Canon LEGRIA FS405, LEGRIA FS406, LEGRIA FS46 Instruction Manual

PUB. DIE-0382-000

Digital Camcorder

Instruction Manual

Introduc tion

Important Usage Instructions

WARNING!

WARNING!

COPYRIGHT WARNING:
Unauthorized recording of copyrighted materials may infringe on the rights of copyright
owners and be contrary to copyright laws.

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.

To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not expose this product to dripping or splashing.

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-570E identification plate is located on the bottom.

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

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

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

2

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)

Trademark Acknowledgements

• SD, SDHC and SDXC Logos are trademarks of SD-3C, LLC.

• Microsoft and Windows 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.

• Manufactured under license from Dolby Labora tories.
“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 device incorporates exFAT technology licensed from Microsoft.

• ANY USE OF THIS PRODUCT OTHER THAN CONSUMER PERSONAL USE IN
ANY MANNER THAT COMPLIES WITH THE MPEG-2 STANDARD FOR ENCODING VIDEO INFORMATION FOR
PACKAGED MEDIA IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT A LICENSE UNDER APPLICABLE PATENTS IN THE
MPEG-2 PATENT PORTFOLIO, WHICH LICENSE IS AVAILABLE FROM MPEG LA, L.L.C., 250 STEELE STREET,
SUITE 300, DENVER, COLORADO 80206.

3

Exciting Features

Whether you are using a camcorder for the first time or are very
experienced, this camcorder offers many easy-to-use functions. The
following are just but a few examples of the many functions that can
enrich your shooting experience.

Dual Flash Memory

You can record in the built-in
memory or on commercially
available memory cards ( 31).

Video Snapshot

(51)

Shoot or capture short scenes
and arrange them into a video
clip set to your favorite
background music.

Pre-recording

( 50)

When pre-recording is activated,
the camcorder starts recording
video continuously into a
temporary 3-second memory.
When you press the
button, the scene recorded will
have started 3 seconds before
you started shooting.

Start/Stop

Image Stabilization

( 50)

Dynamic IS compensates for
camcorder shake when you
shoot video while walking. This
gives you more freedom and
mobility when recording movies.

4

T

able of contents

 Introduction

4 Exciting Features
8 About this Manual

10 Getting to Know the Camcorder

10 Supplied Accessories and CD-ROMs
12 Names of Parts

 Preparations

15 Getting Started

15 Charging the Battery Pack
18 Preparing the Accessories
19 Adjusting the Position and Brightness of the LCD

21 Basic Operation of the Camcorder

21 Operating Modes
23 Joystick and Joystick Guide
23 Using the Menus

26 First Time Settings

26 Setting the Date and Time
27 Changing the Language
27 Changing the Time Zone

28 Using a Memory Card

28 Memory Cards Compatible for Use with the

30 Inserting and Removing a Memory Card
31 Selecting the Memory for the Recordings
31 Initializing the Memory

Screen

Camcorder

Table of contents  5

 Video

34 Basic Recording

34 Shooting Video
35 Selecting the Video Quality (Recording Mode)
36 Zooming: Optical, Advanced and Digital Zoom
37 Quick Start Function

39 Basic Playback

39 Playing Back Video
41 Selecting what Recordings to Play Back
42 Searching for Scenes
44 Pre-selecting Recordings from the Index Screen
45 Deleting Scenes

47 Advanced Functions

47 Automatic Exposure and Special Scene Recording

49 Automatic Backlight Correction
50 Advanced Image Stabilization
50 Pre-Recording
51 Video Snapshot
52 Digital Effects
53 Manual Exposure Adjustment
54 Manual Focus Adjustment
55 White Balance
56 Image Effects
57 Mini Video Light
57 Self Timer
58 Selecting the Playback Starting Point
59 Playing Back Recordings Set to Background Music
62 On-Screen Displays and Data Code

63 Playlist and Scene Operations

63 Editing the Playlist: Adding, Deleting and Moving

65 Dividing Scenes
66 Copying Scenes to a Memory Card

Programs

Scenes

6  Table of contents

 Photos

69 Taking Photos
70 Viewing Photos
72 Slideshow
72 Deleting Photos
74 Copying Photos to a Memory Card

 External Connections

76 Terminals on the Camcorder

76 Connection Diagrams

78 Playback on a TV Screen
79 Saving and Sharing Your Recordings

79 Saving Recordings on a Computer
81 Copying Movies to an External Video Recorder
82 Preparing Movies for the Web

 Additional Information

86 Appendix: Menu Options Lists

86 FUNC. Menu
88 Setup Menus
94 Onscreen Icons and Displays

98 Trouble?

98 Troubleshooting
103 List of Messages

109 Do’s and Don’ts

109 Handling Precautions
113 Maintenance/Others
114 Using the Camcorder Abroad

115 General Information

115 Accessories
116 Optional Accessories
119 Specifications
123 Index

Table of contents  7

About this Manual

Thank you for purchasing the Canon LEGRIA FS46 / LEGRIA FS405 /
LEGRIA FS406. 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 Trouble shoo ting (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:

When not specified as “memory card” or “built-in memory”, the
term “memory” by itself refers to both.
“Scene” refers to one movie unit from the point you press the

Start/Stop

the recording.

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

button to start recording until you press again to pause

8  Introduction

Brackets [ ] are used to refer to
menu options as they are
displayed on screen.

The names of most buttons and
switches are indicated within a
“button” frame.
For example .

The arrow is used to abbreviate menu selections. For a detailed
explanation on how to use the menus, refer to Using the Menus
( 23). For a concise summary of all available menu options and
settings, refer to the appendix Menu Options Lists ( 86).

refer to Operating Modes ( 21).

FUNC.

indicates that a function is available in the operating mode indicated and
indicates that the function is not available. For a detailed explanation

Introduction  9

Getting to Know t he Cam corder

Supplied Accessories and CD-ROMs

The following accessories are supplied with the camcorder:

XCA-570E Compact Power Adapter

(incl. power cord)

BP-808 Battery PackW

XIFC-300PCU/S USB Cable

STV-250N Stereo Video CableW

Yellow • Red • White plugs

XQuick Guide

10  Introduction

Installation Guide for PIXELA’sW

Software

The following CD-ROMs and software are supplied with the camcorder:

• PIXELA’s Transfer Utility CD-ROM*

-Use Transfer Utility for saving and transferring movies and music

files you can use as background music.

•/ PIXELA’s VideoBrowser CD-ROM*

- In addition to all the functionality of Transfer Utility, you can use
VideoBrowser for managing, editing, and playing back movies.

Instruction Manual/Music Data CD-ROM (referred to in this

•
manual as “Camcorder Supplemental Disc”)

- Instruction Manual - The full-version instruction manual of the

camcorder (this PDF file).

- Music data - Music files that can be used as background music

during playback. These music files are for exclusive use with the
supplied PIXELA’s software. The disc cannot be played back on CD
players.

* The CD-ROM includes the instruction manual of the software (on PDF file).

Introduction  11

Names of Parts

Left side view

Right side view

Front view

1 RESET button ( 102)
2 button ( 21)/

WEB button ( 82)

3 DISP. (on-screen display) button

( 58, 62)/BATT. INFO button ( 97)

4 Speaker ( 39)
5 AV OUT terminal ( 76, 77)
6 USB terminal ( 76, 77)
7 DC IN terminal ( 15)
8 ACCESS indicator ( 34, 69)
9 Strap mount ( 18)
Aq Grip belt ( 18)
Aa Stereo microphone
As Mini video light ( 57)

12  Introduction

Top vie w

LCD panel

Back view

Ad Zoom lever ( 36)
Af PHOTO button ( 69)
Ag POWER button
Ah Joystick ( 23)
Aj LCD screen ( 19)
Ak FUNC. button ( 24, 86)
Al / (play/pause) button ( 39)/

START/STOP button ( 34)

Sq (stop) button ( 39)/

PLAYLIST button ( 42)

Sa VIDEO SNAP (video snapshot) button

( 51)

Ss (camera/play) button ( 22)
Sd ON/OFF (CHG) (charge) indicator:

Green – On
Orange – Standby ( 37)
Red – Charging ( 15)

Sf Start/Stop button ( 34)

Introduction  13

Bottom view

Sg Battery release latch
Sh Tripod socket ( 109)
Sj Memory card slot ( 30)
Sk Battery compartment ( 15)
Sl Battery compartment cover/Memory

card slot cover

Dq Serial number

The serial number label is located on
the battery compartment cover.

14  Introduction

Preparations

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

Getting Started

Charging the Battery Pack

The camcorder can be powered with a battery pack or directly using
the compact power adapter. The first time you use a battery pack, fully
charge it and then use the camcorder until the battery pack is com­pletely exhausted. Doing so will ensure that the remaining recording
time will be displayed accurately.
For approximate charging times and recording/playback times with a
fully charged battery pack, refer to Charging, Recording and Playback
Times ( 117).

1 Slide the battery compartment

cover away from the lens and open
it.

2 Insert the battery pack all the way

into the compartment and press
gently until it clicks.

1

2

Preparations  15

3 Close the cover and slide it toward

the lens until you hear a click.

4 Connect the power cord to the

compact power adapter.

5 Plug the compact power adapter

into a power outlet.

6 Connect the compact power

adapter to the camcorder’s DC IN
terminal.

7 Charging will start when the

camcorder is turned off.

• If the camcorder was on, the green
ON/OFF (CHG) indicator will go out
when you turn off the camcorder.
After a moment, the ON/OFF (CHG)
indicator will start flashing in red
(battery pack charging). The red
ON/OFF (CHG) indicator will go out
when the battery pack is fully
charged.

• If the indicator flashes quickly, refer

Troubleshooting

to

( 98).

3

terminal

DC IN

ON/OFF (CHG)
(charge) indicator

16  Preparations

To remove the battery pack

1 Slide the battery compartment

cover away from the lens and
open it.

2 Press the battery release latch

and pull out the battery pack.

3 Close the cover and slide it

toward the lens until you hear a
click.

Battery release latch

IMPORTANT

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

POWER

important data is updated in the memory. Be sure to wait until the
green ON/OFF (CHG) indicator goes out.

• 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.

Preparations  17

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

Preparing the 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.

Start/Stop

To remove the grip belt

1 Lift the padded handgrip’s flap and detach the strap from the Velcro

pad. Pull the strap to remove it from the camcorder’s front bracket.

2 Pull the other end of the strap through the buckle and remove it

from the camcorder’s rear bracket.

18  Preparations

To attach an optional wrist strap

Pass the attaching end of the wrist
strap through the rear bracket on the
camcorder, thread the wrist strap
through the loop and fasten.

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 when you wish to include your­self in the picture when recording with the self timer.

180°

90°

180°

Subject can monitor the LCD screen

NOTES

• About the LCD screen: The screen is 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.

Preparations  19

LCD Backlight

When recording in bright places it may be difficult to use the LCD
screen. Turn on the LCD backlight to make it brighter.

With the camcorder on, hold
pressed down for more than
2 seconds.

Repeat this action to switch the LCD
backlight between off (normal) and on
(bright).

NOTES

• The LCD backlight does not affect the brightness of the recordings.

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

• You can further adjust the brightness of the LCD screen with the

[LCD Brightness] setting.

DISP.

20  Preparations

Basic Operation of the Camcorder

Operating Modes

Recording

The camcorder offers two basic modes for recording video
and 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
switch the camcorder to mode and press the button
again to switch back to mode. In either mode, you can record
movies by pressing or take photos by pressing .

Start/Stop

PHOTO

Operating

mode

Onscreen

icon

Operation

Easy recording of movies and photos.

Recording of movies and photos while enjoying full
access to the menus and advanced functions.

About mode

• Only the following buttons/functions are available in this mode.

Start/Stop

- for recording movies

PHOTO

- for recording photos

- Zoom ( 36)

- Quick Start ( 37)

VIDEO SNAP

- for recording video snapshot scenes ( 51)

NOTES

• In mode, menus cannot be accessed but the following settings
can be changed in advance.

- FUNC. menu: Recording mode of movies.

Preparations  21

- menu: [Rec Media for Movies]*, [Rec Media for Photos]*,
[Widescreen], [Video Snapshot Length].

- menu: [Image Stabilizer]**, [Auto Slow Shutter].

- , and menus: All settings.

* only.
** The [ Standard] setting will be used in mode if set to [ Off] in

mode.

• Even in mode, the camcorder can help you with the settings. For
example, you can use the Special Scene recording programs ( 47)
to set at once all the optimal settings to match special recording condi­tions.

Playback

Press the (camera/play) button to switch the
camcorder between camera (recording) mode and
playback mode. You can press when the cam­corder is off to turn it on directly in playback mode.

Operating mode Onscreen icon Operation

Playing back movies.

Viewing photos.

NOTES

• When switching to playback mode, the [Movies] index screen will be
selected ( mode). Use the tabs on the top of the screen to switch
to mode to view photos ( 41).

• When switching to playback mode, the memory selected for
playback will be the same currently used for recording movies.

22  Preparations

Joystick and Joystick Guide

Use the joystick to operate the camcorder’s menus.

Push the joystick up, down, left or right
( , ) to select an item or
change settings.

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

The functions that appear in the joystick guide depend on the operat­ing mode. By default, the joystick guide is minimized. Push the joy­stick ( ) to display it.

• or mode: Select ( ) a function and press to change
the setting. With some functions, you will need to make further
adjustments ( ).

• mode: First, select ( ) a “row” of functions; then, press to
operate the function in the middle or push the joystick ( or ) to
operate the function on the left or right, respectively.

The joystick guide will minimize after 2 seconds. When the joystick
guide is minimized, you can still adjust or turn on/off the selected
function; you can also maximize ( ) the joystick guide to select
another function, or hide ( ) it altogether.

Using the Menus

Many of the camcorder’s functions can
be adjusted from the menus that open
after pressing . In mode,
however, menus cannot be accessed
and, except in a few cases, most menu
settings will return to their default val­ues.
For details about the available menu options and settings, refer to the
appendix Menu Options Lists ( 86).

FUNC.

Preparations  23

Selecting an Option from the FUNC. Menu

The following is an example of selecting a FUNC. menu option in
mode. In playback modes, the operation varies depending on the
function selected so refer to the relevant chapter as necessary.

1Press .

FUNC.

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.

FUNC.

You can press to close the menu at any time.

FUNC.

Selecting an Option from the Setup Menus

1Press .

2 Select ( ) [ Menu] and press

3 Select ( ) the tab of the desired menu.

4 Select ( ) the setting you want to change and press .

5 Select ( , ) the desired option and press to save the

FUNC.

to open the setup menus.

You can also hold pressed

FUNC.

down for more than 1 second to
open directly the setup menus
screen.

• 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).

setting.

24  Preparations

6Press .

FUNC.

You can press to close the menu at any time.

FUNC.

Preparations  25

First Time Settings

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 selected.

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.

NOTES

• 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 ( 112) 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.2011 12:00 AM]). You can
change the date format and the clock format (12/24 hours) with the

[Date Format] setting.

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

FUNC.

[ Menu] [Date/Time]

26  Preparations

Changing the Language

The default language of the cam­corder is English. You can set it to one
of 26 other languages.

Operating modes:

FUNC.

[ Menu] [Language ]

Desired language

FUNC.

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.

Changing the Time Zone

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

Operating modes:

To set the home time zone

FUNC.

* When you travel, select ( ) the icon and select the time zone that matches the

local time at your destination.

**To adjust for daylight saving time, select the area name marked with a .

[ Menu] [Time Zone/DST] *

Your local time zone**

FUNC.

Preparations  27

Using a Memory Card

Memory Cards Compatible for Use with the Camcorder

You can use commercially available Secure Digital (SD) cards with this
camcorder. However, depending on the memory card, you may not be
able to record movies. Refer to the table below.
As of May 2010, the movie recording function has been tested using
SD/SDHC memory cards made by Panasonic, Toshiba and SanDisk,
and SDXC memory cards made by Panasonic and Toshiba.

Memory card Capacity SD Speed Class Recording movies

64 MB or less – –

SD

memory cards

SDHC

memory cards

SDXC

memory cards

* Depending on the memory card used, it may not be possible to record movies.

128 MB or more

Over 2 GB

Over 32 GB

–

, ,

,

, ,

,

, ,

NOTES

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

*

28  Preparations

SDXC Memory Cards

As of May 2010, SDXC memory cards have been tested to work under
Windows 7. For details on whether your computer's operating system
is SDXC-compatible, check with your computer's manufacturer.

IMPORTANT

• If you use an SDXC memory card with a computer OS that is not
SDXC-compatible, you may be prompted to format the memory card.
In such case, cancel the operation to prevent data loss.

• To use an SDXC memory card with external devices, such as card
readers or digital recorders, make sure the external device is SDXC­compatible.

• After repeatedly recording, deleting and editing scenes (fragmented
memory), it will take longer to write data on the memory and recording
may stop. Save your recordings and initialize the memory.

Eye-Fi cards

This product is not guaranteed to support Eye-Fi card functions
(including wireless transfer). In case of an issue with an Eye-Fi card,
please check with the card manufacturer.
Also note that an approval is required to use Eye-Fi cards in many
countries or regions. Without approval, use of the card is not permit­ted. If it is unclear whether the card has been approved for use in the
area, please check with the card manufacturer.

Preparations  29

Inserting and Removing a Memory Card

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

1 Turn off the camcorder.

Make sure the
indicator is off.

2 Slide the memory card slot cover

away from the lens and open it.

3 Insert the memory card straight,

with the label facing away from
the lens, all the way into the
memory card slot until it clicks.

4 Close the cover and slide it

toward the lens until you hear a
click.

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

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.

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. Be sure to insert the memory card as
described in step 3.

ON/OFF (CHG)

2

3

30  Preparations