Sharp VL-E41X Operation Manual

SHARR

LIQUID CRYSTAL VIDEO CAMERA H PAL

OPERATION MANUAL

Before using this

this manual carefully, especially page 2.

VIEWCAM,

please read

SHARP

WARNING:

This Camcorder must be supplied with D.C. 6.0 volts only from a BT-77,
BT-80, or BT-BH85 battery, the AC adaptor (UADP-0179GEZZ) or the optional
car adaptor.

CAUTION:
As there are no user-serviceable parts inside the Camcorder or AC adaptor, do NOT re­move their cabinets as touching parts inside could result in electric shock. Please refer

servicing to a qualified dealer or a Camcorder service centre approved by Sharp.

This

VIEWCAM

using other VCRs or audio dubbing cannot be played back on this unit.

Your

VIEWCAM

programmes prerecorded in LP mode.

If you record on a tape on which PCM sound has already been recorded, the audio track of the

new

VIEWCAM

VCR. If this occurs, set the VCR’s audio monitor select switch to the “Normal” position.

NOTE

This

VIEWCAM

The LCD Panel comprises 89622 TFT Transistors. Due to the high density of transistors, it is
possible that some pixels may fail.

-

BT-70, BT-BH70,

VR-PlOOCH

does not have a PCM recording or playback function. PCM recording made

is designed to record in SP mode only. It will not perform normal playback for

recording may not come out when the tape is played back on a PCM-capable

is a high technology product.

C0yjratuLhi.m

With so many brands available, the choice was difficult.
But after enjoying the top quality and high performance of this Sharp

on

a

Wise !Detision!

VIEWCAM,

you’ll know you were right.

The purchase of this
tion manual to get the most out of your Sharp
have any trouble during operation.

VIEWCAM

will further enhance your home video enjoyment. Before operating, please read this opera-

VIEWCAM.

VARIABLE-ANGLE SHOOTING AND INSTANT
REPLAY WITH 10.2 cm COLOUR LCD MONI­TOR AND BUILT-IN SPEAKER

2.

8 x 2-SPEED POWER ZOOM

3.

PROGRAMME AE (SCENE MENU) FOR

4

SHOOTING SITUATIONS-SPORT, SNOW/
SAND, TWILIGHT, AND PARTY
Hi-Fi MONAURAL

’

CAT’S EYE-MINIMUM ILLUMINATION 4 LUX*
(See the note at the bottom of page 43.)

6.

NEUROAUTOEXPOSURE

7.

DIGITAL AUTO WHITE BALANCE

8.

DIGITAL FULL RANGE AUTO FOCUS

Important:

Copyright may exist in material you wish to record. Copy­ing such material without permission of the relevant licens­ees or owners of the copyright is prohibited by law. Sharp
is not in a position to authorize the recording of copyright
works and nothing in this operation manual should be read
or implied at giving that authority.

Also, please save it for future reference, since it will be useful if you

9.

ON-SCREEN MENU DISPLAY

10,

16:9

WIDE SCREEN COMPATIBILITY

11.

INFRARED REMOTE CONTROL

12.

EDIT SEARCH

13.

QUICK RETURN

14.

FLYING ERASE HEAD FOR EDITING

15

AUTOHEADCLEANER

16

WARNING INDICATORS-LOW BATTERY, LOW
LIGHT, TAPE END, ETC.

17

3-WAY POWER SOURCE: AC, RECHARGEABLE
BATTERY, AND CAR BATTERY (with optional
VR-Pl OOCH)

Power Supply:

This unit can be operated by connecting it to either the AC
adaptor, battery pack or optional car battery adaptor/
charger. The AC adaptor incorporates the AUTO VOLT­AGE (AC 1 lO-24OV, 50/60 Hz) function.

FEATURES..
PRECAUTIONS..
PART
MONITOR DISPLAY..

WARNING

PREPARATION..

INSTALLING THE MEMORY BACKUP BATTERY..

INSTALLING THE BATTERY IN THE

REMOTE CONTROL..
USING THE AC ADAPTOR/BATTERY CHARGER
POWERING THE
USING THE CAR BATTERY ADAPTOR/BATTERY

CHARGER (OPTIONAL ACCESSORY) .......................

ATTACHING AND DETACHING THE

BATTERY PACK

INSERTING AND REMOVING A CASSETTE.. ................

SETTING THE DATE AND TIME.. ...................................

PICTURE/VOLUME/BACKLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS
USING THE HAND STRAP..

BASIC OPERATIONS
CAMERA RECORDING

EASY CAMERA RECORDING WITH FULL AUTO..
ZOOMING
QUICK RETURN
EDIT SEARCH
SETTING THE
TIPS ON
HINTS FOR BETTER SHOOTING

RECORDING THE DATE AND TIME.. ............................

REMAINING RECORDING TIME DISPLAY.................... 24

TURNING OFF THE LCD MONITOR BACKLIGHT

.....................................................................

..............................................................

NAMES

..................................................................

INDICATORS..

......................................................................

RECORDING POSITIONS ...............................

.......................................................

..............................................................

.............................................................

................................................................

VIEWCAM

..............................................

..................................................

VIEWCAM

..........................................................

FROM AN AC OUTLET

...........................................

...................................................

TO FULL AUTO MODE..

...................................

........ IO

..........

.....

.........

........ 18

.......

.........

1

PLAY BACK

2

PLAYBACK..

6

VOLUME CONTROL ......................................................

9

VIDEO SEARCH..

9

10

10

11

12
12
13

14
15
16
17

18

19
20
20
21
22
22
23

24

STILL..
TAPE COUNTER FEATURE
USING THE INFRARED REMOTE CONTROL

USEFUL FEATURES FOR CAMERA RECORDING

SELF RECORDING..
AUTO/MANUAL FOCUS
SCENE MENU (PROGRAMME AE)
BACKLIGHT COMPENSATION (BLC)
GAIN-UP (CAT’S EYE)
MACRO SHOTS
WIDE SCREEN

LIGHTING..

CONNECTIONS FOR PLAYBACK ON A TV

CONNECTION

CONNECTION TO TV VIA VCR
USING THE AV PACK (OPTIONAL ACCESSORY).
CONNECTION TO TV WITHOUT

AUDIO/VIDEO JACKS.................................................

EDITING

EDITING..
RECORDING FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE..

FLUORESCENT LAMP BACKLIGHT

REPLACING THE FLUORESCENT

LAMP BACKLIGHT......................................................

BEFORE REQUESTING SERVICE..
SPECIFICATIONS

......................................................................

...................................................................

............................................................................

...........................................................

...........................................

.......................................................

................................................

...................................................

.............................................................

...............................................................

.......................................................................

TO TV

....................................................

.....................................

...........................................................................

.......................................................................

............................................................

25
25
25
26
26

................ 29

................................ 32

........................... 33

..................

..............................

................................ 42

27

.......

30

30
31

33
34

34

35
36

36
36

....... 37

38

39
39

............ 40

4 1
41

43

DEW FORMATION

l

What is “dew formation?”

When cold water is poured into a glass, dew drops
form on the glass. This clinging of water drops is

called dew formation.

l

When dew forms in your

Dew will

VIEWCAM

head. This causes damage both to the head and

the tape. When dew formation occurs, recording

and playback may not function properly.
Dew is likely to form

*when moving the

gradually form on the head drum of your

and make the video tape stick to the

in the following circumstances:

VIEWCAM

a warm place,

@when

placing the

VIEWCAM

is then heated rapidly,

*when moving the

VIEWCAM

conditioned room,

l when placing the

air blowing from an air conditioner,

l

when placing the

l

How to prevent trouble due to dew formation.

When using the
formation is likely to occur; allow the
and the video tape to acclimate to the surround­ings

for about one hour.

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM

For example, when bringing the
after skiing, place it

adapt to room conditions for some period of time.

VIEWCAM.

from a cold place to

in a cold room which

outdoors from an air

VIEWCAM

in a plastic bag and allow it to

in the direct path of

in a humid room.

in a place where dew

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM

indoors

l

“Dew” warning feature

If dew forms, the word

“DEW” flashes on the

LCD

monitor, and the power will automatically turn off in
approximately 10 seconds.

@

If the word “DEW” flashes on the LCD monitor,

remove the cassette, leave the cassette com­partment open, and wait several hours to allow

tht: VIEWCAM

temperature.

@I

To use the

after waiting for several hours. Be sure that the
word “DEW” has disappeared from the monitor
screen.

(9

Do not insert a cassette while the word “DEW” is

flashing; this may result in damage to the tape.

@I

Since dew f

minutes before the dew warning feature en­gages.

l

How to continually maintain good recording

If used in a variety of places, eventually your

to acclimate to the surrounding

VIEWCAM

orms gradually, it may take 10 to 15

again, turn on the power

VIEW-

CAM may not function properly due to accumula­tion of dirt on the head drum. Please pay special
attention to the following points when using your

VIEWCAM.

1)

Dew formation on the head drum.

2) Worn video tapes:

Using a damaged or soiled video tape may also
soil the head drum, causing the picture to be
blurred or nothing to be recorded on the video
tape.

Do not use such

3)

VIEWCAM

in extremely humid or dusty places may cause
damage to your

use in a humid or dusty place. Use

a video tape.

VIEWCAM.

Plastic bag

@

Be sure to tightly seal the plastic bag containing

the

VIEWCAM.

@I

Remove the bag when the air temperature

inside it reaches the temperature of the sur­roundings

l

When the video heads become clogged.

Using the

VIEWCAM

when the video tape is dirty
may cause the head to clog, producing noise on
the recorded image or preventing the image from
being recorded at all.

Under such circumstances, contact the nearest
SHARP service centre or your dealer for further
advice.

(Video head cleaning can be easily done by using
a commercially available cleaning tape. However,
excessive use of the cleaning tape may also cause
damage to the video heads. Please read the in­structions accompanying the cleaning tape care­fully, before using it.)

2

USE & CARE

l

After operation, remove the battery pack from

the unit.

l

Do not aim the lens at the sun.

00

not allow

lens or LCD panel, whether recording is in prog-

ress or not, as it may damage the CCD sensor or
LCD panel surface. Be particularly careful when
recording outside.

@When shooting in dark places, avoid sudden

brightly lit objects or light sources, such as the sun.
Otherwise, the image may white out. Should this
happen, point the camera in a different direction
until the picture returns to normal.

l

Avoid magnetic sources.

Using the
motors, televisions, or other magnetic sources may
adversely affect recorded images.

l

Remember to remove the cassette tape, turn off
the power, and remove the battery pack when
the

VIEWCAM

direct sunlight to strike the

VIEWCAM

near strong fluorescent lights,

is not in use.

VIEWCAM

l

Watch the temperature and humidity.

You

can use your
at 35% to 80% relative
unit

in an unventilated car in the summer,

VIEWCAM

at 0°C to +

humidfty.

40°C

and

Do not store the

in direct
sunlight, or near strong heat sources; this can
result in severe damage to the unit’s casing and
circuitry. Be careful when handling the unit after it
has been left in a hot place, such as the ones de­scribed above.

*Avoid situations where water, sand, dust or

other foreign matter could get on or inside the

VIEWCAM.

Such substances could cause mal-

functions.

Do not use your

VIEWCAM

in areas with excessive
smoke or steam.
Do not leave your

VIEWCAM

in areas with exces­sive dust or moisture.
Such environments can cause mildew to form on
this unit’s lenses. Be sure to provide ample venti­lation.

l

Using the

VIEWCAM

near a broadcasting sta­tion or other powerful transmission source may
cause buzzing or picture deterioration.

*Avoid

shocks and dropping.

Do not drop or otherwise subject the

VIEWCAM

to
hard shocks or strong vibrations. Bumping or strik­ing the unit during recording will generate noise in
the recorded image.

l

Some small, portable tripods may be difficult to
attach and may not be sturdy enough to sup
port your

VIEWCAM.

Be sure to use only a

strong, stable tripod.

l

When you use the

some other cold environment, the

VIEWCAM

at a ski resort or in

VIEWCAM

may chill down enough that its LCD monitor
screen is less bright than normal for a while
after it is turned on. This Is not a malfunction.
If this occurs, put the

VIEWCAM

in a warmer lo­cation for some time before use. To prevent ex­cessive cooling, wrap the

VIEWCAM

in a thick

cloth (a blanket, etc.).

CARE

Cleaning and maintenance

*Many plastic parts are used in the

cal cleaners. These may cause discolouration and damage to the casing.

l

Clean the casing with a soft,

cloth dampened with a diluted, neutral detergent. Then wipe it again with a soft, dry cloth.

l Use the supplied cleaning cloth to wipe finger marks and other soiling off the LCD monitor and lens protec-

VIEWCAM

dry cloth.

casing. Do not use thinners, benzenes or other strong chemi-

I

If the casing is particularly dirty, wipe the casing with a tightly wrung

tor. Or, use the optional cleaning kit to clean the lens protector even better.

l If the lens needs cleaning, first remove the lens protector by turning it anti-clockwise. Then clean the lens

with the supplied cleaning cloth, the optional cleaning kit, or compressed air and lens papers designed for
photographic lenses.

BATTERY PACK

Battery pack consumption

@Recording with many starts and stops, frequent

zooming, and recording in low temperatures will
somewhat shorten actual recording times.
Accordingly, be sure to turn off the power when not
recording. Use of an auxiliary battery pack is rec­ommended to prevent undesirable interruptions in
your recording.

l Do not use an insufficiently charged or weak bat-

tery pack. Such battery packs may cause the
power to automatically stop during

VIEWCAM

op-

eration
Battery power is consumed even when the

If the

CAM’s power is turned off

VIEWCAM

VIEW-

will

not be used, remove the battery pack. (See page

Note:

l

Please use the SHARP BT-77, BT-70, BT-BH70, BT-80, or

BT-BH85 battery packs. They are designed specifically

for use with this

VIEWCAM.

Extending battery pack life

This

VIEWCAM

uses a Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) type

or Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) type battery pack.

1) We recommend that you use the battery pack
until

\ts

charge is fully drained and the

VIEWCAM

is inoperable before recharging the pack.

2) Recharge the battery pack right before recording.
A battery pack stored for an extended time will
naturally discharge, resulting in decreased re­cording time.

3) Do not try to recharge a fully charged battery
pack before it has been discharged, as this will
cause deterioration of the battery’s capacity.

4) Store the battery pack in a dry, cool place.

How to use the marker on
the battery pack

This marker is provided so that
you can remember if your bat­tery is charged or not. Set the
switch to the “no mark” posi­tion when charging is com­pleted. Set the switch to the
“red mark” position when the
battery is depleted.

Temperature during charging

@The

Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) type BT-77, BT-70
and BT-80 battery packs can be charged at tem­peratures of 0°C to

40°C,

but, to utilize the battery’s
full capacity, it is recommended that charging take
place at temperatures of 10% to 35°C.

*The

Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) type BT-BH70
and BT-BH85 battery packs can be charged at
temperatures of

Caution:

l

For safety, keep the battery pack in its protective cover
when it is not being used. If the metal parts of the battery
pack come in contact with other metal items, there is a
danger that a short circuit may occur.

10°C

to 30°C.

VIDEO CASSETTE TAPES

To protect recordings against erasure

When a previously recorded cassette is used again for re­cording, the previously recorded material is erased. To pro­tect a recording against accidental erasure, slide the tab on
the cassette to cover the hole. (A red mark will be exposed.)
To record, slide the tab to open the hole.

Notes:
. Do not insert anything into the erasure-protection hole in the cas-

sette.

l

Only use those tapes with the

.

Because this unit is designed to operate with

back ME tapes will result in “noisy” pictures. Therefore, we
recommend that you use MP-type tapes whenever possible.

l Do not put anything into the holes on the bottom of the cassette.
l Do not store or place your video tapes in direct sunlight, near

heaters, or in places with excessive moisture or dust.

l Do not keep video cassette tapes near magnetic objects as they

may erase the recording.

l Do not drop or subject the tapes to excessive shocks.
l Uneven tape winding will damage the tape. If the tape is not prop-

erly wound, reinsert it in the

l Store the cassettes in their cases and stand them on edge.

USING YOUR VIEWCAM ABROAD

Television system signals and electrical system voltages and frequencies vary substantially from country to
country. When you are abroad, please check the sections below before using the AC adaptor or connecting
the

VIEWCAM

to a TV.

q

mark.

VIEWCAM

MP

tapes, playing

and rewind the tape.

The AC adaptor is compatible with 50 Hz and 60 Hz electrical systems in the range of 110 V to 240 V AC.

This can be used with 12 V and 24 V negative-ground cars only. Do not use it with positive-ground electrical
systems.

In any country, you can always watch the video picture by using the LCD monitor. However, if you want to
watch the picture on a TV screen, the TV must be PAL system compatible. PAL is used in the following coun­tries:

Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Holland, Finland, Portu-

gal, Norway, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Kuwait, China, etc.

Note:

To connect the

VIEWCAM

to a TV which does not have

audiolvid-

eo jacks, you must use the AV pack as well as the RF converter
and

75-ohm

coaxial cable, available as optional accessories

(see page 38).

For details on the use of each control, refer to the page number indicated in the brackets.

Zoom lens

Lens protector*

Microphone

Cassette compartment door [

l Before mounting the optional wide or telephoto conversion lens, remove the

lens protector by turning it anti-clockwise.

Take care when attaching or removing the lens protector, as it is made of glass.

Inside the cassette compartment door

Cassette EJECT button

141

[

*-

141

Inside the
compartment cover

Lithium battery

compartment [ 1

A.?9

BATTERY EJECT release

Retractab,e stand [291

Cassette compartment

door OPEN release [

I------

PICTURE/VOLUME

ADJUSTment

lith\um

battery

Cl]

button [

VI

141

161

When camera module is rotated

Fluorescent lamp
compartment cover

1411

Fluorescent lamp
compartment

[41]

MENU display button [

151

6

-Power Zoom Wide/Telephoto
control buttons [

RECord

START/STOP button (in
CAMERA mode) [
Record button (in VCR mode)

191

181

[40]

TAPE INFORMATION

button

[20, 271

AUDIO/VIDEO Input/

Output jack

EARphone jack [ 18,251

PLUG IN POWER

MICrophone

(*See below.)

;........................“...........................................................*..““....~~~*.~“.....................;

CAMERA

Aw4 .

“”

n

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b

, ‘

ill

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i

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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:

..~....~..~r....r~~.*..*....‘~..*~.,...........................................................................*..........!

. *

Note: *

I6

The b&on

” ‘: * ~‘,Ws OR

~~MEt\lU button,

pagW’[i5,16,4@+

Speaker

Hand strap [

[36]

L

Operate switch

(CAMERA/VCR select switch) [18,

I_-

jack

RewindlReverse Play button

Search button

ES261

1

..L.‘....................“......

I

. . .

111

Search

Quick Return/ Auto/Manual
Manual Focus

tr

button

Fa

r31

L&311

functions listed above

the

\Jse

of these functions as well as instructions on the functions which are made available when the

PICTUREWCILUME

24,271

P51

..*“...**L..-...

ej

Focus button

[311

are

those which are directly related to recording and playback operations. De-

ADJUST button, or TAPE

Fast

I I

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I. . . . . . . . .

J

. . . . . . . . . . ..-.“.....

I

.I

MODE DISPLAY button

Forward/

. . . ..-“....I..-.....

Edit

Se&h @/

Manual Focus

,,,ear bution

[ZO, 31)

INFORMAT!ON buttbn+it&r)retSsed, qre$

*n*“&tv’a

Stop button Pause/Still

..I........

Scene Menu Compensation/
button

b‘?”

y

s,t

:.” I)

‘*l \x _w 1 z *p I rs

[21, 251

I

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

t

. . . . ..I............

[32]

<’ ) * “q%& ~,$

“”

. . . . . . . .

i

Backtig

At

Gain-up button

(331

given on later

[25]

251

171

:

:

I

I

..I.

;

i

:
f

:
:

:

:

/

*About the PLUG IN POWER MIC Jack

This external microphone jack outputs a DC voltage of 3.0 V.
the sports housing optional accessory for this
use condenser-type microphone. The use of other types of microphones may result in damage to the micro­phone or the

VIEWCAM.

VIEWCAM,

7

It is for use with the microphone supplied with

or with any 3.5 mm diameter plug, 2.5-4.0 volt DC

RECord

START/STOP button

Tripod socket

Power ZOOM Telephoto/Wide

-

control buttons

REWind/Reverse

VOLUME Down button

PLAY button

Search button

STOP button

___

-

___

-

-

PAUSE/STILL button

-

Fast Forward/Forward Search

button

---VOLUME Up button

Notes:

l To use the infrared remote control, make sure that the re-

mote control menu item (“REMOTE”) is set to “ON”. The

remote control cannot be used to operate the

when this item is set to “OFF”. See page 29.

l

The REC START/STOP button on the remote control has

no effect when the

VIEWCAM’s

Operate switch is set to

VIEWCAM

VCR.

8

-Recording mode indicators

Lighting (LIGHT)/Backlight

compensation

(-)/Backlight-off indicators

PictureNolume adjustment indicators

Remaining recording time indicator

Clogged heads warning

Low battery/Dew warnings

Note:

Only the date/time indicators are recorded on the tape along with the subject.

(m)/Gain-up

Date/Time indicators

Zoom indicators

Tape warnings

II_---_

0 > > i :* :*

(Continuous flashing)

The VIEWCAM is in Recording

Standby mode, and is not recording

’

Recording

EDIT/AUTO indicators

Recording/playback operation-relat­ed button indicators are normally dis­played in white. They are displayed
in green when selected functions are
in progress. The functions of each
button are further explained on later
pages.

WARNING INDICATORS

Except for the “CHANGE THE CASSETTE.” warning, the backlight warning, and warnings during Self Record­ing mode, the indicators light in large characters for the first 3 seconds, and then blink in regular-size charac­ters.

DEW

BATTERY IS

TOO LOW.

‘INSERT

A

CASSETTE.

CASSETTE NOT
RECORDABLE.

THE TAPE

ENDS SOON.

CHANGE THE

CASSETTE.

REPLACE

THE LAMP.

9

0

Dew has formed inside the
the dew disappears (see page 2).
About 10 seconds after this warning appears the
power is turned off, and the display goes off too.

\\ I//

-B/ATWE,R\Y-

\I/

I

/?.I-

-~A~s~E~T~-

\\\II//

-FRPT,EFT,.TAJS-

\\II/

-T/APE, TN\D-

TAPE END

Display characters
remain large.

The battery is almost depleted.
Replace it with a fully charged battery.

The video heads are clogged and should be cleaned (see page

I

2).
There is no tape cassette in the

Load a cassette.

The red erasure prevention tab in the video cassette has been

slid to the record-protect position, preventing recording.
The tape is about to end. Get ready to load a new cassette.

The tape has reached its end.

Load a new cassette.
The fluorescent lamp behind the LCD monitor is close to the end

of its service life. Replace it with a new one (see page 41).
The LCD monitor turns off about 1 minute after this warning is
played.

During Self Recording mode, every warning indicator is replaced
by a
check the meaning of the warning, rotate the monitor back to the
normal position.

VIEWCAM.

“@”

indicator displayed in the centre of the monitor. To

Wait for a few hours until

VIEWCAM.

VIEWCAM’s

dis-

INSTALLING THE MEMORY
BACKUP BATTERY

Open the lithium battery compartment cover on

1

the battery mounting panel: using a pointed ob­ject such as the point of a pen, push the cover
release
outward.

2

Insert the lithium battery, with the + side facing

outward.
Close the cover: press the cover in until it clicks

3

into place.

“@”

down and to the left, and then pull

2

3

REPLACE BATTERY WITH SHARP TYPE CR2025
(PART NO. UBATL0006TAZZ) OR SONY
GYTEC TYPE CR2025 ONLY. USE OF A DIFFER­ENT BATTERY MAY PRESENT A RISK OF FIRE
OR EXPLOSION.

B

CHILDREN. IF SWALLOWED, CONSULT A PHY­SICIAN IMMEDIATELY FOR EMERGENCY
TREATMENT.

B

TREATED OR INSTALLED WITH POLARITY RE­VERSED. DO NOT RECHARGE, DISASSEMBLE
OR DISPOSE OF IN FIRE.

Cautions:

l Be sure that the + and

when the battery is installed.

l Do not short-circuit, recharge, disassemble or heat the

battery.

l Should the battery leak, wipe the battery compartment

and its cover clean, and then insert a new battery.

Notes:

l The lithium battery is used to back up the calendar and

other memory functions.

. The battery will last one year of normal usage.

l Replace the battery with a new CR2025 cell when the

VIEWCAM’s

time.

KEEP THIS BATTERY AWAY FROM

BATTERY MAY EXPLODE IF MIS-

-

poles are correctly oriented

time indicator starts to fall behind the correct

ENER-

INSTALLING THE BATTERY IN
THE REMOTE CONTROL

To open the battery compartment, press the tab
on the left side toward the centre, and slide the
tray out.

Install the supplied CR2025 lithium battery with
its + side matching the @ marked side of the
battery holder.

Replace the lid by sliding it in the direction of the
arrow. Make sure that the @ side faces the
back of the remote control.

10

r-OPERATE indicator (red)

Lights to indicate that the AC power cord is
connected to a live mains outlet.

CHARGE indicator (orange)
Lights when a battery pack is being charged.
The lamp goes off when the battery pack is fully
charged or removed.

r

DC OUT jack
Use the supplied 2 m DC OUT
cable to power the
from the AC adaotor.

VIEWCAM

REFRESH button
See HOW TO REFRESH THE
BATTERY PACK below.

CHARGING THE BATTERY PACK

/

1

Disconnect the DC OUT cable from the AC adap-

tar/battery charger if it is connected. Insert the AC

plug into a wall outlet.
The OPERATE indicator will light.
Align the v mark on the side of the battery pack with
the A mark on the charger, and guide the battery
pack into the groove. While pressing the battery pack
down, slide it to the side until it locks into place. The
CHARGE indicator will light.

USING THE AC ADAPTOR/
BATTERY CHARGER

Precautions:

l If used near a radio, the AC adaptor/battery charger may

interfere with reception.

l Prevent flammables, liquids, and metal objects from en-

tering the unit.

l This is a sealed unit. Do not attempt to open or modify it.
l Do not damage, drop, or subject the unit to vibration.
l Do not leave the unit in direct sunlight.
l Avoid using the unit in humid or extremely hot places.
l If the power source becomes disconnected during re-

cording, playback, or other operations, the tape will re­main wrapped around the drum, causing possible dam­age to the tape. Reconnect the power source to the main

/

unit immediately

2

When the battery pack is charged, the CHARGE

cator will go off. Remove the battery pack by sliding it

out, and then pull the AC plug out of the wall outlet.

Note:

l

Remove the battery pack from the charger and remove the
plug from the wail outlet after chargrng is completed.

\

indi-

BATTERY PACK REFRESHING
This VIEWCAM uses a Ni-Cd (nrckel-cadmium) or NI-MH (nickel-
metal hydride) type battery which requires “refreshing” from
time; otherwise the operating time of the battery pack may be
shortened. Please refresh your battery pack(s) once for every ten

rechargings.

HOW TO REFRESH THE

l

Refreshing should be performed near the battery’s depletron (the
low battery warning indicator “BATTERY” flashes on the LCD
monitor).

1. Connect the AC adaptor/battery charger to an AC outlet and in­stall the battery pack on it. (The OPERATE and CHARGE indica­tors light.)

2. Press the REFRESH button. (The CHARGE indicator starts blink­ing.)

The CHARGE indicator blinks
When refreshing is completed, charging starts automatically, and
the indicator is continuously lit.

BAllERY

PACK

whrle

the battery is being refreshed

time

11

Charging and Refresh Times

Battery

to

Notes:

’

l

l The battery pack and charger warm up

l

Caution:

l

PaoR

BT-77
BT-70 approx. 1 hr.

BT-BH70 approx. 1 hr. 25 min

BT-80

BT-BH85

Do not refresh a fully-charged battery pack.

not a malfunction

The charging time depends on the ambient temperature and the

condition of the battery pack.

Charge only SHARP model BT-77, BT-70, BT-BH70, BT-80. or
BH85 battery packs. Other types of batteries may burst, causing
personal injury and damage

Charge

Tim

approx. 1 hr IO min.

approx. 2 hr 20
approx. 2 hr 50 min

min.

RMmahTinw

approx. 2 hr.

durrng

charging.

This

is

BT-

POWERING THE
FROM

1

Plug the DC cable of the connecting plate sup-

AN AC OUTLET

VIEWCAM

plied with the AC adaptor into the DC OUT jack
on the AC adaptor.

2

Mount the connecting plate on the

3

Insert the AC plug into a wall outlet. The OPER-

VIEWCAM.

ATE indicator on the AC adaptor will light.

Caution:

l The supplied AC adaptor/battery charger

0179GEZZ) is specially designed for use with the
CAM, and should not be used as a power supply for
other camcorders,

(UADP-

VIEW-

USING THE CAR BATTERY
ADAPTOR/BATTERY CHARGER
(OPTIONAL ACCESSORY)

Insert the plug into the cigarette lighter socket.
The OPERATE indicator will light.

DC cable

light& socket

tery Adaptor/Battery
r

accessory)

VR-PlOOCH

I

(optional

Plug the DC cable from the supplied connecting
plate into the DC OUT jack on the car battery
adaptor/battery charger.

Mount the connecting plate on the

VIEWCAM.

The battery pack can be recharged by using the
car battery adaptor/battery charger in basically
the’same manner as the AC adaptor/battery

charger (see page

Note:

l If you power the

extended period of time, the battery will be drained and
restarting the engine may be difficult. An average
charged car battery has a capacity of 50 ampere-hour,
which will allow 20 hours of
leaving half the battery’s capacity.

Cautions:

l Use in only DC 12V or 24V negative ground system cars

Positive-ground car batteries CANNOT BE USED. Check
your car operation manual or consult a local car dealer.

l

Charge only SHARP model BT-77, BT-70, BT-BH70,
80, or BT-BH85 battery packs. Other types of batteries
may burst, causing personal injury and damage.

11).

VIEWCAM

from the car battery for an

fully-

VIEWCAM

usage while still

BT-

12

2

Detaching the battery pack

1

ATTACHING AND DETACHING

THE BATTERY PACK

Attaching the Battery Rack

1

Insert the top of the battery pack (the end with
the charge marker and the
upper part of the battery compartment.

2

Press the lower part of the battery pack inward
until it clicks into place.

Detaching the Battery Pack

1

Slide the BATTERY EJECT release toward the
monitor side of the

2

Remove the battery pack.

Caution:

l

When you slide the BATTERY EJECT release, be sure to
hold the battery pack lightly with your fingers so it does
not fall.

Battery pack handling

l

Make sure that the battery packs you take with you
will provide two to three times the time you esti­mate will be required for the planned recording.

l Recording time is reduced in cold weather.

@The

battery is drained in Recording Standby mode.

Turn off the power if you will not be recording again

quite soon.

VIEWCAM.

“ I ”

mark) into the

2 _

Cautions:

l If you remove the battery pack during recording or play-

back, the tape will remain wound around the video head
drum and may be damaged. BEFORE REMOVING THE
BATTERY PACK,
THE POWER OFF. Should the power source (battery or
adaptor) become disconnected during operation, recon­nect it again immediately.

l Remove the battery pack from the

nect the
will not be used for a long time.

VIEWCAM

ALWAYS

STOP THE TAPE AND TURN

from the AC adaptor if the

VIEWCAM

or discon-

VIEWCAM

13

1

Cassette compartment
door OPEN release

INSERTING AND REMOVING A
CASSETTE

9

3

EJECT button

Inserting a Cassette

f

Slide the OPEN release to open the cassette
compartment door.

Press the EJECT button. The cassette compart­ment extends automatically.

Insert the tape cassette with the window facing
outwards.

Press the “PUSH” mark until the compartment
clicks into place. The cassette compartment
retracts automatically.

Close the compartment door by pressing at the

“ A ”

mark with your finger tip until the door

clicks into place.

Removing a Cassette

Slide the OPEN release to open the cassette
compartment door.

Press the EJECT button to extend the cassette
compartment.

Take out the cassette.

5

“PUSH” mark

Red
indicator

Close the cassette compartment and the com­partment door.

Cautions:
. Do not try to close the door while the cassette compart-

ment is being extended or retracted.

l Be careful not to get your fingers caught in the cassette

compartment.

l Do not apply force to the cassette compartment except

for pressing the “PUSH” mark to close it.

l Do not tilt the

cassette is being inserted or removed. It may damage

the tape.

l Remove the cassette if the

a long time.

l If you do not press the cassette compartment closed cor-

rectly in step 4 above, the

tion mechanism might eject the cassette. If this happens,

repeat the insertion procedure.

l Do not attempt to pick up the

compartment door.

VIEWCAM

or hold it upside-down when a

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM’s

will not be used for

cassette protec-

VIEWCAM

by the cassette

To protect recordings from accidental erasure

Slide the red projection on the tape cassette in the
direction of the arrow until the red indicator is visible.
When you want to record on the tape again, slide the
red projection in the reverse direction.

14

2

-2,9

/

MENU

1

OFF

DATE+TIME

\

SETTING THE DATE AND TIME

Example:

Setting the date to 2 June 1995 (2. 6.1995) and the
time to

lo:30

am (IO:30 AM).

Notes:

. Check that the memory backup lithium battery has been

installed before setting the date and time

l The date and time, once set, are stored in memory

Set the Operate switch to CAMERA.

1

2

Press the MENU button to display MENU
If MENU 2 is displayed, press the PAGE button

(@)

to get MENU 1 on the screen.

3

Press the ‘I or A button to move the ) pointer
to “SETTING”, and then press the SET button.

l When the memory backup is not operating,

the

VIEWCAM

pointer automatically points at this item.

Press the v or A button to select “2.” (day),

4

and press the SET button.

Press the V or A button to select “6.” (month),

5

and press the SET button.

is first received from the factory, the

I

1.

e.g

when

4

5

6

7

8

9

_

SET

\I /

IPAGE

1

-1, 1.1994

f2'00

2.-ls1994

AM

\‘/

12:do‘AM

\\

I!

/

2.

6,i994-

12:oo

\

12) 6 Jig?5

-12-:00-AM-

/I\

2

lOrOO-AM

/I\

AW

/I\

..,,6,.1995

2. 6.1995

lo:30

AM

Press the V or A button to select “1995”

6

(year), and press the SET button.

7

Press the V or A button to select “IO AM”
(hour), and press the SET button.

Press the V or A button to select

8

utes), and press the SET button.
The date and time settings are now complete.

9

Press the MENU button, and the menu will disap-

pear from the monitor screen.

Notes:

l The menu display is automatically cancelled if no settings

are made within approximately 5 minutes after the MENU
button is pressed.

l The internal clock starts operating when the SET button IS

pressed in step 8 above.

“30”

(min-

15

PICTURE/VOLUME/BACKLIGHT
ADJUSTMENTS

Picture Adjustment

4 3

1

Volume Adjustment

1

BRIGHT

11110000

Darker Brighter

L

COLOUR

11110000

Decrease

Increase

If the picture is difficult to watch
lighting, etc., or the sound difficult to hear, adjust the
picture and volume.

Set the Operate switch to CAMERA or VCR.
Press the PICTURE/VOLUME ADJUST button to

display the picture/volume/backlight control indi­cators at the bottom of the monitor screen.

1 ~

l *

,~;mi17:;,“““‘J

To adjust the picture,

ton until the item you wish to adjust (BRIGHT or
COLOUR) is displayed.

To adjust the volume,

ton to display the volume indicator.

To adjust the backlight,

to display the backlight indicator.

4

Press the v or A button to adjust the picture,
volume, or backlight to your preference.

5

When you are finished, press the
UME ADJUST button again to turn off the adjust­ment indicators.

c@e

to ambient

press the PICTURE but-

press the VOLUME but-

press the LAMP button

PICTURE/VOL-

PIG- VOL-

v

IvII*(Rlrm

A TURll UYB

LAMP

0

1

Backlight Adjustment

4

3

Notes:

l In bright daylight, the picture will be easier to watch if you

set the backlight (“BACKLIGHT”) to “BRIGHT”.

l The picture adjustments have been factory preset to neu-

tral settings, and the backlight mode (“BACKLIGHT”) has
been factory preset to normal (“NORMAL”).

l When the colour is adjusted, the picture on the screen will

differ from the picture actually recorded. Do not change
the colour setting unless it is necessary.

1

16

REC START/STOP button

USING THE HAND STRAP

Fitting the Grip Strap to Your Hand

Hold the
strap down until the velcro patches open. Then put
your thumb on the REC START/STOP button, pull the
strap tight until it fits snugly, and seal the velcro clo­sures

Caution:

l Do not swing the

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM

towards

your

chest, and pull the

by its hand strap.

17

HANDLING OF THE LCD MONITOR

l

Do not let anything press against the monitor
screen, and do not expose it to shock, as it may
break.

*Do

not put the

surface, with the monitor screen facing down.

l Use the provided cleaning cloth or other soft cloth

to clean the screen.

*The image may become blurred when the screen

or areas adjacent to the screen are pressed.

VIEWCAM

on a table, or any other

1

The Picture from the lens

now’displayed

monitor

on the LCD

Unlike conventional camcorders, this model frees
you from having to peer into a small viewfinder. You
can watch the subject on the large LCD monitor
screen for easier, more enjoyable video-shooting.

EASY CAMERA RECORDING

WITH FULL AUTO

Before you start recording, perform the operations

described on pages IO through 17 to prepare your

IS

VIEWCAM

for recording.

Set the Operate switch to CAMERA.

OFF:

.

CAMERA

Make sure that the Full Auto mode indicator

1

“AUTO” is displayed on the monitor screen.

Note:

l If, at this time, “AUTO” does not appear, set the

VIEWCAM

dure described on page 21.

Press the REC START/STOP button to start re-

cording.

to Full Auto mode by following the proce-

TO PAUSE RECORDING

((,,---

PAUSE

-1

+

Press the REC START/STOP button again. Record­ing pauses, and the
cording Standby mode.

Notes:

l To leave Camera mode, set the Operate switch to OFF.
l The speaker is turned off during recording. To monitor

the sound from the microphone during recording, plug a

monaural earphone into the EAR jack. You can adjust the

volume by following the procedure described on page

16.

l If the

VIEWCAM

more than approximately 5 minutes, the power
automatically turned off to save battery power and to pro­tect the tape from being damaged. To continue record­ing after this, set the Operate switch to OFF, and then
back to CAMERA again.

l If you will not be recording again for a while, turn off the

power by sliding the Operate switch to OFF. This will
make the battery last longer.

VIEWCAM

IS kept in Recording Standby mode for

is engaged in Re-

WIII

be

18

ZOOMING

Zooming allows you to move visually closer to or
farther from a subject without physically changing
your position.

To

Zoom

In

Press the Power Zoom
close-up view.

To Zoom Out

Press the Power Zoom
get a wide field of view.

The on-screen display will show you the current
zoom setting.

Zooming in (when you want to centre attention on the subject)

“T”

“W”

(telephoto) button to get a

(wide angle) button to

Wide angle

L;

*SELF REC

*SCREEN

MENU

2

AUTO CORRECT
NORMAL

Zooming out (when you want to show the surroundings)

You can select from two different zoom speeds to

match the type of subject you are recording.

Selecting the Zoom Speed

1

Set the Operate switch to CAMERA.

2

Press the MENU button to display MENU 2. If
MENU 1 is displayed, press the PAGE button

(@I)

to get MENU 2 on the screen.

3

Press the V or A button to move the
pointer to “ZOOM SPEED”.

4

Press the SET button to select the desired zoom
speed (NORMAL or SLOW).

5

When setting is completed, press the MENU but­ton to turn off the menu display.

1

295

I

.

NORMAL

r

Telephoto

“b”

\\\

\

I /

///

UICK RETURN

///

I

\\\\

QUICK RETURN

When you have been playing back what you have
recorded, and wish to quickly return to the end of
the last recorded scene, use the quick-return func­tion.

Set the Operate switch to CAMERA.

Press the TAPE INFORMATION button to display

the quick-return button indicator (“RETURN”) in
the bottom left of the monitor screen.

Press the RETURN button (@I). The tape will
begin winding or rewinding to the end of the last
recorded scene.

When the tape reaches the end of the last re-

corded scene, the
Standby mode.

VIEWCAM

enters Recording

23 4

Edit search

@

L-MODE DISPLAY button

Edit Search @ button
Edit Search 0 button

Note:

l

When the TAPE INFORMATION button is pressed, if

cassette has been removed

no recording has been made since the cassette was
loaded, the RETURN button indicator will not appear and

the quick return function will not be available.

since the last recording, or if

the

EDIT SEARCH

This

VIEWCAM

from Camera Recording mode to VCR mode, for the

point on the tape where you wish to start recording
next.

USING THE EDIT SEARCH
FUNCTION

In Recording Standby mode, make sure that the
auto/manual videography indicators or other oper­ation indicators are not displayed on the monitor. (If
they are displayed on the monitor, turn them off by
pressing the MODE DISPLAY button.) Then hold
down the Edit Search @ button ((H)) or Edit Search

0

button (@I) for more than one second. When
you find the point where you want to begin re­cording, release the button.

lets you search, without switching

\

Edit search

\REW

PLAY

PLAY FF

@

/

Notes:

l Some picture noise appears during reverse edit search.

l Forward edit search is performed at the same speed as

normal playback, and reverse edit search at three times
the normal playback speed.

l Edit search cannot be performed with the remote control.

J

20

L

TAPEWCfWATlCN

FOCUS

SETTING THE

VIEWCAM

TO

FULL AUTO MODE

This

VIEWCAM

white balance, auto exposure, and auto shutter
speed functions. Setting the
mode by turning all these functions on lets you re­cord high-quality pictures easily.

While the
the MODE DISPLAY button to display the auto/
manual videography indicators on the monitor.

is equipped

VIEWCAM

with

auto focus, auto

VIEWCAM

is in Camera mode, press

to Full Auto

2

AUTO

Press the Auto/Manual Focus button
select “FOCUS”. The auto focus function is now
operating.

Press the Scene Menu button
‘SCENE MENU”. The auto white balance, auto
exposure, and auto shutter speed functions are
now operating.

Press the MODE DISPLAY button. The auto/
manual videography indicators disappear, and
the “AUTO” indicator appears on the monitor.

(@)

(a)

to

to select

21

Place your feet at a

angle and take a firm
stance

High Angle

and still see the
monitor screen.
This

Ground

Rest on both
elbows to
the

VIEWCAM.

45”

is convenient

Levew

stabilize

Basic Posture

When kneeling, put one
knee on the ground for
the best stability.

Look at the

monitor with

both eyes

Press your
elbows against
your

Low Angle

sides.

Kneeling

TIPS ON RECORDING

POSITIONS

The rotating LCD monitor screen
video recording in relaxed postu es.

l

You can record using more natural body postures
since you can see the subject on-screen, without
having to hold the

VIEWCAM

*The LCD monitor also makes high-angle and

angle shots easy.

l In hand-held recording, the

steadied to prevent image shake.

*Use a tripod for very stable recording.

Basic Recording Positions

Put the fingers of your right hand through the hand

strap, and place your right thumb close to the REC
START/STOP and Power Zoom buttons. Place your
left thumb in the indentation on the left side of the
LCD monitor.

Notes:

l

Take care not to touch the monitor screen with your fin­gers, as perspiration and dirt will smudge it.

l

Unless you intend to create a special effect, keep the

VIEWCAM

l

Take care not to touch the microphone with your fingers
when the
the audio track.

level with the horizontal plane.

VIEWCAM

is recording. It will cause noise on

ets you enjoy easy

/

against your eye.

VIEWCAM

has to be

low-

HINTS FOR BETTER

SHOOTING

Position the subject in the centre of the screen.

Notes:

l

When you are using auto focus, whatever is in the centre

of the screen is kept

in

focus.

More hints for shooting better videos

*Before zooming, think about how to best frame the

shot: Stop zooming when the shot is well framed.

*When image shake is noticeable during zoomed-in

telephoto shooting, use a tripod, or press the

Power Zoom

“W”

(wide angle) button to zoom out.

Screw the tripod into the tripod socket on the bot-

tom of the

l Horizontal panning (lateral movement) and tilting

VIEWCAM.

(vertical movement) should be done slowly to
emphasize the wide expanse of a scene or the
height of a building, and to make them easy to
watch on playback.

*Use wide-angle settings for fast-moving subjects.

Note:

l

It

may take

longer to focus when zooming and panning

are used frequently.

Position the subject in the Focus manually when you
centre.

l

Avoid backlit subjects. For the best picture, have the

light source behind you.

l When the background is brighter than the subject, the

subject often becomes too dark. If you need to record
with this lighting, use the backlight compensation (BLC)
function to improve the picture (see page 33).

Light from behind

, I

need to position the subject
off centre (see page 31).

, ,

Backlighting

I

22

297

RECORDING THE DATE AND

MENU

DATE/TIME

*DISPLAY

l

SBLECT

FSBTTING

v

I A

*DISPLAY OFF

*SELECT

OFF

DATE

lo:30

IsET I

DATE

2. 6.1995
AM

IPAGE)

Follow the procedure shown
date and time, or the date only, along with the sub-

ject.

1

Set the Operate switch to CAMERA. The
CAM enters Recording Standby mode.

2

Press the MENU button to display MENU

If MENU 2 is displayed, press the PAGE button

(@I) to get MENU 1 on the monitor.

3

Press the v or A button to move the
pointer to “DISPLAY”.

4

Press the SET button to select “AUTO”, “ON”, or
“OFF”

.

When “ON” is selected, the date/time is contin-

uously displayed and recorded along with the
subject.

When “AUTO” is selected, the date/time is dis-

played and recorded for 10 seconds at the be­ginning of the first recording that day.

When “OFF” is selected, the date/time is nei-

ther displayed nor recorded.

Note:

l Select “AUTO” if continuous date/time display annoys

you during recording.

belpw

to record the

VIEW-

1.

“k”

23

7

MENU

2.

6.1995

LO:30

an

5

Press the ‘I or A button to move the
pointer to “SELECT”.

6

Press the SET button to select “DATE +TIME” or

“DATE”. Both the date and the time are display­ed and recorded when “DATE + TIME” is select­ed; only the date is displayed and recorded
when “DATE” is selected.

1181’::.!

7

Press the MENU button to turn off the menu dis-

play, and then press the REC START/STOP but­ton to start recording.

I

LDATE+TIME+DATE-l

“b”

REMAINING RECORDING TIME

DISPLAY

1 min.-O min.

0 min.

(The tape has

reached its end.)

I

THE TAPE

I

CHANGE THE

ENDs200N

l

CASSETTE.

4

TAPE END

When the
about 10 minutes before the tape reaches its end,
an on-screen indicator will begin to show how much
time you have left. You might want to get a new tape
ready at this time.
From about 10 minutes to 1 minute before the tape
ends, a bar indicator is displayed. About one min­ute before the tape ends, a large “THE TAPE ENDS
SOON.” display appears, which, 3 seconds later,
changes to “TAPE END” in flashing regular-size
characters. When the tape finally reaches the end,

“CHANGE THE CASSETTE.” is displayed in large

characters for 3 seconds, and then changes to

“TAPE END” in smaller characters.

If you wish to turn off the graphics indicator (e.g.
because it interferes with your view of the picture),
press the TAPE INFORMATION button to display the
REMAIN button indicator on the monitor, and press
the REMAIN button
Press the REMAIN button once again to re-display
the indicator.

Notes:

l Before the first bar indicator appears, pressing the TAPE

INFORMATION button will not display the REMAIN button

indicator.

l The time-remaining indicators only show approximate

time left. Also, they vary slightly depending on the length
of tape used. (This function’s design is based on the

P5-90

VIEWCAM

tape standard.)

is recording in Camera mode,

(a).

TURNING OFF THE LCD

MONITOR BACKLIGHT

This

VIEWCAM’s

lamp for backlighting (see page 41). When the

VIEWCAM

reduce battery consumption, you can turn off the
lamp when backlighting is not necessary; e.g. when
you are watching a playback picture on a connected
TV’s screen.

While the
hold down the MODE DISPLAY button. Three sec­onds later, “LCD LAMP OFF” starts flashing in the

upper left corner of the monitor screen. Keep the

MODE DISPLAY button down for 3 more seconds,
and the backlight turns off.
To turn it on again, press the MODE DISPLAY button
or the REC START/STOP button, or set the Operate

switch to OFF and then back to CAMERA or VCR.
Also, the backlight automatically turns on to display
warning indicators, such as the dew, tape-end and

low battery warnings.

LCD monitor uses a fluorescent

is powered from the battery, in order to

VIEWCAM

is in Camera or VCR mode,

24

1

PLAYBACK

The LCD monitor makes it possible to play back and
see what you have just recorded. Nothing needs to
be connected, allowing instant

&-screen

playback
You can hear the sound through the built-in speaker
or via your own earphone.
You can also watch prerecorded 8 mm video tapes
on this

VIEWCAM

Set the Operate switch to VCR.

1

Press the REW (or FF) button to rewind (or fast

2

(“On-the-Go Playback”).

forward) the tape.

3

Press the PLAY button.

TO STOP PLAYBACK

Press the STOP button

(@).

STOP ‘button

Auto Tape Rewind

The tape is automatically rewound when playback

reaches the end of the tape.

Notes:

l If you wish to turn off the operation button indicators on

the monitor
the picture), press the MODE DISPLAY button. The but­tons will still function as indicated even after their indica­tors are turned off.

l A monaural earphone with a 3.5 mm diameter plug can

be plugged directly into the
jack.

l When an earphone is plugged into the EAR jack, the

speaker automatically turns off.

l To use the infrared remote control, make sure that the

remote control menu item (“REMOTE”) is set to “ON”.
The remote control cannot be used to operate the
CAM when this menu item is set to “OFF”. See page 29

(e.g

because they interfere with your view of

VIEWCAM’s

EAR (earphone)

VIEW-

VOLUME CONTROL

Press the PICTURE/VOLUME ADJUST button to
display the picture/volume/backlight control indi­cators at the bottom of the monitor screen.

Press the VOLUME button to display the volume
indicator (“VOLUME”).

25

VOLUME

BBmlocl

Decrease Increase

Press the v button to decrease the volume, or
press the A button to increase the volume.

When you are finished, press the PICTURE/VOL-

UME ADJUST button to turn off the adjustment
indicators.

Reverse Search Forward Search
button

button

VIDEO SEARCH

Searching for and Playing Back a
Scene Near the One

Played Back

During playback, press the Forward Search
Reverse Search
reverse) playback picture is displayed on-screen.

When you find the desired scene, press the PLAY

button to return to normal playback.

[a])

Searching for and Playing Back a
Scene Far from the Current One

If the

VIEWCAM

STOP button to stop the tape. Depending on the
direction of search, press the FF button
forward or the REW button

When you estimate that the tape is near the scene

you want, press and hold down the Forward Search

(@)

(or Reverse Search

ward (or reverse) playback picture is displayed

screen. If the desired scene is still rather far from

that point, release the Forward Search (or Reverse

Search) button to return to Fast Forward (or Rewind)
mode, and repeat the operation. When you finally
find the desired scene, press the STOP button and
then the PLAY button to start normal playback.

is in Playback mode, press the

Cuvrently

button. The fast forward (or

(a)

to rewind the tape.

[a])

button. The fast for-

Being

(@)

(@)

to fast

(or

on-

Notes:

l The sound is turned off during these searches.
l Some picture noise appears during these searches. This

is not a malfunction.

STILL

This function makes it possible to freeze the picture.

Press the STILL button (@I) during playback. To
return to normal playback, press the STILL button

once again, or press the PLAY button

Notes:

9

The sound is turned off during Still mode.

l To protect the tape, the

to ordinary playback after 5 minutes in Still mode.

l The LCD monitor has a special function that suppresses

picture noise during still playback. However, when the

VIEWCAM

TV screen during still playback.

is connected to a TV, noise may appear on the

VIEWCAM

(a).

automatically returns

26

TAPE COUNTER FEATURE

Counter Display

The counter display shows elapsed recording time
in hours, minutes and
count even while it is not being displayed.) It is
available in both Camera and VCR modes.

seconds1

(It continues to

\.

TAPElNFORMATlON

/

TAPEINFORMATiON

00

cou-

I

NTER

I

MODE

DISPLAY

1

1:08.31

MODEMSPLAY

b

0

@@O

Press the TAPE INFORMATION button to turn the
counter control button indicators on and off at the
bottom of the monitor screen.

USING THE COUNTER

Press the COUNTER button to turn the tape counter

display on or off on the monitor screen.

During playback, write down the counter readings of
the scenes that you want to return to later for easy,
fast replay.

Note:

. The counter reading may differ slightly from the actual

time. This is especially noticeable when the tape has
been rewound or fast forwarded a number of times, in
which case there can be a difference of several seconds.

TO RESET THE COUNTER TO ZERO

The RESET button indicator is displayed only when
the counter display is on.
During recording or playback, press the RESET but­ton where you want to reset the counter to zero

(O:OO.OO).

nary Counter mode or Counter Memory mode (see

page 28).

The counter can be reset in either Ordi-

27

TAPEINFORMATION

MOMDISPLAY

TAPE

INFORMATION

@@pWZ@O

2

,

_ ..__

I

I '

I

:'

,

:-_-.

,

*

: '

I

MODE MODE

@@(

3

M o:oo.oo

TAPEINFOFtMATtON

'z‘

_=

n

TAPElNFCiWlC+4 MC0EDlSPL4V

opjpoooo

MODE

DISPLAY

MODE

DISPLAY

USING THE COUNTER MEMORY

Use the counter memory when you want to return to
the beginning of a particular scene.
The position where the counter memory was reset
(O:OO.OO) is stored in memory to

return the tape to that point.

1

Press the TAPE INFORMATION button to display
the counter control button indicators on the moni­tor. If the MEMORY button
appear, press the COUNTER button to make the
counter display appear.

I

2

Press the MEMORY button to set the counter to
Counter Memory mode.
the left of the counter. Then press the TAPE IN-

FORMATION button to turn off the counter con­trol button indicators.

During playback (or recording), reset the counter

3

to zero at the beginning of a scene that you want
to return to later. Then press the TAPE INFOR­MATION button to turn off the counter control
button indicators.

4

Stop playback (or recording). If the

in Camera mode, set the Operate switch to VCR.

Then press the REW button. The tape will auto-

matically stop when the counter reaches

Press the PLAY button to view the desired scene.

Notes:

. The FF (Fast Forward) button can be used in the same

way.

l This function does not work during video searches.

make

it easier to

i,ndicator

“M”

does not

will be displayed to

VIEWCAM

TO CANCEL COUNTER MEMORY

MODE

Press the TAPE INFORMATION button to display the
counter control button indicators. Then press the
MEMORY button to turn off the
counter display. The Counter Memory mode is
turned off, and the counter returns to Ordinary
Counter mode.
To turn off the Counter mode, press the COUNTER
button. The counter display will turn off.

“M”

to the left of the

is

O:OO.OO.

TAPE

INFORMATION

063

-=:
=

A

MODEDIWAY

28

control

USING THE INFRARED

REMOTE CONTROL

the

Use the

remote control to opera e

from a distance, such as when
yourself in a scene, or when the

nected to a TV for use as a VCR.

1

Set the Operate switch to CAMERA or VCR.

2

When CAMERA is selected

Press the MENU button to display MENU 2.
If MENU 1 is displayed, press the PAGE button

(@I)

to get MENU 2 on the monitor screen.

When VCR is selected

Press the MENU button to display the menu.
Make sure that the “REMOTE” menu item is set

3

to “ON”.

In Camera mode

MENU 1

*SELF

RBC

AUTO CORRECT

S

PEED

NORMAL

ERMAL

l

SCRBBN'

,RBWOTB

*zoon

VIEWCAM

ou want to record

$

VIEWCAM

In VCR mode

l

BDIT

,RBMOTB

is con-

UBNU

OFF

ON

-

I A

ISBT

Press

the

4

Aim the remote control at the photoreceptor of

the

VIEWCAM,

operate the

IPAGB

I

MENU button to turn

and press control buttons to

VIEWCAM.

rir!SBTI

I

off the menu.

Notes:
. Be careful not to allow direct sunlight or bright light from

interior

rllumination

ceptor, as this may prevent the remote control from
operating properly.

l Be sure that there are no obstacles between the remote

control and the

l When the “REMOTE” item setting is changed in either

Camera or VCR mode, the setting for the other mode is
automatically set to the same.

l The lithium battery normally lasts about 6 months. It can

be shorter under some operating conditions. When the
lithium battery is dead and the remote control does not
operate, replace the battery with a new one by following
the instructions on page 10.

to fall onto the

VIEWCAM’s

VIEWCAM’s

photoreceptor.

photore-

USING THE STAND

Pull out the stand and lock it into position when you
put the
stabilize the
CAM’s camera part stands vertically as shown.

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM,

on a table or other flat surface. To

make sure that the

VIEW-

29

Cautions:

l Protect the stand from strong forces. Otherwise it may

break.

l Press the stand in the direction of the arrow to fold it in,

as shown.

The Self Recording function lets you monitor the re­cording while you are part of the scene. Set the
“SELF REC” menu item to “AUTO CORRECT” to turn
the on-screen picture right way up. Then rotate the
monitor

180”

to face the same direction as the cam­era lens.
When the monitor is turned back to the normal posi­tion, the image returns to normal. The screen image

is automatically inverted when the monitor rotation is
between

140”

and

200”.

Normal Recording mode Self Recording mode

<<<<<o

Examples of recording in Self Recording mode

I

Indoor

I

Tripod adaptor
for 180”
recording

W-31 FA

(optional
accessory)

I

Recording yourself and your friends together at a
party, using the remote control, while monitoring
yourselves on the

1

Outdoor

1

VIEWCAM’s

screen.

Note:

l You will need the VR-31 FA tripod adaptor for

180”

record-

ing (optional accessory) and a tripod when recording in

Self Recording mode.

Make sure that the “SELF REC” item has been set to
“AUTO CORRECT” on

l

*ZOO16

Notes:

l In Self Recording mode, it is not possible to record using

manual recording modes, change picture adjustments,
display menus, record the date and time, or use the
quick-return feature. Also, the recording mode indicator
is displayed as a mirror image, as shown in the
illustration.

l When you wish to keep the image normal instead of in-

verted even after rotating the monitor, select “NO COR­RECT” instead of “AUTO CORRECT” for “SELF REC” on
the MENU 2 display.

WELF

*ZOOM SPEED NORMAL

l In Self Recording mode, all standard warning indicators

on the monitor are replaced by a flashing “@” indicator in
the centre of the monitor. To check the meaning of the
warning, turn the monitor back to the normal position.

MENU 2.

ELF REC

SPEED NORMAL

MC!

AUTO CORRECT

NO CORRECT

Tripod adaptor
for 180

recording

VR-31 FA

(optional
accessory)

Recording yourself and your family together on a
picnic, using the remote control.

Cautions:

l Do not rotate the monitor to the Self Recording position

while the

l For recording in Self Recording mode, be sure to rotate

the monitor, NOT the lens. If you hold the

VIEWCAM

is recording or playing back.

VIEWCAM

upside-down with its lens at the bottom, the subject will
be recorded upside-down.

30

Subject has horizontal stripes

AUTO/MANUAL FOCUS

AUTO FOCUS

The

VIEWCAM’s

focus on most types of subjects. In Auto Focus

mode, the

ever is in the centre of the scene. Therefore, always

keep the subject in the centre of the screen.

Notes:

l If no subject is in the centre of the monitor, the focus area

will expand and the subject nearest the centre will be fo-

cused on.

. If no subject is displayed on the monitor, the

will automatically zoom out until some subject comes into
the frame.

MANUAL FOCUS

The auto focus may not be able to focus on the sub­ject in the situations shown in the chart. In such situ­ations, set the
focus manually.

Press the MODE DISPLAY button to display the
auto/manual videography indicators on the moni­tor.

Auto Focus feature is designed to

VIEWCAM

automatically focuses on what-

VIEWCAM

to Manual Focus mode and

VIEWCAM

Notes:

l While recording in Manual Focus mode, you may not be

able to focus correctly if the subject is within approxi­mately 1.5 m of the
zoom control toward wide angle, and then try focusing
again.

l If you focus on a subject without first setting the zoom

power to the maximum, the subject may go out of focus
when you zoom further in on it later.

l If the lens is dirty or fogged, you may not be able to

obtain correct focus.

VIEWCAM.

In such a case, shift the

31

[

lFOCUSl ~S;;;;l”“c

Press the Power Zoom

“T”

button to set the zoom

j

power to the maximum.
Press the FOCUS button

(@J)

to set the

VIEW-

CAM to Manual Focus mode (“MAN’L FOCUS”)

Press the MAN’L FOCUS F

(a)

and N

(@)

but-

tons to focus on the subject.
Press the MODE DISPLAY button to turn off the

auto/manual videography indicators.

Press the Power Zoom buttons to frame the sub-

ject as you desire.

TO GO

BACK TO AUTO FOCUS

Press the MODE DISPLAY button and then press the
MAN’L FOCUS button

(@)

to set the

VIEWCAM

to

Auto Focus mode (“FOCUS”).

SCENE MENU
(PROGRAMME AE)

SPORT

SNOW*SAND

I

TWILIGHT

I

PARTY

I

You can set this

that will bring the best results for a specific type of
shooting situation. Just select one of the four scene
settings shown below. The
cally set the exposure, white balance, and shutter
speed to produce the optimum picture quality for the
selected situation.

The shutter speed is set to %I sec. for a clear, unblurred pic-

/

To record a fast-moving subject.

When the background is too bright.

When you want to faithfully record the
red of the setting
rounding twilight. surrounding twilight.

1

When the illumination is from a spot- Brightness is adjusted to reduce white flaring (overexposure)
light or candles.

I

sun, and the

sur-

ture of fast-moving objects, The white balance is set for out-

door sunlight.
The aperture is adjusted to maintain the appropriate bright-

ness.

The white balance is set for outdoor sunlight.

The white balance is fixed to optimize the reds of the sunset.
Light sensitivity and contrast are reduced to reproduce the

from faces when the spotlight is too bright.

Press the MODE DISPLAY button to display the

1

auto/manual videography indicators.

2

Press the Scene Menu button
scene setting that best fits the recording situa­tion.

VIEWCAM

to the

VIEWCAM

Fhooting

will automati-

(@)

to select the

mode

/*

I

I

1

TAPE INFORMATION

2

TAPE INFORMATION

I

WOE OISPIAY

MODE

MSRAY

Each time you press the Scene Menu button
the scene indicator changes as shown below.

SPORT -+

SNOW*SAND -+

SCENE MENU (Auto mode)

TWILIGHT + PARTY

(@),

(

TO GO BACK TO AUTO MODE

Select “SCENE MENU” in step 2 above, and then

press the MODE DISPLAY button to turn off the auto/

manual videography indicators.

Notes:

l Once “SPORT” has been selected with the Scene Menu

button, recording under the light of fluorescent lamps,
mercury lamps, or sodium lamps may cause colour shifts
or fluctuations in picture brightness.

l Even if you turn off the mode display, the selected shoot-

ing mode will remain in effect.

l When “TWILIGHT” is selected, the picture may not be

satisfactory if the lighting is very dim.

l We recommend that you use Auto mode (“SCENE

MENU”) to record outdoor parties.

32

BACKLIGHT COMPENSATION
(BLC)

1 WI""" j

2

NE BLC

d-J

MODE

DW'IAV

When the subject is backlit,
ened if it is recorded normally. The
backlight compensation (BLC) feature can improve
the picture.
This function cannot be used when the “LIGHT” indi­cator (warning of too little ambient illumination) is
displayed in the top left of the

1

Press the MODE DISPLAY button to display the

auto/manual videography indicators on the

monitor.

2

Make sure that “BLC” is displayed above the
button, and then press the @I button.
The backlight compensation indicator
appears in the top left of the monitor, indicating
that the BLC function is now working.
To turn off the BLC function, press the BLC but­ton (@I) again. The

theimage

VIEWCAM’s

“m”

indicator disappears.

will be dark-

VIEWCAM’s

monitor.

@I

I’m”

GAIN-UP (CAT’S EYE)

2

NE GAIN

NU

J-J

-UP

WE MSPUV

When you are recording in a dark or poorly illumi-

nated location, the “LIGHT” indicator (warning of too
little ambient illumination) is displayed in the top left

of the

VIEWCAM’s

you record a brighter picture.

1

Press the MODE DISPLAY button to display the
auto/manual videography indicators on the moni-

tor.

2

Make sure that “GAIN-UP” is displayed above
the @J button, and then press the @J button.
The “LIGHT” display changes to the gain-up
(cat’s eye) display
gain-up function is now working.
To turn off the gain-up function, press the

UP button
changes to the “LIGHT” indicator.

Notes:

l

If the

VIEWCAM

engaged in Gain-up

gage automatically.

l There is more picture noise in Gain-up mode.

monitor. The gain-up function lets

“QXD”,

(@)

again. The

is

moved to a bright location after it is

mode, the Gain-up mode will disen-

indicating that the

“w”

indicator

GAIN-

-2, 5

MACRO SHOTS

This

VIEWCAM

small objects such as flowers and insects, or make
title frames for your videos. When you want to re­cord a magnified image of a subject which is within
approximately

in on the subject. Instead, zoom out all the way by
holding down the Power Zoom
move the
obtain the desired image on the monitor.

The

VIEWCAM

ject when the lens is set for the widest angle.

Notes:

l When you are recording a macro shot, be sure that the

subject receives sufficient illumination.

l It is recommended that you use a tripod for recording

macro shots, to prevent camera shake.

lets you shoot closeup images of

1.5

m of the

VIEWCAM

will automatically focus on the sub-

VIEWCAM,

closer to the subject until you

do not zoom

“W”

button, and then

WIDE SCREEN

The top and the bottom of the picture are masked

with black bands to produce an effective screen

aspect ratio of
of a movie shown in a theatre.

1

Make sure that the Operate switch is set to CAM­ERA and the
mode.

16:9,

which has the wide-screen feel

VIEWCAM

is in Recording Standby

2

/

MENU

2

*SELF REC AUTO CORRECT

,SCREEN

WIDE
*REMOTE
*ZOOM SPEED

NORMAL

\

3
4

5

TAPElNFORMAl0N

oT/v@“”

3 4

Normal mode

Wide Screen mode

2

MODEDISPUV

TO RETURN TO NORMAL PICTURE

Display MENU 2 on the monitor, and select “NOR­MAL” for “SCREEN”.

Notes:

l The Wide Screen mode cannot be set or disengaged

during camera recording.

l The Wide Screen function cannot be used when the

VIEWCAM

Press the MENU button to display MENU 2.
If MENU 1 is displayed, press the PAGE button

(@I) to get MENU 2 on the monitor screen.

Move the

the v or A button.

Press the SET button to select “WIDE”.

Press the MENU button to turn off the menu.
The monitor now displays the picture with the top
and bottom portions masked out.

“b”

pointer to “SCREEN” by pressing

is in VCR mode.

34

LIGHTING

100,000

10,000

1,000

10,000

9,000
8,000
7,000
6,500
6,000
5,500
5,000
4,500
3,500

3,200
2,800

2,500

2,000

Blue sky
Clear day at noon (100,000)

Clear day at 10 am (65,000)
Clear day at 3 pm (35,000)

Cloudy day at noon (32,000)
Cloudy day at 10 am (25,000)

Cloudy day, one hour after sunrise (2,000)
Clear day, one hour before sunset (1,000)
Fluorescent light near window (1,000)

Factory floor (700-800)
Sales counter in department store (500-700)
Bowling alley (500)
Library (400-500)
Office with fluorescent lighting (400-500)
Fluorescent desk lamp (400)
Flashlight at 1 m (250)

100

Shop stairway (100)

10

During intermission at movie theatre (15-35)
Cigarette lighter at 30 cm
Candles on

Candlelight

Clear day

Cloudy day
Rainy day
Daylight fluorescent light

Camera flashbulb

Blue photolamp

White fluorescent light

Off-white fluorescent light
Tungsten photolamp

Halogen lamp
Tungsten lamp

iodine lamp
Acetylene lamp

Kerosene lamp
Candlelight

brrthday

cake at 20 cm (10-15)

Blue

White

(15-20)

For clear, good-quality recording, 500 to 100,000
is needed. Recording is also possible with less
light, but the picture quality

ma9

suffer. Adequate

lighting is also essential for correct white balance.

Reference

Lighting is not only one of the most important areas

in producing home videos, but also one of the most
overlooked. Good lighting can often mean the dif­ference between a great picture and a poor one.

Lighting is also essential for correct white balance.

In most outdoor, daytime scenes, natural lighting is
adequate for home videos. Indoors, the situation
becomes more complicated. Artificial lighting is re­quired, and halogen lamps provide the most natural
artificial light while maintaining a constant colour
temperature over a long operating life.

Good lighting is difficult to achieve. There are many
problems waiting to catch the unwary. Simply
mounting one light or several lights on either side of
the

VIEWCAM

will only make your subject look flat
and two-dimensional. To make a subject more inter­esting, use the lighting to model your subject and to
add or create emphasis in a scene.

Notes:

l The figures in the charts are approximations.
l The auto white balance operates automatically within the

range of “AUTO” shown in the chart. However, it
isfactorily operate from

2,500K

up to

8,00OK,

picture may take on a red or blue tint.

will

sat-

although the

Lighting indicator (“LIGHT”)

When the “LIGHT” indicator appears on the monitor,

it means that there is not enough illumination for re­cording. Either move to a brighter location, or sup­ply more light. You can also use the Gain-up mode

for recording (see page 33).

LIGHT

lux

35

TV

L

Yellow: To VIDEO IN jack

CI

White: To AUDIO IN (L) jack

I

Audio/video cable
(supplied accessory)

Although you can enjoy playback on the LCD moni-

2

tor, you can also watch played-back tapes on your
TV screen.

Caution:

l

Make sure that the

be connected have been turned off before you make con­nections Making connections with any of the compo­nents left turned on may cause picture noise or malfunc-

tion.

Note:

l When the

the picture on the TV screen may flicker if the volume on
the
the volume down.

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM,

is connected to a TV for playback,

is set to maximum. Should this occur, turn

TV

arfd

other equipment to

CONNECTION TO TV

1

Connect the
plied audio/video cable, as shown.

2

Set the input select switch on the TV to

1

(For details, consult the operation manual sup­plied with your TV.)

VIEWCAM

to your TV with the sup-

“AV”.

TV

II
* *

.I

Yellow: To VIDEO IN jack

White: To AUDIO IN (L) jack

CONNECTION TO TV VIA VCR

1

c

onnect

the

VIEWCAM

plied audio/video cable, as shown.

2

Set the input select switch on the TV to
set the input select switch on the VCR to “EX-

TERNAL SOURCE”.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING OF
THE

AUDIO/i/IDE0

INPUT/OUTPUT MODE

The AUDIO/VIDEO jack’s mode is normally set to

input. It automatically switches to output when the

VIEWCAM

is playing back.

to your VCR with the sup-

“AV”,

and

JACK’S

Audio/video cable
(supplied accessory)

36

VIDEO jack

RF DC OUT jack

AUDIO

jack

MONITOR IN jack

USING THE AV PACK
(OPTIONAL ACCESSORY)

This

VIEWCAM

VIDEO jack) for connection wit
equipment. To connect the
does not have audio/video jacks, you must use the
AV pack as well as the RF converter and 75ohm co­axial cable, available as optional accessories (see
page 38). The AV pack can also be used to connect
the

VIEWCAM

audio/video jacks.

ATTACHING THE AV PACK

Install the AV pack on the
battery pack normally mounts. Push the AV pack

firmly against the

plate until it clicks into place.

Mount a battery pack (or the connecting plate
from the adaptor/battery charger) on the AV
pack in the same way that you mounted the bat­tery pack on the

has an audio/vi

to a VCR for editing or to a TV with

VIEWCAM’s

VIEWCAM

eo jack (AUDIO/
other audio/video

8

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM

to a TV which

battery mounting

(see page 13).

where the

37

DETACHING THE AV PACK

1

Slide the BATT. EJECT release on the AV pack
and remove the battery pack (or the connecting
plate from the adaptor/battery charger).

2

Slide the BATTERY EJECT release on the

CAM and remove the AV pack.

VIEW-

About the MONITOR IN jack

The MONITOR IN jack on the AV pack is used to

input video pictures from an external source. When
you connect the
(for example, a video printer for prints of screen

images, etc.), you can check the video image on the

VIEWCAM’s

nect a TV or other external monitor.

Caution:

l

Do not leave a cable plugged into the MONITOR IN jack
when you watch played-back tapes on a TV or other mon­itor connected to the

Notes:

l

It

is not

possible to record video images from an external

source by using the MONITOR IN jack.

l

The video input through the MONITOR IN jack takes pri­ority over played-back video and images from the lens.
Therefore, unplug the cable from the MONITOR IN jack
when it is not being used.

VIEWCAM

LCD screen. There is no need to con-

to other video equipment

VIEWCAM.

(

Playback

Connect to
door or indoor
antenna or cable

1

1

out-

Monitor

L-J

To ANTENNA IN

1

/(optional

RF converter

(optional

accessory)

\RF

I4

1

AV pack

accessof

.Y)

OUT

Coaxial cable
(optional
accessory)

CONNECTION TO TV WITHOUT
AUDIO/VIDEO JACKS

Use the AV pack, RF converter, and
cable, available as optional

1

Follow the procedure described under

acces

“ATTACHING THE AV PACK” on page 37 and
install the AV pack (with a battery pack or the
connecting plate mounted) on the

2

To view the output from your camcorder on the

TV, you must select an unused channel on your
TV and tune it to the output of the RF converter

(factory preset to channel 0).

3

Unplug the antenna cable from the TV and plug
it into the ANTENNA IN terminal on the RF con­verter.

4

Plug the

75ohm

coaxial cable into RF OUT ter­minal on the RF converter and the 75-ohm coax­ial antenna terminal on the TV.

Plug the RF converter cable into the audio and

5

video

jacks on the AV pack.

75ohm

ories.

&

VIEWCAM.

coaxial

If your TV’s antenna input is connected to a VCR

Disconnect the cable between the TV and VCR, and insert

the RF converter between them, as shown below.

EL

ANT

OUT,

I

VCR

I I

Slide the

6

7

Load a video cassette (cassette window facing
outward), and then press the PLAY button

Precautions:

l Use only the VR-X30RF RF converter (optional accessory)

with this

l The RF converter is a sealed unit. Do not attempt to open

or modify it. Do not damage, drop or subject the unit to
vibration.

l Unplug the RF converter during lightning storms.

Notes:

l To resume normal TV operation, set the Operate switch to

OFF on the
from the AV pack if it is still mounted on the

l The picture may be disturbed during video search or still

picture playback. This does not imply a defect in the

VIEWCAM.

VIEWCAM’s

VIEWCAM.

VIEWCAM,

Operate switch to VCR.

(a).

or unplug the RF converter cable

VIEWCAM.

38

&ilYellow: To VIDEO IN jack

White: To AUDIO IN (L) jack

EDITING

Video editing lets you refine your videos by remov­ing unwanted sequences from your tape, or trans­posing one sequence with
This

VIEWCAM

gramme on the built-in LCD monitor without having
to connect it to an external TV or video monitor.
Connect the
audio/video cable, as shown.

lets you monitor the source pro-

VIEWCAM

CUTTING UNWANTED SEQUENCES

Play back the tape to be edited, and locate the
beginning and end of the sequence you wish to
cut. Write down the tape counter readings at the
beginning and end of that sequence. Then
rewind the tape to the beginning of the portion
that you wish to keep.

Load a blank tape cassette into the recording
VCR.

Press the VIEWCAM’s PLAY button and the
VCR’s REC (Record) button at the same time.

ano!!her.

to a VCR with the supplied

I

I

Audio/video cable
(supplied accessory)

MENU EDIT SETTING

Picture quality inevitably
declines during dubbing
from the
VCR. To minimize the
quality reduction, display
the menu by pressing the

MENU
“EDIT” item to “ON”. Use

this when editing videos.

VIEWCAM

button,

and set the

to a

PEDIT

l

r!rlSETI

MENU

REHOTB

ON
ON

Press the VCR’s Pause/Still button to pause re­cording when the source tape reaches the be­ginning of the sequence to be cut.

Press the VCR’s Pause/Still (or Play) button to
resume recording when the source tape reaches
the end of the sequence to be cut.

TO STOP EDITING

Press the Stop buttons on the
the VCR.

Notes:

l

Make sure that you press the Pause/Still button at exactly

the right moments in steps 4 and 5 above. Otherwise,

some of the transitions between edited sequences may
be slightly off.

l

The picture may be disturbed during video search or still

picture playback. This does not imply a defect in the

VIEWCAM.

1

VIEWCAM (@)

and

Notes:

l

The “EDIT” setting is ineffective when the

cording.

l

After you finish dubbing, set the “EDIT” menu item back

to “OFF”.

39

VIEWCAM

is re-

1

Recording

1

RECORDING FROM AN
EXTERNAL SOURCE

or edit video

You can use this
from another source, such as a V

disc player.
Connect the
using the supplied audio/video cable, as shown.

VIEWCAM

VIEWCAM

to

to the source equipment,

ret

rd

2

R,

TV, or video

TV with monitor output

Yellow: To VIDEO OUT

?

White: To AUDIO OUT

Video disc player

jack

(L) jack

TO RECORD FROM AN EXTERNAL

SOURCE

Set the Operate switch to VCR.
Start sending audio/video signals from the

source equipment connected to the
Check the
ture is properly received.

Press the Record (REC START/STOP) button on
the

Note:

l To pause recording, press the PAUSE button (@I) on the

VIEWCAM.

VIEWCAM’s

VIEWCAM

to start recording.

Press the button again to resume recording.

monitor to see if the pic-

VIEWCAM.

TO STOP RECORDING

Press the STOP button

--

(@)

on the

VIEWCAM.

40

2-5

The fluorescent lamp backlight used in this

CAM will eventually need replacing.
If you continue to use the
rescent lamp has almost reached the end of its ser­vice life, the “REPLACE THE
appear in the centre of the monitor screen, and the
monitor will turn off approximately one minute later.
When this occurs, purchase a replacement lamp

(KLMPV0012TAZZ) from your dealer or a SHARP Full

Line Parts Distributor, and replace the old lamp.

VIEWCAM

L+MP.”

VIEW-

when the fluo-

indicator will

REPLACING THE FLUORES­CENT LAMP BACKLIGHT

1

CAMERA

2

Set the Operate switch to OFF to turn off the

VIEWCAM,

lamp unit to cool down.

2

Rotate the lens part of the

forward in the direction of the arrow
then remove the fluorescent lamp compartment
cover

point of a pen, push the cover release

ward the monitor side, and then pull outward.

and wait about 15 minutes for the

VIEWCAM

(0):

using a pointed object such as the

halfway

(a),

“C”

and

to-

41

3

Carefully hold the end (white knob) of the fluores-

cent lamp unit with tweezers, and pull the lamp

unit out.

3

White knob

4

5

4

Insert the replacement fluorescent lamp unit into

the compartment. See note below.

5

Replace the fluorescent lamp compartment

cover.

Notes:

l Be sure to insert the replacement fluorescent lamp

straight in, in the direction of the arrow, into the compart­ment. Do not press diagonally as it may cause contact
failure.

l The fluorescent light may flicker when first turned on.

Should this occur, turn off the

on

again.

Cautions:

l The fluorescent lamp is hot during and immediately after

use of the
turning the power off before attempting to change the

lamp, to allow time for it to cool down.

l Attempting to change the fluorescent lamp while it is still

hot may result in burns or other injuries.

VIEWCAM.

Wait at least 15 minutes after

VIEWCAM,

and then turn it

Before calling for service,

please check the following troubleshooting table.

Safety devices are functioning.

No power

Power

Power goes off soon
after coming on.

Power on but no image
on monitor.

Cannot record.

Poor colour

Recording

Fuzzy picture

Monitor picture too
dark.

No image appears on
connected TV’s
screen.

Playback

Infrared remote control does not function.

Cassette cannot be inserted.

Cassette won’t eject.

No tape movement in Fast Forward mode.
No tape movement in Rewind mode.

Notes:

l This unit is equipped with a microprocessor. Its performance could be adversely affected by external electrical noise or interference. If this

should happen, turn off the power and disconnect the unit from any power sources, including lithium batteries, etc. Then reconnect the
power sources (to resume operation).

l

If the characters displayed on the monitor screen appear to malfunction, disconnect the power source and remove the lithium battery, then
reconnect the power source, insert the lithium battery, and turn the power on again. When the characters on the monitor become normal,
set the date and time; then resume operation.

Poor colour

VIEWCAM

play back in colour on
connected TV.

Video noise in image.

does not

Battery pack is not charged
Power source is not properly connected

I

Depleted battery pack
Dew in

VIEWCAM.

I-----

VfEWCAM

I
1

Erasure protectron hole is covered.

1

Inappropriate picture adjustments

Inappropriate scene (Scene Menu) setting

I

Dust or other foreign matter on lens,

Not properly focused.
“SPORT” selected for scene setting (Scene

Menu).
Improperly connected to TV.
TV is not tuned to RF converter’s output

channel (VHF channel 0 or 1)

TV’s
TV is equipped with AV input terminals.)

I

Inappropriate picture adjustments

Dirty video heads

Worn video heads
Old or worn tape
“OFF” is selected for “REMOTE” on menu

display.
Remote control’s lithium battery has run

down.
Remote control being used beyond its

operating range.
Intense daylight falling on

photoreceptor.

I

Obstacle between remote control and

VIEWCAM’s

I

Cassette is not right side up, or is
backwards.

I

VIEWCAM is in Recording mode.

I

Tape already completely wound.

Tape already completely rewound.

is in VCR mode.

TV/AV

switch is not at TV position. (If

VIEWCAM’s

photoreceptor.

Disconnect AC adaptor cord; then plug it
into wall outlet again

Charge battery pack
Connect power source properly (pp 11,

12, 13)

1

Use a fully charged battery pack (p. 11).

1

Wait until dew dries

Set Operate switch to CAMERA

1

Slide red projectron to open hole (p. 5).

1

Adjust picture (p. 16).

Press Scene Menu button to select appro­priate scene setting

I

Clean lens.

Adjust focus manually or set VIEWCAM to
Auto Focus mode (pp. 21,31).

I

Select “SCENE MENU” (Auto mode) for
scene setting (p 32).

Reconnect properly (p. 36)
Tune TV to RF converter’s output channel

(VHF channel 0 or 1)
Set TV’s

TV/AV

(P.

36)

I

Adjust picture

Call for service

Call for service.
Use a new tape cassette (p. 5).
Select “ON” for “REMOTE” on menu
play

(P.

29).

Replace remote control’s lithium battery
with a new one

Use remote control within its operating
range (p 29)

Avoid letting intense daylight fall on
CAM’s photoreceptor

I

Remove obstacle or use remote control

from different angle (p. 29).

I

Check cassette positioning and reinsert

I

(P.

14).

Press REC START/STOP (or Stop) button to
stop tape, and try again (p. 18).

Rewind tape to desired point (p. 25).

Fast forward tape to desired point

(p.

11)

dufficiently

(p.

(p.

(p.

switch to TV position

(p.

16).

(p.

10).

2).

32).

38).

(p.

(p. 11).

(p.

29).

18).

VIEW-

(p.

dis-

25).

42

Signal System:

Recording System:

Cassette:

Recording/Playback Time:

Tape Speed:

Pickup Device:

PAL standard
8 mm format, 2 rotary heads, helical scanning system
8 mm video tape, MP type
90 minutes

(P5-90)

20.05 1 mm/second

6.4 mm

(l/q”)

CCD image sensor

(with approx. 320,000 pixels including optical black)

Lens:

8 x power zoom lens (F1.8, f = 4.5-36 mm), and full-range auto focus

Lens Filter Diameter:

Monitor:

Speaker Output:

Microphone:

External Microphone Input:

Colour Temperature Compensation:

Minimum

Illuminations

Video Output Level
Audio Output Level

Power Requirement,

Power Consumption:

37 mm

10.2 cm (4”) full-colour LCD screen (TFT active matrix)

200

mW

Electret

monaural microphone

-

63

dBs,

plug-in power microphone (DC 2.5-4.0 V)
Auto white balance
4

lux*

(with gain-up)

1

.OVp-p

75-ohm unbalanced

-

8

dBs,

impedance less than 2.2 kohms

DC 6.0 V

8.0 W (during camera recording in Full Auto mode with zoom motor off,
backlight in normal mode)

Operating Temperature:

Operating Humidity:

Storage Temperature:

Dimensions (approx.):

Weight (approx.):

0°C to + 40°C
35% to 80%

-20°C to

+6O”C

199 x 123 x 85.4 mm (W/H/D)

900 g (without battery pack, lithium battery and video cassette)

AC Adaptor/Battery Charger Specifications

Power Requirement: AC 1

IO-240

V,

50/60

Hz

DC Output: 6.0 V

Power Consumption: 23 W

Dimensions (approx.): 70 x 44.3 x 165 mm (W/H/D)

Weight (approx.): 340 g

i

-AC ADAPTOR/

BAT

BATTERY PACK BT-77

AUDIO/VIDEO CABLE

L

TE

RY

CHARGER

WEPOATEZ

VOUS AU MODE D EMPLOI

LITHIUM BATTERY x2

Some accessories may not be available in Australia/New Zealand.

Calls charged at

Call 0055

36883-Australia

25@

per 21.4

Charges advtsed at the start of each call

set

Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.
*Minimum illumination:

Since there is no widely accepted testing procedure for determining minimum illumina­tion capability, lux ratings are comparable only between models from the same manu­facturer.

43

DC OUTPUT CABLE

I

only-for details.

INFRARED REMOTE

CONTROL

CLEANING CLOTH

SHARP CORPORATION

Osaka,

Japan

Printed in Japan

TI

NSEOl73TAZZ

T9711

-A

-