Moviecorder
(160-0804) Recording - Part 1 Faxback Doc. # 18895
The following instructions give you the basic steps for camcorder
recording. Many of the steps refer you to another section of this manual
for more detailed information.
Before you make the first recording, read all the steps and the suggested
detailed information. Then, use these steps as a reminder for recording
procedures.
Be sure you also read "Special Recording Features", (see below) for
additional information about recording.
1. Choose and connect a power source.
2. Press EJECT to open the cassette compartment. Then, insert a standard
VHS cassette, and close the compartment. See "Inserting/Removing a
Cassette.", (see below).
3. Push the POWER switch on top of the camcorder to the right until the
red indicator lights.
4. Set the CAMERA/VCR PLAY switch to CAMERA/VCR.
NOTE: If the cassette's erase-protection tab is removed or you have
not inserted a cassette, TAPE flashes in the viewfinder for
several seconds.
5. Set the FOCUS switch to AUTO. See "Auto Focus" and "Manual Focus.",
(see below).
6. Turn the IRIS control to AUTO. "See Auto/Manual Iris.", (see below).
7. Set the NEGATIVE/POSITIVE switch to POSITIVE. See "Negative/Positive
Inversion.", (see below).
8. Set the MIC switch to NORMAL. See "Sound Pickup.", (see below).
9. Place the right hand between the hand strap and the camcorder. Then,
adjust the hand strap so that it fits tightly over the hand.
10. Remove the lens cap and side it onto the hand strap as shown.
11. Adjust the viewfinder so that you can look into it comfortably with
the back of the camcorder resting on the right shoulder. See
"Adjusting the Viewfinder.", (see below).
Then, adjust the VIEWFINDER FOCUS control for the sharpest picture in
the viewfinder.
Note: The lens focus adjustment also affects the picture in the
viewfinder.
12. Point the camcorder at the desired subject, and use the fingers of the
right hand to press W or T on the power zoom control until you see the
power zoom control until you see the desired picture in the
viewfinder. See "Power Zoom.", (see below).
13. To begin recording, press the large, red record/pause button with the
right thumb.
14. To stop recording, press the record/pause button again. REC
disappears from the viewfinder, and PAUSE appears.
15. Push the POWER switch to the right so that the red power indicator
goes off to turn off the camcorder.
16. Press EJECT to eject the video cassette.
NOTE: LOW LIGHT appears in the viewfinder when the lighting is not
sufficient. See "DC Camera Light.", (see below).
AUTO FOCUS
When you set the FOCUS switch to AUTO, the auto-focus system uses an
invisible infrared light beam to determine the distance to the nearest
object that appears in the center of the viewfinder. Then, it focuses on
that object.
Each time you move the camcorder, the autofocus system automatically
readjusts. It is usually best to let the auto-focus system focus for you.
However, in some situations, the auto-focus system might not work properly.
See "Manual Focus.", (see below).
MANUAL FOCUS
If you are recording in one of the following situations, use manual focus:
The focus point is not in the center of the picture.
Close and distant objects are both near the center of the viewfinder.
The focus point is behind a window.
The focus point is moving rapidly.
A telephoto or wide-angle lens is attached to the camcorder.
You are taping objects that are more than 30 feet away in low-light
conditions.
You are taping in snow or fog.
You are taping a long object from its end.
You are taping objects that do not reflect infrared light, such as
water or a black surface.
To manually focus, do the following.
1. Set the FOCUS switch to MANUAL.
2. Look through the viewfinder, and turn the lens focus ring to focus on
the desired object.
Be sure you properly adjust the viewfinder focus control.
Note: For best results, zoom in as close as possible on the object
before focusing. Adjust the focus. Then, adjust the zoom as desired
before you begin recording. See "Power Zoom.", (see below).
3. Press INSTANT to temporarily use the auto-focus system. Release
INSTANT to return to manual focus.
4. Set the FOCUS switch to AUTO to return to auto focus.
MACRO FOCUS
This feature lets you record objects as close as 3/8 inch. Follow these
steps to use the macro focus feature.
1. Set the FOCUS switch to MANUAL.
2. While pressing the green macro button, push the zoom lever toward the
bottom of the camcorder.
3. To focus on the desired object, manually adjust the zoom ring within
the wide-macro range (green line on the zoom ring).
4. To stop macro recording, push the zoom lever toward the top of the
camcorder until the green macro button pops out. To return to auto
focus, set the FOCUS switch to AUTO.
AUTO/MANUAL IRIS
The iris determines how much light gets into the camcorder. When you set
the IRIS control to AUTO, the camcorder automatically adjusts for changing
lighting conditions. The aperture widens in low light and narrows in
bright light.
The auto-iris system can handle most lighting conditions, and it is usually
best to set the IRIS control to AUTO. However, in some situations you must
set the iris manually.
For example, if the background is much darker than the object you are
recording, turn the IRIS control toward CLOSE. If the background is much
lighter, turn the IRIS control toward OPEN.
POWER ZOOM
This feature lets you go from a wide-angle shot to a telephoto shot at the
touch of a button. During recording, press the power zoom buttons ( W or
T ) with the fingers of your right hand.
Press T to zoom in and W to zoom out.
FADE IN/FADE OUT
You can slowly fade in the picture and sound at the beginning of a scene
and slowly fade them out at the end of a scene. This gives the recordings
a smoother, more professional look.
Follow these steps to fade in.
1. Before you begin recording, press and hold down FADE. The viewfinder
picture becomes gray.
2. While holding down FADE, press the record/pause button to begin
recording. Then, release FADE.
To fade out at the end of a recording, press and hold down FADE until the
picture in the viewfinder becomes gray. Then, stop recording.
HIGH-SPEED SHUTTER
Use this feature when recording fast action (such as a tennis or golf
swing) that you want to watch later using freeze-frame. See "Freeze
Frame.", (see below).
The faster shutter speed reduces blurring that occurs in the individual
frames of fast action.
Normally, the shutter speed is 60 times a second. You can change the
speed to 120, 250, 1000 or 2000 times a second.
Follow these steps to set the camcorder to a higher shutter speed.
1. Press DISPLAY so that the battery level indicator appears in the
viewfinder.
NOTE: The shutter speed display appears only when the battery level
indicator appears.
2. Repeatedly press SHUTTER until the desired shutter speed appears. The
shutter speed displays appear in the following order:
S : 120 (120 times a second)
S : 250 (250 times a second)
S : 1000 (1000 times a second)
S : 2000 (2000 times a second)
No display (60 times a second)
3. Press the record/pause button to start recording.
4. To return to normal shutter speed, repeatedly press SHUTTER to the
right until there is no shutter speed display.
NOTES: Higher shutter speeds require brighter lighting. Be sure the
lighting is sufficient during high shutter speed recording. When
the lighting is insufficient, LOW LIGHT appears in the viewfinder.
When you play back a tape recorded with higher shutter speeds, you
might notice that scene changes are not as smooth as usual.
The auto-focus system might not work properly with some fast
-action scenes. If it does not, manually focus.
If you use AC-powered lights during high shutter speed recording,
the picture might flicker during playback.
When recording with the illumination such as a fluorescent lamp, a
mercury vapor lamp or a sodium lamp, the picture may flicker.
SOUND PICKUP
If the sound source for the recording is only a few feet away, the built-in
microphone picks it up clearly.
For normal use, set the MIC switch to NORMAL.
When you record outside on a windy day, set the switch to WIND.
To use an external microphone, see "Attaching an External Microphone."
(EB/all-02/08/96)
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