Cannon HG20, HG21 Instruction Manual

PUB. DIE-310B

Instruction Manual

2

Introduction

Important Usage Instructions

WARNING!

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR
BACK). NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

WARNING!

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK AND TO REDUCE ANNOYING
INTERFERENCE, USE THE RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES ONLY.

CAUTION:

DISCONNECT THE MAINS PLUG FROM THE SUPPLY SOCKET WHEN NOT IN USE.

The Mains plug is used as the disconnect device. The Mains plug shall remain readily operable to disconnect the
plug in case of an accident.

While using the compact power adapter, do not wrap it or cover it with a piece of cloth, and do not place it in
confined narrow spaces. Heat may build up, the plastic case may deform and it could result in electric shock or fire.

CA-570 identification plate is located on the bottom.

Using any device other than the Compact Power Adapter CA-570 may damage the camcorder.

European Union (and EEA) only.

These symbols indicate that this product is not to be disposed of with your household waste,
according to the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC), the Battery Directive (2006/66/EC) and/or your
national laws implementing those Directives.
This product should be handed over to a designated collection point, e.g., on an authorized

one-for-one basis when you buy a new similar product or to an authorized collection site for
recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and batteries and accumulators. Improper handling of
this type of waste could have a possible impact on the environment and human health due to potentially hazardous
substances that are generally associated with EEE. Your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product will
contribute to the effective usage of natural resources.
For more information about the recycling of this product, please contact your local city office, waste authority,
approved scheme or your household waste disposal service or visit www.canon-europe.com/environment.
(EEA: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)

3

Trademark Acknowledgements

• The SD logo is a trademark. The SDHC logo is a trademark.

• Microsoft, Windows and Windows Vista are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries.

• Macintosh and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

• HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered
trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

• “AVCHD” and the “AVCHD” logo are trademarks of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. and Sony
Corporation.

• Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.
“Dolby” and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

• Other names and products not mentioned above may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective companies.

• This product is licensed under AT&T patents for the MPEG-4 standard and may be used for encoding MPEG-4 compliant video and/or
decoding MPEG-4 compliant video that was encoded only (1) for a personal and non-commercial purpose or (2) by a video provider
licensed under the AT&T patents to provide MPEG-4 compliant video. No license is granted or implied for any other use for MPEG-4
standard.

4

Enjoying High-Definition Video with your
Camcorder

Preserve your most treasured memories, be it unforgettable scenery or cherished
moments spent with family and friends, with high-definition video recordings of a
quality second only to actually being there.

What is High-Definition Video?

Your camcorder features a full high-definition image sensor (Full HD CMOS) that captures
video at a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels1. This results in video recordings of
unparalleled high quality, fine detail and lifelike vivid colors.

How does full high definition compare with standard-definition TV broadcasts?

Approximately 5 times the number of pixels.

Almost 90% more scanning lines.

“Full HD 1080” refers to Canon camcorders compliant with high-definition
video composed of 1,080 vertical pixels (scanning lines).

What is Cinema Mode?

Give your recordings a cinematic look by using the [ Cine Mode] recording program
( 45). Combine this recording program with the 25 fps progressive frame rate
[PF25] to get the enhanced effect of the 25p Cinema Mode.

Capture the finest detail,
like the movement or shine
of a single strand of hair

1,080

lines

5

1.9

1

Video is recorded at this resolution only when the recording mode is set to MXP or FXP mode.
In other recording modes, the picture is resized to 1,440 x 1,080 pixels before being recorded.
Even in that case, the picture captured is detailed enough to render richly detailed recordings.

5

Enjoying High-Definition Video with your Camcorder

What are the advantages of a hard disk?

Your videos and photos are recorded on the built-in hard disk or commercially available
SD/SDHC memory cards2 using AVCHD specifications3. This Double Media recording
system gives you longer recording times for more high-definition videos and photos.

• You can shoot approximately 11 hours ( 120 GB HDD) or 5.5 hours ( 60 GB
HDD) of video in MXP mode, which offers the highest video quality under AVCHD
specifications.

• The camcorder records video and photos in unused space on the recording media so
you need not worry about accidentally recording over important videos.

• You can immediately access the scenes you want to play back from an index menu.

• You can easily manage your video and photo collections with the supplied editing
software: ImageMixer 3 (movies) and DIGITAL VIDEO Solution Disk (photos).

Can I play back my high-definition video on other
devices?

Needless to say, you can connect your camcorder to an HDTV to enjoy your recordings
with family and friends ( 79). You also have the following options:

• You can easily play back video recorded on the memory card by inserting the
memory card directly into AVCHD-compatible TV sets and HDD or DVD recorders
that feature an SD/SDHC memory card slot

4

. For details, refer to the instruction

manual of your TV or digital video recorder.

• You can play back AVCHD discs of your recordings created using the optional
DW-100 DVD Burner

(80) on the DVD Burner itself or on AVCHD-compatible

DVD players or Blu-ray Disc players

5

.

2

For details about memory cards that can be used with this camcorder refer to Using a Memory
Card ( 29).

3

AVCHD is the new standard for recording high-definition video. With AVCHD specifications the
video signal is recorded using MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression and the audio signal is
recorded in Dolby Digital.

4

Depending on the device used, correct playback may not be possible even if the device is
AVCHD-compatible. In such case, play back the recordings on the memory card using the
camcorder.

5

AVCHD discs containing scenes recorded in MXP mode cannot be created with the optional
DW-100 DVD burner. Use the supplied software ImageMixer 3 to back up such scenes.

6

Important Notes About the Hard Disk Drive

Your hard disk camcorder allows you to shoot and store many hours of video.
However, there are differences between recording onto a hard disk and recording
onto other media. Make sure to follow the points below when using your camcorder.
For more details, refer to Handling Precautions ( 113).

Back up your recordings periodically

Make sure to transfer your movies and photos
to an external device such as a computer or
digital video recorder ( 80) and back them
up regularly and especially after making
important recordings. Canon shall not be
liable for any loss or corruption of data.

Do not subject the camcorder to
vibrations or strong impacts

The hard disk is a high-precision device.
Vibrations, strong impacts or dropping the
camcorder may result in permanent data loss.

Keep the drop sensor activated
whenever possible

The drop sensor ( 96) detects when the
camcorder is dropped and activates a
protection mechanism to help prevent hard
disk damage. Turning this function off will
disable the mechanism. Even if this function
is set to [ On] and the camcorder is
dropped, hard disk damage can occur.

Do not disconnect the power source
while the camcorder is on

Always turn the camcorder off before
removing the battery or compact power
adapter.

7

Important Notes About the Hard Disk Drive

Do not turn off the camcorder while the
camcorder is on and the ACCESS
indicator is on or flashing or while the
camcorder is in standby mode

Doing so may result in hard disk damage or
permanent data loss.

Use the camcorder within its operating
temperature range

If the camcorder's temperature becomes too
hot or too cold, recording/playback may stop
in order to prevent hard disk damage.

Do not use the camcorder at high
altitudes

Turning on or using the camcorder in places
with low atmospheric pressure, such as at
altitudes higher than 3,000 m, may result in
hard disk damage.

Initialize the hard disk when movies
cannot be recorded/played back
normally

As movies are recorded and deleted over
time, hard disk fragmentation may occur,
which may reduce performance. Initialize the
hard disk should this happen.

Protect personal information on the
hard disk

When the hard disk is initialized or recordings
are deleted, stored data is not physically
erased. Remember this when disposing of the
camcorder or giving it to another person.

Table of contents

8

 Introduction

4 Enjoying High-Definition Video with your Camcorder
6 Important Notes About the Hard Disk Drive
12 About this Manual

14 Getting to Know the Camcorder

14 Supplied Accessories
15 Components Guide
18 Screen Displays

 Preparations

21 Getting Started

21 Charging the Battery Pack
22 Preparing the Wireless Controller and Accessories
24 Adjusting the Position and Brightness of the LCD Screen

25 Basic Operation of the Camcorder

25 The Button: Mode or Flexible Recording
26 Joystick and Joystick Guide
26 Using the Menus

28 First Time Settings

28 Setting the Date and Time
28 Changing the Language
29 Changing the Time Zone

29 Using a Memory Card

29 Memory Cards Compatible for Use with the Camcorder
30 Inserting and Removing a Memory Card
31 Selecting the Recording Media
31 Initializing the Hard Disk or Memory Card

9

Table of contents

 Video

32 Basic Recording

32 Shooting Video
33 Selecting the Video Quality (Recording Mode)
34 Zooming
35 Quick Start Function
35 Reviewing and Deleting the Last Scene Recorded

36 Basic Playback

36 Playing Back the Video
38 Changing the Index Screen Selection
39 Selecting Scenes by Recording Date
40 Selecting the Playback Starting Point from the Movie Timeline
41 Selecting Recordings from the Index Screen
42 Deleting Scenes

43 Advanced Functions

43 Special Scene Recording Programs
44 Changing the Shutter Speed and Aperture
45 Cinema Mode: Giving a Cinematic Look to your Recordings
46 Self Timer
46 Manual Exposure Adjustment and Automatic Backlight Correction
47 Manual Focus Adjustment
48 White Balance
49 Image Effects
50 Digital Effects
51 On-Screen Displays and Data Code
51 Audio Recording Level
52 Using Headphones
53 Using the Mini Advanced Shoe
54 Using an External Microphone
55 Using a Video Light

55 Playlist and Scene Operations

55 Dividing Scenes
56 Editing the Playlist: Adding, Moving and Deleting Playlist Scenes
58 Copying Scenes

10

 Photos

59 Basic Recording

59 Taking Photos
60 Selecting Photo Size and Quality
61 Deleting a Photo Right After Recording It

61 Basic Playback

61 Viewing Photos
63 Deleting Photos

64 Additional Functions

64 Magnifying Photos during Playback
64 Flash
65 Histogram Display
65 Drive Mode: Continuous Shooting and Exposure Bracketing
66 Taking Photos while Recording Movies

(Simultaneous Recording)
67 Light Metering Mode
67 Capturing a Photo from the Playback Scene
68 Protecting Photos
68 Copying Photos
69 Other Functions You Can Use when Taking Photos

70 Printing Photos

70 Printing Photos (Direct Print)
71 Selecting the Print Settings
73 Trimming Settings
74 Print Orders

 External Connections

76 Terminals on the Camcorder

77 Connection Diagrams
79 Playback on a TV Screen

80 Saving and Backing Up Your Recordings

80 Backing Up Your Recordings on a Computer
80 Authoring High-Definition (AVCHD) Discs and Photo DVDs
84 Copying your Recordings to an External Video Recorder
84 Transferring Photos to a Computer (Direct Transfer)
87 Transfer Orders

11

Table of contents

 Additional Information

88 Appendix: Menu Options Lists

88 FUNC. Menu
90 Setup Menus

98 Trouble?

98 Troubleshooting
104 List of Messages

113 Do’s and Don’ts

113 Handling Precautions
117 Maintenance/Others
118 Using the Camcorder Abroad

119 General Information

119 System Diagram
120 Optional Accessories
124 Specifications
126 Index

Introduction

12

Thank you for purchasing the Canon HG21/HG20. Please read this manual carefully
before you use the camcorder and retain it for future reference. Should your
camcorder fail to operate correctly, refer to Trou bl es ho ot in g ( 98).

Conventions Used in this Manual

• IMPORTANT: Precautions related to the camcorder’s operation.

• NOTES: Additional topics that complement the basic operating procedures.

• POINTS TO CHECK: Restrictions or requirements regarding the function
described.

• : Reference page number within this manual.

• : Text that applies only to the model shown in the icon.

• The following terms are used in this manual:

“Screen” refers to the LCD and the viewfinder screen ( only).
“Hard disk” and “HDD” are used interchangeably to refer to the camcorder's built­in hard disk drive.
“Media” is used to refer collectively to either the built-in hard disk or an external
memory card.

• The photos included in this manual are simulated pictures taken with a still camera.
Unless indicated otherwise, illustrations and menu icons refer to the .

About this Manual

To complete some operations you will need to refer also to other instruction
manuals. This will be indicated with the following icons:

Refer to the

“Digital Video Software” instruction manual, included as a

PDF file in the supplied DIGITAL VIDEO Solution Disk CD-ROM.

Refer to the instruction manual of the optional DW-100 DVD Burner.

DVSD

DW-100

13

Special Scene Recording Programs

Recording in a very bright ski resort or
capturing the full colors of a sunset or a
fireworks display becomes as easy as
selecting a Special Scene recording
program. For details about the available
options, refer to the sidebar on page

50.

[ Programmed AE]
[ Portrait]
Press to display the Special
Scene (SCN) recording programs
Desired recording program

FUNC.

FUNC.

Brackets [ ] are used to refer to menu
options as they are displayed on
screen. In tables in this manual the
default value is shown in boldface.
For example [On], [Off].

The camcorder's operating mode is determined by the position of
the mode dial. In this manual, indicates that a function is
available and indicates that the function is not available. When
no operating mode icons are given, the function is available in all
operating modes.

In this manual, the arrow is used to abbreviate menu selections.
For a detailed explanation refer to Using the Menus ( 26).

Names of buttons and switches other
than the joystick are indicated within
a “button” frame.
For example .

FUNC.

Introduction

14

Getting to Kno w the Camcorder

1

Software for saving, managing, editing and playing back movies on your computer ( 80). The
CD-ROM includes the instruction manual of the software (electronic version on PDF file).

2

Software for saving, managing, retouching and printing photos ( 84). The CD-ROM includes
the instruction manual of the software (electronic version on PDF file).

Supplied Accessories

CA-570 Compact Power

Adapter (incl. power cord)

BP-807 Battery Pack

WL-D88 Wireless Controller

Lithium Button Battery

CR2025 for Wireless

Controller

CTC-100/S

Component Cable

Red • Green • Blue plugs

Software CD-ROM1

and Installation Guide

PIXELA ImageMixer 3 SE

STV-250N

Stereo Video Cable

Yellow • Red • White plugs

Software CD-ROM

2

DIGITAL VIDEO

Solution Disk

IFC-400PCU USB Cable

15

Components Guide

Left side view

Front view

Right side view

button ( 25)/

(print/share) button ( 71, 84)

DISP. (on-screen display) button
( 40, 51)/
BATT. INFO button ( 20)

Speaker ( 37)
Memory card slot ( 30)
USB terminal ( 78)
HDMI OUT terminal ( 77, 79)
AV OUT/ terminal ( 77)
COMPONENT OUT terminal ( 77)
MIC terminal ( 54)
Strap mount ( 23)
Grip belt
Instant AF sensor ( 91)
Flash ( 64)
Stereo microphone

Introduction

16

* only.

Back view

Top v i ew

LCD panel

VIEWFINDER button* ( 33)
Viewfinder* ( 24, 33)
Dioptric adjustment lever* ( 33)
Battery attachment unit ( 21)
RESET button ( 101)
ACCESS indicator ( 32, 59)/

CHG (charge) indicator ( 21)
Start/Stop button ( 32)
Mode dial

Recording movies ( 32)
Taking photos ( 59)
Playing back movies ( 36)

Viewing photos ( 61)
DC IN terminal ( 21)
Remote sensor ( 23)
LCD screen ( 24)
Joystick ( 26)
FUNC. button ( 26, 88)

/ (play/pause) button ( 36)/

START/STOP button ( 32)

(fast reverse) button ( 36)/

Zoom out W (wide-angle) button ( 34)

(fast forward) button ( 36)/

Zoom in T (telephoto) button ( 34)

(stop) button ( 36)/

BLC (backlight correction) button ( 46)
Mini advanced shoe ( 53)
Zoom lever ( 34)
PHOTO button ( 59)
ON/OFF button

indicator

17

Wireless Controller WL-D88

B

ottom view

Tripod socket ( 114)
BATTERY RELEASE switch ( 22)

Serial number

The serial number label is located on the
top surface of the battery attachment unit.
Remove the battery pack to find it.

START/STOP button ( 32)
FUNC. button ( 26, 88)
MENU button ( 27, 90)
PLAYLIST button ( 56)
Navigation buttons ( / / / )

(frame reverse) button ( 37)

(fast reverse) button ( 37)
(play) button ( 36)
(pause) button ( 36)
(stop) button ( 36)

PHOTO button ( 59)
Zoom buttons ( 34)
SET button

(frame advance) button ( 37)

(fast forward) button ( 37)

DISP. (on-screen display) button
( 40, 51)

Introduction

18

Recording Movies

Playing Movies

(During Playback)

Screen Displays

Operating mode
Recording program ( 43, 44)
White balance ( 48)
Image effect ( 49)
Digital effect ( 50)
Recording mode ( 33)
Photo quality/size

(simultaneous recording) ( 66)
Remote sensor off ( 95)
Hard disk/memory card operation ( 20)

Instant AF ( 91),

MF Manual focus ( 47)
Remaining battery time ( 20)
While recording/during playback:

Scene counter (hours : minutes : seconds)
Record pause mode: Total number of
scenes

Remaining recording time

On the hard disk

On the memory card
Image stabilizer ( 92)
25F progressive frame rate ( 20)
Backlight correction ( 47)
Drop sensor off ( 96)
Audio level indicator ( 51)
Microphone attenuator ( 92)
Mini advanced shoe ( 53)
Headphone output ( 52)
Wind screen off ( 92)
Level marker ( 91)
Scene number
Data code ( 51)

19

Recording Photos

Viewing Photos

Zoom ( 34), Exposure ( 46)
Recording program ( 43, 44)
Light metering mode ( 67)
White balance ( 48)
Image effect ( 49)
Digital effect ( 50)
Drive mode ( 65)
Photo quality/size ( 60)

Instant AF ( 91),

MF Manual focus ( 47)
Remaining battery time ( 20)
Number of available photos

On the hard disk

On the memory card
Image stabilizer ( 92)
Self timer ( 46)
AF frame ( 92)
Camcorder shake warning ( 92)
Focus and exposure lock ( 59)
Flash ( 64)
Histogram ( 65)
Current photo / Total number of photos
Photo number ( 96)
Protected photo mark ( 68)
Date and time of recording
Manual focus ( 47)
File size
Manual exposure ( 46)
Photo size ( 60)
Aperture value ( 44)
Shutter speed ( 44)

Introduction

20

Hard disk/memory card operation

Record, Record pause,

Playback, Playback pause,

Fast playback,

Fast reverse playback,
Slow playback,
Slow reverse playback,
Frame advance,
Frame reverse

, Remaining battery time

• The icon shows a rough estimate of the
remaining charge as a percentage of the full
charge of the battery pack. The remaining
recording/playback time of the battery pack is
displayed, in minutes, next to the icon.

• When is displayed in red, replace the
battery pack with a fully charged one.

• When you attach an empty battery pack, the
power may turn off without displaying .

• Depending on the conditions under which the
camcorder and the battery pack are used, the
actual battery charge may not be indicated
accurately.

• When the camcorder is off, press
to display the charge status of a battery pack.
The Intelligent System will display the charge
status (as a percentage) and the remaining
recording time (in minutes) for 5 seconds. If the
battery pack is exhausted, the battery
information may not be displayed.

Remaining recording time

When there is no more free space on the
recording media, “ END” (built-in hard disk)
or “ END” (memory card) will be displayed
and the recording will stop.

25F progressive frame rate

Select the 25F progressive frame rate ( 45) to
give your recordings a cinematic look. You can
combine this frame rate with the [ Cine
Mode] recording program to enhance the effect.

Number of available photos

in red: No card
in green: 6 or more photos
in yellow: 1 to 5 photos
in red: No more photos can be recorded

• When viewing the photos, the display will
always be in green.

• Depending on the recording conditions, the
number of available photos displayed may not
decrease even after a recording has been
made, or may decrease by 2 photos at once.

Photo number

The photo number indicates the name and
location of the file on the memory card. For
example, the file name of a photo numbered
101-0107 is “IMG_0107.JPG”, stored under the
folder “DCIM\101CANON”.

100% 75% 50% 25% 0%

BATT.INFO

21

Preparations

This chapter describes basic operations, such as navigating the
menus, and first time settings to help you learn more about your
camcorder.

Charging the Battery Pack

The camcorder can be powered with a
battery pack or directly using the
compact power adapter. Charge the
battery pack before use.

For approximate charging times and
recording/playback times with a full
battery pack, refer to the tables on
pages 120-121.

1 Connect the power cord to the

compact power adapter.

2 Plug the power cord into a power

outlet.

3 Connect the compact power

adapter to the camcorder’s DC IN
terminal.

4 Attach the battery pack to the

camcorder.

Press the battery pack softly into the
battery attachment unit and slide it
up until it clicks in place.

5 Charging will start when the

camcorder is turned off
(the indicator is off).

• The CHG (charge) indicator starts
flashing. The indicator will stay on
when the charging is completed.

• If the indicator flashes quickly,
refer to Tr ou bl es ho oti ng ( 98).

Getting Started

DC IN terminal

CHG (charge)
indicator

Preparations

22

1 Slide in the

direction of the arrow and hold it
pressed down.

2 Slide the battery pack down and

then pull it out.

IMPORTANT

• Turn off the camcorder before
connecting or disconnecting the
compact power adapter. After pressing

to turn off the camcorder,
important data is updated on the hard
disk. Be sure to wait until the
indicator turns off.

• We recommend charging the battery
pack in temperatures between 10 °C
and 30 °C. Outside the temperature
range of 0 °C to 40 °C, charging will not
start.

• Do not connect to the camcorder’s DC
IN terminal or to the compact power
adapter any electrical equipment that is
not expressly recommended for use
with this camcorder.

• To prevent equipment breakdowns and
excessive heating, do not connect the
supplied compact power adapter to
voltage converters for overseas travels
or special power sources such as those

on aircraft and ships, DC-AC inverters,
etc.

NOTES

• The battery pack will be charged only
when the camcorder is off.

• If remaining battery time is an issue, you
can power the camcorder using the
compact power adapter so the battery
pack will not be consumed.

• Charged battery packs continue to
discharge naturally. Therefore, charge
them on the day of use, or the day
before, to ensure a full charge.

• We recommend that you prepare battery
packs to last 2 to 3 times longer than
you think you might need.

Preparing the Wireless Controller and
Accessories

First, insert the supplied lithium button
battery CR2025 into the wireless
controller.

1 Press the tab in the direction of

the arrow and pull out the battery
holder.

2 Place the lithium button battery

with the + side facing up.

3 Insert the battery holder.

TO REMOVE THE BATTERY PACK

BATTERY RELEASE
switch

BATTERY RELEASE

ON/OFF

Ta b

23

Point the wireless controller at the
camcorder’s remote sensor when
you press the buttons.

You can rotate the LCD panel 180
degrees to use the wireless controller
from the front of the camcorder.

NOTES

• The wireless controller may not work
properly when the remote sensor is
situated under strong light sources or
direct sunlight.

• If the wireless controller does not work,
check that [Wireless Remote
Control] is not set to [ Off ]
( 95). Otherwise, replace the battery.

Accessories

Fasten the grip belt.

Adjust the grip belt so that you can reach
the zoom lever with your index finger, and
the button with your thumb.

Pass the ends of the shoulder strap
through the strap mount on the grip
belt and adjust the length of the
strap.

TO USE THE WIRELESS CONTROLLER

TO ATTACH A SHOULDER STRAP

Start/Stop

Preparations

24

Adjusting the Position and Brightness
of the LCD Screen

Rotating the LCD Panel

Open the LCD panel 90 degrees.

• You can rotate the panel 90 degrees
downward.

• You can rotate the panel 180 degrees
toward the lens. Rotating the LCD
panel 180 degrees can be useful in
the following cases:

- To allow the subject to monitor

the LCD screen while you use the
viewfinder.

- To include yourself in the picture when

recording with the self timer.

- To allow the camcorder to be operated

with the wireless controller from the
front.

NOTES

About the LCD and viewfinder* screen: The

screens are produced using extremely
high-precision manufacturing techniques,
with more than 99.99% of the pixels
operating to specification. Less than

0.01% of the pixels may occasionally
misfire or appear as black, red, blue or
green dots. This has no effect on the
recorded image and does not constitute a
malfunction.

* only.

LCD Backlight

You can set the brightness of the
screen to normal or bright. This
changes the brightness of both the LCD
and viewfinder* screen.

* only.

Hold pressed down for more
than 2 seconds.

Repeat this action to toggle between
the normal and bright settings.

NOTES

• This setting does not affect the
brightness of the recording.

• Using the bright setting will shorten the
effective usage time of the battery pack.

180°

90°

180°

Subject can monitor the LCD screen

while you use the viewfinder

DISP.

25

The Button: Mode or
Flexible Recording

The camcorder offers two basic modes
for recording video or photos:
mode for beginners or if you just prefer
not to bother with detailed camcorder
settings, and flexible recording mode
which lets you change the camcorder's
settings to your preference.

Press the button to enter the

mode (the button's blue light will
be on). You do not need to worry about
any settings and can shoot video using
just the zoom lever ( 34) and

( 32) or take photos using
just the zoom lever and ( 59).
The viewfinder ( only) and Quick
Start function can also be used in
mode.

Press the button again to return
to the flexible recording mode (the
button's light is off). You can access the
menus and change settings to your
preference. Even in flexible recording
mode, the camcorder can help you with
the settings. For example, you can use
the Special Scene recording programs
(

43) to set at once all the optimal

settings to match special recording
conditions.

NOTES

In mode you cannot access the
menus but you can change the following
settings in advance, before setting the
camcorder to mode.

- Recording mode of movies

- Size/quality of photos

- Auto slow shutter

- All settings under the setup menu’s
, and tabs.

Basic Operation of the
Camcorder

EASY MODE

Start/Stop

PHOTO

FLEXIBLE RECORDING

Preparations

26

Joystick and Joystick Guide

Use the joystick to operate the
camcorder's menus.

Press to display/hide the joystick
guide. The functions that appear on the
joystick guide will change depending
on the operating mode.

Using the Menus

Many of the camcorder’s functions can
be adjusted from the menus that open
after pressing the FUNC. button
( ). To access the menus set the
camcorder to flexible recording mode.
In mode, except for a few
exceptions, most menu settings will
return to their default values ( 25).

For details about the available menu
options and settings, refer to the
appendix Menu Options Lists ( 88).

Selecting a FUNC. Menu Option

Following is an example of selecting a
FUNC. menu option in a recording
mode.

1 Press .
2 Select ( ) the icon of the

function you want to change from
the left side column.

Menu items not available will appear
grayed out.

3 Select ( ) the desired setting

from the available options at the
bottom bar.

• The selected option will be

highlighted in orange.

• With some settings you will need

to make further selections and/or
press . Follow the additional
operation guides that will appear
on the screen (such as the
icon, small arrows, etc.).

4 Press to save the settings

and close the menu.

You can press to close the
menu at any time.

Press the joystick itself ( ) to save the
settings or confirm an action. On menu
screens, this is indicated by the icon .

Push the joystick up, down, left or right ( ,

) to select an item or change settings.

FUNC.

FUNC.

FUNC.

FUNC.

27

Selecting an Option from the Setup Menus

1 Press .
2 Select ( , ) the icon and

press to open the setup
menus.

You can also hold pressed
down for more than 1 second or
press on the wireless
controller to open directly the setup
menus screen.

3 Select ( ) the tab of the desired

menu.

The settings available will change as
you move between the menu tabs.

4 Select ( ) the setting you want

to change and press .

• The orange selection bar indicates
the menu setting currently
selected. Menu items not available
appear grayed out.

• Move ( ) the orange selection
bar to the tabs at the top of the
screen to select a different menu
(step 3).

5 Select ( ) the desired option and

press to save the setting.

6 Press .

You can press to close the
menu at any time.

NOTES

A small font size is used in menu screens
so you can see all options and current
settings in one screen. You can enlarge
the font size by setting [Font Size]
to [ Large] but you may have to scroll
down to find some menu options and only
the icons of the current settings will be
displayed.

FUNC.

FUNC.

MENU

FUNC.

FUNC.

Preparations

28

Setting the Date and Time

You will need to set the date and time of
the camcorder before you can start
using it. The [Date/Time] screen will
appear automatically when the
camcorder’s clock is not set.

When the [Date/Time] screen　
appears, the year will be displayed in
orange and indicated with up/down
arrows.

1 Change ( ) the year and move

( ) to the month.

2 Change the rest of the fields

(month, day, hour and minutes) in
the same way.

3 Select ( ) [OK] and press to

start the clock and close the setup
screen.

IMPORTANT

• When you do not use the camcorder for
about 3 months, the built-in
rechargeable lithium battery may
discharge completely and the date and
time setting may be lost. In such case,
recharge the built-in lithium battery
( 116) and set the time zone, date
and time again.

• The date appears in a year-month-day
format only in the first setup screen. In
subsequent screen displays the date
and time will appear as day-month-year
(for example, [1.Jan.2008 12:00 AM]).
You can change the date format ( 97).

• You can also change the date and time
later on (not during the initial setup).
Open the [Date/Time] screen from the
setup menus:

[ Menu]

[Date/Time]

Changing the Language

Options



Default value

[ Menu]
[Language ]
Desired language

NOTES

The displays and that appear
in some menu screens refer to the name of
buttons on the camcorder and will not
change, regardless of the language
selected.

First Time Settings

[][MAGYAR][]
[DEUTSCH][MELAYU][]
[][POLSKI][]

[ENGLISH]



[] [ ]

[ESPAÑOL][TÜRKÇE][]
[FRANÇAIS][ ] [ ]
[ITALIANO][ ] [ ]

FUNC.

FUNC.

FUNC.

29

Changing the Time Zone

Change the time zone to match your
location. The default setting is Paris.

[ Menu]
[Time Zone/DST]
Your local time zone*

[ Menu]
[Time Zone/DST]
Local time at your destination*

* To adjust for daylight saving time, select the

area name marked with a .

Memory Cards Compatible for Use with
the Camcorder

You can use commercially available

SDHC (SD high capacity) memory
cards and SD memory cards with
this camcorder. However, depending on
its Speed Class, you may not be able to
record movies on the memory card.
Refer to the table on page 30.

As of June 2008, the movie recording
function has been tested using SD/
SDHC memory cards made by
Panasonic, Toshiba and SanDisk.

We recommend using memory cards
with a Speed Class 4 or higher.

NOTES

About the SD Speed Class: The SD Speed

Class is a standard that indicates the
minimum guaranteed data transfer speed
of SD/SDHC memory cards. When you
buy a new memory card, look for the
Speed Class logo on the package.

TO SET THE HOME TIME ZONE

WHEN YOU TRAVEL

FUNC.

FUNC.

FUNC.

FUNC.

Using a Memory Card

Preparations

30

Inserting and Removing a Memory Card

Make sure to initialize all memory cards
before using them with this camcorder
(31).

1 Turn off the camcorder.

Make sure the indicator is off.

2 Open the memory card slot cover.
3 Insert the memory card straight,

with the label facing up, all the
way into the memory card slot
until it clicks.

4 Close the memory card slot cover.

Do not force the cover closed if the
memory card is not correctly
inserted.

IMPORTANT

Memory cards have front and back sides
that are not interchangeable. Inserting a
memory card facing the wrong direction
can cause a malfunction of the camcorder.

NOTES

To remove the memory card: Push the

memory card once to release it. When the
memory card springs out, pull it all the
way out.

1

Movies cannot be recorded when the recording mode is set to MXP (24 Mbps) or FXP
(17 Mbps).

2

On some memory cards you may not be able to record movies at all.

Memory card Capacity SD Speed Class

Recording

movies

Recording
photos

SD

memory cards

64 MB or less Not applicable –

128 MB or

more

Not compatible

1,2

1

or higher

SDHC

memory cards

Over 2 GB

1

or higher