Sony HDR-CX130E, HDR-CX160E, HDR-CX180E Operating Guide

4-271-483-12(1)
Digital HD Video Camera Recorder
Operating Guide
Table of contents
Getting started
Recording/Playback
Saving movies and photos with a computer
Saving images with an external device
Customizing your camcorder
Additional information
Quick reference
HDR-CX130E/CX160E/CX180E

Read this first

Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly, and retain it for future reference.
WARNING
To reduce fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.
Do not expose the batteries to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or the like.
CAUTION
Battery pack
If the battery pack is mishandled, the battery pack can burst, cause a fire or even chemical burns. Observe the following cautions.
Do not disassemble.
 
Do not crush and do not expose the battery pack to any shock or force such as hammering, dropping or stepping on it.
Do not short circuit and do not allow metal objects to come into contact with the battery terminals.
Do not expose to high temperature above 60°C (140°F) such as in direct sunlight or in a car parked in the sun.
Do not incinerate or dispose of in fire.
Do not handle damaged or leaking lithium ion batteries.
Be sure to charge the battery pack using a genuine Sony battery charger or a device that can charge the battery pack.
Keep the battery pack out of the reach of small children.
Keep the battery pack dry.
Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by Sony.
Dispose of used battery packs promptly as described in the instructions.
AC Adaptor
Do not use the AC Adaptor placed in a narrow space, such as between a wall and furniture.
Use the nearby wall outlet (wall socket) when using the AC Adaptor. Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the wall outlet (wall socket) immediately if any malfunction occurs while using your camcorder.
Even if your camcorder is turned off, AC power source (mains) is still supplied to it while connected to the wall outlet (wall socket) via the AC Adaptor.
Note on the power cord (mains lead)
The power cord (mains lead) is designed specifically for use with this camcorder only, and should not be used with other electrical equipment.
Notice for customers in the United Kingdom
A moulded plug complying with BS 1363 is fitted to this equipment for your safety and convenience.
Should the fuse in the plug supplied need to be replaced, a fuse of the same rating as the supplied one and approved by ASTA or BSI to BS 1362, (i.e., marked with an
mark) must be used. If the plug supplied with this equipment has a detachable fuse cover, be sure to attach the fuse cover after you change the fuse. Never use the plug
without the fuse cover. If you should lose the fuse cover, please contact your nearest Sony service station.
or
Replace the battery with the specified type only. Otherwise, fire or injury may result.
GB
2
FOR CUSTOMERS IN EUROPE
Notice for the customers in the countries applying EU Directives
The manufacturer of this product is Sony Corporation, 1-7-1 Konan Minato-ku Tokyo, 108-0075 Japan. The Authorized Representative for EMC and product safety is Sony Deutschland GmbH, Hedelfinger Strasse 61, 70327 Stuttgart, Germany. For any service or guarantee matters please refer to the addresses given in separate service or guarantee documents.
ATTENTION
The electromagnetic fields at the specific frequencies may influence the picture and sound of this unit.
This product has been tested and found compliant with the limits set out in the EMC Directive for using connection cables shorter than 3 meters (9.8 feet).
Notice
If static electricity or electromagnetism causes data transfer to discontinue midway (fail), restart the application or disconnect and connect the communication cable (USB, etc.) again.
Disposal of Old Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Applicable in the European Union and other European countries with separate collection systems)
This symbol on the product or on its packaging indicates that this product shall not be treated as household waste. Instead it shall be handed over to the applicable collection point for the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment. By ensuring this product is disposed of correctly, you will help prevent potential negative consequences for the environment and human health, which could otherwise
be caused by inappropriate waste handling of this product. The recycling of materials will help to conserve natural resources. For more detailed information about recycling of this product, please contact your local Civic Office, your household waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased the product.
Disposal of waste batteries (applicable in the European Union and other European countries with separate collection systems)
This symbol on the battery or on the packaging indicates that the battery provided with this product shall not be treated as household waste. On certain batteries this symbol might be used in combination with a chemical symbol. The chemical symbols for mercury (Hg) or lead (Pb) are added if the battery contains more than 0.0005% mercury or
0.004% lead. By ensuring these batteries are disposed of correctly, you will help prevent potentially negative consequences for the environment and human health which could otherwise be caused by inappropriate waste handling of the battery. The recycling of the materials will help to conserve natural resources. In case of products that for safety, performance or data integrity reasons require a permanent connection with an incorporated battery, this battery should be replaced by qualified service staff only. To ensure that the battery will be treated properly, hand over the product at end-of­life to the applicable collection point for the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment. For all other batteries, please view the section on how to remove the battery from the product safely. Hand the battery over to the applicable collection point for the recycling of waste batteries. For more detailed information about
GB
3
recycling of this product or battery, please contact your local Civic Office, your household waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased the product.
For customers in the U.S.A.
If you have any questions about this product, you may call: Sony Customer Information Center 1-800­222-SONY (7669). The number below is for the FCC related matters only.
Regulatory Information
Declaration of Conformity
Trade Name: SONY Model No.: HDR-CX130E, HDR-CX160E Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc. Address: 16530 Via Esprillo, San Diego, CA 92127 U.S.A. Telephone No.: 858-942-2230 This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Note
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the
equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/ TV technician for help.
The supplied interface cable must be used with the equipment in order to comply with the limits for a digital device pursuant to Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC Rules.
CAUTION
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.
GB
4
Battery pack
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Supplied items
The numbers in ( ) are the supplied quantity.
AC Adaptor (1) Power cord (Mains lead) (1) Component A/V cable (1)  A/V connecting cable (1)  USB connection support cable (1) 
Use this cable when the Built-in USB Cable of the camcorder (p. 11) is too short for connection.
Rechargeable battery pack NP-FV50 (1) CD-ROM “Handycam” Application
Software (1) (p. 34)
“PMB” (software, including “PMB Help”)
 
“Handycam” Handbook (PDF)
“Operating Guide” (This manual) (1)
The camcorder is not dustproofed, dripproofed
or waterproofed. See “Precautions” (p. 61).
Menu items, LCD panel, and lens
A menu item that is grayed out is not available
under the current recording or playback conditions.
The LCD screen is manufactured using extremely high-precision technology, so over
99.99% of the pixels are operational for effective use. However, there may be some tiny black points and/or bright points (white, red, blue, or green in color) that appear constantly on the LCD screen. These points are normal results of the manufacturing process and do not affect the recording in any way.
This camcorder has a built-in software
application called “PMB Portable” (p. 37).
See page 18 for the memory card you can use with this camcorder.
Using the camcorder
Do not hold the camcorder by the following
parts, and also do not hold the camcorder by the jack covers.
LCD Screen Battery pack
Built-in USB Cable
Black points
White, red, blue or green points
Exposing the LCD screen or the lens to direct sunlight for long periods of time may cause malfunctions.
Do not aim at the sun. Doing so might cause your camcorder to malfunction. Take images of the sun only in low light conditions, such as at dusk.
About language setting
The on-screen displays in each local language are used for illustrating the operating procedures. Change the screen language before
sing th
e camcorder if necessary (p. 16).
u
On recording
To ensure stable operation of the memory card, it is recommended to format the memory card with your camcorder before the first use. formatting the memory card will erase all the data stored on it and the data will be irrecoverable. Save your important data on your PC etc.
GB
5
Before starting to record, test the recording
function to make sure the image and sound are recorded without any problems.
Compensation for the contents of recordings cannot be provided, even if recording or playback is not possible due to a malfunction of the camcorder, recording media, etc.
TV color systems differ depending on the country/region. To view your recordings on a TV, you need a PAL system-based TV.
Television programs, films, video tapes, and other materials may be copyrighted. Unauthorized recording of such materials may be contrary to the copyright laws.
Use the camcorder in accordance with local regulations.
Notes on playing back
You may not be able to play back normally
images recorded on your camcorder with other devices. Also, you may not be able to play back images recorded on other devices with your camcorder.
Standard (STD) image quality movies recorded on SD memory cards cannot be played on AV equipment of other manufacturers.
DVD media recorded with HD image quality (high definition)
DVD media recorded with high definition image quality (HD) can be played back with devices that are compatible with the AVCHD standard. You cannot play discs recorded with high definition image quality (HD) with DVD players/recorders as they are not compatible with the AVCHD format. If you insert a disc recorded with the AVCHD format (high definition image quality (HD)) into a DVD player/recorder, you may not be able to eject the disc.
Save all your recorded image data
To prevent your image data from being lost, save all your recorded images on external media periodically. To save images on your computer, see page 33, and to save images on external devices, see page 40.
GB
6
The type of discs or media on which the images
can be saved depend on the [
REC Mode] selected when the images were recorded. Movies recorded with [50p Quality
] can be saved using external media (p. 42). Movies recorded with [Highest Quality
] can be
saved on external media or on Blu-ray discs.
Notes on battery pack/AC Adaptor
Be sure to remove the battery pack or the AC Adaptor after turning off the camcorder.
Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the camcorder, holding both the camcorder and the DC plug.
Note on the camcorder/battery pack temperature
When the temperature of the camcorder
or battery pack becomes extremely high or extremely low, you may not be able to record or play back on the camcorder, due to the protection features of the camcorder being activated in such situations. In this case, an indicator appears on the LCD screen.
When the camcoder is connected to a computer or accessories
Do not try to format the recording media of the
camcorder using a computer. If you do so, your camcorder may not operate correctly.
When connecting the camcorder to another device with communication cables, be sure to insert the connector plug in the correct way. Pushing the plug forcibly into the terminal will damage the terminal and may result in a malfunction of the camcorder.
When the camcorder is connected to other devices through a USB connection and the power of the camcorder is turned on, do not close the LCD panel. The image data that has been recorded may be lost.
If you cannot record/play back images, perform [Format]
If you repeat recording/deleting images for
a long time, fragmentation of data occurs on the recording media. Images cannot be saved or recorded. In such a case, save your images on some type of external media first, and then perform [Format] by touching (MENU) [Setup] [
(Media Settings)]
[Format] the desired medium (HDR­CX160E/CX180E)
.
Notes on optional accessories
We recommend using genuine Sony accessories.
 
Genuine Sony accessories may not be available in some countries/regions.
About this manual, illustrations and on-screen displays
The example images used in this manual for illustration purposes are captured using a digital still camera, and therefore may appear different from images and screen indicators that actually appear on your camcorder. And, the illustrations of your camcorder and its screen indication are exaggerated or simplified for understandability.
In this manual, the internal memory (HDR­CX160E/CX180E) and the memory card are called “recording media.”
In this manual, the DVD disc recorded with high definition image quality (HD) is called AVCHD recording disc.
Design and specifications of your camcorder and accessories are subject to change without notice.
Confirm the model name of your camcorder
The model name is shown in this manual when
there is a difference in specification between models. Confirm the model name on the bottom of your camcorder.
The main differences in specification of this series are as follows.
Recording
media
HDR-CX130E Memory card
HDR-CX160E Internal
HDR-CX180E 32 GB
memory + memory card
Capacity
of internal
recording media
16 GB
Notes on use
Do not do any of the following. Otherwise, the recording media may be damaged, recorded images may be impossible to play back or may be lost, or other malfunctions could occur.
ejecting the memory card when the access
. 19) is lit or flashing
amp (p
l
removing the battery pack or AC Adaptor from the camcorder, or applying mechanical shock or vibration to the camcorder when the
(Movie)/ (Photo) lamps (p. 21) or the
access lamp (p. 19) are lit or flashing
When using a shoulder belt (sold separately), do not crash the camcorder against an object.
GB
7

Table of contents

Read this first . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 2
Getting started
Step 1: Charging the battery pack . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . 10
Charging the battery pack abroad . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. 13
Step 2: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 14
Changing the language setting . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. 16
Step 3: Preparing the recording media . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. 17
To check the recording media settings . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . 17
Copying movies and photos (HDR-CX160E/CX180E) . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . 19
Recording/Playback
Recording . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . 20
Selecting the recording mode . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . . 24
Playback on the camcorder . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 25
Performing Highlight Playback . .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 28
Playing images on a TV . .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . 29
Advanced operations
Deleting movies and photos. . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. 32
Saving movies and photos with a computer
Useful functions available if you connect the camcorder to a computer . . . . . .. .. .. .. 33
Preparing a computer . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . . 34
When using a Macintosh . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . 34
Starting PMB (Picture Motion Browser) . .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . 37
Uploading images to a network service . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. 37
GB
8
Saving images with an external device
Selecting a method for saving images with an external device . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. 40
Saving images on an external media device . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. 42
Creating a disc with the DVD writer, DVDirect Express . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. 45
Creating a high definition image quality (HD) disc with a DVD writer, etc., other
than DVDirect Express . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . 48
Creating a standard definition image quality (STD) disc with a recorder, etc. . .. .. . . 49
Customizing your camcorder
Using menus .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 51
Getting detailed information from the “Handycam” Handbook . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . 55
Additional information
Troubleshooting . .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 56
Recording time of movies/number of recordable photos .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. 58
Precautions . .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. 61
Specifications .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . 63
Quick reference
Screen indicators . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . 66
Parts and controls . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . . 67
Index . .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. 69
Table of contents
GB
9

Getting started

Step 1: Charging the battery pack

DC IN jack
Battery pack
AC Adaptor
Power cord
(Mains lead)
To the wall outlet
CHG (charge) lamp
Align the mark on the DC plug with that on the DC IN jack.
You can charge the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (V series) after attaching it to your camcorder.
Notes
You cannot attach any “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack other than the V series to your camcorder.
Turn off your camcorder by closing the LCD screen.
1
Attach the battery pack by sliding it in the direction of the arrow until it
2
clicks.
DC plug
(wall socket)
10
Connect the AC Adaptor and the power cord (mains lead) to your
3
camcorder and the wall outlet (wall socket).
The CHG (charge) lamp lights up and charging starts. The CHG (charge) lamp turns off when the battery pack is fully charged.
GB
When the battery is charged, disconnect the AC Adaptor from the DC IN
4
jack of your camcorder.
To charge the battery using your computer
This method is useful when the AC Adaptor is not available. Turn off the camcorder and attach the battery pack to the camcorder.
ect the camcorder to a running computer using the Built-in USB Cable.
Conn
To the wall outlet
(wall socket)
When the battery is fully charged, disconnect the camcorder from the computer (p. 36).
Notes
Operation with all computers is not assured.
If you connect the camcorder to a laptop computer that is not connected to a power source, the battery of the laptop computer will continue to use up its charge. Do not leave the camcorder connected to a computer in this manner.
Charging with a personally assembled computer, with a converted computer, or through a USB hub are not guaranteed. The camcorder may not function correctly depending on the USB device which is used with the computer.
Tips
You can charge the battery by connecting the Built-in USB Cable to a wall outlet (wall socket) using an AC-U501AD/AC-U50AG USB charger/AC Adaptor (sold separately). You cannot use a Sony CP-AH2R or CP-AL portable power supply device (sold separately) to charge the camcorder.
The USB charger/AC Adaptor may not be available in some countries/regions.
The CHG (charge) lamp may not light up when the remaining battery power is too low. In such a case, charge the battery using the supplied AC adaptor.
Getting started
GB
11
Charging time
Approximate time (min.) required when you fully charge a fully discharged battery pack.
Battery pack
AC Adaptor
Charging time
Built-in USB Cable
*
NP-FV50 (supplied) 155 315
NP-FV70 195 600
NP-FV100 390 1050
The charging times shown in the table above are measured when charging the camcorder at a
temperature of 25
C to 30 C (50 °F to 86 °F).
10
* The charging times are measured without using the USB Connection support cable.
Tips
See page 58 on recording and playing time.
 
When your camcorder is on, you can check the approximate amount of remaining battery power with the remaining battery indicator at the upper right on the LCD screen.
C (77 °F). It is recommended that you charge the battery in a temperature range of
To remove the battery pack
Close the LCD screen. Slide the BATT (battery) release lever () and remove the battery pack ().
To use a wall outlet (wall socket) as a power source
Make the same connections as “Step 1: Charging the battery pack” (p. 10). Even if the battery pack is attached, the battery pack is not discharged.
12
GB
Notes on the battery pack
When you remove the battery pack or disconnect the AC Adaptor, turn the camcorder off and make sure that the
The CHG (charge) lamp flashes during charging under the following conditions:
  
(Movie)/ (Photo) lamps (p. 21), the access lamp (p. 19) are turned off.
The battery pack is not attached correctly. The battery pack is damaged. The temperature of the battery pack is low. Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a warm place.
The temperature of the battery pack is high. Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a cool place.
We do not recommend using an NP-FV30, which only allows short recording and playback times, with your camcorder.
In the default setting, the power turns off automatically if you leave your camcorder without any operation for about 5 minutes, to save battery power ([A. Shut Off]).
Notes on the AC Adaptor
Use the nearby wall outlet (wall socket) when using the AC Adaptor. Disconnect the AC Adaptor from
the wall outlet (wall socket) immediately if any malfunction occurs while using your camcorder. Do not use the AC Adaptor placed in a narrow space, such as between a wall and furniture.
 
Do not short-circuit the DC plug of the AC Adaptor or battery terminal with any metallic objects. This may cause a malfunction.

Charging the battery pack abroad

You can charge the battery pack in any countries/regions using the AC Adaptor supplied with your camcorder within the AC 100 V - 240 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz range.
Do not use an electronic voltage transformer.
Getting started
GB
13

Step 2: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time

Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
1
Your camcorder is turned on.
To turn on your camcorder when the LCD screen is open, press POWER.
MODE lamp
POWER button
Select the desired language, then touch [Next].
2
Touch the button on the
Select the desired geographical area with
3
LCD screen
/ , then touch [Next].
14
To set the date and time again, touch (MENU) [Setup] [ (Clock Settings)] [Date
& Time Setting] [Date & Time]. When an item is not on the screen, touch the item appears.
GB
/ until
Set [Summer Time], then touch [Next].
4
If you set [Summer Time] to [On], the clock advances 1 hour.
Select the date format, then touch [Next].
5
Select the date and time, touch
6
[Next]
The clock starts.
.
Getting started
/ to set the value, then touch
Notes
The date and time does not appear during recording, but they are automatically recorded on the recording media, and can be displayed during playback. To display the date and time, touch (MENU) [Setup] [
You can turn off the operation beeps by touching [Beep] [Off] If the button you touch does not react correctly, calibrate the touch panel.
(Playback Settings)] [Data Code] [Date/Time] .
(MENU) [Setup] [ (General Settings)]
.
GB
15
To turn off the power
Close the LCD screen.
(Movie) lamp flashes for a few seconds and the camcorder is turned off.
The
Tips
You can turn off the camcorder also by pressing POWER.
When [Power On By LCD] is set to [Off], turn off your camcorder by pressing POWER.

Changing the language setting

You can change the on-screen displays to show messages in a specified language. Touch desired language
(MENU) [Setup] [ (General Settings)] [Language Setting] a
.
16
GB

Step 3: Preparing the recording media

The recording media that can be used differs depending on your camcorder. The following icons are displayed on the screen of your camcorder.
HDR-CX130E
HDR-CX160E/CX180E
* In the default setting, both movies and photos are recorded on this recording media. You can perform
recording, playback and editing operations on the selected medium.
Tips
See page 59 for the recordable time of movies.
See page 60 for the number of recordable photos.
Internal memory Memory card
Memory card
*
Selecting recording media (HDR-CX160E/CX180E)
Touch (MENU) [Setup] [ (Media Settings)] [Media Select].
The [Media Select] screen appears.
Touch the desired recording medium, then touch .
Both movies and photos are recorded on the selected medium.

To check the recording media settings

In either movie recording mode or photo recording mode, the media icon of the selected recording media is displayed at the top right corner of the screen.
Recording media icon
The icon displayed may vary depending on your model.
Getting started
GB
17
Inserting a memory card
Notes
Set the recording medium to [Memory Card] to record movies and/or photos on a memory card (HDR-CX160E/CX180E).
Types of memory card you can use with your camcorder
SD Speed Class Described in this
manual
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media (Mark2)
“Memory Stick PRO-
HG Duo” media
SD memory card
SDHC memory card
Class 4 or faster SD card
SDXC memory card
Operation with all memory cards is not assured.
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media, half the size of “Memory Stick”, or standard size SD cards can be used for this camcorder.
Do not attach a label or the like on memory card or memory card adaptor. Doing so may cause a malfunction.
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media of up to 32 GB and SD cards of up to 64 GB have been verified to operate with your camcorder.
Notes
A MultiMediaCard cannot be used with this camcorder.
Movies recorded on SDXC memory cards cannot be imported to or played back on computers or AV devices not supporting the exFAT* file system by connecting the camcorder to these devices with the USB cable. Confirm in advance that the connecting equipment is supporting the exFAT system. If you connect an equipment not supporting the exFAT system and the format screen appears, do not perform the format. All the data recorded will be lost. * The exFAT is a file system that is used for SDXC memory cards.
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media
18
GB
Open the cover, and insert the memory card with the notched edge in the
direction as illustrated until it clicks.
Close the cover after inserting the memory card.
Access lamp
Note the direction of notched corner.
The [Preparing image database file. Please wait.] screen appears if you insert a new memory card. Wait until the screen disappears.
Close the cover.
Notes
If [Failed to create a new Image Database File. It may be possible that there is not enough free space.] is displayed, format the memory card.
Confirm the direction of the memory card. If you forcibly insert the memory card in the wrong direction, the memory card, memory card slot, or image data may be damaged.
Do not open the cover during recording.
When inserting or ejecting the memory card, be careful so that the memory card does not pop out and drop.
To eject the memory card
Open the cover and lightly push the memory card in once.
Getting started

Copying movies and photos (HDR-CX160E/CX180E)

You can copy movies and photos from the internal recording media to the memory card. Touch on the screen.
(MENU) [Edit/Copy] [Copy], then follow the instructions that appear
GB
19

Recording/Playback

Recording

In the default setting, movies and photos are recorded on the following media. Movies are recorded with high definition image quality (HD). HDR-CX130E: Memory card HDR-CX160E/CX180E: Internal recording media
Tips
To change the recording media, see page 17 (HDR-CX160E/CX180E).
Fasten the grip belt.
1
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
2
Your camcorder is turned on and the lens cover is opened.
20
GB
Recording movies
MODE button
(Movie): When recording a movie
(Photo): When recording a photo
START/STOP button
[STBY] [REC]
Press MODE to turn on the (Movie) lamp.
Press START/STOP to start recording.
To stop recording, press START/STOP again.
To display items on the LCD screen again
Touch anywhere on the screen except the buttons on the LCD screen so that you can use items. You can change the settings using the [Display Setting] menu.
about 4sec
after
Recording/Playback
To capture smiles
In the default setting, a photo is automatically recorded when the camcorder detects the smile of a person during movie recording (Smile Shutter). When the camcorder detects faces during movie recording, image quality is automatically adjusted ([Face Detection]).
Capturing a photo
Smile Detection frame (Orange)
Face Detection frame (White)
GB
21
Notes
If you close the LCD screen while recording movies, the camcorder stops recording.
The maximum continuous recordable time of movies is about 13 hours.
When a movie file exceeds 2 GB, the next movie file is created automatically.
It will take several seconds until you can start recording after you turn on the camcorder. You cannot operate your camcorder during this time.
The following states will be indicated if data is still being written onto the recording media after recording has finished. During this time, do not apply shock or vibration to the camcorder, or remove the battery or AC Adaptor.
 
See page 59 on the recordable time of movies.
You can record photos during movie recording by pressing PHOTO fully (Dual Rec).
[
You can specify the priority face by touching it.
You can capture photos from recorded movies.
You can check the recordable time, estimated remaining capacity, etc., by touching [Setup] [
The LCD screen of your camcorder can display recording images across the entire screen (full pixel
mp (p. 19) is lit or flashing
ccess la
A The media icon in the upper right of the LCD screen is flashing
Tips
SteadyShot] is set to [Active] in the default setting.
(Media Settings)] [Media Info].
(MENU)
display). However, this may cause slight trimming of the top, bottom, right and left edges of images when played back on a TV which is not compatible with full pixel display. In this case, set [Guide Frame] to [On], and record images using the outer frame displayed on the screen as a guide.
To adjust the angle of the LCD panel, first open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the camcorder (), and then adjust the angle ().
90 degrees (max.)
180 degrees (max.)
90 degrees to the
camcorder
Data code during recording
The recording date, time and condition are recorded automatically on the recording media. They are not displayed during recording. However, you can check them as [Data Code] during playback. To display them, touch Settings)] [Data Code] a desired setting
GB
(MENU) [Setup] [ (Playback
.
22
Loading...
+ 50 hidden pages