Samsung Handycam Dcr Hc52 Users Manual HC52/HC54

Sony-Dcr-Hc52-Operating-Guide-796680 sony-dcr-hc52-operating-guide-796680

DCR-HC52 Operating Guide DCRHC52

Manual DCRHC52 Sony DCR-HC52 Operating Instructions | Manual Device

User manual DCRHC52 Sony DCR-HC52 Mini DV Camcorder User Manuals and Instruction Guides

Handycam DCR-HC52 DCRHC52

2015-01-23

: Samsung Samsung-Handycam-Dcr-Hc52-Users-Manual-275613 samsung-handycam-dcr-hc52-users-manual-275613 samsung pdf

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Page Count: 88

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
Read this first
- Notes on use
Getting Started
Recording/Playback
Using the Menu
Dubbing/Editing
- Dubbing to VCR or DVD/HDD recorders
- Recording pictures from a VCR, etc.
Using a Computer
Troubleshooting
- Troubleshooting
- Warning indicators and messages
Additional Information
Quick Reference
Spanish Quick Guide/Guía rápida en español

3-278-983-11(1)

Digital Video Camera Recorder

Operating Guide

DCR-HC52/HC54

Getting Started 11

Recording/

Playback

Using the Menu 29

Dubbing/Editing 44

Using a Computer 48

Troubleshooting 52

Additional Information 59

Quick Reference 69

Spanish Quick Guide/

Guía rápida en español 78

To reduce fire or shock hazard, do

not expose the unit to rain or

moisture.

Do not expose the batteries to

excessive heat such as sunshine,

fire or the like.

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.

WARNING

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

For your protection, please read these safety

instructions completely before operating

the appliance, and keep this manual for

future reference.

Carefully observe all warnings, precautions

and instructions on the appliance, or the one

described in the operating instructions and

adhere to them.

Power Sources

This set should be operated only from the type of

power source indicated on the marking label. If

you are not sure of the type of electrical power

supplied to your home, consult your dealer or

local power company. For those sets designed to

operate from battery power, or other sources, refer

to the operating instructions.

Polarization

This set may be equipped with a polarized ac

power cord (mains lead) plug (a plug having one

blade wider than the other).

This plug will fit into the power outlet only one

way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to

insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing

the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact

your electrician to have a suitable outlet installed.

Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized

plug by forcing it in.

Overloading

Do not overload wall outlets (wall sockets),

extension cords or convenience receptacles

beyond their capacity, since this can result in fire

or electric shock.

Object and Liquid Entry

Never push objects of any kind into the set

through openings as they may touch dangerous

voltage points or short out parts that could result

in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any

kind on the set.

Attachments

Do not use attachments not recommended by the

manufacturer, as they may cause hazards.

Cleaning

Unplug the set from the wall outlet (wall socket)

before cleaning or polishing it. Do not use liquid

cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a cloth lightly

dampened with water for cleaning the exterior of

the set.

Water and Moisture

Do not use power-line operated sets near water –

for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen

sink, or laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a

swimming pool, etc.

Power cord (Mains lead) Protection

Route the power cord (mains lead) so that it is not

likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed

upon or against them, paying particular attention

to the plugs, receptacles, and the point where the

cord exits from the appliance.

Accessories

Do not place the set on an unstable cart, stand,

tripod, bracket, or table. The set may fall, causing

serious injury to a child or an adult, and serious

damage to the set. Use only a cart, stand, tripod,

bracket, or table recommended by the

manufacturer.

Ventilation

The slots and openings in the cabinet are provided

for necessary ventilation. To ensure reliable

operation of the set, and to protect it from

overheating, these slots and openings must never

be blocked or covered.

– Never cover the slots and openings with a cloth

or other materials.

– Never block the slots and openings by placing

the set on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar

surface.

– Never place the set in a confined space, such as

a bookcase, or built-in cabinet, unless proper

ventilation is provided.

– Do not place the set near or over a radiator or

heat register, or where it is exposed to direct

sunlight.

Use

Installation

Continued ,

Lightning

For added protection for this set during a lightning

storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for

long periods of time, unplug it from the wall

outlet (wall socket) and disconnect the antenna or

cable system. This will prevent damage to the set

due to lightning and power-line surges.

Damage Requiring Service

Unplug the set from the wall outlet (wall socket)

and refer servicing to qualified service personnel

under the following conditions:

– When the power cord (mains lead) or plug is

damaged or frayed.

– If liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen

into the set.

– If the set has been exposed to rain or water.

– If the set has been subject to excessive shock by

being dropped, or the cabinet has been

damaged.

– If the set does not operate normally when

following the operating instructions. Adjust

only those controls that are specified in the

operating instructions. Improper adjustment of

other controls may result in damage and will

often require extensive work by a qualified

technician to restore the set to normal operation.

– When the set exhibits a distinct change in

performance – this indicates a need for service.

Servicing

Do not attempt to service the set yourself as

opening or removing covers may expose you to

dangerous voltage or other hazards.

Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

Replacement parts

When replacement parts are required, be sure the

service technician has used replacement parts

specified by the manufacturer that have the same

characteristics as the original parts.

Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire,

electric shock, or other hazards.

Safety Check

Upon completion of any service or repairs to the

set, ask the service technician to perform routine

safety checks (as specified by the manufacturer)

to determine that the set is in safe operating

condition.

Service

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS (Continued)

Read this first

Before operating the unit, please read this

manual thoroughly, and retain it for future

reference.

Replace the battery with the

specified type only. Otherwise, fire

or injury may result.

RECYCLING LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES

Lithium-Ion batteries are recyclable.

You can help preserve our

environment by returning your

used rechargeable batteries to the

collection and recycling location

nearest you.

For more information regarding

recycling of rechargeable batteries, call toll free 1-

800-822- 8837, or visit http://www.rbrc.org/

Caution: Do not handle damaged or leaking

Lithium-Ion batteries.

Battery pack

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC

Rules. Operation is subject to the following two

conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful

interference, and (2) this device must accept any

interference received, including interference that

may cause undesired operation.

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 your Sony dealer regarding this product.

CAUTION

For customers in the U.S.A. and

CANADA

Model No. DCR-HC52/HC54

Serial No.

Model No. AC-

Serial No.

If you have any questions about this

product, you may call:

Sony Customer Information Center 1-800-

222-SONY (7669).

The number below is for the FCC related

matters only.

Regulatory Information

For customers in the U.S.A.

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: SONY

Model No.: DCR-HC52

Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.

Address: 16530 Via Esprillo, San Diego, CA

92127 U.S.A.

Telephone number: 858-942-2230

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC

Rules.

Operation is subject to the following two

conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful

interference, and (2) this device must accept any

interference received, including interference

that may cause undesired operation.

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: SONY

Model No.: DCR-HC54

Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.

Address: 16530 Via Esprillo, San Diego, CA

92127 U.S.A.

Telephone number: 858-942-2230

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC

Rules.

Operation is subject to the following two

conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful

interference, and (2) this device must accept any

interference received, including interference

that may cause undesired operation.

Continued ,

Notes

DCR-HC52 and DCR-HC54 are to be used with

AC Adaptor Model AC-L200/L200B.

CAUTION

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.

The supplied interface cable must be used with the

equipment in order to comply with the limits for a

digital device pursuant to Subpart B of Part 15 of

FCC Rules.

For the State of California, USA only

Perchlorate Material - special handling may

apply, See

www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate

Perchlorate Material: Lithium battery contains

perchlorate.

About the manuals supplied with your

camcorder

– “Operating Guide” (This manual)

– For DCR-HC54

“First Step Guide” for connecting the

camcorder to a computer and using the

supplied software (stored on the supplied

CD-ROM)

Type of cassette you can use in your

camcorder

• You can use mini DV cassettes marked

with . Your camcorder is not

compatible with the Cassette Memory

function (p. 60).

Using the camcorder

• Do not hold the camcorder by the

following parts.

• The camcorder is not dustproof, dripproof

or waterproof.

See “On use and care” (p. 63).

• When connecting your camcorder to

another device with communication

cables, be sure to insert the connector plug

in the correct way.

Pushing the plug forcibly into the terminal

Notes on use

LCD panel

Battery packViewfinder

Read thid first (Continued)

will damage the terminal and may result

in a malfunction of your camcorder.

About menu items, LCD panel,

viewfinder, and lens

• A menu item that is grayed out is not

available under the current recording or

playback conditions.

• The LCD screen and the viewfinder are

manufactured using extremely high-

precision technology, so over 99.99% of

the pixels are operational for effective

use. However, there may be some tiny

black points and/or bright points (white,

red, blue, or green in color) that appear

constantly on the LCD screen and the

viewfinder. These points are normal

results of the manufacturing process and

do not affect the recording in any way.

• Exposing the LCD screen, the viewfinder,

or the lens to direct sunlight for long

periods of time may cause malfunctions.

• Do not aim at the sun. Doing so might

cause your camcorder to malfunction.

Take pictures of the sun only in low light

conditions, such as at dusk.

About the language setting

• The on-screen displays in each local

language are used for illustrating the

operating procedures. Change the screen

language before using your camcorder if

necessary (p. 16).

On recording

• Before starting to record, test the

recording function to make sure the

picture and sound are recorded without

any problems.

• Compensation for the contents of

recordings cannot be provided, even if

recording or playback is not possible due

to a malfunction of the camcorder, storage

media, etc.

• TV color systems differ depending on the

country/region. To view your recordings

on a TV, you need a NTSC system-based

TV.

• Television programs, films, video tapes,

and other materials may be copyrighted.

Unauthorized recording of such materials

may be contrary to the copyright laws.

About this manual

• The images of the LCD screen and the

viewfinder used in this manual for

illustration purposes are captured using a

digital still camera, and therefore may

appear different.

• The illustrations used on this manual are

based on the model DCR-HC54. The

model name is indicated on the bottom of

your camcorder.

• Design and specifications of recording

media and accessories are subject to

change without notice.

About the Carl Zeiss lens

Your camcorder is equipped with a Carl

Zeiss lens, which was developed jointly by

Carl Zeiss, in Germany, and Sony

Corporation, and produces superior images.

It adopts the MTF* measurement system for

Black point

White, red, blue

or green point

Continued ,

video cameras and offers a quality typical

of a Carl Zeiss lens.

*MTF stands for Modulation Transfer

Function. The number value indicates the

amount of light from a subject coming into

the lens.

Read thid first (Continued)

Table of Contents

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS..........3

Read this first ..................................5

Notes on use ................................. 6

Step 1: Checking supplied items

.....................................................11

Step 2: Charging the battery pack

.....................................................12

Step 3: Turning the power on and

setting the date and time ............15

Changing the language setting

................................................... 16

Step 4: Making setting adjustments

before recording ..........................17

Step 5: Inserting a Cassette .........18

Easy Recording/Playback

(Easy Handycam) .......................19

Recording .....................................21

Zooming ...................................... 22

Recording in dark places

(NightShot plus) ........................ 22

Adjusting the exposure for backlit

subjects .................................... 23

Recording in mirror mode ........... 23

Playback .......................................24

Using the guide functions

(USAGE GUIDE) ........................25

Searching for the starting point .....26

Searching for the last scene of the

most recent recording

(END SEARCH) ........................ 26

Searching manually

(EDIT SEARCH) ........................ 26

Reviewing the most recently

recorded scenes

(Rec review) ............................. 26

Playing the picture on a TV ..........28

Using the menu items ..........29

Operation button items .................30

Menu items ...................................37

MANUAL SET menu .............38

– P EFFECT

CAMERA SET menu ............39

– D ZOOM/WIDE SEL/

STEADYSHOT, etc.

VCR SET menu ....................40

– AUDIO MIX

LCD/VF SET menu ...............41

– LCD B.L./LCD COLOR/VF B.L., etc

TAPE SET menu ..................42

– REC MODE/AUDIO MODE/

REMAIN

SETUP MENU menu ............42

– USB STREAM/LANGUAGE, etc.

OTHERS menu .....................43

– WORLD TIME, etc.

Dubbing to VCR or DVD/HDD

recorders .....................................44

Recording pictures from a VCR, etc.

.....................................................46

What you can do with Windows

computer (DCR-HC54) ...............48

Installing the “First Step Guide” and

software (DCR-HC54) .................49

Viewing “First Step Guide” (DCR-

HC54) ..........................................51

Troubleshooting ............................52

Warning indicators and messages

.....................................................57

Getting Started

Recording/Playback

Using the Menu

Dubbing/Editing

Using a Computer

Troubleshooting

Continued ,

Using your camcorder abroad ...... 59

Maintenance and precautions ...... 60

Usable cassette tapes ................ 60

About the “InfoLITHIUM” battery

pack .......................................... 61

About i.LINK ................................ 62

On using your camcorder ........... 63

Specifications ............................... 66

Identifying parts and controls ....... 69

Indicators displayed during

recording/playback ..................... 72

Index ............................................ 75

Additional Information

Quick Reference

Spanish Quick Guide/

Guía rápida en español 78

Table of Contents (Continued)

Getting Started

Step 1: Checking supplied items

Make sure that you have following items

supplied with your camcorder.

The number in the parentheses indicates the

number of that item supplied.

AC Adaptor (1) (p. 12)

Power cord (Mains lead) (1) (p. 12)

A/V connecting cable (1) (p. 28, 44)

USB cable (1)

(DCR-HC54) (p. 70)

Rechargeable battery pack NP-FH30 (1)

(p. 12, 61)

CD-ROM “Handycam Application

Software” (1) (DCR-HC54)(p. 48)

Operating Guide (This manual) (1)

Step 2: Charging the battery pack

You can charge the “InfoLITHIUM”

battery pack (H series) (p. 61) after

attaching it to your camcorder.

bNotes

• You cannot attach any “InfoLITHIUM” battery

pack other than the H series to your camcorder.

1Align the terminals of the battery

pack and your camcorder 1, then

attach the battery pack and click

it into place 2.

2Slide the POWER switch in the

direction of the arrow to

OFF(CHG) (The default setting).

3With the v mark on the DC plug

facing down, connect the AC

Adaptor to the DC IN jack on your

camcorder.

4Connect the power cord (mains

lead) to the AC Adaptor and the

wall outlet (wall socket).

The CHG (charge) lamp lights up and

charging starts. The CHG (charge) lamp

turns off when the battery is fully

charged. Disconnect the AC Adaptor

from the DC IN jack.

bNotes

• Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the DC IN

jack holding both the camcorder and the DC

plug.

Battery pack

DC IN jack

To the wall outlet (wall socket)

Power cord (Mains lead)

With the v mark facing

down

POWER switch

AC Adaptor

CHG (charge) lamp

Getting Started

To use an outside power source

You can operate your camcorder using the

power from the wall outlet (wall socket) by

making the same connections as you do

when charging the battery pack. The battery

pack will not lose its charge in this case.

To remove the battery pack

1Turn off the power, then press PUSH.

2Remove the battery pack in the direction

of the arrow.

When storing the battery pack

Fully discharge the battery before storing it

for an extended period (p. 61).

To check the remaining battery

(Battery Info)

Set the POWER switch to OFF(CHG), then

press DISP/BATT INFO.

After a while, the approximate recordable

time and battery information appear for

about 7 seconds. You can view the battery

information for up to 20 seconds by

pressing DISP/BATT INFO again while the

information is displayed.

You can check the remaining battery charge

on the LCD screen.

Charging time

Approximate time (min.) required when

you fully charge a fully discharged battery

pack.

POWER switch

PUSH

Indicator Status

Sufficient power remaining

Battery low, recording/

playback will stop soon.

Replace the battery with a

fully charged one, or charge

the battery.

Battery pack Charging time

NP-FH30 (supplied) 115

NP-FH50 135

NP-FH70 170

NP-FH100 390

BATTERY INFO

BATTERY CHARGE LEVEL

REC TIME AVAILABLE

LCD SCREEN

VIEWFINDER :

:85

99 min

min

0% 50% 100%

Remaining battery (approx.)

Recording capacity (approx.)

Continued ,

Recording time

Approximate time (min.) available when

you use a fully charged battery pack.

*Typical recording time shows the time when

you repeat recording start/stop, turning the

power on/off and zooming.

bNotes

• All times measured under the following

conditions:

Top: Recording with LCD screen.

Bottom: Recording with viewfinder while the

LCD panel closed.

Playing time

Approximate time (min.) available when

you use a fully charged battery pack.

On the battery pack

• Before changing the battery pack, slide the

POWER switch to OFF(CHG).

• The CHG (charge) lamp flashes during

charging, or the Battery Info (p. 13) will not be

correctly displayed under the following

conditions.

– The battery pack is not attached correctly.

– The battery pack is damaged.

– The battery pack is worn-out (for Battery Info

only).

• The power will not be supplied from the battery

as long as the AC Adaptor is connected to the

DC IN jack of your camcorder, even when the

power cord (mains lead) is disconnected from

the wall outlet (wall socket).

On the charging/recording/playback time

• Times measured with the camcorder at 25 °C

(77 °F). (10 °C to 30 °C (50 °F to 86 °F) is

recommended.)

• The recording and playback time will be shorter

when you use your camcorder in low

temperatures.

• The recording and playback time will be shorter

depending on the conditions under which you

use your camcorder.

On the AC Adaptor

• Use the nearby wall outlet (wall socket) when

using the AC Adaptor. Disconnect the AC

Adaptor from the wall outlet (wall socket)

immediately if any malfunction occurs while

using your camcorder.

• Do not use the AC Adaptor placed in a narrow

space, such as between a wall and furniture.

• Do not short-circuit the DC plug of the AC

Adaptor or battery terminal with any metallic

objects. This may cause a malfunction.

• Even if your camcorder is turned off, AC power

(house current) is still supplied to it while

connected to the wall outlet (wall socket) via the

AC Adaptor.

Battery pack

Continuous

recording

time

Typical

recording

time*

NP-FH30

(supplied)

95 45

110 55

NP-FH50 155 75

180 90

NP-FH70 330 165

395 195

NP-FH100 760 380

890 445

Battery pack LCD panel

opened

LCD panel

closed

NP-FH30

(supplied) 105 135

NP-FH50 170 220

NP-FH70 370 465

NP-FH100 845 1065

Step2: Charging the battery pack (Continued)

Getting Started

Step 3: Turning the power on and setting the

date and time

Set the date and time when using this

camcorder for the first time. If you do not

set the date and time, the [CLOCK SET]

screen appears every time you turn on your

camcorder or change the POWER switch

position.

1While pressing the green button,

slide the POWER switch in the

direction of the arrow to turn on

the respective lamp.

CAMERA: To record on a tape.

PLAY/EDIT: To play or edit pictures.

The [CLOCK SET] screen appears.

2Set [Y] (year) with / .

You can set any year up to the year

2079.

3Move to [M] (month) with ,

then set with / .

4Move to [D] (day) with , then

set with / and repeat

for the hour and minute.

For midnight, set it to 12:00 AM.

For midday, set it to 12:00 PM.

5Make sure the date and time

settings are correct, then touch

The clock starts.

To turn off the power

Slide the POWER switch to OFF(CHG).

To reset the date and time

You can set the desired date and time by

touching t [PAGE2] t [CLOCK

SET] (p. 29).

bNotes

• If you do not use your camcorder for about 3

months, the built-in rechargeable battery gets

discharged and the date and time settings may

be cleared from the memory. In that case,

charge the rechargeable battery and then set the

date and time again (p. 66).

• At the time of purchase, the power is set to turn

off automatically if you leave your camcorder

without any operation attempted for

approximately 5 minutes, to save battery power

([A.SHUT OFF], p. 43).

zTips

• The date and time are not displayed while

recording, but they are automatically recorded

on the tape, and can be displayed during

playback (see page 34 for [DATA CODE]

(During Easy Handycam operation, you can set

only [DATE/TIME])).

• If the buttons on the touch panel do not work

correctly, adjust the touch panel

(CALIBRATION) (p. 64).

POWER switch

Touch the button

on the LCD screen.

CLOCK SET

YMD

2008 JAN 1 :00

Continued ,

You can change the on-screen displays to

show messages in a specified language.

Touch t [MENU] t

(SETUP MENU) t [ LANGUAGE],

then select the desired language.

Changing the language setting

Step 3: Turning the power on and setting the date and time (Continued)

Getting Started

Step 4: Making setting adjustments before

recording

Slide the LENS COVER switch to OPEN.

After recording, set the LENS COVER

switch to CLOSE, to close the lens cover.

Open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the

camcorder (1), then rotate it to the best

angle to record or play (2).

bNotes

• Do not press the buttons on the LCD frame

accidentally when you open or adjust the LCD

panel.

zTips

• If you rotate the LCD panel 180 degrees to the

lens side, you can close the LCD panel with the

LCD screen facing out. This is convenient

during playback operations.

• See [LCD BRT] (p. 34) to adjust the brightness

of the LCD screen.

• Press DISP/BATT INFO to toggle the screen

indicators (such as Battery Info) on or off.

You can view pictures using the viewfinder

to avoid wearing down the battery, or when

the picture seen on the LCD screen is poor.

zTips

• You can adjust the brightness of the viewfinder

backlight by selecting (LCD/VF SET) -

[VF B.L.] (p. 41).

Fasten the grip belt and hold your

camcorder correctly.

Opening the lens cover

The LCD panel

180 degrees

(max.)

90 degrees

(max.)

90 degrees to the

camcorder

DISP/BATT INFO

The viewfinder

The grip belt

Viewfinder lens

adjustment lever

Move it until the picture

is clear.

Viewfinder

Step 5: Inserting a Cassette

You can use mini DV cassettes only

(p. 60).

1Slide and hold the OPEN/

EJECT lever in the direction of the

arrow and open the lid.

The cassette compartment automatically

comes out and opens up.

2Insert a cassette with its window

facing outwards, then press

The cassette compartment

automatically slides back in.

bNotes

•Do not force the cassette

compartment closed by pressing the

portion marked while

it is sliding in. It may cause a

malfunction.

3Close the lid.

To eject the cassette

Open the lid following the same procedure

as described in step 1 and remove the

cassette.

zTips

• The recordable time varies depending on [REC

MODE] (p. 42).

OPEN/EJECT lever

Lid

Window

Push the center of the back

of the cassette lightly.

Cassette compartment

{DO NOT PUSH}

Recording/Playback

Easy Recording/Playback (Easy Handycam)

With this Easy Handycam operation, most of the camera settings are automatically optimally

adjusted, which frees you from detailed adjustments. The screen font size increases for easy

viewing.

1Slide the POWER switch A in the direction of the arrow repeatedly to turn

on the CAMERA lamp.

2Press EASY C.

3Press REC START/STOP B (or E) to start recording.*

*During Easy Handycam operation, you can only record in the SP mode.

Recording

EDC

Open the lens cover (p. 17)

If the POWER switch A is set to OFF(CHG),

slide it while pressing the green button.

EASY appears on the screen D.

0:00:00

REC

GUIDE

60min

The indicator (A) changes from [STBY] to

[REC]. To stop recording, press REC START/

STOP again.

Continued ,

Slide the POWER switch A in the direction of the arrow repeatedly to turn on

the PLAY/EDIT lamp. Touch the buttons on the screen D as follows.

x To cancel Easy Handycam operation

Press EASY C again. disappears from the screen D.

x Adjustable menu settings during Easy Handycam operation

Touch to display adjustable menu settings. See page 29 for details on setting.

• Almost all the settings return to their defaults automatically (p. 37).

• Cancel Easy Handycam operation if you want to add any effects or settings to the images.

x Unavailable button during Easy Handycam

During Easy Handycam operation, the . (back light) button (p. 23) is unavailable. [Invalid

during Easy Handycam operation.] appears if an attempted operation is not available in Easy

Handycam mode.

Playback

AGUIDE (p. 25)

BStop

CPlay/Pause toggles as you touch it

DRewind/Fast forward

Touch , then touch to

start playback.

If the POWER switch is

set to OFF(CHG), slide it

while pressing the green

button.

Easy Recording/Playback (Easy Handycam) (Continued)

Recording/Playback

Recording

Slide the POWER switch in the direction of the arrow repeatedly

to turn on the CAMERA lamp.

Press REC START/STOP A (or B).

To stop recording, press REC START/STOP A (or B) again.

Open the lens cover (p. 17).

REC START/STOP B

POWER switch

REC START/

STOP A

If the POWER switch is set to OFF(CHG), slide it

while pressing the green button.

[STBY] [REC]

Continued ,

You can magnify images up to 40 times the

original size with the power zoom lever or

the zoom buttons on the LCD frame.

Move the power zoom lever slightly for a

slower zoom. Move it further for a faster

zoom.

bNotes

• [STEADYSHOT] may not reduce image

blurring as desired when the power zoom lever

is set to the T (Telephoto) side.

• Be sure to keep your finger on the power zoom

lever. If you move your finger off the power

zoom lever, the operation sound of the power

zoom lever may also be recorded.

• You cannot change the zoom speed with the

zoom buttons on the LCD frame.

• The minimum possible distance between

camcorder and subject while maintaining sharp

focus is about 1 cm (about 13/32 in.) for wide

angle and about 80 cm (about 2 5/8 feet) for

telephoto.

zTips

• You can set [D ZOOM] (p. 39) if you want to

zoom to a level greater than 40 ×.

Set the NIGHTSHOT PLUS switch to ON.

( and [“NIGHTSHOT PLUS”] appear.)

bNotes

• The NightShot plus function uses infrared light.

Therefore, do not cover the infrared port with

your fingers or other objects. Remove the

conversion lens (optional) if it is attached.

• Adjust the focus manually ([FOCUS], p. 30)

when it is hard to focus automatically.

• Do not use the NightShot plus function in bright

places. This may cause a malfunction.

Zooming

Close view: (Telephoto)

Wider range of view:

(Wide angle)

Recording in dark places

(NightShot plus)

Infrared port

Recording (Continued)

Recording/Playback

To adjust the exposure for backlit subjects,

press . (back light) to display .. To

cancel the backlight function, press .

(back light) again.

Open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the

camcorder (1), then rotate it 180 degrees

to the lens side (2).

zTips

• A mirror-image of the subject appears on the

LCD screen, but the image will be normal when

recorded.

Adjusting the exposure for

backlit subjects

Recording in mirror mode

Playback

Slide the POWER switch in the direction of the arrow repeatedly

to turn on the PLAY/EDIT lamp.

Start playing back.

Touch to rewind the tape to the desired point, then touch to start playback.

*Playback automatically stops if pause is engaged for more than 3 minutes.

To adjust the volume

Touch t [PAGE1] t [VOL], then / to adjust the volume.

To search for a scene during playback

Touch and hold / during playback (Picture Search), or / while fast

forwarding or rewinding the tape (Skip Scan).

zTips

• You can play back in various modes ([V SPD PLAY], p. 34).

If the POWER switch is set to OFF(CHG), slide it

while pressing the green button.

Stop

Play/Pause* toggles as you touch it

Rewind/Fast forward

Recording/Playback

Using the guide functions (USAGE GUIDE)

You can easily select the desired setting

screens by using the guide functions

(USAGE GUIDE).

Your camcorder has 2 guide functions as

shown below.

1Touch [GUIDE].

2Select the desired item.

e.g., to record night views

Touch [SHOOT GUIDE] t [SELCT

SCENE] t [PAGE r]/[PAGE R] to

display [To keep the mood of a night

view].

3Touch [SET].

The desired setting screen appears.

Adjust the settings according to your

purpose.

Unavailable settings during Easy

Handycam

During Easy Handycam operation, some

items are unavailable. If an attempted

setting is not available, but still desired,

touch [SET] to display an on-screen

instruction. Follow the instruction to cancel

Easy Handycam operation and then select

the setting.

zTips

• If [SET] is not displayed in step 3, follow the

instruction on the screen.

SHOOT

GUIDE:

Takes you to the setting

screens related to

recording.

DISP

GUIDE:

Enables you to check the

meaning of each indicator

that appears on the LCD

screen. See page 73 for

details.

Searching for the starting point

Make sure that the CAMERA lamp

lights up (p. 21).

[END SCH] (END SEARCH) will not

work once you eject the cassette after you

have recorded on the tape.

Touch t [PAGE1], then touch

[END SCH].

The last scene of the most recent

recording is played back for about 5

seconds, and the camcorder enters the

standby mode at the point where the last

recording has finished.

bNotes

• [END SCH] will not work correctly when there

is a blank section between recorded sections on

the tape.

zTips

• This operation is also available when the

POWER switch is set to PLAY/EDIT.

You can search for the start point to start

the next recording while viewing the

pictures on the screen. The sound is not

played back during the search.

1Touch t [PAGE1] t

[MENU].

2Select (CAMERA SET) with

/ , then touch [EXEC].

3Select [EDITSEARCH] with /

, then touch [EXEC].

4Select [ON] with / ,

then touch [EXEC] t .

5Touch and hold (to go

backward)/ (to go forward)

and release it at the point where

you want the recording to start.

You can view about 2 seconds of the scene

recorded just before you stopped the tape.

1Touch t [PAGE1] t

[MENU].

2Select (CAMERA SET) with

/ , then touch [EXEC].

Searching for the last scene of

the most recent recording

(END SEARCH)

Searching manually

(EDIT SEARCH)

0:00:00

SPOT

FOCUS FOCUS

MENU SCENE

SEL. END

SCH EXPO–

SURE

SPOT

METER DISP

GUIDE

PAGE1 PAGE2

60min

Touch here again to cancel the operation.

Reviewing the most recently

recorded scenes (Rec review)

0:00:00STBY60min

EDIT FN

GUIDE

Recording/Playback

3Select [EDITSEARCH] with /

, then touch [EXEC].

4Select [ON] with / ,

then touch [EXEC] t .

5Touch .

The last 2 seconds (approx.) of the most

recently recorded scene are played back.

Then, your camcorder is set to standby.

0:00:00STBY60min

EDIT FN

GUIDE

Playing the picture on a TV

You can connect your camcorder to the input jack of a TV or a VCR using the A/V connecting

cable (1) or the A/V connecting cable with S VIDEO (2). Connect your camcorder to the

wall outlet (wall socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor for this operation (p. 12). Refer also

to the instruction manuals supplied with the devices to be connected.

AA/V connecting cable (supplied)

Connect to the input jack of another device.

BA/V connecting cable with S

VIDEO (optional)

When connecting to another device via the S

VIDEO jack, by using the A/V connecting

cable with an S VIDEO cable, pictures can be

reproduced more faithfully than with the

supplied A/V cable connection.

Connect the white and red plugs (left/right

audio) and S VIDEO plug (S VIDEO

channel) of an A/V connecting cable. In this

case, the yellow (standard video) plug

connection is not necessary. S VIDEO

connection only will not output audio.

zTips

• You can display the time code on the TV screen

by setting [DISP OUT] to [V-OUT/LCD]

(p. 43).

When connecting your camcorder to a

TV through a VCR

Connect your camcorder to the LINE IN

input on the VCR. Set the input selector on

the VCR to LINE (VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2,

etc.), if the VCR has an input selector.

When your TV is monaural (Only one

audio input jack)

Connect the yellow plug of the A/V

connecting cable to the video input jack and

connect the white (left channel) or the red

(right channel) plug to the audio input jack

of your TV or VCR.

A/V Remote

Connector

(Yellow)

(White)

(Red)

: Signal flow VCRs or TVs

(Black)

(White)

(Red)

(Yellow)

Device without an

S VIDEO jack Device with an

S VIDEO jack

Using the Menu

Using the menu items

1Slide the POWER switch in the direction of the arrow

repeatedly to turn on the respective lamp.

CAMERA lamp: settings for recording on a tape

PLAY/EDIT lamp: settings for viewing/editing

2Touch the LCD screen to select the menu item.

Unavailable items will be grayed out.

xTo use the operation buttons on

PAGE1/PAGE2/PAGE3

For details of the button items, see page

30.

1Touch .

2Touch the desired page.

3Touch the desired button.

4Select the desired setting, then touch

t (Close).

bNotes

• With some settings, you do not have to

touch .

xTo use menu items

For details of the items, see page 37.

1Touch t [MENU] on

[PAGE1].

The menu index screen appears.

2Select the desired menu.

Touch / to select the

item, then touch [EXEC]. (The process

in step 3 and 4 is the same as that in

step 2.)

3Select the desired item.

4Customize the item.

After finishing the settings, touch

(close) to hide the menu screen.

Each touch of [ RET.] takes you to

the previous screen.

xTo use menu items during Easy

Handycam operation

1Touch .

2Select the desired button.

3Change your item setting.

After finishing the settings, touch

(close).

bNotes

• Cancel Easy Handycam operation to use

menu items normally.

Operation button

items

Available operation buttons vary depending

on the position of the lamp and the display

(PAGE).

The default settings are marked with B.

The indicators in parentheses appear when

the items are selected.

The available functions during Easy

Handycam operation are marked with “*”.

See page 29 for details on selecting

button items.

[PAGE1]

You can select and adjust the focal point to

a subject not located in the center of the

screen.

1Touch the point where you want to focus

on in the frame.

9 appears.

2Touch [END].

To adjust the focus automatically, touch

[AUTO] or set [FOCUS] to [AUTO].

bNotes

• If you set [SPOT FOCUS], [FOCUS] is

automatically set to [MANUAL].

When the CAMERA lamp lights

SPOT FOCUS

AUTO

SPOT FOCUS

0:00:00

STBY60min

END

You can adjust the focus manually. You can

select this function also when you want to

focus on a certain subject intentionally.

1Touch [MANUAL].

9 appears.

2Touch (focusing on close subjects)/

(focusing on distant subjects) to

sharpen the focus. appears when the

focus cannot be adjusted any closer, and

appears when the focus cannot be adjusted

farther away.

3Touch .

To adjust the focus automatically, touch

[AUTO].

bNotes

• The minimum possible distance between

camcorder and subject while maintaining sharp

focus is about 1 cm (about 13/32 in.) for wide

angle and about 80 cm (about 2 5/8 feet) for

telephoto.

zTips

• It is easier to focus on the subject by moving the

power zoom lever towards T (telephoto) to

adjust the focus, then towards W (wide angle) to

adjust the zoom for recording. When you want

to record a subject at close range, move the

power zoom lever to W (wide angle), then

adjust the focus.

FOCUS

Using the Menu

You can adjust and fix the exposure to the

subject, so that it is recorded in suitable

brightness even when there is strong

contrast between the subject and the

background, such as subjects in the

spotlight on stage.

1Touch the point where you want to fix and

adjust the exposure on the screen.

appears.

2Touch [END].

To return the setting to automatic exposure,

touch [AUTO] or set [EXPOSURE] to

[AUTO].

bNotes

• If you set [SPOT METER], [EXPOSURE] is

automatically set to [MANUAL].

See page 73.

See page 37.

You can record pictures effectively in

various situations with the SCENE SEL.

function.

BAUTO

Select to automatically record pictures

effectively without the [SCENE SEL.]

function.

TWILIGHT* ( )

Select to maintain the darkening

atmosphere of the distant surroundings in

twilight scenes.

SUNRSSUNST* (Sunrise & Sunset)

()

Select to maintain the atmosphere of

situations such as sunsets and sunrises.

LANDSCAPE* ( )

Select to shoot distant subjects clearly.

This setting also prevents your camcorder

from focusing on glass or metal mesh in

windows between the camcorder and the

subject.

PORTRAIT (Soft portrait) ( )

Select to bring out the subject such as

people or flowers while creating a soft

background.

SPOTLIGHT** ( )

Select to prevent people’s faces from

appearing excessively white when subjects

are lit by strong light.

SPOT METER

(Flexible spot meter)

DISP GUIDE (Display Guide)*

SCENE SEL.

AUTO

SPOT METER

0:00:00

STBY60min

END

Continued ,

SPORT** (Sports lesson) ( )

Select to minimize shake when shooting

fast moving subjects.

SNOW** ( )

Select this when shooting in very bright,

white conditions, such as on a ski slope;

otherwise pictures may appear too dark.

BEACH** ( )

Select to prevent people’s faces from

appearing dark in strong light or reflected

light, such as at a beach in midsummer.

bNotes

• If you set [SCENE SEL], [WHT BAL] setting is

canceled.

See page 26.

You can fix the brightness of a picture

manually. Adjust the brightness when the

subject is too bright or too dark.

1Touch [MANUAL].

appears.

2Adjust the exposure by touching /

To return the setting to automatic exposure,

touch [AUTO].

[PAGE2]

You can add the following effects to

currently recording pictures.

1Select the desired effect in standby mode

(to fade in) or recording mode (to fade out),

then touch t .

2Press REC START/STOP.

The fader indicator stops flashing and

disappears when the fade is complete.

To cancel [FADER] before starting the

operation, touch [OFF] in step 1.

If you press REC START/STOP once, the

setting is canceled.

WHITE

*Adjusted to focus on subjects farther away

only.

**Adjusted not to focus on subjects a short

distance away.

END SCH (END SEARCH)

EXPOSURE

FADER

MANU–

EXPOSURE

0:00:00STBY60min

AUTO

Fading out Fading in

Operation button items (Continued)

Using the Menu

BLACK

MOSC. FADER

MONOTONE

When fading in, the picture gradually

changes from black and white to color.

When fading out, it gradually changes from

color to black and white.

You can adjust the color balance to the

brightness of the recording environment.

BAUTO

The white balance is adjusted

automatically.

OUTDOOR ( )

The white balance is appropriately

adjusted for the following recording

conditions:

– Outdoors

– Night views, neon signs and fireworks

– Sunrise or sunset

– Under daylight fluorescent lamps

INDOOR (n)

The white balance is appropriately

adjusted for the following recording

conditions:

– Indoors

– At party scenes or studios where the lighting

conditions change quickly

– Under video lamps in a studio, or under

sodium lamps or incandescent-like color

lamps

ONE PUSH ( )

The white balance will be adjusted

according to the ambient light.

1Touch [ONE PUSH].

2Frame a white object such as a piece of

paper, to fill the screen under the same

lighting conditions as you will shoot

the subject.

3Touch .

flashes quickly. When the white

balance has been adjusted and stored in

the memory, the indicator stops

flashing.

bNotes

• Set [WHT BAL] to [AUTO] or [ONE PUSH]

under white or cool white fluorescent lamps.

• When you select [ONE PUSH], keep framing

white object while is flashing quickly.

• flashes slowly if [ONE PUSH] could not

be set.

• When [ONE PUSH] was selected, if keeps

flashing after touching , set [WHT

BAL] to [AUTO].

• If you set [WHT BAL], [SCENE SEL] setting is

canceled.

zTips

• If you have changed the battery pack while

[AUTO] was selected, or taken your camcorder

outdoors after inside use with the [EXPOSURE]

set (or vice versa), select [AUTO] and aim your

camcorder at a nearby white object for about 10

seconds for better color balance adjustment.

• When the white balance has been set with [ONE

PUSH], if you change the [SCENE SEL.]

settings, or bring your camcorder outdoors from

inside the house, or vice versa, you need to redo

the [ONE PUSH] procedure to readjust the

white balance.

BON

A beeping sound starts when you start/stop

recording, or operate the touch panel.

OFF

Cancels the beeping sound and shutter

sound.

WHT BAL (White balance)

BEEP*

Continued ,

See page 15.

You can adjust the brightness of the LCD

screen. The recorded picture will not be

affected by this operation.

Adjust the brightness with / .

You can use the video operation buttons

( / / / ) on every PAGE.

[PAGE1]

See page 37.

See page 24.

See page 26.

See page 73.

[PAGE2]

During playback, displays information

(data code) recorded automatically at the

time of recording.

BOFF

Data code is not displayed.

CAM DATA (below)

Displays camera setting data.

DATE/TIME

Displays the date and time.

ASteadyShot off

BExposure

CWhite balance

DGain

EShutter speed

FAperture value

bNotes

• In the [DATE/TIME] data display, the date and

time are displayed in the same area. If you

record a picture without setting the clock, [--- --

----] and [--:--:--] will appear.

• During Easy Handycam operation, you can set

[DATE/TIME] only.

See page 33.

See page 15.

[PAGE3]

You can play back in various modes while

viewing movies.

1Touch the following buttons during

playback.

CLOCK SET*

LCD BRT (LCD bright)

When the PLAY/EDIT lamp lights

VOL* (Volume)

END SCH (END SEARCH)

DISP GUIDE (Display Guide)*

DATA CODE*

BEEP*

CLOCK SET

V SPD PLAY

(Various speed playback)

GUIDE

0:00:00:0060min

AWB100 9dBF1. 8

AUTO

456

Operation button items (Continued)

Using the Menu

2Touch [ RET.] t .

To return to the normal playback mode,

touch (Play/Pause) twice (once from

frame playback).

bNotes

• You will not hear the recorded sound. You may

see mosaic-like images of the previously played

picture.

Using the internal stereo microphone

(p. 69), you can add sound to a tape already

recorded in 12-bit mode (p. 42) without

erasing the original sound.

bNotes

• You cannot record additional audio:

– When the tape has been recorded in the 16-bit

mode (p. 42).

– When the tape has been recorded in the LP

mode.

– When your camcorder is connected via an

i.LINK cable.

– When the tape has been recorded in 4CH MIC

mode on other camcorders.

– On blank sections of the tape.

– When the tape has been recorded in a TV

color system other than that of your

camcorder (p. 59).

– When the write-protect tab of the cassette is

set to SAVE (p. 60).

– On sections recorded in HDV format.

• When you add sound, the picture will not be

output from the A/V Remote Connector. Check

the picture on the LCD screen or the viewfinder.

• You can only record additional audio over a

tape recorded on your camcorder. The sound

may deteriorate when you dub audio on a tape

recorded on other camcorders (including other

DCR-HC52/HC54 camcorders).

Recording sound

Insert a recorded cassette into your

camcorder beforehand.

1Slide the POWER switch repeatedly to turn

on the PLAY/EDIT lamp.

2Touch (Play/Pause) to play back the

tape, then touch it again at the point where

you want to start recording the sound.

3Touch t [PAGE3] t [A DUB

CTRL] t [AUDIO DUB].

4Touch (Play).

Your camcorder starts audio recording via

the internal stereo microphone.

appears while recording the new sound

in stereo 2 (ST2) during the playback of the

tape.

5Touch (Stop) when you want to stop

recording.

To dub on other scenes, repeat step 2 to

select scenes, then touch [AUDIO DUB].

To Touch

change the

playback

direction*

(frame)

play back

slowly**

[ySLOW]

To reverse direction:

(frame) t

[ySLOW]

play back 2

times faster

(double speed)

To reverse direction:

(frame) t

(double speed)

play back frame

by frame

(frame) during

playback pause.

To reverse direction:

(frame) during

frame playback.

*Horizontal lines may appear at the top,

bottom, or in the center of the screen. This

is not a malfunction.

**Pictures output from the DV Interface

(i.LINK) cannot be played back smoothly in

slow mode.

A DUB CTRL (Audio dubbing)

RET.

0:00:00:0060min

AUDIO

DUB

0:00:00:0060min

A DUB CTRL

X appears.

Continued ,

6Touch [ RET.] t .

To check the recorded sound

1Play back the tape on which you have

recorded audio (p. 24).

2Touch t [PAGE1] t [MENU].

3Select (VCR SET), then touch

/ to select [AUDIO MIX],

then touch [EXEC].

4Touch / to adjust the balance

of the original sound (ST1) and the new

sound (ST2), then touch [EXEC].

bNotes

• The original sound (ST1) is output at the default

setting.

See page 46.

See page 34.

REC CTRL (Recording control)

LCD BRT (LCD bright)

ST1 ST2

VCR SET

AUDIO MIX

EXEC

RET.

Operation button items (Continued)

Using the Menu

*The value set before Easy Handycam operation will be retained during Easy Handycam operation.

Menu items

• Available menu items (z) vary depending on which lamp is lit.

• During Easy Handycam operation, the following settings are automatically applied (p. 19).

CAMERA PLAY/EDIT Easy Handycam

MANUAL SET menu (p. 38)

P EFFECT zz OFF

CAMERA SET menu (p. 39)

D ZOOM z–OFF

WIDE SEL z–4:3

STEADYSHOT z–ON

EDITSEARCH z–OFF

N.S.LIGHT z–ON

VCR SET menu (p. 40)

AUDIO MIX – z–

LCD/VF SET menu (p. 41)

LCD B.L. zzBRT NORMAL

LCD COLOR zz –

VF B.L. zz

BRT NORMAL

WIDE DISP zz –

TAPE SET menu (p. 42)

REC MODE zz SP

AUDIO MODE z–12BIT

REMAIN zz AUTO

SETUP MENU menu (p. 42)

USB STREAM (DCR-HC54) zz OFF

LANGUAGE zz z

DEMO MODE z–ON

OTHERS menu (p. 43)

WORLD TIME zz –*

A.SHUT OFF zz 5min

DISP OUT zz LCD

GUIDEFRAME z–OFF

MANUAL SET menu

– P EFFECT

The default setting is marked with B.

The indicators in parentheses appear when

the items are selected.

See page 29 for details on selecting

menu items.

You can add special effects to a picture

during recording or playback. appears.

BOFF

Does not use [P EFFECT] setting.

NEG.ART

The color and brightness are reversed.

SEPIA

Pictures appear in sepia.

B&W

Pictures appear in black and white.

SOLARIZE

Pictures appear as an illustration with

strong contrast.

PASTEL*

Pictures appear as a pale pastel drawing.

P EFFECT (Picture effect)

MOSAIC*

Pictures appear mosaic-patterned.

bNotes

• Effects added to the playback pictures are not

output via the DV Interface (i.LINK). Only

the original pictures can be output.

• You cannot add effects to externally input

pictures.

zTips

• You can record pictures edited with special

effects on another VCR/DVD device, etc.

(p. 44).

*Not available during playback.

Using the Menu

CAMERA SET

– D ZOOM/WIDE SEL/STEADYSHOT, etc.

The default settings are marked with B.

The indicators in parentheses appear when

the items are selected.

See page 29 for details on selecting

menu items.

You can select the maximum zoom level in

case you want to zoom to a level greater

than 40 × (the default setting) while

recording on a tape. Note that the image

quality decreases when you are using the

digital zoom.

BOFF

Up to 40 × zoom is performed optically.

80 ×

Up to 40 × zoom is performed optically,

and after that, up to 80 × zoom is

performed digitally.

2000 ×

Up to 40 × zoom is performed optically,

and after that, up to 2,000 × zoom is

performed digitally.

You can record a picture in a ratio suitable

for the screen on which it will be displayed.

Refer also to the operating instructions

supplied with your TV for details.

D ZOOM (Digital zoom)

WIDE SEL (Wide select)

The right side of the bar shows the digital

zooming factor. The zooming zone

appears when you select the zooming

level.

B4:3

Standard setting (to record pictures to be

played back on a 4:3 TV).

16:9 WIDE ( )

Records pictures to be played back on a

16:9 wide TV in full screen mode.

When viewed on the LCD screen/viewfinder with

[16:9 WIDE] selected.

You can compensate for camera shake (the

default setting is [ON]). Set

[STEADYSHOT] to [OFF] ( ) when

using a tripod (optional) or the conversion

lens (optional), then the image becomes

natural.

BOFF

Does not display or on the

LCD screen.

Displays and on the LCD

screen, and enables the EDIT SEARCH

function and Rec review (p. 26).

*Picture appears in full screen mode when the

wide-screen TV switches to full mode.

** Played in 4:3 mode. When you play a picture in

the wide mode, it appears as you saw it on the

LCD screen or in the viewfinder.

STEADYSHOT

EDITSEARCH

When viewed on a 16:9 wide

screen TV*

When viewed on a standard

TV**

Continued ,

When using the NightShot plus (p. 22)

function to record, you can record clearer

pictures by setting [N.S.LIGHT], which

emits infrared light (invisible), to [ON] (the

default setting).

bNotes

• Do not cover the infrared port with your fingers

or other objects (p. 69).

• Remove the conversion lens (optional) if it is

attached.

• The maximum shooting distance using

[N.S.LIGHT] is about 3 m (10 feet).

zTips

• If you record subjects in dark places, such as

night scenes or in moonlight, set [N.S.LIGHT]

to [OFF]. You can make the image color deeper

this way.

N.S.LIGHT (NightShot Light)

VCR SET menu

– AUDIO MIX

See page 36.

AUDIO MIX

CAMERA SET menu ( (Continued)

Using the Menu

LCD/VF SET menu

– LCD B.L./LCD COLOR/VF B.L., etc

The default settings are marked with B.

See page 29 for details on selecting

menu items.

You can adjust the brightness of the LCD

screen’s backlight. The recorded picture

will not be affected by this operation.

BBRT NORMAL

Standard brightness.

BRIGHT

Brightens the LCD screen.

bNotes

• When you connect your camcorder to outside

power sources, [BRIGHT] is automatically

selected for the setting.

• When you select [BRIGHT], battery life is

slightly reduced during recording.

You can adjust the color on the LCD screen

with / . The recorded picture

will not be affected by this operation.

You can adjust the brightness of the

viewfinder. The recorded picture will not be

affected by this operation.

BBRT NORMAL

Standard brightness.

BRIGHT

Brightens the viewfinder screen.

LCD B.L. (LCD back light)

LCD COLOR

VF B.L. (Viewfinder back light)

Low intensity High intensity

bNotes

• When you connect your camcorder to outside

power sources, [BRIGHT] is automatically

selected for the setting.

• When you select [BRIGHT], battery life is

slightly reduced during recording.

You can select how a 16:9 aspect ratio

picture appears in the viewfinder and the

LCD screen by setting [WIDE SEL] to

[16:9 WIDE]. The recorded picture will not

be affected by this operation.

BLETTER BOX

Normal setting (standard type of display)

SQUEEZE

Expands the picture vertically if black

bands at the top and bottom in 16:9 aspect

ratio are undesirable.

WIDE DISP (Wide display)

TAPE SET menu

– REC MODE/AUDIO MODE/REMAIN

The default settings are marked with B.

The indicators in parentheses appear when

the items are selected.

See page 29 for details on selecting

menu items.

BSP (SP)

Records in the SP (Standard Play) mode on

a cassette.

LP (LP)

Increases the recording time to 1.5 times

the SP mode (Long Play).

bNotes

• If you record in the LP mode, pictures may

appear mosaic-like or sound may be interrupted

when you play back the tape on other

camcorders or VCRs.

• When you mix recordings in the SP mode and in

the LP mode on one tape, the playback picture

may be distorted or the time code may not be

written properly between the scenes.

B12BIT

Records in the 12-bit mode (2 stereo

sounds).

16BIT ( )

Records in the 16-bit mode (1 stereo sound

with high quality).

BAUTO

Displays the remaining tape indicator for

about 8 seconds in situations such as those

described below.

• When you set the POWER switch to PLAY/

EDIT or CAMERA with a cassette inserted.

• When you touch (Play/Pause).

Always displays the remaining tape

indicator.

SETUP MENU

– USB STREAM/LANGUAGE, etc.

See page 29 for details on selecting

menu items.

You can view the pictures displayed on the

screen of your camcorder on your computer

(USB Streaming) via the USB cable. See

“First Step Guide” in the supplied CD-

ROM for details (p. 51).

You can select the language to be used on

the LCD screen.

• Your camcorder offers [ENG[SIMP]]

(simplified English) for when you cannot find

your native tongue among the options.

The default setting is [ON], allowing you to

view the demonstration about 10 minutes

after you have removed a cassette from

your camcorder, and slide the POWER

switch repeatedly to turn on the CAMERA

lamp.

zTips

• The demonstration will be suspended in

situations such as those described below.

– When you touch the screen during the

demonstration. (The demonstration starts

again after about 10 minutes.)

– When a cassette is inserted.

– When the POWER switch is set to other than

CAMERA.

REC MODE (Recording mode)

AUDIO MODE

REMAIN

USB STREAM (DCR-HC54)

LANGUAGE

DEMO MODE

Using the Menu

OTHERS menu

– WORLD TIME, etc.

The default settings are marked with B.

See page 29 for details on selecting

menu items.

When using your camcorder abroad, you

can set the time difference by touching

/ , the clock will be adjusted in

accordance with the time difference.

If you set the time difference to 0, the clock

returns to the originally set time.

B5min

The camcorder is automatically turned off

when you do not operate your camcorder

for more than approximately 5 minutes.

NEVER

The camcorder is not automatically turned

off.

bNotes

• When you connect your camcorder to a wall

outlet (wall socket), [A.SHUT OFF] is

automatically set to [NEVER].

BLCD

Shows displays such as the time code on

the LCD screen and in the viewfinder.

V-OUT/LCD

Shows displays such as the time code on

the TV screen, LCD screen, and in the

viewfinder.

WORLD TIME

A.SHUT OFF (Auto shut off)

DISP OUT (Display output)

You can display the frame and check that

the subject is horizontal or vertical by

setting [GUIDEFRAME] to [ON].

The frame is not recorded. Press DISP/

BATT INFO to make the frame disappear.

zTips

• Placing the subject at the cross point of the

guide frame makes a balanced composition.

GUIDEFRAME

Dubbing/Editing

Dubbing to VCR or DVD/HDD recorders

You can dub images played back on your camcorder to other recording devices, such as VCRs

or DVD/HDD recorders.

You can connect your camcorder to VCRs or DVD/HDD recorders, using the A/V connecting

cable (1), the A/V connecting cable with S VIDEO (2), or the i.LINK cable (3).

Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor for

this operation (p. 12). Refer also to the instruction manuals supplied with the devices to be

connected.

AA/V connecting cable (supplied)

Connect to the input jack of another device.

BA/V connecting cable with S

VIDEO (optional)

When connecting to another device via the S

VIDEO jack, by using the A/V connecting

cable with an S VIDEO cable, pictures can be

reproduced more faithfully than with the

supplied A/V cable connection. Connect the

white and red plugs (left/right audio) and S

VIDEO plug (S VIDEO channel) of an A/V

connecting cable. In this case, the yellow

(standard video) plug connection is not

necessary. S VIDEO connection only will not

output audio.

Ci.LINK cable (optional)

Use an i.LINK cable to connect your

camcorder to another device equipped with an

i.LINK jack. The video and audio signals are

transmitted digitally, producing high quality

pictures and sound. Note that you cannot

output picture and sound separately.

DV 2

(Yellow)

(White)

(Red)

(Black)

(White)

(Red)

(Yellow)

Device without an

S VIDEO jack Device with an

S VIDEO jack

A/V Remote

Connector

: Signal flow

To i.LINK jack

To DV Interface

(i.LINK)

VCRs or DVD/HDD

recorders

Dubbing/Editing

bNotes

• When you are connecting your camcorder to a

monaural device, connect the yellow plug of the

A/V connecting cable to the video input jack,

and the red (right channel) or the white (left

channel) plug to the audio input jack on the

device.

• When you connect a device via an A/V

connecting cable, set [DISP OUT] to [LCD] (the

default setting) (p. 43).

1Prepare your camcorder for

playback.

Insert the recorded cassette.

Slide the POWER switch repeatedly to

turn on the PLAY/EDIT lamp.

2Insert the recording media in the

recording device.

If your recording device has an input

selector, set it to the appropriate input

(such as video input1, video input2).

3Connect your camcorder to the

recording device (VCR or DVD/

HDD recorder) with the A/V

connecting cable (supplied) 1,

an A/V connecting cable with S

VIDEO (optional) 2 or an i.LINK

cable (optional) 3.

Connect your camcorder to the input

jacks of the recording device.

4Start playback on the camcorder,

and recording on the recording

device.

Refer to the operating instructions

supplied with your recording device for

details.

5When dubbing is complete, stop

your camcorder and the

recording device.

bNotes

• To record the date/time and camera settings data

when connected by the A/V connecting cable,

display them on the screen (p. 34).

• The following cannot be output via the DV

Interface (i.LINK):

– Indicators

– Pictures edited using [P EFFECT] (p. 38)

• When connected using an i.LINK cable, the

recorded picture becomes rough when a picture

is paused on your camcorder while recording.

• When connected using an i.LINK cable, data

code (date/time/camera settings data) may not

be displayed or recorded depending on the

device or application.

Recording pictures from a VCR, etc.

Using an i.LINK cable (optional), you can record pictures from a VCR, etc., on a tape.

Be sure to insert a cassette for recording in your camcorder beforehand.

You can connect your camcorder to a VCR or an i.LINK-compatible device using the i.LINK

cable (optional).

Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor for

this operation (p. 12). Refer also to the instruction manuals supplied with the devices to be

connected.

When connecting your camcorder to

another device using an i.LINK cable, the

video and audio signals are transmitted

digitally, producing high quality pictures

and sound. Note that you cannot output

picture and sound separately.

1Connect your VCR, etc., to your

camcorder with an i.LINK cable.

2Insert a cassette into the VCR.

3Slide the POWER switch

repeatedly to turn on the PLAY/

EDIT lamp.

4Set your camcorder to recording

pause mode.

Touch t [PAGE3] t [REC

CTRL] t [REC PAUSE].

bNotes

•You cannot record pictures on your camcorder from a VCR that does not have an i.LINK

jack.

i.LINK

: Signal flow

To i.LINK jack

To DV Interface (i.LINK)

i.LINK cable (optional)

AV device

with i.LINK

jack

Dubbing/Editing

5Start playing the cassette on the

VCR.

The picture played on the connected

device appears on the LCD screen of

your camcorder.

6Touch [REC START] at the point

you want to start recording.

7Stop recording.

Touch (Stop) or [REC PAUSE].

8Touch [ RET.] t .

bNotes

• The indicator appears when you connect

your camcorder and other devices via an i.LINK

cable. (This indicator may also appear on the

connected device.)

Using a Computer

What you can do with Windows computer (DCR-

HC54)

When you install the “Picture Motion

Browser” on a Windows computer from the

supplied CD-ROM, you can enjoy the

following operations.

bNotes

• You cannot install the supplied software,

“Picture Motion Browser”, on a Macintosh

computer.

xImporting/Viewing movies taken

with your camcorder

You can manage movies by date and time

of shooting, and select movies you want to

view as thumbnails. These thumbnails can

be enlarged and played in a slide show.

xEditing movies imported to a

computer

You can edit imported movies on a

computer.

xExporting movies from your

computer to your camcorder

You can export movies that have been

imported to a computer from your

camcorder, back to your camcorder.

The “First Step Guide” is an instruction

manual you can refer to on your computer.

This describes basic operations, from initial

hookup of your camcorder and computer

and making settings, to general operation

the first time you use the software “Picture

Motion Browser” stored on the CD-ROM

(supplied).

Referring to “Installing the “First Step

Guide”” (p. 49), start the “First Step

Guide”, then follow the instructions.

The Help guide explains all the functions of

all the software applications. Refer to the

Help guide for further detailed operations

after reading the “First Step Guide”

thoroughly.

To display the Help guide, click the [?]

mark on the screen.

When using “Picture Motion Browser”

OS: Windows 2000 Professional SP4,

Windows XP SP2*,

Windows Vista*

*64-bit editions and Starter (Edition)

are not supported.

Standard installation is required.

Operation is not assured if the above

OS has been upgraded or in a multi-

boot environment.

CPU: Intel Pentium III 800 MHz or faster

Application: DirectX 9.0c or later (This

product is based on DirectX technology.

It is necessary to have DirectX

installed.)

Sound system: Direct Sound compatible

sound card

Main functions

About “First Step Guide”

About the help function of the

software

System requirements

Using a Computer

Memory: 256 MB or more

Hard disk: Disc volume required for

installation: Approximately 350 MB

Display: Minimum 1024 × 768 dots

Others: USB port (this must be

provided as standard, Hi-Speed USB

(USB 2.0 compatible) is recommended),

DV Interface (IEEE1394, i.LINK) (to

connect via an i.LINK cable), disc drive

(CD-ROM drive is necessary for

installation)

bNotes

• Operations are not guaranteed on a computer

environment that does not meet the system

requirements.

• Operations are not guaranteed on all the

recommended environments.

For example, other open or background

applications running on currently may limit

product performance.

• If you use a Notebook PC, connect it to the AC

Adaptor as the power source. Otherwise, the

software will not work properly due to the

power saving function of the PC.

Installing the “First

Step Guide” and

software (DCR-HC54)

You need to install the “First Step Guide”

and software to your Windows computer

before connecting your camcorder

to the computer. The installation is

required only for the first time.

Contents to be installed and procedures

may differ depending on your OS.

1Confirm that your camcorder is

not connected to the computer.

2Turn on the computer.

• Log on as an Administrator for installation.

• Close all applications running on the

computer before installing the software.

3Place the supplied CD-ROM in the

disc drive of your computer.

The installation screen appears.

If the screen does not appear

1Click [Start], then click [My

Computer]. (For Windows 2000,

double-click [My Computer].)

2Double-click [SONYPICTUTIL (E:)]

(CD-ROM) (disc drive).*

4Click [FirstStepGuide].

Installing the “First Step Guide”

*Drive names (such as (E:)) may vary

depending on the computer.

Continued ,

5Select the desired language and

the model name of your

camcorder from the pull-down

menu.

6Click [FirstStepGuide(HTML)].

Installation starts.

When [Save is complete] appears, click

[OK] to finish the installation.

To view the “First Step Guide” in PDF

In step 6, click [FirstStepGuide(PDF)].

To install the software “Adobe

Reader” to display the PDF file

In step 6, click [Adobe(R) Reader(R)].

1Perform steps 1 to 3 in “Installing

the “First Step Guide”” (p. 49).

2Click [Install].

3Select the language for the

application to be installed, then

click [Next].

4Check your country/region, then

click [Next].

5Read [License Agreement], select

[I accept the terms of the license

agreement] when you agree, then

click [Next].

6Follow the on-screen instructions

to install the software.

Depending on the computer, you may

need to install third party software

(shown below). If the installation screen

appears, follow the instructions to

install the required software.

xMicrosoft DirectX 9.0c

Software required to handle movies

Restart the computer if required to

complete the installation.

The short-cut icons, such as [ ]

(Picture Motion Browser), appear on the

desktop.

7Remove the CD-ROM from the

disc drive of your computer.

Installing the software

Installing the “First Step Guide” and software (DCR-HC54) (Continued)

Using a Computer

Viewing “First Step Guide” (DCR-HC54)

To view “First Step Guide” on your

computer, Microsoft Internet Explorer

Ver.6.0 or later is recommended.

Double-click the short-cut icon for your

camcorder’s “First Step Guide” on the

desktop.

zTips

• You can also start by selecting [Start] t

[Programs] ([All Programs] for Windows XP)

t [Sony Picture Utility] t [FirstStepGuide]

t Your camcorder's folder t “First Step

Guide” in HTML.

• To view “First Step Guide” in HTML without

installing, copy the desired language folder from

the [FirstStepGuide] folder on the CD-ROM,

and then double-click [Index.html].

• Refer to the “First Step Guide” in PDF in the

following cases:

– When printing the desired topics of “First

Step Guide”

– When “First Step Guide” is not displayed

correctly due to the browser setting even in

recommended environment.

– When the HTML version of “First Step

Guide” cannot be installed.

Troubleshooting

If you run into any problems using your

camcorder, use the following table to

troubleshoot the problem. If the problem

persists, disconnect the power source and

contact your Sony dealer.

• Overall operations/Easy Handycam ..... 52

• Batteries/Power sources .......................52

• LCD screen/viewfinder ........................53

• Cassette tapes .......................................53

• Recording .............................................54

• Playback ...............................................55

• Dubbing/Editing/Connecting to other

devices..................................................55

• Connecting to a computer ....................56

• Functions that cannot be used together

..............................................................56

The power does not turn on.

• Attach a charged battery pack to the

camcorder (p. 12).

• Use the AC Adaptor to connect to a wall

outlet (wall socket) (p. 12).

The camcorder does not operate

even when the power is set to on.

• Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the wall

outlet (wall socket) or remove the battery

pack, then reconnect it after about 1 minute.

• Press the RESET button (p. 70) using a

sharp-pointed object. (If you press the

RESET button, all settings are reset.)

Buttons do not work.

• During Easy Handycam operation, not all

buttons are functional (p. 20).

Settings change during Easy

Handycam operation.

• During Easy Handycam operation, the

settings of the functions that are not

displayed on the screen return to their

defaults (p. 19, 37).

The menu item settings have

changed unexpectedly.

• The following settings return to the default

settings automatically when you set the

POWER switch to OFF(CHG) for more

than 12 hours.

– backlight

– [SPOT FOCUS]

– [FOCUS]

– [SPOT METER]

– [SCENE SEL.]

– [EXPOSURE]

– [WHT BAL]

– [AUDIO MIX]

The camcorder gets warm.

• The camcorder may get warmer while you

use it. This is not a malfunction.

The power abruptly turns off.

• When approximately 5 minutes have

elapsed while you do not operate your

camcorder, the camcorder is automatically

turned off (A.SHUT OFF). Change the

setting of [A.SHUT OFF] (p. 43), or turn

on the power again (p. 15), or use the AC

Adaptor.

• Charge the battery pack (p. 12).

• The battery is fully discharged, or almost

discharged.

The CHG (charge) lamp does not

light while the battery pack is being

charged.

• Slide the POWER switch to OFF(CHG)

(p. 12).

Overall operations/Easy

Handycam

Batteries/Power sources

Troubleshooting

• Attach the battery pack to the camcorder

correctly (p. 12).

• Connect the power cord (mains lead) to the

wall outlet (wall socket) properly (p. 12).

• The battery charge is completed (p. 12).

The CHG (charge) lamp flashes while

the battery pack is being charged.

• Attach the battery pack to the camcorder

correctly (p. 12). If the problem persists,

disconnect the AC Adaptor from the wall

outlet (wall socket) and contact your Sony

dealer. The battery pack may be worn-out.

The remaining battery time indicator

does not indicate the correct time.

• Ambient temperature is too high or too low,

or the battery pack has not been charged

enough. This is not a malfunction.

• Fully charge the battery again. If the

problem persists, the battery may be worn-

out. Replace it with a new one (p. 12, 61).

• The indicated time may not be correct in

certain circumstances. For example, when

you open or close the LCD panel, it takes

about 1 minute to display the correct

remaining battery time.

The battery pack discharges too

quickly.

• Ambient temperature is too high or too low,

or the battery pack has not been charged

enough. This is not a malfunction.

• Fully charge the battery again. If the

problem persists, the battery may be worn-

out. Replace it with a new one (p. 12, 61).

A rippling effect appears on the LCD

screen when you touch it.

• This is not a malfunction. Do not press hard

on the LCD screen.

The buttons do not appear on the

touch panel.

• Touch the LCD screen lightly.

• Press DISP/BATT INFO on your

camcorder (p. 70).

The buttons on the touch panel do

not work correctly or do not work at

all.

• Adjust the touch panel ([CALIBRATION])

(p. 64).

Menu items are grayed out.

• You cannot select grayed items in the

current recording/playback situation.

The picture in the viewfinder is not

clear.

• Move the viewfinder lens adjustment lever

until the picture appears clearly (p. 17).

The picture in the viewfinder has

disappeared.

• Close the LCD panel. The picture is not

displayed in the viewfinder when the LCD

panel is open (p. 17).

Dots in lines appear on the LCD

screen.

• This is not a malfunction. These dots are

not recorded.

The cassette cannot be ejected from

the compartment.

• Make sure the power source (battery pack

or AC Adaptor) is connected correctly

(p. 12).

• Moisture condensation has occurred inside

the camcorder (p. 63).

LCD screen/viewfinder

Cassette tapes

Continued ,

The Cassette Memory indicator or

title display does not appear while

using a cassette with Cassette

Memory.

• This camcorder does not support Cassette

Memory, so the indicator does not appear.

The remaining tape indicator is not

displayed.

• Set [ REMAIN] to [ON] to always

display the remaining tape indicator (p. 42).

The cassette is noisier during

rewinding or fast-forwarding.

• When using the AC Adaptor, rewind/fast

forward speed increases (compared with

battery operation) and therefore increases

noise. This is not a malfunction.

The tape does not start when you

press REC START/STOP.

• Slide the POWER switch repeatedly to turn

on the CAMERA lamp (p. 21).

• The tape has reached the end. Rewind it, or

insert a new cassette.

• Set the write-protect tab to REC or insert a

new cassette (p. 60).

• The tape is stuck to the drum due to

moisture condensation. Remove the

cassette and leave your camcorder for at

least 1 hour, then re-insert the cassette

(p. 63).

You cannot record a smooth

transition on a tape from the last

recorded scene to the next.

• Perform [END SCH] (p. 26).

• Do not remove the cassette. (The picture

will be recorded continuously without a

break even when you turn the power off.)

• Do not record pictures in SP mode and LP

mode on the same tape.

• Avoid stopping then recording a movie in

the LP mode.

[END SCH] does not work.

• Do not eject the cassette after recording

(p. 26).

• There is nothing recorded on the cassette.

• There is a blank section between recorded

sections of the tape. This is not a

malfunction.

The auto focus does not function.

• Set [FOCUS] to [AUTO] (p. 30).

• The recording conditions are not suitable

for auto focus. Adjust the focus manually

(p. 30).

[STEADYSHOT] does not function.

• Set [STEADYSHOT] to [ON] (p. 39).

The backlight function does not

function.

• In the following settings, the backlight

function is canceled.

– [MANUAL] of [EXPOSURE]

– [SPOT METER]

• The backlight function does not work

during Easy Handycam operation (p. 20).

A vertical band appears when

recording candlelight or electric light

in the dark.

• This occurs when the contrast between the

subject and the background is too high.

This is not a malfunction.

A vertical band appears when

recording a bright subject.

• This phenomenon is called the smear effect.

This is not a malfunction.

Recording

Troubleshooting (Continued)

Troubleshooting

The color of the picture is not

correctly displayed.

• Deactivate the NightShot plus function

(p. 22).

The screen picture is bright, and the

subject does not appear on the

screen.

• Deactivate the NightShot plus function

(p. 22), or cancel the backlight function

(p. 23).

Undesirable flicker occurs.

• This anomaly may occur when recording

pictures under the discharge tube, such as a

fluorescent lamp, sodium lamp, or mercury

lamp, with [PORTRAIT] or [SPORT]. This

is not a malfunction.

Black bands appear when you

record a TV screen or computer

screen.

• Set [STEADYSHOT] to [OFF] (p. 39).

[The lens cover might be

closed.Check the cover.] appears on

the screen when the lens cover is

open.

• There is not enough light, or the lens is

covered by your finger or other object.

You cannot play back a tape.

• Slide the POWER switch repeatedly to turn

on the PLAY/EDIT lamp (p. 24).

• Rewind the tape (p. 24).

Horizontal lines appear on the

picture. The displayed pictures are

not clear or do not appear.

• Clean the head using the cleaning cassette

(optional) (p. 64).

No sound or only a low sound is

heard.

• Turn up the volume (p. 24).

• Adjust [AUDIO MIX] until the sound is

heard appropriately (p. 36).

• If you are using an S VIDEO plug, make

sure the red and white plugs of the A/V

connecting cable are also connected (p. 28).

The sound breaks off.

• Clean the head using the cleaning cassette

(optional) (p. 64).

“---” is displayed on the screen.

• The tape you are playing was recorded

without setting the date and time.

• A blank section on the tape is being played.

• The data code on a tape with a scratch or

noise cannot be read.

Noises appear and is displayed

on the screen.

• The tape was recorded in a TV color system

other than that of your camcorder (NTSC).

This is not a malfunction (p. 59).

is displayed on the screen.

• The tape you are playing was recorded on

another device with a 4ch microphone

(4CH MIC REC). Your camcorder is not

compatible with 4ch microphone recording.

Time code and other information

appear on the display of the

connected device.

• Set [DISP OUT] to [LCD] while connected

with an A/V connecting cable (p. 43).

Playback

Dubbing/Editing/Connecting to

other devices

Continued ,

You cannot dub correctly using the

A/V connecting cable.

• The A/V connecting cable is not connected

properly. Make sure that the A/V

connecting cable is connected to the input

jack of another device for dubbing a picture

from your camcorder (p. 44).

New sound added to a recorded tape

is not heard.

• Adjust [AUDIO MIX] until the sound is

heard appropriately (p. 36).

Pictures from connected devices are

not displayed correctly.

• The input signal is not NTSC (p. 59).

The computer does not recognize

your camcorder.

• Install the “Picture Motion Browser”

(p. 49).

• The computer may not recognize your

camcorder for a few moments after you

connect it. Wait for a while.

• Disconnect USB devices other than the

keyboard, the mouse, and the camcorder

from the (USB) jack on the computer.

• Disconnect the cable from the computer

and camcorder, restart the computer, then

connect them again correctly.

You cannot install the supplied

software, “Picture Motion Browser,”

on a Macintosh computer.

• You can install “Picture Motion Browser”

only on a Windows computer.

Depending on the functions, you may not

be able to use them together. The following

list shows examples of functions that

cannot be used at the same time.

Connecting to a computer (DCR-

HC54)

Functions that cannot be used

together

Not available If this function is set

backlight [SPOT METER],

[EXPOSURE]

[SPOT FOCUS] [SCENE SEL.]

[SPOT METER] NightShot plus

[SCENE SEL.] NightShot plus

[EXPOSURE] NightShot plus

[WHT BAL] NightShot plus

Troubleshooting (Continued)

Troubleshooting

Warning indicators and messages

If indicators appear on the LCD screen or in

the viewfinder, check the following.

Some symptoms you can fix by yourself. If

the problem persists even after you have

tried a couple of times, contact your Sony

dealer or local authorized Sony service

facility.

C:(or E:) ss:ss (Self-diagnosis

display)

C:04:ss

• The battery pack is not an

“InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (H

series). Use an “InfoLITHIUM” battery

pack (H series) (p. 61).

• Connect the DC plug of the AC

Adaptor to the DC IN jack of your

camcorder securely (p. 12).

C:21:ss

• Moisture condensation has occurred.

Remove the cassette and leave your

camcorder for at least 1 hour, then re-

insert the cassette (p. 63).

C:22:ss

• Clean the head using a cleaning

cassette (optional) (p. 64).

C:31:ss / C:32:ss

• Symptoms that are not described above

have occurred. Remove and insert the

cassette, then operate your camcorder

again. Do not perform this procedure if

moisture condensation has occurred

(p. 63).

• Remove the power source. Reconnect it

and operate your camcorder again.

• Change the cassette. Press RESET

(p. 70), and operate your camcorder

again.

E:61:ss / E:62:ss

• Contact your Sony dealer or local

authorized Sony service facility. Inform

them of the 5-digit code, which starts

from “E.”

E (Battery level warning)

• The battery pack is nearly used up.

• Depending on the operating,

environment, or battery conditions, E

may flash, even if there are

approximately 5 to 10 minutes

remaining.

% (Moisture condensation warning)*

• Eject the cassette, remove the power

source, and then leave it for about 1

hour with the cassette lid open (p. 63).

Q (Warning indicators pertaining to

the tape)

Slow flashing:

• There is less than 5 minutes remaining

on the tape.

• No cassette is inserted.*

• The write-protect tab on the cassette is

set to lock (p. 60).*

Fast flashing:

• The tape has run out.*

Z (Eject cassette warning)*

Slow flashing:

• The write-protect tab on the cassette is

set to lock (p. 60).

Fast flashing:

• Moisture condensation has occurred

(p. 63).

• The self-diagnosis display code is

displayed (p. 57).

*You hear a melody when the warning indicators

appear on the screen (p. 33).

Self-diagnosis display/Warning

indicators

Continued ,

If messages appear on the screen, follow the

instructions.

%Z Moisture condensation. Eject

the cassette (p. 63)

% Moisture condensation. Turn off

for 1H. (p. 63)

Z Reinsert the cassette. (p. 18)

• Check if the cassette is damaged.

QZ The tape is locked - check the

tab. (p. 60)

Examples of warning messages

Warning indicators and messages (Continued)

Additional Information

Using your camcorder abroad

Power supply

You can use your camcorder in any

country/region using the AC Adaptor

supplied with your camcorder within the

AC 100 V to 240 V, 50/60 Hz range.

Use a commercially available AC plug

adaptor [a], if necessary, depending on the

design of the wall outlet (wall socket) [b].

On TV color systems

Your camcorder is NTSC system, so its

picture can only be viewed on a NTSC

system TV with an AUDIO/VIDEO input

jack.

Simple setting of the clock by time

difference

You can easily set the clock to the local

time abroad by entering the time difference

between where you live and where you are.

Select [WORLD TIME] in the

(OTHERS) menu, then set the time

difference (p. 43).

System Used in

NTSC Bahama Islands, Bolivia,

Canada, Central America, Chile,

Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana,

Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico,

Peru, Surinam, Taiwan,

the Philippines, the U.S.A.,

Venezuela, etc.

PAL Australia, Austria, Belgium,

China, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Finland, Germany,

Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary,

Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia,

New Zealand, Norway, Poland,

Portugal, Singapore,

Slovak Republic, Spain,

Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,

United Kingdom, etc.

PAL - M Brazil

PAL - N Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay.

SECAM Bulgaria, France, Guiana, Iran,

Iraq, Monaco, Russia, Ukraine,

etc.

AC-L200/L200B [a] [b]

Maintenance and precautions

You can use mini DV format cassettes only.

Use a cassette with the mark.

Your camcorder is not compatible with the

Cassette Memory function.

To prevent a blank section from being

created on the tape

Go to the end of the recorded section using

END SEARCH (p. 26) before you begin the

next recording in the following cases:

• You have played back the tape.

• You have used EDIT SEARCH.

xWhen you play back

If the cassette you play back on your

camcorder contains copyright signals, you

cannot copy it to a tape in another video

camera connected to your camcorder.

xWhen you record

You cannot record software on your

camcorder that contains copyright control

signals for copyright protection of software.

[Cannot record due to copyright

protection.] appears on the LCD screen, or

on the viewfinder if you try to record such

software. Your camcorder does not record

it records.

Notes on use

xWhen not using your camcorder for a

long time

Remove the cassette and store it.

xTo prevent accidental erasure

Slide the write-protect tab on the cassette to

set it to SAVE.

xWhen labeling the cassette

Be sure to place the label only on the

locations shown in the following

illustration so as not to cause a malfunction

of your camcorder.

xAfter using the cassette

Rewind the tape to the beginning to avoid

distortion of the picture or the sound. The

cassette should then be put in its case, and

stored in an upright position.

xWhen cleaning the gold-plated

connector

Generally, clean the gold-plated connector

on a cassette with a cotton-wool swab after

every 10 times it has been ejected.

If the gold-plated connector on the cassette

is dirty or dusty, the remaining tape

indicator may not show correctly.

Usable cassette tapes

REC

SAVE

REC: The cassette can be

recorded.

SAVE: The cassette cannot be

recorded (write-protected).

Do not put a label

along this border.

Labeling position

Gold-plated connector

Additional Information

This unit is compatible with an

“InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (H series).

Your camcorder operates only with an

“InfoLITHIUM” battery pack.

“InfoLITHIUM” H series battery packs

have the mark.

What is an “InfoLITHIUM” battery

pack?

An “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack is a

lithium-ion battery pack that has functions

for communicating information related to

operating conditions between your

camcorder and an optional AC Adaptor/

charger.

The “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack

calculates the power consumption

according to the operating conditions of

your camcorder, and displays the remaining

battery time in minutes.

To charge the battery pack

• Be sure to charge the battery pack before you

start using your camcorder.

• We recommend charging the battery pack in an

ambient temperature of between 10 °C to 30 °C

(50 °F to 86 °F) until the CHG (charge) lamp

turns off. If you charge the battery pack outside

of this temperature range, you may not be able

to charge it efficiently.

• When charging the battery pack while the AC

Adaptor is connected to your camcorder, after

charging is complete, disconnect the cable from

the DC IN jack on your camcorder or remove

the battery pack.

To use the battery pack effectively

• Battery pack performance decreases when the

surrounding temperature is 10 °C (50 °F) or

below, and the length of time you can use the

battery pack becomes shorter. In that case, do

one of the following to use the battery pack for a

longer time.

– Put the battery pack in a pocket to warm it up,

and insert it in your camcorder right before

you start taking shots.

– Use a large capacity battery pack: NP-FH70/

FH100 (optional).

• Frequent use of the LCD screen or a frequent

playback, fast forward or rewind operation

wears out the battery pack faster.

We recommend using a large capacity battery

pack: NP-FH70/FH100 (optional).

• Be sure to set the POWER switch to OFF(CHG)

when not recording or playing back on your

camcorder. The battery pack is also consumed

when your camcorder is in recording standby or

playback pause.

• Have spare battery packs ready for two or three

times the expected recording time, and make

trial recordings before making the actual

recording.

• Do not expose the battery pack to water. The

battery pack is not water resistant.

About the remaining battery time

indicator

• When the power goes off even though the

remaining battery time indicator indicates that

the battery pack has enough power to operate,

charge the battery pack fully again. Remaining

battery time will be indicated correctly. Note,

however, that the battery indication will not be

restored if it is used in high temperatures for a

long time, or if left in a fully charged state, or

when the battery pack is frequently used. Use

the remaining battery time indication as a rough

guide only.

• The E mark that indicates low battery flashes

even if there are still 5 to 10 minutes of battery

time remaining, depending on the operating

conditions or ambient temperature.

About storage of the battery pack

• If the battery pack is not used for a long time,

fully charge the battery pack and use it up on

your camcorder once a year to maintain proper

function. To store the battery pack, remove it

from your camcorder and put it in a dry, cool

place.

• To discharge the battery pack on your

camcorder completely, set [A.SHUT OFF] to

[NEVER] on the (OTHERS) menu and

leave your camcorder in tape recording standby

until the power goes off (p. 43).

About the “InfoLITHIUM”

battery pack

Continued ,

About battery life

• Battery capacity decreases over time and

through repeated use. If decreased usage time

between charges becomes significant, it is

probably time to replace it with a new one.

• Each battery’s life is governed by storage,

operating and environmental conditions.

The DV Interface on this unit is an i.LINK-

compliant DV Interface. This section

describes the i.LINK standard and its

features.

What is i.LINK?

i.LINK is a digital serial interface for

transferring digital video, digital audio, and

other data to other i.LINK-compatible

devices. You can also control other devices

using the i.LINK.

i.LINK-compatible devices can be

connected using an i.LINK cable. Possible

applications are operations and data

transactions with various digital AV

devices.

When two or more i.LINK-compatible

devices are daisy-chained with the unit,

operation becomes possible from any

device in the chain. Note that operation

method may vary, or data transactions may

not be possible, depending on specifications

and characteristics of the connected

devices.

bNotes

• Normally, only one device can be connected to

this unit with an i.LINK cable. When

connecting this unit to an i.LINK-compatible

device having two or more DV Interfaces, refer

to the operating instructions of the device to be

connected.

zTips

• i.LINK is a more familiar term for the IEEE

1394 data transport bus proposed by Sony, and

is a trademark approved by many corporations.

• IEEE 1394 is an international standard

standardized by the Institute of Electrical and

Electronics Engineers.

About the i.LINK Baud rate

i.LINK’s maximum baud rate varies

according to the device. There are 3 types.

S100 (approx. 100Mbps*)

S200 (approx. 200Mbps)

S400 (approx. 400Mbps)

The baud rate is listed under

“Specifications” in the operating

instructions of each piece of equipment. It

is also indicated near the i.LINK interface

on some devices.

The baud rate may differ from the indicated

value when the unit is connected to a device

with a different maximum baud rate.

Mbps stands for “megabits per second,” or

the amount of data that can be sent or

received in one second. For example, a

baud rate of 100 Mbps means that 100

megabits of data can be sent in one second.

To use i.LINK functions on this unit

For details on how to dub when this unit is

connected to other video devices having a

DV Interface, see page 44, 46.

This unit can also be connected to other

i.LINK (DV Interface) compatible devices

made by Sony (e.g. a VAIO series personal

computer) as well as to video devices.

Some i.LINK compatible video devices,

such as Digital Televisions, DVD,

MICROMV or HDV recorders/players are

not compatible with DV devices. Before

connecting to other devices, be sure to

confirm whether the device is compatible

with a DV device or not. For details on

precautions and compatible application

software, refer also to the operating

instructions for the device to be connected.

About i.LINK

* What is Mbps?

Maintenance and precautions (Continued)

Additional Information

bNotes

• When connecting your camcorder to another

i.LINK-compatible device, be sure to turn off

the power of the device and disconnect the AC

Adaptor from the wall outlet (wall socket)

before connecting or disconnecting the i.LINK

cable.

About the required i.LINK cable

Use the Sony i.LINK 4-pin-to-4-pin cable

(during DV dubbing).

On use and care

• Do not use or store the camcorder and

accessories in the following locations.

– Anywhere extremely hot, cold or humid.

Never leave them exposed to temperatures

above 60 °C (140 °F), such as under direct

sunlight, near heaters or in a car parked in the

sun. They may malfunction or become

deformed.

– Near strong magnetic fields or mechanical

vibration. The camcorder may malfunction.

– Near strong radio waves or radiation. The

camcorder may not be able to record properly.

– Near AM receivers and video equipment.

Noise may occur.

– On a sandy beach or anywhere dusty. If sand

or dust gets in your camcorder, it may

malfunction. Sometimes this malfunction

cannot be repaired.

– Near windows or outdoors, where the LCD

screen, the viewfinder, or the lens may be

exposed to direct sunlight. This damages the

inside of the viewfinder or the LCD screen.

• Operate your camcorder on DC 6.8 V/7.2 V

(battery pack) or DC 8.4 V (AC Adaptor).

• For DC or AC operation, use the accessories

recommended in these operating instructions.

• Do not let your camcorder get wet, for example,

from rain or sea water. If your camcorder gets

wet, it may malfunction. Sometimes this

malfunction cannot be repaired.

• If any solid object or liquid gets inside the

casing, unplug your camcorder and have it

checked by a Sony dealer before operating it

any further.

• Avoid rough handling, disassembling,

modifying, physical shock, or impact such as

hammering, dropping or stepping on the

product. Be particularly careful of the lens.

• Keep the POWER switch setting to OFF(CHG)

when you are not using your camcorder.

• Do not wrap your camcorder with a towel, for

example, and operate it. Doing so might cause

heat to build up inside.

• When disconnecting the power cord (mains

lead), pull it by the plug and not the cord.

• Do not damage the power cord (mains lead)

such as by placing anything heavy on it.

• Keep metal contacts clean.

• If the battery electrolytic liquid has leaked,

– consult your local authorized Sony service

facility.

– wash off any liquid that may have contacted

your skin

– if any liquid gets in your eyes, wash with

plenty of water and consult a doctor.

xWhen not using your camcorder for a

long time

• Periodically turn on the camcorder and play a

cassette for about 3 minutes.

• Use up the battery pack completely before

storing it.

Moisture condensation

If your camcorder is brought directly from a

cold place to a warm place, moisture may

condense inside your camcorder, on the

surface of the tape, or on the lens. In this

state, the tape may stick to the head drum

and be damaged or your camcorder may not

operate correctly. If there is moisture inside

your camcorder, [%Z Moisture

condensation. Eject the cassette] or [%

Moisture condensation. Turn off for 1H.]

appears. The indicator will not appear when

the moisture condenses on the lens.

xIf moisture condensation has occurred

None of the functions except cassette

ejection will work. Eject the cassette, turn

off your camcorder, and leave it for about

one hour with the cassette lid open. Your

camcorder can be used again when both of

the following conditions are met:

On using your camcorder

Continued ,

• The warning message does not appear when the

power is turned on.

• Neither % or Z flash when a cassette is inserted

and video operation buttons are touched.

If moisture starts to condense, your

camcorder sometimes cannot detect

condensation. If this happens, the cassette is

sometimes not ejected for 10 seconds after

the cassette lid is opened. This is not a

malfunction. Do not close the cassette lid

until the cassette is ejected.

xNote on moisture condensation

Moisture may condense when you bring

your camcorder from a cold place into a

warm place (or vice versa) or when you use

your camcorder in a humid place as shown

below.

• When you bring your camcorder from a ski

slope into a place warmed up by a heating

device.

• When you bring your camcorder from an air

conditioned car or room into a hot place outside.

• When you use your camcorder after a squall or a

shower.

• When you use your camcorder in a hot and

humid place.

xHow to avoid moisture condensation

When you bring your camcorder from a

cold place into a warm place, put your

camcorder in a plastic bag and seal it

tightly. Remove the bag when the air

temperature inside the plastic bag has

reached the surrounding temperature (after

about one hour).

Video head

It is recommended you use a cleaning

cassette (optional) before recording

anything important.

• If the video heads are dirty, video or sound

distortion may be apparent.

• If the following problem occurs, clean the video

heads for 10 seconds with the Sony DVM-

12CLD cleaning cassette (optional).

– Mosaic-pattern noise appears on the playback

picture or the screen is displayed in blue.

– Playback pictures do not move.

– Playback pictures do not appear or the sound

breaks off.

–[x Dirty video head. Use a cleaning

cassette.] appears on the screen during

recording/playback.

• The video heads will wear after long use. If you

cannot obtain a clear image even after using a

cleaning cassette (optional), it might be because

the video heads are worn. Please contact your

Sony dealer or local authorized Sony service

facility to have the video heads replaced.

LCD screen

• Do not exert excessive pressure on the LCD

screen, as it may cause damage.

• If your camcorder is used in a cold place, a

residual image may appear on the LCD screen.

This is not a malfunction.

• While using your camcorder, the back of the

LCD screen may heat up. This is not a

malfunction.

xTo clean the LCD screen

If fingerprints or dust make the LCD screen

dirty, it is recommended you use a soft

cloth to clean it. When you use the LCD

Cleaning Kit (optional), do not apply the

cleaning liquid directly to the LCD screen.

Use cleaning paper moistened with the

liquid.

xOn adjustment of the touch panel

(CALIBRATION)

The buttons on the touch panel may not

work correctly. If this happens, follow the

procedure below. It is recommended you

connect your camcorder to the wall outlet

(wall socket) using the supplied AC

Adaptor during the operation.

1Turn off the power, then slide the POWER

switch repeatedly to turn on the PLAY/

EDIT lamp while pressing DISP/BATT

INFO on your camcorder, and keep

pressing down DISP/BATT INFO for

about 5 seconds.

Maintenance and precautions (Continued)

Additional Information

2Touch the “×” displayed on the screen with

the corner of the “Memory Stick” or the

like.

The position of the “×” changes. If you did

not press the right spot, start from step 2

again.

• You cannot calibrate the LCD screen if it is

rotated.

On handling the casing

• If the casing is soiled, clean the camcorder body

with a soft cloth lightly moistened with water,

and then wipe the casing with a dry soft cloth.

• Avoid the following to avoid damage to the

finish.

– Using chemicals such as thinner, benzine,

alcohol, chemical cloths, repellent, insecticide

and sunscreen.

– Handling with above substances on your

hands.

– Leaving the casing in contact with rubber or

vinyl objects for a long period of time.

About care and storage of the lens

• Wipe the surface of the lens clean with a soft

cloth in the following instances:

– When there are fingerprints on the lens

surface.

– In hot or humid locations

– When the lens is exposed to salty air such as

at the seaside.

• Store in a well-ventilated location subject to

little dirt or dust.

• To prevent mold, periodically clean the lens as

described above. It is recommended that you

operate your camcorder about once a month to

keep it in optimum state for a long time.

To remove dust from inside the

viewfinder

1Pull out the viewfinder.

2While pushing in the tab on the side

with a fine-tipped implement such as a

ball point pen, pull the eyecup block in

the direction of the arrow to remove.

3Remove dust from the eyecup block

with a camera blower, etc.

4Press the viewfinder onto the body of

the camcorder.

5Remove dust from the inside area where

the eyecup block was attached with a

camera blower, etc.

Tab

Continued ,

6Attach the eyecup block to the

viewfinder, pushing it straight on until it

clicks.

bNotes

• The eyecup block is a precision part. Do not

disassemble it further.

• Do not touch the lens of the eyecup block.

On charging the pre-installed

rechargeable battery

Your camcorder has a pre-installed

rechargeable battery to retain the date, time,

and other settings even when the POWER

switch is set to OFF(CHG). The pre-

installed rechargeable battery is always

charged while your camcorder is connected

to the wall outlet (wall socket) via the AC

Adaptor or while the battery pack is

attached. The rechargeable battery will be

fully discharged in about 3 months if

you do not use your camcorder at all

without the AC Adaptor connected or the

battery pack attached. Use your camcorder

after charging the pre-installed

rechargeable battery.

However, even if the pre-installed

rechargeable battery is not charged, the

camcorder operation will not be affected as

long as you are not recording the date.

xProcedures

Connect your camcorder to a wall outlet

(wall socket) using the supplied AC

Adaptor, and leave it with the POWER

switch set to OFF(CHG) for more than 24

hours.

Specifications

System

Video recording system

2 rotary heads, Helical scanning system

Audio recording system

Rotary heads, PCM system

Quantization: 12 bits (Fs 32 kHz, stereo

1, stereo 2), 16 bits (Fs 48 kHz, stereo)

Video signal

NTSC color, EIA standards

Usable cassette

Mini DV cassette with the mark

printed

Tape speed

SP: Approx. 18.81 mm/s

LP: Approx. 12.56 mm/s

Recording/playback time

SP: 60 min (using a DVM60 cassette)

LP: 90 min (using a DVM60 cassette)

Fast forward/rewind time

Approx. 2 min 40 s (using a DVM60

cassette and rechargeable battery pack)

Approx. 1 min 45 s (using a DVM60

cassette and AC Adaptor)

Viewfinder

Electric viewfinder (color)

Image device

3.0 mm (1/6 type) CCD (Charge

Coupled Device)

Gross: Approx. 680 000 pixels

Effective (movie): Approx. 340 000

pixels

Lens

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar

40 × (Optical), 2 000 × (Digital)

Focal length

f=1.9 ~ 76 mm (3/32 ~ 3 in.)

When converted to a 35 mm still

camera

In CAMERA: 36 ~ 1 440 mm (1 7/16 ~

56 3/4 in.)

F1.8 ~ 4.1

Filter diameter: 30 mm (1 3/16 in.)

Maintenance and precautions

(Continued)

Additional Information

Color temperature

[AUTO], [ONE PUSH], [INDOOR]

(3 200 K), [OUTDOOR] (5 800 K)

Minimum illumination

11 lx (lux) (F 1.8)

0 lx (lux) (during NightShot plus

function)

Input/Output connectors

A/V Remote Connector

10-pin connector

Video signal: 1 Vp-p, 75 Ω (ohms)

Luminance signal: 1 Vp-p, 75 Ω (ohms)

Chrominance signal: 0.286 Vp-p, 75 Ω

(ohms)

Audio signal: 327 mV (at load

impedance 47 kΩ (kilohms)), Output

impedance with less than 2.2 kΩ

(kilohms)

USB jack (DCR-HC54)

mini-B

DV input/output jack

i.LINK Interface (IEEE1394, 4-pin

connector S100)

LCD screen

Picture

6.2 cm (2.5 type)

Total dot number

123 200 (560 × 220)

General

Power requirements

DC 6.8 V/7.2 V (battery pack)

DC 8.4 V (AC Adaptor)

Average power consumption

During camera recording using the

viewfinder 1.8 W

During camera recording using the

LCD 2.1 W

Operating temperature

0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F)

Storage temperature

-20 °C to + 60 °C (-4 °F to + 140 °F)

Dimensions (approx.)

63 × 85 × 114 mm

(2 1/2 × 3 3/8 × 4 1/2 in.) (w/h/d)

including the projecting parts

63 × 85 × 115 mm

(2 1/2 × 3 3/8 × 4 5/8 in.) (w/h/d)

including the projecting parts with

supplied battery pack NP-FH30

attached

Mass (approx.)

380g(13oz) main unit only

440g(15oz) including the NP-FH30

rechargeable battery pack and DVM60

cassette.

Supplied accessories

See page 11.

AC Adaptor AC-L200/L200B

Power requirements

AC 100 V - 240 V, 50/60 Hz

Current consumption

0.35 - 0.18 A

Power consumption

18 W

Output voltage

DC 8.4 V*

Operating temperature

0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F)

Storage temperature

-20 °C to + 60 °C (-4 °F to + 140 °F)

Dimensions (approx.)

48 × 29 × 81 mm (1 15/16 × 1 3/16 ×

3 1/4 in.) (w/h/d) excluding the

projecting parts

Mass (approx.)

170 g (6.0 oz) excluding the power cord

(mains lead)

*See the label on the AC Adaptor for

other specifications.

Continued ,

Rechargeable battery pack (NP-FH30)

Maximum output voltage

DC 8.4 V

Output voltage

DC 7.2 V

Capacity

3.6 Wh (500 mAh)

Dimensions (approx.)

31.8 × 18.5 × 45.0 mm

(1 5/16 × 3/4 × 1 13/16 in) (w/h/d)

Mass (approx.)

40 g (1.5 oz)

Operating temperature

0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F)

Type

Lithium ion

Design and specifications are subject to change

without notice.

On trademarks

• “Handycam” and are

registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.

• “InfoLITHIUM” is a trademark of Sony

Corporation.

• i.LINK and are trademarks of Sony

Corporation.

• is a trademark.

• Microsoft, Windows, Windows Media,

Windows Vista, and DirectX are either

registered trademarks or trademarks of

Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/

or other countries.

• Macintosh and Mac OS are registered

trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and other

countries.

• Intel, Intel Core, and Pentium are trademarks or

registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its

subsidiaries in the United States and other

countries.

• Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Adobe Acrobat are

either registered trademarks or trademarks of

Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United

States and/or other countries.

All other product names mentioned herein may be

the trademarks or registered trademarks of their

respective companies. Furthermore, ™ and “®”

are not mentioned in each case in this manual.

Specifications (Continued)

Quick Reference

Identifying parts and controls

The numbers in ( ) are reference pages.

ANIGHTSHOT PLUS switch (22)

BPower zoom lever (22)

C OPEN/EJECT lever (18)

DHooks for a shoulder belt

Attach a shoulder belt (optional).

EGrip belt (17)

FLens (Carl Zeiss Lens) (7)

GLENS COVER switch (17)

HInternal stereo microphone (35)

IInfrared port (22)

Continued ,

ADISP/BATT INFO button (13, 17)

BEASY button (19)

CRESET button

Initializes all the settings, including the

setting of the date and time.

DLCD screen/touch panel (17, 72)

EZoom buttons (22)

FREC START/STOP button (19, 21)

GSpeaker

Playback sounds comes out from the

speaker. For how to adjust the volume,

see page 24.

HBATT (battery release) PUSH button

(13)

ICHG (charge) lamp (12)

JFor DCR-HC54:

(USB) jack

K. (back light) button (23)

Identifying parts and controls (Continued)

Quick Reference

APOWER switch (15)

BViewfinder (17)

CEyecup (65)

DViewfinder lens adjustment lever (17)

E DV interface (44, 46)

FDC IN jack (12)

GA/V Remote Connector (28, 44)

HCAMERA, PLAY/EDIT lamp (15)

IREC START/STOP button (19, 21)

JTripod receptacle

Attach the tripod (optional: the length of

the screw must be less than 5.5 mm

(7/32 in.)) to the tripod receptacle using

a tripod screw.

Indicators displayed during recording/playback

ARemaining battery (approx.)

BRecording mode (SP or LP) (42)

CRecording status ([STBY] (standby) or

[REC] (recording))

DRecording: Tape counter (hour:

minute: second)

Playback: Time code (hour: minute:

second: frame)

ERecording capacity of the tape (approx.)

(42)

FFunction button (29)

GGuide button (25)

HTape transport indicator

IVideo operation buttons (24)

Recording

Viewing

123 4 5

128 4 5

Quick Reference

You can use [DISP GUIDE] (p. 73) to

check the function of each indicator that

appears on the LCD screen.

bNotes

• Some of the indicators may not appear when

you use [DISP GUIDE].

Upper left

Upper right

Center

Bottom

bNotes

• The content and the position of the indicator are

normal. It may differ from the actual display.

The date/time during recording and the

camera setting data will be recorded

automatically. They do not appear on the

screen during recording, but you can check

them as [DATA CODE] during playback

(p. 34).

You can easily check the meaning of each

indicator that appears on the LCD screen.

1Touch [GUIDE] t [DISP GUIDE].

2Touch the area including the indicator that

you want to check.

The meanings of the indicators in the area

are listed on the screen. If you cannot find

the indicator you want to check, touch

[PAGE r]/[PAGE R] to toggle.

Indicators when you made

changes

Indicator Meaning

AUDIO MODE (42)

Indicator Meaning

DV input (46)

Indicator Meaning

NightShot plus (22)

% ZWarning (57)

Indicator Meaning

Flexible spot meter (31)/

Manual exposure (32)

9 Manual focus (30)

.Backlight (23)

0:00:00STBY

GUIDE

60min 60min

EDIT

Upper left Upper right

Bottom Center

SCENE SEL. (31)

Picture effect (38)

n White balance (33)

Wide select (39)

SteadyShot off (39)

EDITSEARCH (39)

Data code during recording

Checking the screen indicators

(Display guide)

Indicator Meaning

EDIT

Continued ,

To finish the operation, touch [END].

zTips

• You can also operate by touching t

[DISP GUIDE].

Indicators displayed during recording/playback (Continued)

Quick Reference

Index

Numeric

12BIT....................................42

16BIT....................................42

16:9 WIDE............................39

4:3 .........................................39

A DUB CTRL

(Audio dubbing) ...................35

AC Adaptor...........................12

AUDIO MIX.........................36

AUDIO MODE.....................42

A.SHUT OFF

(Auto shut off) ......................43

A/V connecting cable .....28, 44

Backlight.........................23, 54

Battery ............................12, 61

BEACH.................................32

BEEP ....................................33

BLACK.................................33

B&W.....................................38

CALIBRATION ...................64

CAM DATA.........................34

CAMERA SET menu...........39

Cassette...........................18, 60

CD-ROM ..............................48

Charging time .......................13

Cleaning cassette ..................64

CLOCK SET.........................15

Computer ..............................48

D ZOOM (Digital zoom)......39

DATA CODE .................34, 73

DATE/TIME.............15, 34, 73

DEMO MODE......................42

DISP GUIDE

(Display guide)..................... 73

DISP OUT

(Display output) ...................43

Display indicators ................72

Dubbing................................ 44

Easy Handycam..............19, 29

EDITSEARCH............... 26, 39

END SCH

(END SEARCH)............26, 54

EXPOSURE ......................... 32

FADER.................................32

First Step Guide ............. 48, 51

Flexible spot meter...............31

FOCUS...........................30, 54

Frame-by-frame Playback.... 35

Getting started ...................... 11

GUIDEFRAME ...................43

INDOOR .............................. 33

“InfoLITHIUM” battery pack

..............................................61

Install....................................49

i.LINK..................................62

i.LINK cable...................44, 46

LANDSCAPE ......................31

LANGUAGE ....................... 42

LCD......................................43

LCD BRT (LCD bright).......34

LCD B.L. (LCD back light). 41

LCD COLOR .......................41

LCD screen ..........................17

LCD/VF SET menu .............41

LETTER BOX......................41

LP (Long Play) .....................42

MANUAL SET menu...........38

Menu...............................29, 37

Mirror mode..........................23

Moisture condensation..........63

MONOTONE .......................33

MOSAIC...............................38

MOSC. FADER....................33

NEG.ART.............................38

NightShot plus......................22

NTSC..............................55, 59

N.S.LIGHT

(NightShot Light) .................40

ONE PUSH...........................33

Operation button...................29

OTHERS menu.....................43

OUTDOOR...........................33

P EFFECT (Picture effect) ...38

PAL.......................................59

PASTEL ...............................38

Picture Motion Browser .......48

Playback ...................20, 24, 55

Playing time..........................14

PORTRAIT (Soft portrait) ...31

REC CTRL (Recording

control) .................................46

REC MODE

(Recording mode).................42

Rec review............................26

Recording .................19, 21, 54

Continued ,

Recording time .....................14

REMAIN ..............................42

Reversal Playback ................35

S VIDEO cable...............28, 44

SCENE SEL. ........................31

Searching for the starting point

..............................................26

SEPIA...................................38

SETUP MENU menu ...........42

SNOW ..................................32

SOLARIZE...........................38

SP (Standard Play)................42

Specifications .......................66

SPORT (Sports lesson).........32

SPOT FOCUS ......................30

SPOT METER

............ See Flexible spot meter

SPOTLIGHT ........................31

SQUEEZE ............................41

STEADYSHOT..............39, 54

SUNRSSUNST

(Sunrise & Sunset)................31

Tape counter .........................72

TAPE SET menu..................42

Time code.............................72

Tripod...................................71

TV.........................................28

TV color systems..................59

TWILIGHT ..........................31

USAGE GUIDE ...................25

USB STREAM.....................42

Using abroad.........................59

V SPD PLAY

(Various speed playback).....34

VCR SET menu................... 40

VF B.L.

(Viewfinder back light)........ 41

VOL (Volume)..................... 24

V-OUT/LCD........................ 43

Warning indicators............... 57

Warning messages ............... 58

WHITE................................. 32

WHT BAL

(White balance).................... 33

WIDE DISP

(Wide display)...................... 41

WIDE SEL

(Wide select)........................ 39

WORLD TIME.................... 43

Write-protect tab.................. 60

Zoom.................................... 22

Index (Continued)

Quick Reference

Spanish Quick Guide/Guía rápida en español

Paso 1: Comprobación de los elementos

suministrados

Asegúrese de que su videocámara contiene

los siguientes elementos.

El número entre paréntesis indica la

cantidad del elemento.

Adaptador de alimentación de ca (1)

Cable de alimentación (1)

Cable de conexión de A/V (1)

Cable USB (1)

(DCR-HC54)

Batería recargable NP-FH30 (1)

CD-ROM “Handycam Application

Software” (1) (DCR-HC54)

Guía de operaciones (este manual) (1)

Spanish Quick Guide/Guía rápida en español

Paso 2: Carga de la batería

Puede cargar la batería

“InfoLITHIUM” (serie H) tras

conectarla a la videocámara.

bNotas

• No es posible colocar una batería

“InfoLITHIUM” que no sea serie H en la

videocámara.

1Alinee los terminales de la batería

y de la videocámara 1 y, a

continuación, coloque la batería y

encájela en su lugar 2.

2Deslice el interruptor POWER en

la dirección de la flecha hasta la

posición OFF (CHG) (ajuste

predeterminado).

3Conecte el adaptador de

alimentación de ca en la toma de

entrada de cc de la videocámara

con la marca v de la clavija de cc

hacia abajo.

4Conecte el cable de alimentación

al adaptador de alimentación de

ca y al tomacorriente de pared.

Batería

Toma de entrada de cc

Al tomacorriente de pared

Cable de alimentación

Con la marca v hacia

abajo

Interruptor POWER

Adaptador de alimentación de ca

El indicador CHG (carga)

Continuación ,

El indicador CHG (carga) se enciende y

se inicia el proceso de carga. El

indicador CHG (carga) se apaga cuando

la batería está completamente cargada.

Desconecte el adaptador de

alimentación de ca de la toma de entrada

de cc.

bNotas

• Sujete la videocámara y el enchufe de cc para

desconectar el adaptador de alimentación de ca

de la toma de entrada de cc.

Para utilizar una fuente de

alimentación externa

Puede utilizar una fuente de alimentación

del tomacorriente de pared para operar la

videocámara mediante las mismas

conexiones que realiza al cargar la batería.

La batería no perderá la carga en este caso.

Para retirar la batería

1Desactive la alimentación y, a

continuación, presione PUSH.

2Extraiga la batería en la dirección

indicada por la flecha.

Cuando guarde la batería

Descargue completamente la batería antes

de guardarla durante un período

prolongado.

Para comprobar la carga restante de

la batería (información sobre la

batería)

Ajuste el interruptor POWER en la posición

OFF (CHG) y, a continuación, presione

DISP/BATT INFO.

Transcurridos unos instantes, se mostrará el

tiempo de grabación aproximado y la

información de la batería durante

aproximadamente 7 s (segundo). Puede ver

la información sobre la batería durante un

máximo de 20 s (segundo) si presiona de

nuevo DISP/BATT INFO mientras aparece

dicha información.

Es posible visualizar la carga restante de la

batería en la pantalla LCD.

Interruptor POWER

PUSH

Indicador Estado

Energía restante suficiente

Poca batería, la grabación/

reproducción se detendrá

pronto.

Sustituya la batería por otra

completamente cargada o

cárguela.

BATTERY INFO

NIVEL CARGA BATERÍA

TIEMPO GRAB DISPON

PANT. LCD

VISOR :

:85

99 min

min

0% 50% 100%

Batería restante (aprox.)

Capacidad de grabación (aprox.)

Paso 2: Carga de la batería (Continuación)

Spanish Quick Guide/Guía rápida en español

Tiempo de carga

Tiempo aproximado (min) necesario para

cargar totalmente una batería descargada

por completo.

Tiempo de grabación

Tiempo aproximado (min) disponible

cuando utiliza una batería completamente

cargada.

*El tiempo de grabación normal muestra la hora

cuando se repite la operación de inicio/

detención de la grabación, al conectar y

desconectar la alimentación y al usar la función

de zoom.

bNotas

• Todo el tiempo calculado en las siguientes

condiciones:

Parte superior: Grabación con pantalla LCD.

Parte inferior: Grabación mediante el visor con

el panel LCD cerrado.

Tiempo de reproducción

Tiempo aproximado (min) disponible

cuando utiliza una batería completamente

cargada.

Acerca de la batería

• Antes de cambiar la batería, deslice el

interruptor POWER a la posición OFF (CHG).

• El indicador CHG (carga) parpadeará durante la

carga o la información sobre la batería no se

mostrará correctamente en las siguientes

situaciones.

– La batería no está correctamente conectada.

– La batería está dañada.

– La batería está completamente gastada (sólo

para la información sobre la batería).

• No se suministrará energía de la batería

mientras el adaptador de alimentación de ca esté

conectado a la toma de entrada de cc de la

videocámara, incluso cuando el cable de

alimentación esté desconectado del

tomacorriente de pared.

Acerca del tiempo de carga/grabación/

reproducción

• Tiempo calculado con la videocámara a 25 °C

(se recomienda una temperatura de entre 10 °C

y 30 °C)

• El tiempo de grabación y de reproducción será

más corto cuando use la videocámara a bajas

temperaturas.

• El tiempo de grabación y de reproducción será

más corto en función de las condiciones de uso

de la videocámara.

Batería Tiempo de carga

NP-FH30

(suministrada) 115

NP-FH50 135

NP-FH70 170

NP-FH100 390

Batería

Tiempo de

grabación

continua

Tiempo de

grabación

normal*

NP-FH30

(suministrada)

95 45

110 55

NP-FH50 155 75

180 90

NP-FH70 330 165

395 195

NP-FH100 760 380

890 445

Batería Panel LCD

abierto

Panel LCD

cerrado

NP-FH30

(suministrada) 105 135

NP-FH50 170 220

NP-FH70 370 465

NP-FH100 845 1065

Continuación ,

Acerca del adaptador de alimentación de

• Si utiliza el adaptador de alimentación de ca

conéctelo a un tomacorriente de pared cercano.

Si se produce alguna falla de funcionamiento al

utilizar la videocámara, desconecte el adaptador

de alimentación de ca del tomacorriente de

inmediato.

• No utilice el adaptador de alimentación de ca

colocado en un espacio angosto, tal como entre

una pared y los muebles.

• Evite la formación de cortocircuitos en la clavija

de cc del adaptador de alimentación de ca o en

el terminal de la batería con objetos metálicos.

Esto podría provocar una falla de

funcionamiento.

• Aunque la videocámara esté apagada, seguirá

recibiendo adaptador de alimentación de ca

(corriente doméstica) mientras esté conectada a

la toma de pared mediante el adaptador de

alimentación de ca

Paso 3: Activación de

la alimentación y

ajuste de la fecha y

hora

Ajuste la fecha y la hora cuando use la

videocámara por primera vez. De lo

contrario, la pantalla [AJ. RELOJ]

aparecerá cada vez que encienda la

videocámara o cambie la posición del

interruptor POWER.

1Deslice el interruptor POWER en

el sentido de la flecha para que se

encienda el indicador

correspondiente mientras

mantiene presionado el botón

verde.

CAMERA: Para grabar en una cinta.

PLAY/EDIT: Para reproducir o editar

imágenes.

Aparecerá la pantalla [AJ. RELOJ].

2Ajuste [A] (año) con / .

Puede seleccionar cualquier año hasta el

año 2079.

Interruptor POWER

Toque el botón

de la pantalla LCD.

AJ. RELOJ

AMD

2008 1 1 :00

Paso 2: Carga de la batería

(Continuación)

Spanish Quick Guide/Guía rápida en español

3Vaya a [M] (mes) con y, a

continuación, ajuste el valor con

4Vaya a [D] (día) con y, a

continuación, ajuste el valor con

/ y repita el proceso

para la hora y los minuto.

Ajuste la medianoche a las 12:00 AM.

Ajuste el mediodía a las 12:00 PM.

5Verifique que la configuración de

fecha y hora sea correcta, luego

toque .

El reloj se pone en funcionamiento.

Para apagar la videocámara

Deslice el interruptor POWER hasta la

posición OFF (CHG).

Para restablecer la fecha y la hora

Toque t [PÁG.2] t [AJ. RELOJ]

para ajustar la fecha y la hora deseadas.

bNotas

• Si no usa la videocámara durante

aproximadamente 3 meses, la batería

recargable incorporada se descarga y es posible

que los ajustes de la fecha y la hora se borren de

la memoria. En ese caso, cargue la batería

recargable y ajuste la fecha y la hora

nuevamente.

• Con el fin de ahorrar energía de la batería,

cuando se adquiere la videocámara, ésta viene

ajustada para apagarse automáticamente si se

deja encendida sin realizar ninguna operación

durante unos 5 min (minuto) ([APAG. AUTO]).

zSugerencias

• Durante la grabación, no se visualizarán la fecha

y la hora. Éstas se grabarán automáticamente en

la cinta y podrán visualizarse durante la

reproducción ([CÓD. DATOS] (durante el

modo de operación Easy Handycam,

únicamente podrá ajustar [FECHA HORA])).

• Si los botones del panel táctil no funcionan

correctamente, ajuste el panel táctil

(CALIBRACIÓN).

Puede cambiar las indicaciones en pantalla

para mostrar mensajes en un idioma en

particular. Toque t [MENU] t

(AJUS. MENÚ) t

[ LANGUAGE] y, a continuación,

seleccione el idioma que desee.

Cambio de los ajustes de

idioma

Paso 4: Realización de ajustes antes de la

grabación

Deslice el interruptor LENS COVER hacia

la posición OPEN.

Luego de grabar, ajuste el interruptor LENS

COVER en la posición CLOSE para cerrar

la cubierta del objetivo.

Abra el panel LCD a 90 grados con

respecto a la videocámara (1), luego gírelo

hacia el mejor ángulo para grabar o

reproducir (2).

bNotas

• No presione los botones en el marco del panel

LCD por error al abrirlo o ajustarlo.

zSugerencias

• Si gira el panel LCD 180 grados hacia el lado

del objetivo, podrá cerrarlo con la pantalla LCD

hacia afuera. Esto resulta conveniente durante

operaciones de reproducción.

• Consulte [BRIL LCD] para ajustar el brillo de la

pantalla LCD.

• Presione DISP/BATT INFO para activar o

desactivar los indicadores que aparecen en

pantalla (como la información de la batería).

Puede ver imágenes utilizando el visor para

evitar el desgaste de la batería o cuando la

imagen en la pantalla LCD es mala.

zSugerencias

• Para ajustar el brillo de la luz de fondo del visor,

seleccione (AJ LCD/VIS) - [LUZ F. VIS].

Ajuste la correa de sujeción y sujete la

cámara correctamente.

Apertura de la cubierta del

objetivo

Panel LCD

180 grados

(máx.)

90 grados

(máx.)

90 grados con

respecto a la

videocámara

DISP/BATT INFO

Visor

Correa de sujeción

Palanca de ajuste del

objetivo del visor

Muévala hasta que la

imagen se aclare.

Visor

Spanish Quick Guide/Guía rápida en español

Paso 5: Inserción de un videocasete

Solamente puede utilizar videocasetes de

formato mini DV .

1Deslice la palanca OPEN/

EJECT en el sentido de la flecha y

manténgala en esa posición para

abrir la tapa.

El compartimiento del videocasete sale

automáticamente y se abre.

2Inserte un videocasete con la

cara de la ventanilla hacia afuera

y, a continuación, presione .

El compartimiento del

videocasete se desliza

automáticamente hacia adentro.

bNotas

• No fuerce el compartimiento del

videocasete presionando la parte

con la marca mientras

se desliza hacia adentro. Podría

provocar una falla de

funcionamiento.

3Cierre la tapa.

Para expulsar el videocasete

Siga el mismo procedimiento descrito en el

paso 1 para abrir la tapa y, a continuación,

extraiga el videocasete.

zSugerencias

• El tiempo disponible para grabación varía en

función del [MOD GRB].

Palanca OPEN/EJECT

Tapa

Ventanilla

Presione ligeramente el

centro de la parte posterior

del videocasete.

Compartimiento del videocasete

{DO NOT PUSH}

Grabación

Deslice el interruptor POWER varias veces en el sentido de la

flecha para que se encienda el indicador CAMERA.

Presione REC START/STOP A (o B).

Para detener la grabación, presione REC START/STOP A (o B) nuevamente.

Abra la cubierta del objetivo.

REC START/STOP B

Interruptor POWER

REC START/

STOP A

Si el interruptor POWER está en la posición OFF

(CHG), deslícelo mientras presiona el botón verde.

GUÍA GUÍA

ESPERA

GRAB.

[ESPERA] [GRAB.]

Spanish Quick Guide/Guía rápida en español

Reproducción

Deslice el indicador POWER en el sentido de la flecha varias

veces para encender el indicador PLAY/EDIT.

Inicie la reproducción.

Toque para rebobinar la cinta hasta el punto deseado y, a continuación, toque

para iniciar la reproducción.

*La reproducción se detiene automáticamente si se acciona la pausa durante más de 3 min (minuto).

Para ajustar el volumen

Toque t [PÁG.1] t [VOL] y, a continuación, / para ajustar el volumen.

Para buscar una escena durante la reproducción

Mantenga presionado / durante la reproducción (búsqueda de imágenes) o /

mientras avanza rápidamente o rebobina la cinta (exploración con salto).

zSugerencias

• Puede reproducir en diversos modos ([REP VEL V]).

Si el interruptor POWER está en la posición OFF

(CHG), deslícelo mientras presiona el botón verde.

GUÍA

Detener

Al tocar este botón, se alterna entre los modos de reproducción y pausa*

Rebobinar/Avanzar rápidamente

http://www.sony.net/

Printed in Japan

Additional information on this product and answers

to frequently asked questions can be found at our

Customer Support Website.

Samsung Handycam Dcr Hc52 Users Manual HC52/HC54

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