Open the DC IN jack cover, and connect the AC power adaptor to the DC IN jack on your camcorder with the plug's v mark facing up. (2) Connect the power cord to the AC power adaptor. (3) Connect the power cord to a wall outlet. Getting started 1 2, 3 PRECAUTION The set is not disconnected from the AC power source (house current) as long as it is connected to the wall outlet, even if the set itself has been turned off. Notes ·The AC power adaptor can supply power even if the battery pack is attached to your camcorder. ·The DC IN jack has "source priority". This means that the battery pack cannot supply any power if the power cord is connected to the DC IN jack, even when the power cord is not plugged into a wall outlet. Using a car battery Use Sony DC Adaptor/Charger (not supplied). 13 Step 2 Inserting a cassette (1) Prepare the power supply (p. 8). (2) Slide EJECT in the direction of the arrow while pressing the small blue button. The cassette compartment automatically lifts up and opens. (3) Insert a cassette with its window facing out and the tab on the cassette up. mark on the cassette (4) Close the cassette compartment by pressing the compartment. The cassette compartment automatically goes down. 2 EJECT 3 4 To eject a cassette Slide EJECT in the direction of the arrow while pressing the small blue button. Note Do not press the cassette compartment down. Doing so may cause malfunction. To prevent accidental erasure Slide the write-protect tab on the cassette to expose the red mark. 14 -- Recording ­ Basics -- Recording a picture Your camcorder automatically focuses for you. (1) Install the power source and insert a cassette. See "Step 1" and "Step 2" for more information (p. 8 to 14). (2) Set the POWER switch to CAMERA while pressing the small green button. The lens cover opens. (3) Turn STANDBY to STANDBY. (4) Press START/STOP. Your camcorder starts recording. The "REC" indicator appears. The camera recording lamp located on the front of your camcorder lights up. To stop recording, press START/STOP again. Recording ­ Basics 2 POWER CAMERA OFF (CHARGE) PLAYER 3 CK LO 40min SP STBY 0:00:00 START/STOP STA ND BY 4 CK LO STA 40min SP REC 0:00:01 ND BY Microphone Camera recording lamp START/STOP Note Fasten the grip strap firmly. Do not touch the built-in microphone during recording. To enable smooth transition You can make the transition between the last scene you recorded and the next scene smooth as long as you do not eject the cassette. When you exchange the battery pack in the recording mode, set STANDBY to LOCK. If you leave your camcorder in the standby mode for 5 minutes while the cassette is inserted Your camcorder automatically turns off. This is to save battery power and to prevent battery and tape wear. To resume the standby mode, turn STANDBY down and up again. To start recording, press START/STOP. To set the counter to 0:00:00 Press COUNTER RESET (p. 62). 15 Recording a picture After recording (1) Turn STANDBY down to LOCK. (2) Eject the cassette. (3) Set the POWER switch to OFF (CHARGE). To record pictures with the viewfinder ­ adjusting the viewfinder Adjust the viewfinder lens to your eyesight so that the indicators in the viewfinder come into sharp focus. Lift up the viewfinder and move the viewfinder lens adjustment lever. 16 Recording a picture Using the zoom feature Move the power zoom lever a little for a slower zoom. Move it further for a faster zoom. Using the zoom function sparingly results in better-looking recordings. "T" side: for telephoto (subject appears closer) "W" side: for wide-angle (subject appears farther away) Recording ­ Basics W W T T W T Zoom greater than 20× is performed digitally. To activate digital zoom, select the digital zoom power in D ZOOM in the menu settings. (p. 39) The picture quality deteriorates as the picture is processed digitally. W T The right side of the bar shows the digital zooming zone. The digital zooming zone appears when you select the digital zoom power in D ZOOM in the menu settings. When you shoot close to a subject If you cannot get a sharp focus, move the power zoom lever to the "W" side until the focus is sharp. You can shoot a subject that is at least about 2 feet 5/8 inch (about 80 cm) away from the lens surface in the telephoto position, or about 1/2 inch (about 1 cm) away in the wide-angle position. Notes on digital zoom ·Digital zoom starts to function when zoom exceeds 20×. ·The picture quality deteriorates as you go toward the "T" side. 17 Recording a picture Indicators displayed in the recording mode The indicators are not recorded on tape. Recording mode indicator STBY/REC indicator 40min SP REC 0:00:01 Tape counter Remaining tape indicator This appears after you insert a cassette and record or play back for a while. Remaining battery time indicator Shooting backlit subjects (BACK LIGHT) When you shoot a subject with the light source behind the subject or a subject with a light background, use the backlight function. Press BACK LIGHT in the recording or standby mode. The . indicator appears in the viewfinder. To cancel, press BACK LIGHT again. BACK LIGHT If you press EXPOSURE when shooting backlit subjects The backlight function will be canceled. 18 Recording a picture Shooting in the dark (NightShot) The NightShot function enables you to shoot a subject in a dark place. For example, you can satisfactorily record the environment of nocturnal animals for observation when you use this function. While your camcorder is in the standby mode, slide NIGHTSHOT to ON. and "NIGHTSHOT" indicators flash in the viewfinder. To cancel the NightShot function, slide NIGHTSHOT to OFF. Recording ­ Basics NIGHTSHOT OFF ON NightShot Light emitter Using the NightShot Light The picture will be clearer with the NightShot Light on. To enable NightShot Light, set N.S.LIGHT to ON in the menu settings (p. 39). Notes ·Do not use the NightShot function in bright places (ex. outdoors in the daytime). This may cause your camcorder to malfunction. ·When you keep NIGHTSHOT set to ON in normal recording, the picture may be recorded in incorrect or unnatural colors. ·If focusing is difficult with the autofocus mode when using the NightShot function, focus manually. While using the NightShot function, you can not use the following functions: ­ Exposure ­ PROGRAM AE NightShot Light NightShot Light rays are infrared and so are invisible. The maximum shooting distance using the NightShot Light is about 10 feet (3 m). 19 Recording a picture Superimposing the date and time on pictures You can record the date or time displayed in the viewfinder superimposed on the picture. Carry out the following operations in the standby or recording mode. Press DATE to record the date. Press TIME to record the time. Press DATE (or TIME), then press TIME (or DATE) to record the date and time. Press DATE and/or TIME again. The date and/or time indicator disappears. DATE TIME The default clock setting is set to East Coast Standard Time. You can reset the clock in the menu settings (p. 39). Note The date and time indicators recorded manually cannot be deleted. If you do not record the date and time in the picture Record the date and time in the black screen as the background for about 10 seconds, then erase the date and time indicators before starting actual recording. 20 Checking the recording ­ EDITSEARCH / Rec Review You can use these buttons to check the recorded picture or shoot so that the transition between the last recorded scene and the next scene you record is smooth. Recording ­ Basics EDITSEARCH EDITSEARCH You can search for the next recording start point. Hold down the +/­ (7) side of EDITSEARCH in the standby mode. The recorded section is played back. + : to go forward ­ : to go backward Release EDITSEARCH to stop playback. If you press START/STOP, re-recording begins from the point you released EDITSEARCH. Rec Review You can check the last recorded section. Press the ­ (7) side of EDITSEARCH momentarily in the standby mode. The last few seconds of the recorded section are played back. 21 -- Playback ­ Basics -- Connections for playback Connect your camcorder to your TV or VCR with the A/V connecting cable supplied with your camcorder to watch the playback picture on the TV screen. When monitoring the playback picture on the TV screen, we recommend that you power your camcorder from a wall outlet using the AC power adaptor (p. 13). Refer to the operating instructions of your TV or VCR. Open the jack cover. Connect your camcorder to the TV using the A/V connecting cable. Then, set the TV/VCR selector on the TV to VCR. IN VIDEO OUT VIDEO AUDIO AUDIO OUT : Signal flow If your TV is already connected to a VCR Connect your camcorder to the LINE IN input on the VCR by using the A/V connecting cable supplied with your camcorder. Set the input selector on the VCR to LINE. To connect to a TV or VCR without Video/Audio input jacks Use an NTSC system RFU adaptor (not supplied). Refer to the operating instructions of your TV or VCR and the RFU adaptor. 22 Playing back a tape You can monitor the playback picture on a TV screen after connecting your camcorder to a TV or VCR. You can also monitor the picture in the viewfinder. (1) (2) (3) (4) Install the power source and insert the recorded tape. Set the POWER switch to PLAYER while pressing the small green button. Press m to rewind the tape. Press N to start playback. 2 POWER CAMERA OFF (CHARGE) PLAYER 3 REW Playback ­ Basics 4 PLAY To stop playback Press x. 23 Playing back a tape Various playback modes To operate video control buttons, set the POWER switch to PLAYER. To view a still picture (playback pause) Press X during playback. To resume playback, press X or N. To advance the tape Press M in the stop mode. To resume normal playback, press N. To rewind the tape Press m in the stop mode. To resume normal playback, press N. To locate a scene monitoring the picture (picture search) Keep pressing m or M during playback. To resume normal playback, release the button. To monitor the high-speed picture while advancing or rewinding the tape (skip scan) Keep pressing m while rewinding or M while advancing the tape. To resume rewinding or advancing, release the button. In the various playback modes Sound is muted. When the playback pause mode lasts for 5 minutes Your camcorder automatically enters the stop mode. To resume playback, press N. When you play back a tape recorded in the LP mode Noise may appear during playback pause mode or picture search. The tapes recorded in the Hi8 format You can play back the tapes recorded in the Hi8 video system on your camcorder. 24 -- Advanced Recording Operations -- Using the wide mode You can record a cinema-like picture (CINEMA) or a 16:9 wide picture to watch on the 16:9 wide-screen TV (16:9FULL). Refer to the operating instructions of your TV. CINEMA Black bands appear on the screen during recording in the CINEMA mode [a], playing back on a normal TV [b] or a wide-screen TV [c]. If you set the screen mode of the widescreen TV to the zoom mode, a picture without black bands appears [d]. 16:9FULL The picture during recording in the 16:9FULL mode [e], or playing back on a normal TV [f] or a wide-screen TV [g] is horizontally compressed. If you set the screen mode of the wide-screen TV to the full mode, you can watch pictures of normal images [h]. Advanced Recording Operations [b] CINEMA CINEMA [a] [c] [d] [f] 16:9FULL 16:9FULL [e] [g] [h] 25 Using the wide mode In the standby mode, set 16:9WIDE to CINEMA or 16:9FULL in the menu settings (p. 39). MENU To cancel the wide mode Set 16:9WIDE to OFF in the menu settings. In the wide mode You cannot select the bounce function with FADER. Date or time indicator When you record in the 16:9FULL mode, the date or time indicator will be widened on wide-screen TVs. During recording You cannot change or cancel the wide mode. When you cancel the wide mode, set your camcorder to the standby mode and then set 16:9WIDE to OFF. 26 Using the fader function You can fade in or out to give your recording a professional appearance. [a] FADER STBY REC Advanced Recording Operations M.FADER (mosaic) STRIPE BOUNCE * (Fade in only) [b] STBY REC MONOTONE When fading in, the picture gradually changes from black-and-white to color. When fading out the picture gradually changes from color to black-and-white. * You can use this function only when D ZOOM is set to OFF. 27 Using the fader function (1) When fading in [a] In the standby mode, press FADER until the desired fader indicator flashes. When fading out [b] In the recording mode, press FADER until the desired fader indicator flashes. The indicator changes as follows: FADER t M.FADER t STRIPE t BOUNCE t MONOTONE t no indicator The last selected fader mode is indicated first of all. (2) Press START/STOP. The fader indicator stops flashing. 1 FADER FADER To cancel the fader function After the fade in/out is carried out : Your camcorder automatically returns to the normal mode. Before the fade in/out is carried out : Before pressing START/STOP, press FADER until the indicator disappears. The date, time indicator and title do not fade in or fade out Erase them before operating the fader function if they are not needed. While using the bounce function, you cannot use the following functions: ­ Exposure ­ Focus ­ Zoom ­ Picture effect Note on the bounce function The BOUNCE indicator does not appear in the following mode or functions: ­ D ZOOM is set to the mode other than OFF in the menu settings ­ Wide mode ­ Picture effect ­ PROGRAM AE 28 Using special effects ­ Picture effect You can digitally process images to obtain special effects like those in films or on the TV. Thecontrastofthepictureisemphasized,andthepicturelookslikean animatedcartoon. NEG. ART [b] : Thecolorandbrightnessofthepictureisreversed. SEPIA : Thepictureissepia. B&W : Thepictureismonochrome(black-and-white). SOLARIZE [c] : Thelightintensityisclearer,andthepicturelookslikeanillustration. MOSAIC [d] : Thepictureismosaic. SLIM [e] : Thepictureexpandsvertically. STRETCH [f] : Thepictureexpandshorizontally. PASTEL [a] : Advanced Recording Operations [a] [b] [c] [d] [e] [f] (1) Press PICTURE EFFECT in the standby or recording mode. Thepictureeffectindicatorappears. (2) TurntheSEL/PUSHEXECdialtoselectthedesiredpictureeffectmode. Theindicatorchangesasfollows: PASTEL y NEG.ART y SEPIA y B&W y SOLARIZE y MOSAIC y SLIM y STRETCH 1 2 PICTURE EFFECT MOSAIC To turn the picture effect function off Press PICTURE EFFECT. When you turn the power off Your camcorder automatically returns to the normal mode. 29 Using the PROGRAM AE function You can select PROGRAM AE (Auto Exposure) mode to suit your specific shooting requirements. Spotlight mode This mode prevents people's faces, for example, from appearing excessively white when shooting subjects lit by strong light in the theater. Soft portrait mode This mode brings out the subject while creating a soft background for subjects such as people or flowers. Sports lesson mode This mode minimizes shake on fast-moving subjects such as in tennis or golf. Beach & ski mode This mode prevents people's faces from appearing dark in strong light or reflected light, such as at a beach in midsummer or on a ski slope. Sunset & moon mode This mode allows you to maintain atmosphere when you are recording sunsets, general night views, fireworks displays and neon signs. Landscape mode This mode is for when you are recording distant subjects such as mountains and prevents your camcorder from focusing on glass or metal mesh in windows when you are recording a subject behind glass or a screen. 30 Using the PROGRAM AE function (1) Press PROGRAM AE in the standby mode. The PROGRAM AE indicator appears. (2) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the desired PROGRAM AE mode. The indicator changes as follows: 1 PROGRAM Advanced Recording Operations 2 A To turn the PROGRAM AE function off Press PROGRAM AE. Notes ·In the spotlight, sports lesson and beach & ski modes, you cannot take close-ups. This is because your camcorder is set to focus only on subjects in the middle to far distance. ·In the sunset & moon and landscape modes, your camcorder is set to focus only on distant subjects. ·The following functions do not work in the PROGRAM AE mode: ­ NightShot ­ Bounce ·If you press PROGRAM AE when using the NightShot function, the PROGRAM AE indicator flashes and the PROGRAM AE function does not work. If you are recording under a discharge tube such as a fluorescent lamp, sodium lamp or mercury lamp Flickering or changes in color may occur in the following modes. If this happens, turn the PROGRAM AE function off. ­ Soft portrait mode ­ Sports lesson mode 31 Adjusting the exposure manually You can manually adjust and set the exposure. Adjust the exposure manually in the following cases: ·The subject is backlit ·Bright subject and dark background ·To record dark pictures (e.g. night scenes) faithfully (1) Press EXPOSURE in the standby or recording mode. The exposure indicator appears. (2) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to adjust the brightness. 1 EXPOSURE 2 To return to the automatic exposure mode Press EXPOSURE again. Note When you adjust the exposure manually, the backlight function does not work. Your camcorder automatically returns to the automatic exposure mode: ­ if you change the PROGRAM AE mode ­ if you slide NIGHTSHOT to ON 32 Focusing manually You can gain better results by manually adjusting the focus in the following cases: ·The autofocus mode is not effective when shooting ­ subjects through glass coated with water droplets ­ horizontal stripes ­ subjects with little contrast with backgrounds such as walls and sky ·When you want to change the focus from a subject in the foreground to a subject in the background ·Shooting a stationary subject when using a tripod Advanced Recording Operations (1) Set FOCUS to MANUAL in the standby or recording mode. The appears. (2) Turn NEAR/FAR to sharpen focus. 9 indicator FOCUS NEAR/FAR To return to the autofocus mode Set FOCUS to AUTO. To record distant subjects When you press FOCUS down to INFINITY, the lens focuses on infinity and indicator appears. When you release FOCUS, your camcorder returns to the manual focus mode. Use this mode when your camcorder focuses on near objects even though you are trying to shoot a distant object. To focus precisely Adjust the zoom by first focusing at the "T" (telephoto) position and then shooting at the "W" (wide-angle) position. This makes focusing easier. When you shoot close to the subject Focus at the end of the "W" (wide-angle) position. 9 changes to the following indicators: when recording a distant subject. when the subject is too close to focus on. 33 Superimposing a title You can select one of eight preset titles and two custom titles (p. 36). You can also select the language, color, size and position of titles. VACATION (1) Press TITLE in the standby mode. (2) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select , then press the dial. (3) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the desired title, then press the dial. The titles are displayed in the language you selected. (4) Change the color, size, or position, if necessary. 1 Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the color, size, or position, then press the dial. The item appears. 2 Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the desired item, then press the dial. 3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the title is laid out as desired. (5) Press the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial again to complete the setting. (6) Press START/STOP to start recording. (7) When you want to stop recording the title, press TITLE. 1 2 3 4 TITLE PRESET TITLE HELLO! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS CONGRATULATIONS! OUR SWEET BABY WEDDING VACATION THE END [TITLE] : END PRESET TITLE HELLO! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS CONGRATULATIONS! OUR SWEET BABY WEDDING VACATION THE END [TITLE] : END PRESET TITLE HELLO! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS CONGRATULATIONS! OUR SWEET BABY WEDDING VACATION THE END RETURN [TITLE] : END PRESET TITLE HELLO! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS CONGRATULATIONS! OUR SWEET BABY WEDDING VACATION THE END RETURN [TITLE] : END TITLE VACATION [TITLE] : END SIZE SMALL TITLE SIZE LARGE VACATION VACATION [TITLE] : END 34 Superimposing a title To superimpose the title while you are recording Press TITLE while you are recording, and carry out steps 2 to 5. When you press the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial at step 5, the title is superimposed. To select the language of a preset title If you want to change the language, select language and return to step 2. before step 2. Then select the desired Note Both the date and time or either of them may not be displayed depending on the size or position of the title. If you display the menu or title menu while superimposing a title The title is not recorded while the menu or title menu is displayed. To use the custom title If you want to use the custom title, select in step 2. If you have not made any custom title, "­ ­ ­ ­ ..." appears on the display. Title setting ·The title color changes as follows : WHITE y YELLOW y VIOLET y RED y CYAN y GREEN y BLUE ·The title size changes as follows : SMALL y LARGE You cannot input more than 13 characters in LARGE size. ·The title position changes as follows : 1y2y3y4y5y6y7y8y9 The larger the position number, the lower the title is positioned. When you select the title size "LARGE", you cannot choose position 9. When you select the title size "LARGE" in the CINEMA mode, you cannot choose position 8 nor 9. When you are selecting and setting the title You cannot superimpose the title displayed on the screen. When you superimpose a title while you are recording The beep does not sound. Advanced Recording Operations 35 Making your own titles You can make up to two titles and store them in your camcorder. Each title can have up to 20 characters. (1) Press TITLE in the standby or PLAYER mode. (2) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select , then press the dial. (3) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the first line (CUSTOM1) or second line (CUSTOM2), then press the dial. (4) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the column of the desired character, then press the dial. (5) Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the desired character, then press the dial. (6) Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have selected all characters and completed the title. (7) To finish making your own titles, turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [SET], then press the dial. The title is stored in memory. (8) Press TITLE to make the title menu disappear. 1 TITLE 2 TITLE SET CUSTOM1 " ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ··" CUSTOM2 " ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ··" TITLE SET ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ RETURN [TITLE] : END [TITLE] : END PRESET TITLE HELLO! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS CONGRATULATIONS! OUR SWEET BABY WEDDING VACATION THE END [TITLE] : END 3 TITLE SET ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ RETURN TITLE SET ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ [TITLE] : END [TITLE] : END 4 6 1 TITLE SET 2 TITLE SET ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ [TITLE] : END [TITLE] : END 3 TITLE SET 4 ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ TITLE SET S­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ [TITLE] : END [TITLE] : END 36 Making your own titles To change a title you have stored In step 3, select CUSTOM1 or CUSTOM2, depending on which title you want to change, then press the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial. Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [C], then press the dial to delete the title. The last character is erased. Enter the new title as desired. If you take 5 minutes or longer to enter characters in the standby mode while a cassette is in your camcorder The power automatically goes off. The characters you have entered remain stored in memory. Turn STANDBY down once and then up again, then proceed from step 1. We recommend setting the POWER switch to PLAYER or removing the cassette so that your camcorder does not automatically turn off while you are entering title characters. ] If you select [ The menu for selecting alphabet and Russian characters appear. Select [ to the previous screen. To delete the title Select [C]. The last character is erased. Advanced Recording Operations ] to return 37 -- Editing -- Dubbing a tape Using the A/V connecting cable Connect your camcorder to the VCR using the A/V connecting cable supplied with your camcorder. (1) Insert a blank tape (or a tape you want to record over) into the VCR, and insert the recorded tape into your camcorder. (2) Set the input selector on the VCR to LINE. Refer to the operating instructions of your VCR for more information. (3) Set the POWER switch to PLAYER. (4) Play back the recorded tape on your camcorder. (5) Start recording on the VCR. Refer to the operating instructions of your VCR for more information. IN VIDEO OUT VIDEO AUDIO OUT AUDIO : Signal flow