Canon MV800, MV790, MV800i User Manual

PUB.DIE-217

English

Mini

Digital
Video
Cassette

Digital Video Camcorder

Instruction Manual

English

Introduction

Basic
Functions

Advanced
Functions

Editing

PAL

Additional
Information

Introduction

Important Usage Instructions

WARNING!

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR 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.

CA-570 identification plate is located on the bottom.

2

Using this Manual

Thank you for purchasing the Canon MV800i/MV800/MV790. Please read this manual
carefully before you use the camcorder and retain it for future reference.

Change the display language before you begin ( 65).

Symbols and References Used in This Manual

 : Precautions related to the camcorder operation.
 : Additional topics that complement the basic operating procedures.
 : Reference page number.
 Capital letters are used to refer to buttons on the camcorder.
 [ ] are used to refer to menu items displayed on the screen.
 “Screen” refers to the LCD and the viewfinder screen.
 Please note that the illustrations mainly refer to the MV800i.

Operating modes (see below)

Menu item showing at its default
position

Button and switches to be operated

About the Operating Modes

The operating modes are determined by the position of the POWER switch.

Operating Mode POWER Switch

CAMERA CAMERA

PLAY (VCR) PLAY (VCR)

E

Introduction

CAMERA

CAMERA

: Function can be used in this mode.

: Function cannot be used in this mode.

Trademark Acknowledgments

• is a trademark.

• Windows

• Macintosh and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the United

• Other names and products not mentioned above may be registered trademarks or trademarks

®

States and/or other countries.

States and other countries.

of their respective companies.

is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United

3

Table of contents

Introduction

Using this Manual ............................................................................................3

Checking Supplied Accessories ......................................................................6

Components Guide..........................................................................................7

Basic Functions

Preparations

Preparing the Power Supply..........................................................................10

Loading/Unloading a Cassette ......................................................................13

Installing the Backup Battery .........................................................................14

Preparing the Camcorder ..............................................................................15

Adjusting the LCD Screen .............................................................................17

Setting the Time Zone, Date and Time..........................................................18

Recording

Recording Movies on a Tape .........................................................................21

Zooming.........................................................................................................25

Tips for Making Better Videos........................................................................27

Playback

Playing Back a Tape ......................................................................................28

Adjusting the Volume.....................................................................................30

Playing Back on a TV Screen........................................................................31

Advanced Functions

Menus and Settings.......................................................................................34

Recording

Using the Recording Programs .....................................................................39

Using the Night Mode ....................................................................................42

Skin Detail Function.......................................................................................43

Adjusting the AE Shift....................................................................................44

Adjusting the Focus Manually........................................................................45

Setting the White Balance .............................................................................47

Setting the Shutter Speed..............................................................................49

Using the Self-Timer......................................................................................51

Changing the Recording Mode (SP/LP) ........................................................52

Audio Recording ............................................................................................53

Using Digital Effects.......................................................................................54

Widescreen TV Recording (16:9) ..................................................................58

Playback

Magnifying the Image ....................................................................................59

Displaying the Data Code..............................................................................60

End Search....................................................................................................62

Playing Back a Tape with Added Sound........................................................63

Other Functions

Customizing the Camcorder ..........................................................................64

Changing the Display Language ...................................................................65

Other Camcorder Settings.............................................................................66

4

Editing

Recording to a VCR or Digital Video Device .................................................68

Recording from Analog Video Devices (VCR, TV or Camcorder)...70

Recording from Digital Video Devices (DV Dubbing)......................71

Converting Analog Signals into Digital Signals

(Analog-Digital Converter) ..........................................................................73

Transferring Video Recordings to a Computer ..............................................75

Additional Information

Screen Displays.............................................................................................76

List of Messages............................................................................................78

Maintenance/Others ......................................................................................79

Troubleshooting.............................................................................................84

System Diagram ............................................................................................87

Optional Accessories.....................................................................................88

Specifications.................................................................................................90

Index..............................................................................................................92

E

Introduction

5

Checking Supplied Accessories

CA-570 Compact
Power Adapter
(incl. power cord)

SS-900 Shoulder Strap

* Europe only.

NB-2LH Battery Pack Lithium Button Battery

STV-250N Stereo
Video Cable

CR1616

PC-A10 SCART
Adapter*

Lens Cap and Lens
Cap Cord

6

Components Guide

MV800i/MV800/MV790

REC SEARCH – button ( 24) /

(record review) button ( 24) /

(rewind) button ( 28)

REC SEARCH + button ( 24) /

(fast forward) button ( 28)
LCD BACKLIGHT button ( 17)
WIDESCREEN button ( 58) /
DATA CODE button ( 60)
NIGHT MODE button ( 42) /

(stop) button ( 28)

FOCUS button ( 45) /

/ (play/pause) button ( 28)
DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF button
( 54)

E

Introduction

AE SHIFT button( 44) /
END SEARCH button ( 62)

REC PAUSE button ( 70)
Speaker ( 30)
LCD screen ( 17)
SET dial ( 34)
CHARGE indicator ( 10)
Program selector ( 39)

EASY Easy recording

Program AE
Backup battery compartment ( 14)
Battery attachment unit ( 10) /
Serial number
DC IN terminal ( 10)
MENU button ( 34)

7

Dioptric adjustment lever ( 15)

Viewfinder ( 15)
BATT. button ( 10)
Power switch ( 3)
Cassette compartment cover ( 13)
Cassette compartment ( 13)

8

OPEN/EJECT switch ( 13)
Zoom lever ( 25)
Finger rest
Strap mount ( 16)

Grip belt ( 15)

Start/stop button ( 21)

E

Introduction

Terminal cover

Stereo microphone
AV terminal ( 31)

DV terminal ( 68)
Tripod socket ( 27)

9

Basic Functions

Preparations

Preparing the Power Supply

Attaching the Battery Pack

1. Turn the POWER switch to OFF.

2. Attach the battery pack to the
camcorder.

• Remove the terminal cover of the battery

pack.

• Press lightly and slide it in the direction of

the arrow until it clicks.

Charging the Battery Pack

1. Connect the power cord to the
adapter.

2. Plug the power cord into a power
outlet.

3. Connect the power adapter to the
camcorder’s DC IN terminal.

The CHARGE indicator starts flashing. It
glows steadily when charging is complete.

4. When charging is complete,
disconnect the power adapter
from the camcorder. Unplug the
power cord from the power outlet
and disconnect it from the
adapter.

5. Remove the battery pack after use.

Press the BATT. button to remove the battery.

CHARGE indicator

DC IN terminal

10

Using a Household Power Source

Connect to a household power source to use the camcorder without worrying about the
battery power. You can keep the battery pack attached; the battery power will not be
consumed.

1. Turn the POWER switch to OFF.

2. Connect the power cord to the
power adapter.

3. Plug the power cord into a power
outlet.

4. Connect the power adapter to the
camcorder’s DC IN terminal.

 Turn off the camcorder before connecting or disconnecting the power adapter.
 If the adapter is used close to a TV, it may cause picture interference. Move the

adapter away from the TV or the antenna cable.

 Do not connect any products that are not expressly recommended to the

camcorder’s DC IN terminal or to the power adapter.

 You may hear some noise from the power adapter during use. This is not a

malfunction.

 Do not disconnect and reconnect the power cord while charging a battery pack.

Charging may stop. The battery pack may not be charged correctly even if the
CHARGE indicator glows steady. The battery pack may also not be charged
correctly when a power outage occurs during charging. Remove the battery
pack and attach it back to the camcorder.

 When the power adapter or battery pack is defective, the CHARGE indicator

flashes rapidly (at about 2 flashes/second) and charging stops.

 The CHARGE indicator informs you about the charge status.

0-50%: Flashes once every second
More than 50%: Flashes twice every second
100%: Glows steadily

E

Basic Functions

Preparations

11

 Charging, Recording and Playback Times

Below times are approximate and vary according to the charging, recording or
playback conditions.

Battery Pack NB-2LH NB-2L BP-2L12 BP-2L14
Charging Time 130 min. 115 min. 205 min. 235 min.

Max. Recording Time

Viewfinder 135 min. 115 min. 245 min. 300 min.
LCD normal 95 min. 80 min. 170 min. 210 min.

bright 85 min. 70 min. 145 min. 185 min.

Typical Recording Time*

Viewfinder 75 min. 60 min. 130 min. 160 min.
LCD normal 55 min. 45 min. 95 min. 120 min.

bright 50 min. 40 min. 85 min. 105 min.

Playback Time 100 min. 85 min. 175 min. 220 min.

* Approximate times for recording with repeated operations such as start/stop,

zooming, power on/off. Actual time may be shorter.

 We recommend charging the battery pack in temperatures between 10 °C and

30 °C (50 °F and 86 °F). Outside the temperature range of 0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F
to 104 °F), the CHARGE indicator flashes rapidly and charging stops.

 A lithium ion battery pack can be charged at any charge state. Unlike

conventional battery packs, you do not need to completely use or discharge it
before charging.

 We recommend that you prepare battery packs 2 to 3 times longer than you

think you might need.

 To conserve battery power, turn off the camcorder instead of leaving it in record

pause mode.

12

Loading/Unloading a Cassette

Use only videocassettes marked with the logo.

1. Slide the OPEN/EJECT switch and
open the cassette compartment
cover.

The cassette compartment opens
automatically.

2. Load/unload the cassette.

• Load the cassette with the window

facing the grip belt.

• Unload the cassette by pulling it straight

out.

3. Press the mark on the
cassette compartment until it
clicks.

4. Wait for the cassette compartment
to retract automatically and close
the cassette compartment cover.

Tape protection tab

E

Basic Functions

Preparations

 Do not interfere with the cassette compartment while it is opening or closing

automatically, or attempt to close the cover before the cassette compartment
has fully retracted.

 Be careful not to get your fingers caught in the cassette compartment cover.

If the camcorder is connected to a power source, cassettes can be loaded/
unloaded even if the POWER switch is set to OFF.

13

Installing the Backup Battery

The backup battery (lithium button battery CR1616) allows the camcorder to retain date,

18) and other camcorder settings while the power source is disconnected.

time (
Connect a power source to the camcorder when replacing the backup battery to retain the
settings.

1. Open the backup battery cover.

2. Insert the backup battery with the
+ side facing outward.

3. Close the cover.

The backup battery has a life span of about a year. “ ” flashes in red to inform
you that it needs to be replaced.

14

Preparing the Camcorder

Adjusting the Viewfinder (Dioptric Adjustment)

1. Turn on the camcorder and keep
the LCD panel closed.

2. Pull out the viewfinder.

3. Adjust the dioptric adjustment
lever.

4. Push the viewfinder back in.

Attaching the Lens Cap

1. Attach the cord to the lens cap.

2. Pass the grip belt through the loop
on the cord.

Press the buttons on the lens cap when
attaching/removing it. Hook the lens cap
on the grip belt while you are recording,
and place it over the lens when you have
finished.

E

Basic Functions

Preparations

Fastening the Grip Belt

Hold the camcorder with your right
hand and adjust the belt with your
left.

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

15

Attaching the Shoulder Strap

Pass the ends through the strap mount and adjust the length of the strap.

SS-900 Shoulder
Stra p

16

Adjusting the LCD Screen

Rotating the LCD Screen

Open the LCD panel 90 degrees.

• You can rotate the panel by 90 degrees

outward.

• You can rotate the panel by 180 degrees

inward.

LCD Backlight

LCD BACKLIGHT button

You can switch the brightness of the LCD screen between normal and bright by pressing
the LCD BACKLIGHT button. This is useful for outdoor recordings.

Press the LCD BACKLIGHT button.

 This setting does not affect the brightness of the recording or the viewfinder

screen.

 When using a battery pack, the camcorder retains the setting even if you

change the position of the POWER switch.

 The battery usage time shortens when the LCD screen is set brighter ( 12).

E

Basic Functions

Preparations

17

Setting the Time Zone, Date and Time

Set the time zone, date and time when you first start using your camcorder, or when you
have replaced the backup battery.

Setting the Time Zone/Daylight Saving Time

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

SYSTEM T.ZONE/DST

PLAY (VCR)

•••

PARIS

1. Press the MENU button to open the menu.

2. Turn the SET dial to select [SYSTEM] and press the
SET dial.

3. Turn the SET dial to select [T.ZONE/DST] and press
the SET dial.

The time zone setting appears (see table on the next page). The
default setting is Paris.

4. Turn the SET dial to select the setting option that represents your time
zone and press the SET dial.

To adjust for daylight saving time, select the time zone with the next to the area.

Setting the Date and Time

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

SYSTEM

5. Turn the SET dial to select [D/TIME SET] and press
the SET dial.

The year display starts to flash.

6. Turn the SET dial to select the year, and press the
SET dial.

• The next part of the display starts flashing.

• Set the month, day, hours and minutes in the same way.

PLAY (VCR)

D/TIME SET
12:00 AM

•••

1.JAN.2005

18

7. Press the MENU button to close the menu and to
start the clock.

16

20

19

18

15

14

17

21

1

24

23

22

24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

No. Time zone No. Time zone

1

LONDON WELLGTN (Wellington)

2

PARIS SAMOA

3

CAIRO HONOLU. (Honolulu)

4

MOSCOW ANCHOR. (Anchorage)

5

DUBAI L.A. (Los Angeles)

6

KARACHI DENVER

7

DACCA CHICAGO

8

BANGKOK N.Y. (New York)

9

H. KONG (Hong Kong) CARACAS

TOKYO RIO (Rio de Janeiro)

10 22

SYDNEY FERNAN. (Fernando de Noronha)

11 23

SOLOMON AZORES

12 24

4

2

3

6

5

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

E

7

9

10

8

12

11

13

Basic Functions

Preparations

Once you have set time zone, date and time, you do not need to reset the clock
each time you travel to another time zone. Just set the time zone to the one of
your destination, and the camcorder automatically adjusts the clock.

19

Displaying Date and Time during Recording

You can display the date and time in the lower left corner of the screen.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ D/T DISPLAY••OFF

PLAY (VCR)

1. Press the MENU button to open the menu.

2. Turn the SET dial to select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ] and
press the SET dial.

3. Turn the SET dial to select [D/T DISPLAY] and press
the SET dial.

4. Turn the SET dial to select [ON].

5. Press the MENU button to close the menu.

20

Recording

Recording Movies on a Tape

Before You Begin Recording

Make a test recording first to check if the camcorder operates correctly. If necessary,
clean the video heads ( 79).

Recording

1. Remove the lens cap.

2. Set the camcorder to CAMERA
mode.

Set the POWER switch to CAMERA.

3. Open the LCD panel.

4. Press the start/stop button to
begin recording.

Press the start/stop button again to pause
recording.

E

Basic Functions

Recording

)

R

C

PLAY (V

FF

O

A

R

E

M

A

C

ER

W

O

P

When You Have Finished Recording

1. Turn the POWER switch to OFF.

2. Close the LCD panel.

3. Replace the lens cap.

4. Unload the cassette.

5. Disconnect the power source.

21

 About the LCD and viewfinder screen: The screens are produced with

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 or green dots. This has
no effect on the recorded image and does not constitute a malfunction.

 The camcorder will shut off after 5 minutes when left in record pause

mode to protect tape and video heads. “ AUTO POWER OFF” appears
20 seconds before shutoff. To continue recording, turn the POWER switch
to OFF and then back to CAMERA.

 Wait until the tape counter stops completely before you start recording.
 When you do not remove the cassette, you can record the next scene without

producing any noise or blank sections between the recordings even if you turn
the camcorder off.

 Bright light may make it difficult to use the LCD screen. In such case, use the

viewfinder instead.

 When recording near loud sounds (such as fireworks, drums or concerts),

sound may become distorted or may be recorded not in the actual sound level.
This is not a malfunction.

Allowing the Subject to Monitor the LCD Screen

You can rotate the LCD panel so that the screen faces in the
same direction as the lens. The viewfinder switches on allowing
you to use the viewfinder while the subject can monitor the
screen.
The image appears mirror reversed (LCD MIRROR ON).
However, you can choose to display the image as it is being
recorded (LCD MIRROR OFF).

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ LCD MIRROR

PLAY (VCR)

1. Press the MENU button to open the menu.

2. Turn the SET dial to select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ] and
press the SET dial.

3. Turn the SET dial to select [LCD MIRROR] and press
the SET dial.

4. Turn the SET dial to select [OFF].

22

•••

ON

5. Press the MENU button to close the menu.

When [LCD MIRROR] is set to [ON], some screen displays appear mirror­reversed.

Screen Displays during Recording

Remaining battery charge

The battery symbol indicates the charge
status of the battery pack.

• “ ” starts flashing in red when the
battery pack is empty.

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

Time Code

Indicates the recording time in hours,
minutes and seconds.

Remaining tape

Indicates the remaining time of the tape
in minutes.“ END” flashes when the
tape reaches the end.

• When the time left is less than 15
seconds, the remaining tape time may
not appear.

• Depending on the type of the tape, the
indication may not be displayed
correctly.

displaying “ ”.

• The actual battery charge may not be
indicated accurately depending on the
condition under which battery pack
and camcorder are used.

When “ ” flashes

“ ” flashes in red when the lithium
button battery is not installed, or when it
needs replacing.

Recording reminder

The camcorder counts from 1 to 10
seconds when you start recording. This
is helpful to avoid scenes that are too
short.

E

Basic Functions

Recording

23

Reviewing and Searching when Recording

REC SEARCH – button/

(record review) button

REC SEARCH + button

Record Review

CAMERA

In record pause mode, this function allows you to review the last few seconds of your
recording to check if it has been recorded properly.

PLAY (VCR)

Press and release the (record review) button.

The camcorder rewinds the tape, plays back the last few seconds,
and returns to record pause mode.

Record Search

CAMERA

In record pause mode, this function allows you to play back the tape (forward or reverse)
to locate the point where you wish to begin recording.

PLAY (VCR)

Press and hold the REC SEARCH + button (forward) or
– button (reverse).

• Release the button at the point you wish to begin recording.

• The camcorder returns to record pause mode.

24

Zooming

The camcorder is equipped with optical zoom and digital zoom.

Zoom in

Zoom out

Zoom lever

Optical Zoom

20x optical zoom 18x optical zoom

E

Basic Functions

Recording

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

Move the zoom lever toward W to zoom out (wide-
angle). Move it toward T to zoom in (telephoto).

Press the zoom lever slightly for a slow zoom. Press harder for a
faster zoom.

 Keep at least 1 m (3.3 ft.) to the subject. At wide-angle, you can focus on a

subject as close as 1 cm (0.39 in.).

 The zoom speed is slightly faster in record pause mode.

25

Digital Zoom

When the digital zoom is activated, the camcorder automatically switches between optical
and digital zoom. With digital zoom, image resolution becomes lower the more you zoom
in.

80x/400x digital zoom 72x/360x digital zoom

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

CAMERA SETUP D.ZOOM

PLAY (VCR)

•••••••

OFF

1. Press the MENU button to open the menu.

2. Turn the SET dial to select [CAMERA SETUP] and
press the SET dial.

3. Turn the SET dial to select [D.ZOOM] and press the
SET dial.

4. Turn the SET dial to select a setting option.

5. Press the MENU button to close the menu.

 Digital zoom cannot be used in the Night mode.
 Digital zoom cannot be used when the multi-image screen is selected.
 A zoom indicator appears for 4 seconds. It extends in light blue when the digital

zoom is set to 80x (MV800i/MV800) or 72x (MV790), and extends further in
dark blue when set to 400x (MV800i/MV800) or 360x (MV790).

26

Tips for Making Better Videos

Holding the Camcorder

For maximum stability, grip the camcorder in your right hand and keep your
right elbow pressed against your body. If necessary, support the camcorder
with your left hand. Be careful that your fingers do not touch the microphone
or lens.

For More Stability

Lean against a wall Put the camcorder on a table

Lie on your elbow Kneel on one knee Use a tripod

Lighting

When recording outdoors, we
recommend recording with the sun at
your back.

E

Basic Functions

Recording

 When using a tripod, do not leave the viewfinder exposed to direct sunlight as it

may melt (due to concentration of the light by the lens).

 Do not use tripods with fastening screws longer than

5.5 mm (0.2 in.) as it may damage the camcorder.

27

Playback

Playing Back a Tape

If the playback picture is distorted, clean the video heads using a Canon Head Cleaning
Cassette or a commercially available digital video head-cleaning cassette ( 79).

1. Set the camcorder to PLAY (VCR)
mode.

Set the POWER switch to PLAY (VCR).

2. Open the LCD panel.

You can also close the LCD panel with the
screen facing outward.

3. Press the button to rewind the
tape.

4. Press the / button to begin
playback.

5. Press the button to stop
playback.

28

 To use the viewfinder, close the LCD panel.
 About the screen display: During playback, the time code gives the hours,

minutes, seconds and frames. The remaining tape time may not appear when
the time left is less than 15 seconds.

Special Playback Modes

/ (Playback Pause)

To pause playback, press the / button during normal playback.

(Fast Forward Playback) / (Rewind Playback)

Plays back the tape at 11.5 times normal speed (forward or reverse). Press and hold the
button during normal playback or fast forward.

 There is no sound during special playback.
 The picture may become distorted during some special playback modes.
 The camcorder stops the tape automatically after 5 minutes in playback pause

mode to protect tape and video heads.

E

Basic Functions

Playback

29

Adjusting the Volume

When you use the LCD screen for playback, the camcorder plays back the sound via
built-in speaker. The speaker does not sound when you close the LCD panel.

Speaker

SET dial

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

Turn the SET dial up to increase the volume, and down
to lower the volume.

• A volume bar appears for 2 seconds.

• You can turn off the volume completely by turning the SET dial

down until [OFF] appears. Turn the SET dial up to increase the
volume again.

30

Playing Back on a TV Screen

TVs with SCART Terminal

Refer also to the TV or VCR instruction manual.

Signal flow

STV-250N Stereo Video
Cable (supplied)

1. Turn off all devices before starting the connections.

2. Connect the PC-A10 SCART Adapter to the TV or VCR’s SCART
terminal.

3. Connect the STV-250N Stereo Video Cable to the camcorder’s AV
terminal and the audio terminals on the SCART Adapter.

Connect the white plug to the white AUDIO terminal L (left), and the red plug to the red
AUDIO terminal R (right) and the yellow plug to the yellow VIDEO terminal.

4. If connecting to a TV, set the input selector to VIDEO. If connecting to
a VCR, set the input selector to LINE.

PC-A10 SCART
Adapter

E

Basic Functions

Playback

31

TVs with Audio/Video Terminals

Refer also to the TV or VCR instruction manual.

VIDEO

Signal flow

STV-250N Stereo Video Cable
(supplied)

AUDIO

L

R

1. Turn off all devices before starting the connections.

2. Connect the STV-250N Stereo Video Cable to the camcorder’s AV
terminal and the audio/video terminals on the TV/VCR.

Connect the white plug to the white audio terminal L (left), the red plug to the red audio
terminal R (right) and the yellow plug to the yellow video terminal VIDEO.

3. If connecting to a TV, set the input selector to VIDEO. If connecting to
a VCR, set the input selector to LINE.

We recommend powering the camcorder from a household power source.

32

Selecting the Audio Output Channel

You can select the output channels when playing back a tape with audio recorded on two
channels.

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

E

MENU

(34)

AUDIO SETUP OUTPUT CH

••••

1. Press the MENU button to open the menu.

2. Turn the SET dial to select [AUDIO SETUP] and
press the SET dial.

3. Turn the SET dial to select [OUTPUT CH] and press
the SET dial.

4. Turn the SET dial to select a setting option.

• L/R: Stereo: L+R channels, Bilingual: Main+Sub.

• L/L: Stereo: L channel, Bilingual: Main.

• R/R: Stereo: R channel, Bilingual: Sub.

5. Press the MENU button to close the menu.

The setting resets to the L/R setting when you turn the camcorder off.

L/R

Basic Functions

Playback

33

Advanced Functions

Menus and Settings

Many of the camcorder’s advanced functions are selected from menus that appear on the
screen.

SET dial

MENU button

Selecting Menus and Settings

1. Press the MENU button to open the menu.

2. Turn the SET dial to select a submenu and press the
SET dial.

3. Turn the SET dial to select a menu item and press
the SET dial.

4. Turn the SET dial to select a setting option.

5. Press the MENU button to close the menu.

When setting the white balance, shutter speed or language,
press the SET dial first before pressing the MENU button.

34

 Pressing the MENU button at any time closes the menu.
 Items that are not available appear in purple.

Menu and Default Settings

Default settings are shown in boldface.

CAMERA MENU

CAMERA

Submenu Menu Item Setting Options

D.EFFECT SETUP D.E.SELECT , FADER, EFFECT, MULTI-S 54

CAMERA SETUP SHUTTER AUTO, 1/50, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000,

VCR SETUP REC MODE SP, LP 52

AUDIO SETUP WIND SCREEN AUTO, OFF 53

DISPLAY SETUP/ BRIGHTNESS 66

PLAY (VCR)

FADER TYPE FADE-T, WIPE, CORNER, JUMP, FLIP,

EFFECT TYPE ART, BLACK&WHITE, SEPIA, MOSAIC,

M.S.SPEED MANUAL, FAST, MODERATE, SLOW

M.S.SPLIT 4, 9, 16

A.SL SHUTTER ON, OFF 50

D.ZOOM MV800i/MV800 MV790 26

IMG STAB ON, OFF 67

WHITE BAL. AUTO, SET , INDOOR , OUTDOOR 47

SELF TIMER ON , OFF 51

SKIN DETAIL SOFT, NORMAL 43

AUDIO MODE 16bit, 12bit 53

LCD MIRROR ON, OFF 22

TV SCREEN ON, OFF 76

D/T DISPLAY ON, OFF 20

LANGUAGE See list of languages. 65

DATE FORMAT 65

DEMO MODE ON, OFF 67

PUZZLE, ZIGZAG, BEAM, TIDE

BALL, CUBE, WAVE, COLOR MASK,
MIRROR

1/2000

OFF, 80X, 400X OFF, 72X, 360X

E

49

Advanced Functions

35

Submenu Menu Item Setting Options

SYSTEM BEEP ON, OFF 66

T.ZONE/DST See list of time zones. 18

D/TIME SET 18

MY CAMERA START-UP IMG ON, OFF 64

S-UP SOUND OFF, PATTERN1, PATTERN2 64

OPER.SOUND

SELF-T SOUND

36

PLAY (VCR) MENU

CAMERA

Submenu Menu Item Setting Options

D.EFFECT SETUP D.E.SELECT , FADER, EFFECT, MULTI-S 54

VCR SETUP REC MODE* SP, LP 52

AUDIO SETUP OUTPUT CH L/R, L/L, R/R 33

DISPLAY SETUP/ BRIGHTNESS 66

SYSTEM BEEP ON, OFF 66

PLAY (VCR)

* MV800i only.

FADER TYPE FADE-T, WIPE, CORNER, JUMP, FLIP,

EFFECT TYPE ART, BLACK&WHITE, SEPIA, MOSAIC,

M.S.SPEED MANUAL, FAST, MODERATE, SLOW

M.S.SPLIT 4, 9, 16

AV DV* ON, OFF 73

AUDIO MODE* 16bit, 12bit 53

12bit AUDIO STEREO1, STEREO2, MIX/FIXED,

MIX BALANCE

TV SCREEN ON, OFF 76

DISPLAYS ON, OFF <PLAYBK> 76

6SEC.DATE ON, OFF 61

DATA CODE DATE/TIME, CAMERA DATA, CAM.& D/T 60

D/TIME SEL. DATE, TIME, DATE & TIME 60

LANGUAGE See list of languages. 65

DATE FORMAT 65

T.ZONE/DST See list of time zones. 18

D/TIME SET 18

PUZZLE, ZIGZAG, BEAM, TIDE

BALL, CUBE, WAVE, COLOR MASK,
MIRROR

MIX/VARI.

E

63

63

Advanced Functions

37

Submenu Menu Item Setting Options

MY CAMERA START-UP IMG ON, OFF 64

S-UP SOUND OFF, PATTERN1, PATTERN2 64

OPER.SOUND

SELF-T SOUND

38

Recording

Using the Recording Programs

Easy Recording Program

The camcorder adjusts focus, exposure and other settings
automatically, allowing you to just point and shoot.

Program AE Modes

Auto

The camcorder adjusts focus, exposure and other settings
automatically. However, you have the option of adjusting the settings
manually.

Sports

Use this mode to record sports scenes (such as tennis or golf) or
moving objects (such as roller coasters).

Portrait

Use this mode to give accent to your subject by blurring the
background or foreground. The blur effect increases the more you
zoom to telephoto.

Spotlight

Use this mode to record spotlit scenes or fireworks.

E

Advanced Functions

Recording

Sand & Snow

Use this mode in bright places such as a sunny beach or ski resort. It
prevents the subject from being underexposed.

Low Light

Use this mode to record in dimly lit places.

39

Availability of Functions in Each Mode:

Recording Program

Image Stabilizer (on)
Focus (A)
White Balance (A)
Wind screen (A)
Shutter Speed (A) (A)
AE Shift
Digital Effects

: Available : Not available A: Auto setting

Selecting the Easy Recording Program

Program selector

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

Set the program selector to EASY.

“ EASY” appears.

40

Selecting the Program AE Mode

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Set the program selector to .

2. Press the SET dial.

A list of the program AE modes appears.

3. Select a mode and press the SET dial.

The symbol of the mode appears on the upper left corner of the
screen.

 The setting resets to the Auto mode when you change the position of the

program selector.

 Do not change the mode during recording as the brightness of the image may

change abruptly.

 Sports/Portrait mode:

The picture may not appear smooth when played back.

 Sand & Snow mode:

- The subject may become overexposed in dark surroundings. Check the
image on the screen.

- The picture may not appear smooth when played back.

 Low Light mode:

- Moving subjects may leave a trailing afterimage.

- Picture quality may not be as good as in other modes.

- The camcorder may have difficulty to focus automatically.

E

Advanced Functions

Recording

41

Using the Night Mode

Allows you to record in dark places where lights cannot be used, without sacrificing color.

Program selector

NIGHT MODE button

1. Set the program selector to .

2. Press the NIGHT MODE button.

• “ ” appears.

• Pressing the NIGHT MODE button again resets the camcorder to the Auto mode.

 Moving subjects may leave a trailing afterimage.
 Picture quality may not be as good as in other modes.
 White points may appear on the screen.
 Autofocus may not work as well as in other modes. In such case, adjust the

focus manually.

 Digital zoom and multi-image screen cannot be used while a night mode is

activated.

 The program AE mode cannot be changed while a night mode is activated.

Night Mode

42

Skin Detail Function

When shooting close-ups of people, the camcorder automatically softens details to
reduce the appearance of skin imperfections for a more complimentary appearance.

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

E

MENU

(34)

CAMERA SETUP SKIN DETAIL••NORMAL

Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP]. Select [SKIN DETAIL], set it
to [SOFT] and close the menu.

 Skin detail function cannot be used when the program selector is set to EASY.
 [SKIN DETAIL] resets to [NORMAL] when you change the position of the

POWER switch or the program selector.

 To obtain the best effect, use this function when recording a person in close-up.

Note that areas similar to the skin color may lack in detail.

Advanced Functions

Recording

43

Adjusting the AE Shift

You can adjust the AE (auto exposure) function to lighten or darken the image. This
allows you to compensate for backlit or overexposed scenes. Available Levels: –2 to +2,
in 0.25 intervals (excluding –1.75 and +1.75).

AE SHIFT button

SET dial

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Set the program selector to .

2. Set the program AE mode to a mode other than the Easy Recording,
Spotlight or Sand & Snow mode.

3. Press the AE SHIFT button.

“AE ±0” appears in light blue.

4. Turn the SET dial to adjust the AE shift level.

• Turn the SET dial up to lighten the image, and down to darken
the image.

• If “MF” is displayed in light blue, AE shift cannot be adjusted.
Press the AE SHIFT button again to display “AE ±0” in light
blue.

The camcorder retains the setting even if you turn it off or change the program AE
mode.

44

Adjusting the Focus Manually

Autofocus may not work well on the following subjects. In such case, focus manually.

Reflective

surfaces

Subjects with low

contrast or without

vertical lines

FOCUS button

Fast Moving

Subjects

Through

dirty or wet

windows

Program selector

Night Scenes

Zoom lever

E

SET dial

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Set the program selector to .

2. Adjust the zoom.

When you operate the zoom after adjusting the focus, the
subject may not stay in focus. Adjust the zoom before the focus.

3. Press the FOCUS button.

“MF” appears.

4. Turn the SET dial to adjust the focus.

• Turn the SET dial up or down until the image appears focused.

• Press the FOCUS button to return to autofocus.

 The setting resets to autofocus when you switch the program selector to EASY.
 Readjust the focus when you have turned off the camcorder.

Advanced Functions

Recording

45

Infinity Focus

Use this function when you wish to focus on faraway subjects such as mountains or
fireworks.

Press the FOCUS button more than 2 seconds after step 2 in Adjusting
the Focus Manually.

“MF ” appears.

When you operate the zoom or turn the SET dial, “ ” disappears and the
camcorder changes to manual focus.

46

Setting the White Balance

You can use the preset modes to reproduce colors more accurately, or set a custom white
balance to obtain the optimal setting.

AUTO Auto white balance
SET Use the custom white balance setting to make white subjects

appear white under colored lighting.

INDOOR Use this mode for recording under changing lighting condition,

video lights or sodium lamps.

OUTDOOR Use this mode for recording night scenes, fireworks, sunrise or

sunset.

White sheet or paper

Zoom lever

Program selector

E

Advanced Functions

Recording

MENU button

AUTO

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

SET dial

PLAY (VCR)

CAMERA SETUP WHITE BAL.

•••

1. Set the program selector to .

2. For custom white balance: Point the camcorder at a white object and
zoom in until it fills the whole screen.

Keep the camcorder zoomed at the white object until step 3 is completed.

3. Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP]. Select [WHITE BAL.],
select a setting option and close the menu.

When you have selected [SET ]: “ ” flashes and stops flashing when settings is
complete.

47

 Use the auto setting for normal outdoor scenes.
 When the program selector is set to EASY, white balance is preset to [AUTO].
 The camcorder retains the custom white balance setting even if you turn it off.
 When you have set the custom white balance:

- Depending on the light source, “ ” may keep flashing. The result will still be
better than with the auto setting.

- Reset the white balance when the lighting condition changes.

- Turn off the digital zoom.

 Custom white balance may provide better results in the following cases:

- Changing lighting conditions

-Close-ups

- Subjects in a single color (sky, sea or forest)

- Under mercury lamps or certain types of fluorescent lights

48

Setting the Shutter Speed

You can adjust the shutter speed manually to make stable shots of fast moving subjects.
Select from AUTO, 1/50, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000.

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

E

MENU

(34)

CAMERA SETUP SHUTTER

••••••

AUTO

1. Set the program selector to .

2. Set the program AE mode to the (Auto) mode.

3. Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP].

4. Select [SHUTTER].

5. Select the shutter speed and press the SET dial.

6. Close the menu.

 Do not point the camcorder directly at the sun when the shutter speed is set to

1/1000 or higher.

 The image may flicker when recording with high shutter speeds.
 The setting resets to the auto setting when you switch the program selector to

EASY, or change the program AE mode.

 Guidelines for Recording with High Shutter Speeds:

- Outdoor sports such as golf or tennis: 1/2000

- Moving objects such as cars or roller coasters: 1/1000, 1/500 or 1/250

- Indoor sports such as basketball: 1/120

Advanced Functions

Recording

49

Auto Slow Shutter

In Easy Recording mode and when [SHUTTER] is set to [AUTO] in Auto mode, the
camcorder uses shutter speeds down to 1/25. This allows you to record brightly in places
with insufficient lighting. However, you can set the camcorder not to use a slow shutter
speed.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

CAMERA SETUP A.SL SHUTTER•ON

PLAY (VCR)

Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP]. Select [A.SL SHUTTER],
set it to [OFF] and close the menu.

When set to [ON], moving subjects may leave a trailing afterimage.

50

Using the Self-Timer

E

Start/stop button

SET dial

MENU button

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

CAMERA SETUP SELF TIMER

PLAY (VCR)

•••

OFF

1. Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP]. Select [SELF TIMER],
set it to [ON ] and close the menu.

“ ” appears.

2. Press the start/stop button.

The camcorder starts recording after a 10-second countdown. The count down
appears on the screen.

 To cancel the self-timer, set [SELF TIMER] to [OFF]. Once the countdown has

begun, you can also press the start/stop button to cancel the self-timer.

 The self-timer will be canceled when you turn off the camcorder.

Advanced Functions

Recording

51

Changing the Recording Mode (SP/LP)

You can choose between SP (standard play) and LP (long play). LP extends the tape
usage by 1.5 times.

CAMERA

* MV800i only.

MENU

(34)

VCR SETUP REC MODE

PLAY (VCR)

To change to LP mode, open the menu and select [VCR SETUP]. Select
[REC MODE], set it to [LP] and close the menu.

Depending on the nature and usage condition of the tape, picture and sound
recorded in LP mode may be distorted. We recommend using the SP mode
for important recordings.

 If you record in both SP and LP modes on the same tape, the playback picture

may become distorted and the time code may not be written correctly.

 If you play back a tape that has been recorded in LP mode with another digital

device on this camcorder, or vice versa, picture and sound may become
distorted.

*

•••••

SP

52

Audio Recording

Changing the Audio Mode

You can record sound in two audio modes—16-bit and 12-bit. The 12-bit mode records
sound on two channels (stereo 1), leaving 2 channels free (stereo 2) for adding new
sound later with another editing device. Select the 16-bit mode for higher sound quality.

CAMERA

* MV800i only.

MENU

(34)

PLAY (VCR)

AUDIO SETUP AUDIO MODE

*

•••

12bit

Open the menu and select [AUDIO SETUP]. Select [AUDIO MODE], set it
to [16bit] and close the menu.

“16bit” appears for approximately 4 seconds.

Wind Screen

The camcorder reduces wind noise automatically. However, you can turn off the wind
screen when recording indoors, or when you want the microphone to be as sensitive as
possible.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

AUDIO SETUP WIND SCREEN••AUTO

Open the menu and select [AUDIO SETUP]. Select [WIND SCREEN], set it
to [OFF] and close the menu.

“WS ” appears when you turn the wind screen off.

PLAY (VCR)

E

Advanced Functions

Recording

53

Using Digital Effects

Faders ( 56)

Begin or end scenes with a fade to or from black.

Fade Trigger (FADE-T) Wipe (WIPE)

Corner Wipe (CORNER) Jump (JUMP)

Flip (FLIP) Puzzle (PUZZLE)

Zigzag (ZIGZAG) Beam (BEAM)

54

Tide (TIDE)

Effects ( 56)

Add flavor to your recordings.

Art (ART) Black and White

(BLACK&WHITE)

Mosaic (MOSAIC) Ball (BALL) Cube (CUBE)

Sepia (SEPIA)

E

Wave (WAVE)

Color Mask (COLOR
MASK)

Mirror (MIRROR)

Multi-Image Screen ( 57)

Captures moving subjects in 4, 9 or 16 sequences of still images and displays them at
one time. Sound will be recorded normally.

4 Sequences 9 Sequences 16 Sequences

Advanced Functions

Recording

55

Selecting a Fader

In CAMERA mode, set the program selector to .

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Open the menu and select [D.EFFECT SETUP].

2. Select [D.E.SELECT] and set it to [FADER].

3. Select [FADER TYPE], select a setting option and
close the menu.

The name of the selected fader flashes.

CAMERA mode:

4. Fade in: In record pause mode, press the DIGITAL
EFFECTS ON/OFF button and begin recording by
pressing the start/stop button.
Fade out: During recording, press the DIGITAL
EFFECTS ON/OFF button and pause recording by
pressing the start/stop button.

The fader can be activated/deactivated by pressing the DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF
button.

PLAY (VCR) mode:

4. Fade in: In playback pause mode, press the DIGITAL
EFFECTS ON/OFF button and begin playback by
pressing the / button.
Fade out: During playback, press the DIGITAL
EFFECTS ON/OFF button and pause playback by
pressing the / button.

The fader can be activated/deactivated by pressing the DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF
button.

Selecting an Effect

In CAMERA mode, set the program selector to .

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Open the menu and select [D.EFFECT SETUP].

2. Select [D.E.SELECT] and set it to [EFFECT].

3. Select [EFFECT TYPE], select a setting option and
close the menu.

The name of the selected effect flashes.

4. Press the DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF button.

• The name of the selected effect stops flashing.

• The effect can be activated/deactivated by pressing the

DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF button.

56

Using the Multi-Image Screen

You can operate the multi-image screen only in the following playback modes:

• When [M.S.SPEED] is set to [MANUAL]: Playback pause, slow forward/reverse

playback

• When [M.S.SPEED] is set to [FAST], [MODERATE] or [SLOW]: Playback pause

In CAMERA mode, set the program selector to .

E

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Open the menu and select [D.EFFECT SETUP].

2. Select [D.E.SELECT] and set it to [MULTI-S].

3. Select [M.S.SPEED] and select the transition speed.

Following transition speeds can be selected: fast (every 4
frames), moderate (every 6 frames*), slow (every 8 frames*).
* In Low Light mode: moderate (every 8 frames), slow (every 12 frames).

4. Select [M.S.SPLIT], select the number of sequences and close the
menu.

“MULTI-S” flashes.

5. Press the DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF button.

• MANUAL: Images will be captured each time you press the

DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF button. The blue frame indicating
the next sequence disappears after the last image. Pressing
the DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF button for more than 1
second cancels the images one after another.

• FAST, MODERATE, SLOW: The set number of images will be captured at the set

speed. To cancel the multi-image screen, press the DIGITAL EFFECTS ON/OFF
button.

6. Press the start/stop button to begin recording.

The multi-image screen is recorded on the tape.

 Turn off the digital effect when you do not use it.
 The camcorder retains the setting even if you turn it off or change the program

AE mode.

 The image quality may be slightly lower with digital effects.
 Digital effects cannot be used in the following cases:

- When the program selector is set to EASY.

- During DV dubbing.

About the multi-image screen:

 The multi-image screen cannot be used in the following cases:

- In the Night mode.

- When the widescreen mode is selected.

 In PLAY (VCR) mode: Pressing any tape operation button (such as play or

pause) cancels the multi-image screen.

Advanced Functions

Recording

57

Widescreen TV Recording (16:9)

The camcorder uses the full width of the CCD providing high-resolution 16:9 recording.

WIDESCREEN button

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

Press the WIDESCREEN button.

• “ ” appears.

• The LCD screen switches to the “letterbox” display. The picture on the viewfinder

appears horizontally squeezed.

 The multi-image screen cannot be used when the widescreen mode is selected.
 If you play back a widescreen recording on a normal TV, the image appears

horizontally squeezed.

58

Playback

Magnifying the Image

The playback image can be magnified up to 5 times.

E

Zoom lever

SET dial

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Move the zoom lever toward T.

• The image is magnified by 2 times.

• A frame appears indicating the position of the magnified area.

• To further enlarge the image, move the zoom lever toward T.

To shrink the image below 2 times magnification, move the
zoom lever toward W.

2. Select the magnified area with the SET dial.

• Turn the SET dial to move the image to the right and left, or up

and down. Pressing the SET dial switches between the
directions.

• To cancel the magnification, move the zoom lever toward W

until the frame disappears.

Advanced Functions

Playback

59

Displaying the Data Code

The camcorder maintains a data code containing recording date and time and other
camera data such as shutter speed and exposure (f-stop). When you play back a tape,
you can display the data code and select the data code combination you wish to display.

DATA CODE button

SET dial

MENU button

Selecting the Date/Time Display Combination

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ D/TIME SEL

PLAY (VCR)

.••

DATE & TIME

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [D/TIME SEL.],
set it to [DATE] or [TIME] and close the menu.

Selecting the Data Code Display Combination

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ DATA CODE

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [DATA CODE],
set it to [CAMERA DATA] or [CAM. & D/T] and close the menu.

PLAY (VCR)

••••

DATE/TIME

60

Displaying the Data Code

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

Press the DATA CODE button.

The data code will not display the next time you turn on the camcorder.

Six-Second Auto Date

Date and time appear for 6 seconds when you begin playback, or to indicate that date or
time zone has changed.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ 6SEC.DATE

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [6SEC.DATE], set
it to [ON] and close the menu.

PLAY (VCR)

••••

OFF

E

Advanced Functions

Playback

61

End Search

When you have played back a tape, you can use this function to locate the end of the last
recorded scene.

END SEARCH button

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

In stop mode, press the END SEARCH button.

• “END SEARCH” appears.

• The camcorder rewinds/fast forwards the tape, plays back the last few seconds of the

recording and stops the tape.

• Pressing the button again cancels the search.

 End search cannot be used once you unload the cassette.
 End search may not work properly if a blank section exists on the tape.

62

Playing Back a Tape with Added Sound

You can select to play back Stereo 1 (original sound), Stereo 2 (added sound), or adjust
the balance of both sounds.

E

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

AUDIO SETUP 12bit AUDIO

PLAY (VCR)

•••

STEREO1

1. Open the menu and select [AUDIO SETUP]. Select [12bit AUDIO],
select a setting and close the menu.

• STEREO1: Plays back the original sound.

• STEREO2: Plays back the added sound.

• MIX/FIXED: Plays back Stereo 1 and Stereo 2 in the same level.

• MIX/VARI.: Plays back Stereo 1 and Stereo 2. The mix balance can be adjusted.

2. If you have selected [MIX/VARI.], adjust the mix level: Open the menu
and select [AUDIO SETUP]. Select [MIX BALANCE], adjust the balance
with the SET dial and close the menu.

Turn the SET dial down to increase the volume of Stereo 1 and up to increase the
volume of Stereo 2.

 The camcorder resets to [STEREO1] when you turn the camcorder off.

However, the mix balance is memorized by the camcorder.

 Audio dubbing cannot be performed with your camcorder.

Advanced Functions

Playback

63

Other Functions

Customizing the Camcorder

You can personalize your camcorder by customizing the start-up image and the sound it
makes for start-up, operation and self-timer (collectively called the My Camera settings).

Changing the My Camera Settings

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

MY CAMERA START-UP IMG•ON

PLAY (VCR)

S-UP SOUND•••PATTERN1

OPER.SOUND

SELF-T SOUND

1. Open the menu and select [MY CAMERA].

2. Select the menu item you wish to change.

3. Select a setting option and close the menu.

•••

PATTERN1

•

PATTERN1

64

Changing the Display Language

The language used for screen display and menu items can be changed. The available set
of languages varies depending on the region. Follow the procedure below to check which
set of languages are provided with your camcorder.

Language Set A

(e.g. Europe)

English, German, Spanish, French, Italian,
Russian, Simplified Chinese, Japanese

English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional
Chinese, Korean

Language Set B

(e.g. Asia, Australia)

E

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ LANGUAGE

PLAY (VCR)

•••

ENGLISH

To change the display language, open the menu and select [DISPLAY
SETUP/ ]. Select [LANGUAGE ], select a language and close the
menu.

 If you have mistakenly changed the language, follow the mark next to the

menu item to change the setting.

 The displays “ ” and “ ” at the bottom of the screen refer to the

button names on the camcorder and will not change when you change the
language.

Changing the Date Format

You can select between three date formats. For example, [1. JAN. 2005], [JAN. 1, 2005]
and [2005. 1. 1].

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ DATE FORMAT•• 1.JAN.2005

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [DATE FORMAT],
select a format and close the menu.

PLAY (VCR)

Advanced Functions

Other Functions

65

Other Camcorder Settings

Beep

You will hear a beep upon camcorder operations such as power on/off, start/stop, self­timer countdown, and unusual conditions of the camcorder.

If you turn off the beep, all camcorder sounds including the ones of the My Camera
settings will be turned off.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

SYSTEM BEEP

PLAY (VCR)

•••••••••

ON

To turn the beep off, open the menu and select [SYSTEM]. Select [BEEP],
set it to [OFF] and close the menu.

Adjusting the Brightness of the LCD Screen

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ BRIGHTNESS

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [BRIGHTNESS],
adjust the brightness level and close the menu.

Changing the brightness of the LCD screen does not affect that of the viewfinder
or the recordings.

PLAY (VCR)

•••

66

Turning Off the Image Stabilizer

The image stabilizer compensates for camcorder shake even at full telephoto. It tries to
compensate for horizontal movements; therefore, you may decide to turn it off when you
mount the camcorder on a tripod.

E

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

CAMERA SETUP IMG STAB

PLAY (VCR)

•••

ON

Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP]. Select [IMG STAB ], set
it to [OFF] and close the menu.

“ ” disappears.

 The image stabilizer cannot be turned off when the program selector is set to

EASY.

 The image stabilizer is designed to compensate a normal degree of camcorder

shake.

 The image stabilizer might not be as effective when using the Night mode.

Demonstration Mode

The demonstration mode displays the camcorder’s main features. It starts automatically
when you leave the camcorder turned on without loading a recording media for more than
5 minutes. However, you can set the camcorder not to start the demonstration mode.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ DEMO MODE

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [DEMO MODE],
set it to [OFF] and close the menu.

To cancel the demo mode once it has begun, press any button, turn off the
camcorder or load a recording media.

PLAY (VCR)

••••

ON

Advanced Functions

Other Functions

67

Editing

Recording to a VCR or Digital Video Device

You can copy your recordings by connecting the camcorder to a VCR or a digital video
device. If you connect a digital video device, you can copy recordings with virtually no
generation loss in image and sound quality.

Connecting the Devices

Connecting a VCR

See Playing Back on a TV Screen ( 31).

Connecting a Digital Video Device

Use the optional CV-150F (4 pin-4 pin) or CV-250F (4 pin-6 pin) DV Cable.
Refer also to the instruction manual of the digital video device.

Signal flow

DV cable (optional)

Recording

CAMERA

1. Set the camcorder to PLAY (VCR) mode and load a recorded cassette.

2. Connected device: Load a blank cassette and set the device to record
pause mode.

3. Locate the scene you wish to copy and pause playback shortly before
the scene.

4. Play back the tape.

5. Connected device: Begin recording when the scene you wish to copy
appears. Stop recording when copying is complete.

6. Stop playback.

68

PLAY (VCR)

 When connecting a VCR, the quality of the edited tape will be slightly lower than

that of the original.

 When connecting a digital video device:

- If the picture does not appear, reconnect the DV cable or turn the camcorder
off and back on again.

- Proper operation cannot be guaranteed for all digital video devices equipped
with a DV terminal. If operation does not work, use the AV terminal.

 We recommend powering the camcorder from a household power source.

E

Editing

69

Recording from Analog Video

Devices (VCR, TV or Camcorder)

You can record videos or TV programs from a VCR or analog camcorder on the tape in
the camcorder.

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Connect the camcorder to the analog video device.

See Playing Back on a TV Screen ( 31).

2. Set the camcorder to PLAY (VCR) mode and load a blank cassette.

3. Connected device: Load the recorded cassette.

4. Press the REC PAUSE button.

In record pause mode and during recording, you can check the
picture on the screen.

5. Connected device: Play back the tape.

6. Press the / button when the scene you wish to
record appears.

Recording starts.

7. Press the button to stop recording.

• Press the / button to pause recording.

• Press the / button again to restart recording.

8. Connected device: Stop playback.

 When connecting to a TV/Video with SCART terminal, use a SCART adapter

with input capability (commercially available). The supplied SCART Adapter
PC-A10 is for output only.

 Depending on the signal sent from the connected device, dubbing may not work

properly (e.g. signals that include copyright protective signals or anomalous
signals such as ghost signals).

We recommend powering the camcorder from a household power source.

70

Recording from Digital Video

Devices (DV Dubbing)

You can record from other digital video devices equipped with a DV terminal with virtually
no loss in picture and sound quality.

E

CAMERA

PLAY (VCR)

1. Connect the camcorder to the digital video device.

See Connecting a Digital Video Device ( 68).

2. Set the camcorder to PLAY (VCR) mode and load a blank cassette.

Make sure that [AV DV] is set to [OFF] ( 73).

3. Connected device: Load the recorded cassette.

4. Press the REC PAUSE button.

In record pause mode and during recording, you can check the
picture on the screen.

5. Connected Device: Play back the tape.

6. Press the / button when the scene you wish to
record appears.

Recording starts.

7. Press the button to stop recording.

• Press the / button to pause recording.

• Press the / button again to restart recording.

8. Connected Device: Stop playback.

 Blank sections may be recorded as anomalous picture.
 If the picture does not appear, reconnect the DV cable or turn the camcorder off

and back on again.

 You can only record signals from devices with the logo recording in SD

system in SP or LP format (note that signals from identically shaped terminals
may be of different format).

We recommend powering the camcorder from a household power source.

Editing

71

Concerning Copyright

Copyright Precaution

Certain pre-recorded video tapes, films and other materials, as well as some television
programmes are copyrighted. Unauthorised recording of these materials may violate
copyright protection laws.

Copyright Signals

During playback: If you try to play back a tape that contains copyright control signals for
protection of software, “COPYRIGHT PROTECTED PLAYBACK IS RESTRICTED”
appears for a few seconds and the camcorder displays a blank blue screen. You cannot
playback the contents of the tape.

During recording: If you try to record from software that contains copyright control signals
for protection of software, “COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DUBBING RESTRICTED”
appears. You cannot record the contents of the software.
You cannot record copyright protection signals to a tape using this camcorder.

72

Converting Analog Signals into Digital

Signals (Analog-Digital Converter)

By connecting the camcorder to a VCR or 8mm video camcorder, you can convert analog
video/audio signals to digital signals and output the digital signals via the DV terminal.
The DV terminal serves as output terminal only.

Connecting the Devices

Turn off all devices before starting the connections. Unload the tape from the camcorder.
Refer also to the instruction manual of the connected device. Use the optional CV-150F
(4 pin-4 pin) or CV-250F (4 pin-6 pin) DV Cable.

VIDEO

Signal flow

STV-250N Stereo Video
Cable (supplied)

L

AUDIO

R

E

Editing

Signal flow

DV cable (optional)

Turning On the Analog-Digital Converter

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

VCR SETUP AV DV

Open the menu and select [VCR SETUP]. Select [AV DV], set it to [ON]
and close the menu.

PLAY (VCR)

••••••••

OFF

73

 Depending on the signal sent from the connected device, the conversion from

analog to digital signals might not work properly (e.g., signals that include
copyright protective signals or anomalous signals such as ghost signals).

 When connecting to a TV/Video with SCART terminal, use a SCART adapter

with input capability (commercially available). The supplied SCART Adapter
PC-A10 is for output only.

 For normal use, set [AV DV] to [OFF]. If it is set to [ON], digital signals cannot

be input via the camcorder’s DV terminal.

 Depending on the software and the specifications of your computer, you may

not be able to transfer converted signals via the DV terminal.

We recommend powering the camcorder from a household power source.

74

Transferring Video Recordings to a Computer

Transferring Using a DV Cable

You can transfer recordings to a computer equipped with a IEEE1394 (DV) terminal or
IEEE1394 capture board. Use the editing software supplied with your computer/capture
board to transfer video recording from tape to computer. Refer to the instruction manual of
the software. A driver is preinstalled on Windows operating systems later than Windows
98 Second Edition and Mac operating systems later than Mac OS 9, and will be installed
automatically.
Use the optional CV-150F (4 pin-4 pin) or CV-250F (4 pin-6 pin) DV Cable.

IEEE1394 (DV) terminal

E

DV cable (optional)

 Operation may not work correctly depending on the software and the

specifications/settings of your computer.

 If the computer freezes while you have connected the camcorder, disconnect

and reconnect the DV cable. If the problem persists, disconnect the interface
cable, turn off camcorder and computer, turn camcorder and computer back on
and reconnect them.

 We recommend powering the camcorder from a household power source while

it is connected to the computer.

 Refer also to the instruction manual of the computer.
 Users of Windows XP can download the DV Messenger software from below

homepage. With DV Messenger, you can perform a videoconference using your
camcorder. For details, refer to the DV Network Software Instruction Manual
supplied with the software.
www.canon-europe.com/DVmessenger
www.canon.com.au/products/cameras.html
www.canon.com.cn/down/static/driverflistview.html
www.canon-asia.com

6-pin

4-pin

Editing

75

Additional Information

Screen Displays

Hiding the Displays on the LCD Screen

You can hide the displays on the LCD screen to have a clear screen for playback.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ DISPLAYS

PLAY (VCR)

•••••

ON

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [DISPLAYS], set
it to [OFF <PLAYBK>] and close the menu.

• Warning messages still appear, and the data code appears if turned on.

• The displays appear while a playback image is magnified or a digital effect is activated.

• Tape operation displays appear for 2 seconds.

Hiding/Showing the Displays on the TV Screen

When you connect a TV for recording, you can select to hide the camcorder displays on
the TV screen. For playback, you can show the camcorder displays on the TV screen.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ TV SCREEN

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [TV SCREEN],
set it to [OFF] and close the menu.

The displays disappear from the TV screen.

CAMERA

MENU

(34)

DISPLAY SETUP/ TV SCREEN

Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [TV SCREEN],
set it to [ON] and close the menu.

The displays appear on the TV screen.

PLAY (VCR)

PLAY (VCR)

••••

••••

ON

OFF

76

Screen Displays during Recording/Playback

CAMERA Mode (see also 23)

White balance ( 47)
Digital effects ( 54)
Date and time ( 18)
Skin detail ( 43)
Zoom ( 25)
Self-timer ( 51)
Image stabilizer ( 67)
Self-timer countdown ( 51)
Recording mode ( 52)

Program AE ( 39) Condensation warning ( 80)
AE Shift ( 44) Wind screen ( 53)
Shutter speed ( 49) Audio mode (
Manual focus ( 45) Widescreen mode ( 58)

PLAY (VCR) Mode

Tape operation

53)

12 bit audio ( 63)
End search ( 62)
Data code ( 60)
Volume level of speaker ( 30)

REC
PAU SE
STOP
EJECT

FF

REW

/ : Fast forward
playback/rewind
playback ( 29)

: Playback pause

( 29)

E

Additional

Information

77

List of Messages

Message Explanation

SET THE TIME ZONE,
DATE AND TIME

CHANGE THE BATTERY
PAC K

THE TAPE IS SET FOR
ERASURE PREVENTION

REMOVE THE
CASSETTE

CHECK THE INPUT DV cable is not connected, or the connected digital device is

CONDENSATION HAS
BEEN DETECTED

TAPE END Tape reached the end. Rewind the tape or replace the cassette. –

WRONG FORMAT
PLAYBACK NOT
POSSIBLE

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED
PLAYBACK IS RESTRICTED

COPYRIGHT
PROTECTED DUBBING
RESTRICTED

You have not set the time zone, date and time. This message
appears each time you turn the power on until you set the time
zone, date and time.

Battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the battery pack.

Cassette is protected. Replace the cassette or change the
position of the protect switch.

Camcorder stopped operating to protect the tape. Unload and
reload the cassette.

turned off.

Condensation has been detected in the camcorder.

You attempted to play back a tape recorded in HD format.

You attempted to play back a copyright protected tape.

You attempted to dub a copyright protected tape. May also appear
when an anomalous signal is received during analog line-in
recording, or during analog-digital conversion of a copyright
protected tape.

18

10

82

13

68

80

–

72

72

78

Maintenance/Others

Camcorder Handling Precautions

 Do not carry the camcorder by the LCD panel or viewfinder.
 Do not leave the camcorder in places subject to high temperatures, such as a sun-

heated car, and high humidity.

 Do not use the camcorder near strong electric or magnetic fields such as above TVs,

near plasma TVs or mobile phones.

 Do not point the lens or viewfinder at strong light sources. Do not leave the camcorder

pointed at a bright subject.

 Do not use the camcorder in dusty or sandy places. Dust or sand getting inside the

cassette or camcorder may cause damage. Dust and sand can also damage the lens.
Attach the lens cap after use.

 The camcorder is not waterproof. Water, mud or salt getting inside the cassette or

camcorder may cause damage.

 Be careful of heat generated by lighting equipment.
 Do not disassemble the camcorder. If the camcorder does not function properly,

consult qualified service personnel.

 Handle the camcorder with care. Do not subject the camcorder to shocks or vibration

as this may cause damage.

 Avoid sudden changes in temperature. Moving the camcorder rapidly between hot and

cold temperatures may cause condensation to form on its internal surfaces (

Storage

 If you do not intend to use the camcorder for a long time, store it in a place free of dust,

in low humidity, and at temperatures not higher than 30 °C (86 °F).

 After storage, check the functions of your camcorder to make sure that the camcorder

is still working properly.

Cleaning

Camcorder Body and Lens

 Use a soft, dry cloth to clean the camcorder body and lens. Never use chemically

treated cloth or volatile solvents such as paint thinner.

LCD Screen

 Clean the LCD screen using a commercially available cleaning cloth for glasses.
 Condensation may form on the surface of the screen when the temperature changes

suddenly. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth.

 At cold temperatures, the screen may be darker than usual. This is not a malfunction.

The screen returns to normal when the camcorder warms up.

Viewfinder

 Clean the viewfinder screen using a blower brush or a commercially available cleaning

cloth for glasses.

Video Heads

 When the playback picture becomes distorted, the video heads need to be cleaned.

80).

E

Additional

Information

79

 To maintain the best picture quality, we recommend cleaning the video heads

Wh

Whenth

frequently with the Canon DVM-CL Digital Video Head Cleaning Cassette or a
commercially available dry cleaning cassette.

 Tapes already recorded with dirty video heads may not be played back correctly even

when you clean the video heads.

 Do not use wet type cleaning cassettes as this may damage the camcorder.

Condensation

Moving the camcorder rapidly between hot and cold temperature may cause
condensation (water droplets) to form on its internal surfaces. Stop using the camcorder if
condensation is detected. Continued use may damage the camcorder.

Condensation may form in the following cases:

en the camcorder is movedfrom an
air-conditioned room to warm, humid
place

e camcorder is movedfrom a

cold place to a warm room

When the camcorder is left in a humid
room

How to avoid condensation:

 Unload the cassette, place the camcorder in an airtight plastic bag and let it adjust to

temperature changes slowly before removing it from the bag.

When a cold room is heated rapidly

When condensation is detected:

 The camcorder stops operating and the warning message “CONDENSATION HAS

BEEN DETECTED” appears for approx. 4 seconds and “ ” starts flashing.

 If a cassette is loaded, the warning message “REMOVE THE CASSETTE” appears

and “ ” starts flashing. Remove the cassette immediately and leave the cassette
compartment open. Leaving the cassette in the camcorder may damage the tape.

 A cassette cannot be loaded when condensation is detected.

Resuming use:

 It takes about 1 hour until the water droplets evaporate. After the condensation warning

stops flashing, wait for 1 more hour before resuming use.

80

Battery Pack Handling Precautions

DANGER!
Treat the battery pack with care.

• Keep it away from fire (or it might explode).

• Do not expose the battery pack to temperature higher than 60 °C (140 °F). Do not
leave it near a heater or inside a car in hot weather.

• Do not try to disassemble or modify it.

• Do not drop or knock it.

• Do not get it wet.

 Charged battery packs continue to discharge naturally. Therefore, charge them on the

day of use, or the day before, to ensure a full charge.

 Attach the terminal cover whenever a battery pack is not in use. Contact to metallic

objects may cause a short circuit and damage the battery pack.

 Dirty terminals may cause a poor contact between the battery pack and the camcorder.

Wipe the terminals with a soft cloth.

 Since storing a charged battery pack for a long time (about 1 year) can shorten its

lifecycle or affect performance, we recommend to discharge the battery pack fully and
to store it in a dry place at temperatures no higher than 30 °C (86 °F). If you do not use
the battery pack for long periods, charge and discharge it fully at least once a year. If
you have more than 1 battery pack, perform these precautions at the same time for all
battery packs.

 Although the battery pack’s operating temperature range is from 0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F

to 104 °F), the optimal range is from 10 °C to 30 °C (50 °F to 86 °F). At cold
temperatures, performance will temporarily decline. Warm it in your pocket before use.

 Replace the battery pack if the usable time after full charge diminishes substantially at

normal temperatures.

About the battery terminal cover

The battery terminal cover has a [ ]-shaped hole. This is useful when you wish to
differentiate between charged and uncharged battery packs. For example, with charged
battery packs, attach the terminal cover so that the [ ]-shaped hole shows the blue
label.

Back side of the
battery pack

Terminal cover attached
Charged Uncharged

E

Additional

Information

81

Lithium Button Battery Handling Precautions

WARNING!

• The battery used in this device may present a fire or chemical burn hazard if
mistreated. Do not recharge, disassemble, heat above 100 °C (212 °F) or incinerate
the battery.

• Replace the battery with a CR1616 made by Panasonic, Hitachi Maxell, Sony,
Toshiba, Varta or Renata. Use of other batteries may present a risk of fire or
explosion.

• The used battery should be returned to the supplier for safe disposal.

 Do not pick up the battery using tweezers or other metal tools as this will cause a short

circuit.

 Wipe the battery with a clean dry cloth to ensure proper contact.
 Keep the battery out of reach of children. If it is swallowed, seek medical assistance

immediately. The battery case may break and the battery fluids may damage stomach
and intestines.

 Do not disassemble, heat or immerse the battery in water to avoid the risk of explosion.

Cassette Handling Precautions

 Rewind tapes after use. If the tape becomes slack and damaged, it may cause picture

and sound distortion.

 Return cassettes in the case and store them upright.
 Do not leave the cassette in the camcorder after use.
 Do not use spliced tapes or nonstandard cassettes as they may damage the

camcorder.

 Do not use tapes that have been jammed as video heads may become dirty.
 Do not insert anything into the small holes of the cassette, or cover them with

cellophane tape.

 Handle cassettes with care. Do not drop or subject them to severe impact as this may

damage the cassettes.

 Rewind tapes from time to time if they are stored for a long time.
 With cassettes equipped with a memory function, metal plated terminals may become

dirty with use. Clean the terminals with a cotton swab after about 10 times of loading/
unloading. The memory function is not supported by the camcorder.

Protecting Tapes from Accidental Erasure

To protect your recordings from accidental
erasure, slide the tab on the cassette to the
left. (This switch position is usually labeled
SAVE or ERASE OFF.)

If you load a protected cassette in CAMERA
mode, the message “THE TAPE IS SET FOR

REC

SAVE

ERASURE PREVENTION” appears for
approx. 4 seconds and “ ” starts flashing. If
you wish to record on that cassette, slide the tab back to the right.

82

REC

SAVE

Using the Camcorder Abroad

Power Sources

You can use the compact power adapter to operate the camcorder and to charge battery
packs in any country with power supply between 100 and 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz. Consult
the Canon Service Center for information on plug adapters for overseas use.

Playback on a TV Screen

You can only play back your recordings on TVs with PAL system. The PAL system is used
in the following countries/areas:

Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, China, Denmark, Finland,
Germany, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mozambique, the Netherlands,
New Zealand, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania,
Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Yemen, former
Yugoslavia, Zambia.

E

Additional

Information

83

Troubleshooting

If you have a problem with your camcorder, refer to this checklist. Consult your dealer or a
Canon Service Center if the problem persists.

Power Source

Problem Cause Solution

Camcorder will not turn on. Battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the battery

Battery pack is not correctly

The camcorder switches off
by itself.

Cassette compartment will
not open.

Cassette compartment
stopped during loading/
unloading.

LCD/viewfinder switches on
and off.

Battery pack will not charge. Battery packs will not charge

attached.

Battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the battery

Power save function has
been activated.

Battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the battery

Cassette compartment cover
is not fully open.

Battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the battery

The camcorder malfunctions. Consult a Canon Service

Battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the battery

outside the temperature
range of 0 °C and 40°C (32
°F and 104 °F).

Battery packs become hot
with use and may not charge.

The battery pack is damaged. Use a different battery pack. –

pack.

Attach the battery pack
correctly.

pack.

Turn on the camcorder. 21

pack.

Open the cassette
compartment cover fully.

pack.

Center.

pack.

Charge the battery pack in
temperatures between 0 °C
and 40 °C (32 °F and 104 °F).

Wait until the battery pack
temperature is below 40 °C
(104 °F) and retry charging.

Recording/Playback

Problem Cause Solution

Buttons will not work. Camcorder is not turned on. Turn on the camcorder. 21

“ ” flashes on the screen. Cassette is not loaded. Load a cassette. 13

“ ” flashes on the screen. Battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the battery

“ ” flashes on the screen. Condensation is detected. See reference page. 80

“REMOVE THE CASSETTE”
appears on the screen.

Cassette is not loaded. Load a cassette. 13

pack.

Camcorder stopped operating
to protect the tape.

Unload and reload the
cassette.

10

10

10

10

13

10

–

10

–

–

10

13

84

Recording

Problem Cause Solution

Image will not appear on the
screen.

“SET THE TIME ZONE,
DATE AND TIME” appears on
the screen.

Pressing the start/stop button
will not start recording.

Camcorder will not focus. Autofocus does not work on

A vertical light bar appears on
the screen.

Viewfinder picture is blurred. Viewfinder is not adjusted. Adjust the viewfinder with the

Sound is distorted or
recorded in a lower volume
than the actual volume.

Camcorder is not set to
CAMERA mode.

Time zone, date and time are
not set.

Backup battery is exhausted. Replace the backup battery

Battery pack is inserted the
wrong way.

Camcorder is turned off. Turn on the power. 21

Cassette is not loaded. Load a cassette. 13

Tape reached the end
(“ END” flashes on the
screen).

Cassette is protected (“ ”
flashes on the screen).

Camcorder is set to a mode
other than the CAMERA
mode.

that subject.

Viewfinder is not adjusted. Adjust the viewfinder with the

Lens is dirty. Clean the lens. 79

Bright light in a dark scene
may cause a vertical light bar
(smear) to appear. This is not
a malfunction.

When recording near loud
sound (such as fireworks,
drums or concerts), sound
may become distorted or may
not be recorded in the actual
sound level. This is not a
malfunction.

Set the camcorder to
CAMERA mode.

Set the time zone, date and
time.

and reset the time zone, date
and time.

Insert the backup battery with
the + side facing outward and
set the time zone, date and
time.

Rewind the tape or replace
the cassette.

Change the position of the
protect switch.

Set the camcorder to
CAMERA mode.

Focus manually. 45

dioptric adjustment lever.

– – –

dioptric adjustment lever.

– – –

21

E

18

14

14

13

82

21

15

–

15

–

Additional

Information

85

Playback

Problem Cause Solution

Pressing the playback button
does not start playback.

Image will not appear on the
TV screen.

Tape is running, but image will
not appear on the TV screen.

No sound from the built-in
speaker.

Editing

Problem Cause Solution

Dubbing via the camcorder’s
DV terminal does not work.

Camcorder is turned off, or is
not set to PLAY (VCR) mode.

Cassette is not loaded. Load a cassette. 13

Tape reached the end
(“ END” flashes on the
screen).

[AV DV] is set to [ON]. Set [AV DV] to [OFF]. 73

TV/VIDEO selector on the TV
is not set to VIDEO.

Video heads are dirty. Clean the video heads. 79

You attempted to play back or
dub copyright protected tape.

Speaker volume is turned off. Adjust the volume with the

[AV DV] is set to [ON]. Set [AV DV] to [OFF]. 73

Wrong signal format. Dubbing may work via the AV

Set the camcorder to PLAY
(VCR) mode.

Rewind the tape. 28

Set the selector to VIDEO. 31

Stop playback/dubbing. –

SET dial.

terminal.
Refer also to the instruction
manual of the connected
device.

28

30

–

86

System Diagram

(Availability differs from area to area)

WD-28
Wide-converter

TL-28
Tele-converter

FS-28U
Filter Set

WS-20 Wrist Strap

Shoulder Strap

MiniDV
Video Cassette

SC-2000 Soft
Carrying Case

CBC-NB2
Car Battery Charger

CB-2LTE
Battery Charger

NB-2L, NB-2LH,
BP-2L12, BP-2L14
Battery Pack

PC-A10 SCART

STV-250N
Stereo Video Cable

CV-150F/CV-250F
DV Cable

Adapter

NB-2L, NB-2LH,
BP-2L12, BP-2L14
Battery Pack

CA-570 Compact
Power Adapter

TV

VCR

Digital Device

E

Additional

Information

87

Optional Accessories

Use of genuine Canon accessories is recommended.

This product is designed to achieve excellent performance when used with genuine
Canon accessories. Canon shall not be liable for any damage to this product and/or
accidents such as fire, etc., caused by the malfunction of non-genuine Canon
accessories (e.g., a leakage and/or explosion of a battery pack). Please note that this
warranty does not apply to repairs arising out of the malfunction of non-genuine Canon
accessories, although you may request such repairs on a chargeable basis.

Battery Packs

When you need extra battery packs, select
from the following: NB-2L, NB-2LH, BP-2L12,
BP-2L14.

CB-2LTE Battery Charger

Use the battery charger for charging the
battery packs.

Battery Pack Charging Time

NB-2LH 90 min.
NB-2L 80 min.
BP-2L12 150 min.
BP-2L14 170 min.

Charging time varies according to the charging condition.

CBC-NB2 Car Battery Charger

Use the car battery charger to charge battery
packs on the move. The car battery cable
plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter and runs
off a 12-24 V DC negative ground battery.

88

TL-28 Tele-converter

This Tele-converter lens increases the focal
length of the camcorder lens by a factor of

1.7.

• The image stabilizer is not as effective when
the Tele-converter is attached.

• The minimum focusing distance with the TL-28 is 3 m (9.8 ft.); 3 cm (1.2 in.) at
maximum wide angle.

WD-28 Wide-converter

This lens decreases focal length by a factor of

0.7, giving you a wide perspective for indoor

shots or panoramic views.

FS-28U Filter Set

Neutral density and MC protector filters help
you to control difficult lighting conditions.

WS-20 Wrist Strap

Use this for extra additional protection for
active shooting.

SC-2000 Soft Carrying Case

A handy camcorder bag with padded
compartments and plenty of space for
accessories.

E

This mark identifies genuine Canon video accessories. When you
use Canon video equipment, we recommend Canon-brand
accessories or products bearing the same mark.

Additional

Information

89

Specifications

MV800i/MV800/MV790

System

Video Recording System 2 rotary heads, helical scanning DV system (consumer digital VCR SD

Audio Recording System PCM digital sound: 16 bit (48 kHz/2 ch); 12 bit (32 kHz/4 ch)
Television System EIA standard (625 lines, 50 fields) PAL color signal
Image Sensor 1/6-inch CCD, approx. 800,000 pixels

Tape Format Videocassettes bearing the “MiniDV” mark.
Tap e Sp ee d SP: 18.83 mm/s (0.74 ips), LP: 12.57 mm/s (0.49 ips)
Maximum Recording Time

(80 min. cassette)
Fast Forward/Rewind Time Approx. 2 min. 20 sec. (with a 60 min. cassette)
LCD Screen 2.4-inch. TFT color, approx. 112,000 pixels
Viewfinder 0.33-inch. TFT color, approx. 113,000 pixels
Microphone Stereo electret condenser microphone
Lens MV800i/MV800: f=2.8-56 mm, f/1.6-3.2, 20x power zoom

Lens Configuration 11 elements in 8 groups
Filter Diameter 28 mm
AF System TTL autofocus, manual focusing possible
Minimum Focusing Distance 1 m (3.3 ft.); 1 cm (0.39 in.) on maximum wide angle
White Balance Auto white balance, pre-set white balance (indoor, outdoor) or custom

Minimum Illumination 2.0 lx (using the Night mode)
Recommended Illumination More than 100 lx
Image Stabilization Electronic

system), digital component recording

Effective pixels: approx. 400,000 pixels

SP: 80 min., LP: 120 min.

35mm equivalent:
4:3 recording: 53.7-1074 mm

MV790: f=2.8-50.4 mm, f/1.6-2.9, 18x power zoom

white balance

16:9 recording: 44.2-884 mm

35mm equivalent:
4:3 recording: 53.7-967 mm
16:9 recording: 44.2-796 mm

Input/Output Terminals (MV800/MV790: Output only)

AV Terminal Ø3.5 mm minijack

DV Terminal Special 4-pin connector (IEEE 1394 compliant)

* MV800i only.

Video: 1 Vp-p/75 ohms unbalanced
Audio output: –10 dBV (47 kohm load)/3 kohms or less
Audio input*: –10 dBV/40 kohms or more

Power/Others

Power supply (rated) 7.4 V DC
Power consumption (AF on) 2.3W (using viewfinder), 3.1 W (using LCD screen in normal brightness)
Operating temperature 0 – 40 °C (32 – 104 °F)
Dimensions (W x H x D) 51 x 93 x 130 mm (2.0 x 3.7 x 5.1 in.) excluding protrusions
Weight (camcorder body only) 430 g (15.2 oz.)

90

CA-570 Compact Power Adapter

Power supply 100 – 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
Power consumption 17W
Rated output 8.4 V DC, 1.5 A
Operating temperature 0 – 40 °C (32 – 104 °F)
Dimensions 52 x 90 x 29 mm (2.1 x 3.5 x 1.1 in.)
Weight 135 g (4.8 oz.)

NB-2LH Battery Pack

Battery type Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery
Rated voltage 7.4 V DC
Operating temperature 0 – 40 °C (32 – 104 °F)
Battery capacity 720 mAh
Dimensions 33.3 x 16.2 x 45.2 mm (1.3 x 0.64 x 1.8 in.)
Weight 43 g (1.5 oz.)

Weight and dimensions are approximate. Errors and omissions excepted. Subject to
change without notice.

E

Additional

Information

91

Index

12bit audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

16:9 widescreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

6-second auto date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

A

Abroad, using the camcorder . . . . . . . . 83

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 88

AE Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Analog line-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Analog-digital converter . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Audio mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Autofocus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

AV terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

AV-DV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

B

Backlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Backup battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Battery charger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Battery pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Beep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

C

Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Condensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Connections - TV, VCR . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Copyright signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

D

Data code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Date and time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Date format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Demo mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Digital effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Digital zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

DV dubbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

DV terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68, 75

E

Easy recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

End search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

F

Faders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Fast forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Focusing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

G

Grip belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

I

Image stabilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Infinity focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

L

Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

LCD Backlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

LCD mirror mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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

Lens cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Low light mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

LP mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

M

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Manual focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Multi-image screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

My Camera settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

N

Night mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

O

Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Output channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

P

Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Playback pause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Portrait mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Power adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Program AE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

92

R

Record review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Record search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Recording movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Recording programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Rewind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

S

Sand & Snow mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Screen displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Self-timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Shoulder strap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Shutter speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Skin detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

SP mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Sports mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Spotlight mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

T

Tape protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Time code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Time zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Tripod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

TV Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

V

Video heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Videocassettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

E

W

White balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Widescreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Wind screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Z

Zooming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Additional

Information

93

CANON INC.

Canon Europa N.V.

P.O. Box 2262, 1180 EG Amstelveen, the Netherlands

Canon UK Ltd.

CCI Service Centre, Unit 130
Centennial Park, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 3SE, England
Telephone [phone]

Canon Australia Pty. Ltd.

Info-Line: 131383
www.canon.com.au

Canon New Zealand Ltd.

Customer Care: [phone]
www.canon.co.nz

Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd

1 HarbourFront Avenue, #04-01 Keppel Bay Tower, Singapore 098632
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Canon Hongkong Company Ltd

19/F., The Metropolis Tower, 10 Metropolis Drive, Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Canon Latin America, Inc.

Sales & Enquiries: 703 Waterford Way Suite 400 Miami, FL 33126 USA

0046W579
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© CANON INC. 2005

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