Sony MVC-CD400 User Manual

3-075-356-11(1)

Getting started_______________________

Digital Still Camera

Operating Instructions

Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly, and retain it for future reference.

Owner’s Record

The model and seria l nu mbers are located on the bottom. Record the serial number in the spa ce provided below. Refer to these numbers whenever you call upon your Son y dea l er regarding this product.

Model No. MVC-CD400/C D 250 Serial No.

MVC-CD400/CD250

Shooting still images _________________

Viewing still images __________________

Deleting still images__________________

Copying images to your computer

Before advanced oper at ions ____________

Advanced still image shooting___________

Advanced still image viewing____________

Still image editing _____________________

Enjoying movies_______________________

Troubleshooting_______________________

Additional information__________________

Index

______

WARNING

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.

CAUTION

The use of optical instruments with this product will in crease eye hazard. Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein may result in haz ard ous radiation exposure.

For the Customers in the U.S.A.

This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

If you have any questions about this product, you may call:

Sony Customer Information Services Center 1-800-222-SONY (7669)

The number below is for the FCC related matters only.

Regulatory Information

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: SONY Model No.: MVC-CD400 Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc. Address: 680 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649 USA Telephone No.: 201-930-6972

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 interf ere nc e , a nd (2) this device must accept any inter ference received, including interference that may cause undesired operatio n.

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: SONY Model No.: MVC-CD250 Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc. Address: 680 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649 USA Telephone No.: 201-930-6972

CAUTION

Y ou are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.

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 occ ur 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.

For the Customers i n the U .S.A. and Canada

RECYCLING LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES

Lithium-Ion batteries are recyclable. You can help preserv e our environment by returning your used rechargeable batteries to the collection and recycling location nearest you.

For more information regarding recycling of rechargeable batt eries, call toll free 1-800-822-8837, or visit http://www.rbrc.org/

Caution: Do not handle damaged or

leaking Lithium-Ion ba tteries.

CAUTION

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT USE THIS POLARIZED AC PLUG WITH AN EXTENSION CORD, RECEPTACLE OR OTHER OUTLET UNLESS THE BLADES CAN BE FULLY INSERTED TO PREVENT BLADE EXPOSURE.

Notice on the supplied AC power adaptor for the 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 5 AMP fuse approved by ASTA or BSI to BS 1362, (i.e., marked with or 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.

For the Customers in Germany Attention for the Customers in

Directive:EMC Directive 89/336/EEC,

92/31/EEC This equipment complies with the EMC regulations when used under the following circumstances:

• Residential area

• Business district

• Light-industry district

(This equipment complies with the EMC standard regulations EN55022 Class B.)

Europe

This product has been tested and found compliant with the limits sets out on the EMC Directive for using connection cables shorter than 3 meters (9.8 feets).

This statement is indicated under the lens.

The electromagnetic fields at the specific frequencies may influence the picture and sound of this camera.

If static electricity or electromagnetism causes data transfer to discontinue midway (fail), rest a rt the application or disconnect and connect the USB cable again.

Before using your camera

This digital still camera uses 8 cm CD-Rs/C D RWs as recording media. “CD-R” or “CD-R W” mentioned above is indicated as “disc” in this manual. When a distinction between CD-Rs and CD-RWs is necessary, “disc” is indicated as “CD-R” or “CD-RW.”

• We recommend that you use this camera with Mavica discs*.

• While the image is being recorded on the disc, the ACCESS lamp lights up (red). When this lamp is lit, do not shake or strike the camera.

∗ The Mavica dis c is an 8 cm CD-R/CD-RW

with the Mavica logo.

Trial recor ding

Before you record one-time events, you may want to make a trial recording to make su re that the camera is working correctly.

No compensation for contents of the recording

Contents of the recording cannot be compensated for if recording or playback is not possible due to a malfunction of your camera or recording media, etc.

Notes on image data compatibility

• This camera conforms with the Design rule for

Camera File system universal standard established by the JEITA (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association).

• Playback of images recorded with your camera

on other equipment and playback of images recorded or edited with other equipment on your camera are not guaranteed.

Precaution on copyright

Television programs, films, video tapes, and other materials may be copyrighted. Unauthorized recording of such materials may be contrary to the provision of the copyright laws.

Do not shake or strike the camera

In addition to malfunctions and inability to record images, this may render the discs unusable or image data breakdown, damage or loss may occur.

Do not aim the camera at the sun or other bright light

This may cause irrecoverable damage to your eyes.

On battery pack

Never expose the battery pack to temperatures above 60° C (140°F), such as in a car parked in the sun or un der direct sunlight.

LCD screen, LCD finder (onl y models with an LCD finder) and lens

• The LCD screen and the LCD finder are

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 constantly appear on the LCD screen and the LCD finder. These points are normal in the manufacturing process and do not affect the recording in any way.

• Be careful when placing the camera near a

window or outdoors. Exposing the LCD screen, the finder or the lens to direct sunlight for long periods may cause malfunctions.

Handling of the movable lens (for MVC-CD400 only)

This camera uses a movable lens. Be careful not to strike or apply excessive force to the lens portion.

About the Carl Zeiss lens (MVC-CD400 only)

This camera is equipped with a Carl Zeiss lens which is capable of reproducing fine images. The lens for this camera uses the MTF* measurement system for cameras developed jointly by Carl Zeiss, in Germany, and Sony Corporation, and offers the same quality as other Carl Zeiss lenses.

∗ MTF is an abbreviation of Modulation

Transfer Function, a numeric value indicating the amount of light from a specific part of the subject gathered at the correspondi ng position in the image.

Do not get the camera wet

When taking pictures outdoors in the rain or under similar conditions, be careful not to get the camera wet. If moisture condensation occurs, see page 118 and follow the instructions on how to remove it before using the camera.

Back up recommendation

To avoid the potential risk of data loss, always copy (back up) data to a disk.

On illustrations

Illustrations used in this manual are of the MVC-CD400 unless noted otherwise.

The pictures used in this manual

The photographs used as examples of pictures in this manual are reproduced images, and are not actual images shot using this camera.

Trademarks

• “InfoLITHIUM” is a trademark of Sony

Corporation.

• Microsoft and Windows are registered

trademarks of the U.S. Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

• Macintosh, Mac OS, and QuickTime, are

trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

• In addition, system and product names used in

this manual are, in general, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective developers or manufacturers. However, the or ® marks are not used in all cases in this manual.

™

Before using your camera............... ..........5

Introduction.............................................10

Identifying the parts ...............................11

Getting started

Charging the battery pack.......................13

Using an external power source..............16

Using your camera abroad......................16

Turning on/off your camera....................17

Setting the date and time.........................17

Shooting still images

Inserting a disc........................................ 20

Initializing a disc................................ .....21

What is initialization?.........................21

Setting the still image size and image

quality.............................................22

Basic still image shooting (using auto

adjustment mode)...........................24

LCD screen indicators

during shooting...............................26

Checking the last image you sh ot

(Quick Review)..............................27

Using the zoom feature....................... 27

Shooting close-ups (Macro)..... ...........28

Using the self-timer............................ 29

Selecting a flash mode........................29

Inserting the date and time on a still

image..............................................32

Shooting according to scene conditions

(Scene Selection)...........................33

Viewing still images

Viewing images on the LCD screen of your

camera............................................ 35

Viewing single images .......................35

Viewing an index screen

(nine-image or triple-image)..........36

Viewing images on a TV screen.............37

Deleting still images

Deleting images.............................. ........ 39

Deleting images in singe-image

mode............................................... 39

Deleting images in index (nine-image)

mode............................................... 40

Deleting images in index (triple-image)

mode............................................... 41

Formatting a CD-RW............................. 42

Copying images to your computer

Preparation for viewing images using a

computer (Finalize)................... ..... 44

Finalizing a disc................................. 44

What is finalization? ..........................44

Canceling finaliza ti on (U nfinalize)

(CD-RW only) ............................... 46

Using the supplied 8cm CD adaptor...... 47

Viewing images throug h a di sc dri ve .....48

Image file storage destinations an d

image file names....................... ......49

Copying images to your comput er ..........51

1 Installing PIXELA PTP Manager .....52

2 Preparing your camera ......................55

3 Connecting your cam e ra t o your

computer ........................................56

4 Copying images ................................57

When the PIXELA PTP Manager does

not start up......................................60

5 Viewing the images on your

computer.........................................61

For Macintosh users................................61

Viewing images on a computer

connected with the USB cable

(For Mac OS X users only)............61

Before advanced operations

How to setup and operate you r ca me ra...62

Changing the menu settings................62

Changing the items in the SET UP

screen..............................................62

How to use the jog dial

(MVC-CD400 only).......................63

Advanced still image shooting

Shooting with the manual adjustments

(MVC-CD400 only) .......................64

Shutter speed priority mode................64

Aperture priority mode.......................65

Manual exposure mode.......................65

Choosing a focus mode...........................66

Shooting with AF lock........................68

Setting the distance to the subj ec t

– Focus preset.................................69

Adjusting the exposure

– EV adjustment.............................70

Metering mode............................ ............72

Shooting with the exposure fixed

(MVC-CD400 only)

– AE LOCK...................................74

Shooting three images wi th t he expo sure

shifted (MVC-CD400 only)

– Exposure Bracket.........................75

Adjusting color tones

– White Balance..............................76

Shooting multiple frames

– Clip Motion..................................77

Shooting in Multi Burst m o de

– Multi Burst...................................79

Shooting three images c ont inuously

– Burst.............................................80

Shooting still images in TIFF mode

– TIFF.............................................81

Shooting still images for e-mail

– E-mail ..........................................81

Shooting still images with audio files

– Voice...........................................82

Adding special effects

– Picture Effect...............................83

Confirming whether to record images

– Confirm before write...................83

Using an external flash ...........................84

Using the Sony HVL-F1000 Flash ..... 84

Using a commercially av aila ble e xter nal

flash (MVC-CD400 only)..............85

Advanced still image viewing

Enlarging a portion of a stil l im age ........ 86

Enlarging an image

– Playback zoom............................86

Recording an enlarged image

– Trimming.....................................87

Playing back successive images

– Slide Show ..................................87

Rotating still images...............................88

Still image editing

Protecting images – Protect....................89

In single-image mode.........................89

In index (nine-image) mode...............89

In index (triple-image) mode..............90

Changing image size – Resize................91

Choosing images to print – Print mark... 91

In single-image mode.........................92

In index (nine-image) mode...............92

In index (triple-image) mode..............93

Enjoying movies

Shooting movies............................ ..........94

Viewing movies on the LCD screen .......95

Deleting movies – Delete........................96

In single-image mode..................... .....96

In index (nine-image) mode................96

In index (triple-image) mode..............97

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting ......................................98

Warnings and messages........................106

Self-diagnostics display..... ................. ...108

Additional information

Recording modes...................................109

Menu items.................. .................. ........111

SET UP items....................... .................116

Precautions............................................118

On discs....................... ..........................119

On “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack .........120

Specifications........................................122

The LCD screen ....................................124

Index......................................................127

Introduction

This digital still camera is capable of recording still image s and movies onto 8 cm CD-R/CD-RW discs.

Capture images with your computer

You can easily copy images ont o your computer thro ugh a disc drive or the USB cable, and vie w an d modif y ima ges on your computer usi ng application software. When usin g a di sc drive to view images on your computer, finalization is required (page 44).

Flow chart for disc operations

Start

A new disc

Initialize

(page 21) Preparation for recording

on a disc.

Record

Disc preparation for

recording is complete.

The disc status is pre-finalization.

Blank di sc

Unfinalize

[About 1 min] (page 46) About 13 MB disc space is restored.

Format

[About 7 min] (page 42) The disc space is fully available.

Finalize

[About 1 min] (page 44) Preparation for viewing recorded images on a computer.

Recording is complete.

View on a computer (page48)

Disc preparation for viewing recorded images through a disc drive is complete.

: CD-R : CD-RW

[ ] : Required time

View on the camera (page 35)

View through the USB cable (pages 51, 61)

View through a disc drive (pages 48, 61)

Identifying the parts

See the pages in parentheses for details of operati on .

4 5

Attaching the shoulder strap

A Microphone B POWER ON/OFF (CHG) switch

(17)

C Shutter button (25) D Self-timer lamp (MVC-CD250)

(29)/ Hologram AF (MVC-CD400)/ AF illuminator (MVC-CD250) emitter (31, 116)

E Self-timer lamp (MVC-CD400)

(29)

F Battery cover (13) G Lens

H Tripod receptacle (bottom

surface)

I Flash emitter (29) J Hot shoe (MVC-CD400)/

Accessory shoe (MVC-CD250)

(84, 117)

K Hook for lens cap/shoulder strap L Disc cover OPEN lever (20) M ACC (Accessory) jack N Lens cap (supplied) O USB jack (56) P A/V OUT (MONO) jack (37)

• Do not touch the microphone whi le recording.

• Use a tripod with a screw length of less than 5.5 mm (7/32 inch). You will be unable to firmly secu re t h e c am era to tripods having longer screws, and may damage the camera.

• Use ACC jack to con nect an external flash or other equipment.

• Audio output is monaural.

2 3

5 6 7 8

A Control butt on

(Menu on) (v/V/b/B/z) (Menu off) ( / /7/) (27, 28, 29)

B /CHG (charge) lamp (14) C Photocell window for LCD

screen

D LCD screen E ACCESS lamp (20) F DISPLAY/LCD BACK LIGHT ON/

OFF button (26)

G (Metering mode) button* (72) H FOCUS button* (66, 69) I (Exposure) butt on* (70)

J Mode dial (17)

: To shoot still images : To view or edit images : To shoot movies, Clip

Motion images or Multi

Burst mode images SET UP: To set the SET UP items SCN: To shoot in the SCENE

SELECTION mode

M: To s hoot in the manual

exposure mode*

A: To shoot in the aperture

priority mode*

S: To shoot in the shutter speed

priority mode*

K POWER la mp (17)

0 qa

qs qd qf qg qh qj qk ql

L Zoom button (for shooting) (27)/

Index button ( for viewing) (36)

M DC IN jack (13, 16) N Hook for shoulder strap O Jog dial* (63) P Speaker Q MENU button (22) R AE LOCK button* (74) S RESET button (bottom surface)

(98)

• The LCD screen automatically becomes brighter when this is exposed to sunli ght .

* not available on the MVC-CD250

Getting started

Charging the battery pack

DC IN jack cover

Getting started

DC connecting cable

, Open the battery co ver .

Slide the co ve r i n t he di re ctio n o f th e ar ro w

1. The battery cover open s in the dire ction the arrow 2.

Be sure to turn off your camera when charging the battery pack.

• “InfoLITHIUM” is a lithium ion battery pack

which can exchange information such as battery consumption with compatible video equipment. “InfoLITHIUM” M series battery packs have the mark.

• Your camera operates only with the

“InfoLITHIUM” NP-FM50 battery pack (M series) (supplied) (page 120).

2 3

, Install the battery pack, then

close the battery cover .

Insert the battery pack with the v mark facing toward the battery compartment as illustrated. Make sure the battery pack is firmly inserted all the way, then close the cover so that it click s .

• The battery pack is easily inserted by pushing

the battery eject lever at the front of the battery compartment to the outside.

AC power adaptor (supplied)

, Open the DC IN jack cover and

connect the DC connecting cable to the DC IN jack of your camera.

Connect th e cable with the v mark facing up.

• Do not short the DC plug of the AC power

adaptor with a metallic object, as this may cause malfunction.

• Do not short the DC plug on the AC power

adaptor with a piece of metal, and do not use the DC plug if it is dirty. Use a dry cotton swab to remove any dirt on the DC plug. Using a dirty plug or shorting the plug can result in improper charging.

2 To wall outlet (wall socket)

Power cord (mains lead)

AC power adaptor (supplied)

, Connect th e power cord ( mains

lead) to the AC power adaptor and then to a wall outlet (wall socket).

The /CHG lamp (orange) lights up when charging begins, and goes off when charging is completed. After charging the battery pack, disconne ct the AC power adaptor from the DC IN jack of your camera.

• We recommend charging the batt ery pack in an

ambient temperature of between 10°C to 30°C (50°F to 86°F).

• Charging is complete in approximately 150

minutes. The charge lamp may remain lit longer than 150 minutes, but this is not a malfunction.

• If sufficient battery remaining time is indicated

but the power runs out soon, fully charge the battery pack so that the correct battery remaining time appears.

To remove the battery pack

Battery eject lever

Open the battery cover. Slide the ba ttery eject lever in the direction of the arrow, and remove the battery pack.

• Be careful not to drop the battery pack when

removing it.

Battery remaining indicator

The battery remaining indicator on the LCD shows the remaining shooting or viewing time.

60min

• When charging, the battery remaining

indicator shows the time remaining in terms of performing continuous shooting (with all indicators on).

• The displayed time remaining may not be

correct under certain circumstances or conditions.

640

Charging time

Approximate time to charge a completely discharged battery pack using the AC-L10A/ L10B AC power adaptor at a temperature of 25°C (77°F).

Battery pack Full charge

NP-FM50 (supplied) Approx. 150

(min.)

NP-FM50 battery pack

When you shoot images in an extremely cold location, the operating time becomes short. When using the camera in an extremely cold location, place the battery pack in your pocket or other place to keep it warm, then insert the battery pa ck into the camera just before shooting. When using a pocket heater, take care not to let the heater directly contact the battery.

Battery life and number of images that can be recorded/ viewed

The tables show the approximate battery life and the number of images that can be recorded/ viewed with a fully charged battery pack at a temperature of 25°C (77°F), standard image quality, (no flash) and in NORMAL recording mode. But the remaining indicator will decrease in the following situations:

– The surrounding temperature is low – The camera has been turned ON and OFF

many times – The LCD backlight is set to [BRIGHT] – The battery power is low

The battery capacity decreases as you use it

more and more and as time passes.

Shooting still images* MVC-CD400

Image size

2272×1704 Approx. 110 Approx. 1400 640×480 Approx. 110 Approx. 1800

* Shooting at about 4-second intervals

NP-FM50 (supplied) Battery life

(min.)

No. of images

MVC-CD250

Image size

1600×1200 Approx. 120 Approx. 2300 640×480 Approx. 120 Approx. 2400

* Shooting at about 3-second intervals

NP-FM50 (supplied) Battery life

(min.)

No. of images

Viewing still images** MVC-CD400

NP-FM50 (supplied)

Image size

2272×1704 Approx. 170 Approx. 1100 640×480 Approx. 170 Approx. 1300

Battery life (min.)

No. of images

MVC-CD250

NP-FM50 (supplied)

Image size

1600×1200 Approx. 180 Approx. 120 0 640×480 Approx. 180 Approx. 140 0

** Viewing single images in order at about 5-

second intervals with all indicators on

Battery life (min.)

No. of images

Shooting movies MVC-CD400

NP-FM50 (supplied) Battery life (min.)

Continuous recording

Approx. 150

MVC-CD250

NP-FM50 (supplied) Battery life (min.)

Continuous recording

• The battery life and number of images will be

decreased when using the camera at low temperatures, using the flash, turning the power on/off repeatedly, or using the zoom.

Approx. 170

Getting started

Using an external power source

AC power adaptor (supplied)

DC IN jack cover

DC connecting cable

2 To wall outlet (wall socket)

Power cord (mains lead)

AC power adaptor (supplied)

Using your camera abroad

Power sources

You can use your cam era i n any coun t ry or area with the supplied battery ch arger within 100 V to 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz. Use a commercially available AC plug adaptor [a], if necessary, depending on the design of the wall outlet (wall socket) [b].

AC-L10A/L10B

, Open the DC IN jack cover and

connect the DC connecting cable to the DC IN jack of your camera.

Connect th e cable with the v mark facing up.

• Connect the AC power adaptor to an easily

accessible wall outlet (wall socket) close by. If some trouble occurs while using the adaptor, immediately shut off the power by disconnecting the plug from the wall outlet (wall socket).

• Remove the battery pack when using an

external power source.

, Connect the power cord (mains

lead) to the AC power adaptor and then to a wall outlet (wall socket).

• When you have finished using the AC power

adaptor, disconnect it from the DC IN jack of the camera.

• To use po wer from an automobile, use the Sony

DC adaptor/charger (not supplied).

• If you insert or remove the DC plug while you

are using the battery, the power may shut off.

• Do not use an electronic transformer (travel

converter), as this may cause a malfunction.

Turning on/off your camera

POWER lamp

POWER switch

, Slide the POWER switch in the

direction of the arrow.

The POWER lamp (g reen) li ghts u p and th e power is on. When you turn on your camera for the first time, the CLOCK SET screen appears (page 17).

Turning off the power

Slide the POWER switch in the direction of the arrow again. The POW ER lamp goes out, and the cam era turns off.

• If you turn on the power when the mode dial is

set to , portion moves (MVC-CD400 only). Do not touch the lens portion while it is operating.

S, A, M, SCN or , the lens

Auto power-off function

If you do not operate the camera for about three minutes during shooting or viewing or when performing SET UP, the camera turns off automatically to prevent wearing down the battery. The auto power-off function only operates when the cam era is operat ing using a battery pack. The auto power-off function also will not operate in the following circumstances.

• When viewing movies

• When a connector is plugged into the USB jack or the A/V OUT jack.

When playing back a Slide Show (page 87), the power automatically turns off after about 20 minutes regardless of the power source (battery pack or AC power adaptor).

Setting the date and time

Mode dial

, Set the mode dial to .

• You can also carry out this operation when the

mode dial is set to S*, A*, M*, SCN, , or

• To change the date and time, set the mode dial

to SET UP, select [CLOCK SET] in [SETUP 1] (page 117), and perform the procedure from step 3.

* MVC-CD400 only

Getting started

POWER switch

CLOCK SET

2002

12 00

Y/M/D M/D/Y D/M/Y

CANCEL

12 00

Y/M/D M/D/Y D/M/Y

CANCEL

12 00

Y/M/D M/D/Y D/M/Y

CANCEL

CLOCK SET

2002

CLOCK SET

2002

, Slide the POWER switch in the

direction of the arrow to turn on the power.

The POWER lamp (g reen) li ghts u p and the

CLOCK SET screen appears on the LCD screen.

, Select the desired date display

format with v/V on the control button, then press z.

Select from [Y/M/D] (year/ month/day), [M/D/Y] (month/day/yea r) or [D/ M / Y] (day/month/year).

• If the rechargeable button battery, which

provides the power for saving the time data, is ever fully discharged (page119), the CLOCK SET screen will appear again. When this happens, reset the date and time, by starting from step 3 above.

, Select the year, month, day,

hour or minute item you want to set with b/B on the control button.

The item to be set is indicated with v/V.

CLOCK SET

2002

12 00

Y/M/D M/D/Y D/M/Y

CANCEL

Getting started

10 30

Y/M/D M/D/Y D/M/Y

CANCEL

CLOCK SET

2002

, Set the numeric value with v/V

on the control button, then press z to enter it.

After ente r ing the number , v/V moves to the next item. Repeat this step until all of the items are set.

• If you selected [D/M/Y] in step 3, set the time

on a 24-hour cycle.

, Select [OK] with B on the

control button, then press z.

The date and time are en tered a nd the cloc k starts to keep time.

• To cancel the date and time setting, select

[CANCEL] with v/V/b/B on the control button, then press z.

Inserting a disc

Shooting still images

Disc cover OPEN lever

Lock tab

Pickup lens

Disc

, Open the disc cover.

While sliding the lock tab to the left, slide down the disc cover OPEN lever, and open the disc cover.

• You can use only 8 cm CD-R/CD-RW discs that have these marks.

Push here

, Place a disc in the disc tray.

Place the disc wit h the printed side up, and push down on the center of the disc until it clicks.

• Do not push with too force on the disc.

• Do not touch the pickup lens.

, Close the disc cover.

Removing the disc

While sliding the lock tab to the left, slide down the disc cover OPEN lever, and open the disc cover. Check t o make sure that t he dis c has completely stopped rotating, then remove the disc.

• When the ACCESS lamp is lit up, it means that image data is being read or written. Never open the disc cover or turn off the power at this time, as the image data may be da mage d or th e d is c may become unusable.

• While the camera is writing data on a disc, the

disc cover OPEN lever is locked.

• After you change the disc, “REPAIRING DATA” may appear on the LCD screen and it may take about 10 minutes to prepare the disc for recording depending on the disc condition.

Initializing a disc

What is initialization?

Initialization is required to record images on a disc. When you perform fina li za ti on (page 44) using your camera to view images through a disc drive, initializa tion is also automatically pe rformed, and you can continue to reco rd images. Im ages record ed before finalization remain on the disc.

Mode dial

, Insert a new disc and set the

mode dial to , then turn on the power.

“INITIALIZE PLACE ON LEVEL SURFACE” appears on the LCD screen.

• You can also carry out this operation when the

mode dial is set to S* , A*, M*, SCN or .

* MVC-CD400 only

INITIALIZE

AVOID ANY VIBRATION

READY TO INITIALIZE

INITIALIZE

AVOID ANY VIBRATION

INITIALIZE IN PROGRESS

INITIALIZE

INITIALIZE COMPLETE

, Select [OK] with v on the

control button, then press z.

Initialization starts. Do not shake or strike the camera during initialization.

To cancel initialization

Select [CANCEL] with button, then press

V on the control

Shooting still images

Initializing after canceling the initialization

Open and close th e di sc cover, or set the mode dial to , S*, A*, M*,

, select [EXEC] with

button, th en press

* MVC-CD400 only

SCN, or

v on the control

Setting the still image size and image quality

2272×1704

ISO

2272 (3 : 2) 1600×1200 1280×960

640 × 480

IMAGESIZE

1600×1200 1600 (3 : 2) 1280×960

640 × 480

IMAGE SIZE

•

Y ou can also perform initialization using

[DISC TOOL] in the SET UP settings

(page 116).

, Set the mode dial to , and

turn on the power, then press MENU.

The menu appears.

• You can also carry out this operation when the

mode dial is set to S*, A*, M* or SCN.

• (EV), 9 (FOCUS) and (SPOT

METER) are displayed on the MVC-CD250 menu (page 62).

* MVC-CD400 only

MVC-CD400 MVC-CD250

, Select (IMAGE SIZE) with b/

B on the control button, then

select the desired image si ze with v/V.

The image size is set.

FINE

FINE STANDARD

ISO

P.QUALITY

MODE

, Select (P.QUALITY) with b/

B on the control button, then

select the desired image quality with v/V.

The image quality is set. When the setting is complete, press MENU so that the menu disappears from the LCD screen.

• You can select the image quality from either

[FINE] or [STANDARD].

• The image size and quality values selected here

are maintained even when the power is turned off.

Image size and quality

You can choose the image size ( number of pixels) and the image quality (compression ratio) according to the kind of images you want to shoot. Larger image sizes and higher image quali ty result in better images, but also a larger data size, which means fewer imag es that you can record on a disc. Choose an image size and quali ty appropriate for the kind of images you want to shoot. You can resize the images later (Resize function , see page 91).

You can choose from th e following table.

Image size Usage

2272×1704

Very fine prints

(MVC-CD400) 2272 (3:2)

Printing in 3:2 ratio

(MVC-CD400) 1600×1200 Printing in A4 format 1600 (3:2)

Printing in 3:2 ratio

(MVC-CD250) 1280×960 Printing in postcard size 640×480 Attaching to e-ma il

The image is recorded in the horizontal to vertical ratio of 3:2 to fit the printing paper size.

Shooting still images

Number of images2) that can be saved on a disc

(Units: images)

Quality

Image size

2272×1704 (MVC-CD400)

2272 (3:2) (MVC-CD400)

1600×1200 131 235 1600 (3:2)

(MVC-CD250) 1280×960 195 347 640×480 658 1291

When [MODE] (REC MODE) is set to [NORMAL]. For the number of images that can be saved in other modes, see page 110.

• Image size is the size when viewing the

images on a personal computer. Images viewed on the LCD screen of the camera all appear the same size.

• The actual number of images may differ

depending on the shooting conditions.

• The image size value (e.g., 2272×1704)

indicates the number of pixels.

FINE STANDARD

66 119

131 235

Basic still image shooting (using auto adjustment mode)

Mode dial

, Set the mode dial to , and

turn on the power.

Remove the lens cap.

• Still images are recorded in JPEG format.

• When you turn on the power or use the zoom

(page 27), the lens portion moves (MVC-CD400 only). Do not touch the lens portion while it is operating.

• When the mode dial is set to , the exposure

and focus are adjusted automatically.

, Hold the camera steadily wit h

both hands and position the subject in the center of the focus frame.

The lens portion moves when you turn on the power (MVC-CD400 only)

• You can choose either Multipoint AF or Focus range select mode (MVC-CD400), or Multipoint AF mode or Center AF (MVC-CD250) as the AF mode (page 66).

60min

640

Flashes green t Lights up

0EV

F5.6

60min

640

• While the image is being recorded on the disc,

the ACCESS lamp lights up. Do not shake or strike the camera while this lamp is lit. Also do not turn off the power, remove the battery pack or disc, or open the disc cover at this time, as the image data may be damaged or the disc may become unusable.

• Do not cover the lens or flash with your fingers.

Shooting still images

, Press and hold the shutter

button halfway down.

The beep sounds but the ima ge is not yet recorded. When the AE/AF lock indicator changes from flashing to light ed up, the camera is ready for sho o t ing. The flash automatically pops up and strobes when the surroundings are dark.

• If you release the shutter button, the recording

will be canceled.

• The minimum focal distance to the subject is

50 cm (19 3/4 inches). To shoot even closer subjects, use macro recording mode (page 28).

• The frame appearing on the LCD screen shows

the focus adjustment range. (For more details on the AF range finder, see page 68.)

, Press the shutter button fully

down.

The shutter sounds. “RECORDING ” appears on the LCD scr een, and the image will b e recorded on the di sc. When “RECORDING” disappears, you can shoot the next image

• When operating the camera using a battery

pack, if you do not operate the camera for about three minutes during recording or playback, the camera turns off automatically to prevent wearing down the battery (page 17).

• When [CONFIRM B. WRITE] in the SET UP

settings is set to [ON], you can select whether to actually record the image on a disc (page 83).

Auto Focus

When you try to sh oo t a s u bject that is difficult to focus on, the AE/AF lock indicator changes to flashing slowly. The Auto Focus function may have difficulty working under the following conditions. In such cases, release the shutter button, then recompose the shot and focus again.

• The subject is distant from the camera and dark.

• The contrast between the subject and its background is poor.

• The subject is seen through glass, such as a window.

• A fast-moving subject.

• The subject reflects or has a lustrous finish, such as a mirror or a luminous body.

• A flashing subject.

LCD screen indicators during shooting

DISPLAY/LCD BACK LIGHT ON/OFF

This is useful for extending the battery life and for shooting under conditions where the image is difficult to check using the LCD screen. Each time you press DISPLAY/LCD BACK LIGH T ON/OFF, the display changes in the following order.

Indicators off (Only warning messages and manual adjustment items which are set using the jog dial are on. (MVC-CD400 only))

LCD backlight off

All indicators on

60min

• For a detailed description of the indicators, see

page 124.

• Indicators on the LCD screen are not recorded.

640

Checking the last image you shot (Quick Review)

60min

640

10:30

8/8

REVIEW

2002 7 4100-0029

, Press b (7) on the contro l

button.

To return to the normal shooting mode, press lightly on the shutter button or press b (7) again.

To delete the image displayed on the LCD screen

1 Press MENU to display the menu. 2 Select [DELETE] with B on the control

button, then press z.

3 Select [OK] with v on the control

button, then press z. The image is d eleted.

Using the zoom feature

W (wide-angle) T (telephoto )

640

60min 60min

640

, Press the zoom button to

choose the desired image size for shooting.

Minimum focal distance to the subject

When the zoom is set to the W side:

About 50 c m (19 3/4 inches) (M VC-CD400) About 50 c m (19 3/4 inches) (M VC-CD250)

When the zoom is set to the T side:

About 50 c m (19 3/4 inches) (M VC-CD400) About 80 c m (31 1/2 inches) (M VC-CD250)

• The lens portion moves during zoom operation

(MVC-CD400 only). Do not touch the lens portion while it is operating.

• Zoom does not work for movies (page 94)

(MVC-CD400 only).

Digital zoom

When zoom exceeds 3×, the image is enlarged by digital processi ng. The maximum digital zoom magnification is 6×. Digital zooming deteriorates the image quality, so when digital zoom is not necessary, set [DIGITAL ZOOM ] to [OFF] in th e S ET UP settings (page 116).

The T side of the bar shows the digital zoom zone.

• During digital zoom, the AF frame does

not appear on the LCD screen.

• Digital zoom does not work for movies.

Shooting still images

Shooting close-ups (Macro)

The macro recording mode is used when zooming up a small subject, such as flowers or insects. You can shoot close-ups of subjects up to the distances specified below.

When the zoom is set all the way to the W side:

Approx. 4 cm (1 5/8 inches) from the lens surface (MVC-CD400) Approx. 3 cm (1 3/16 inches) from the lens surface (MVC-CD250)

When the zoom is set all the way to the T side:

Approx. 20 cm (7 7/8 inches) from the lens surface (MVC-CD400) Approx. 80 cm (31 1/2 inches) from the lens surface (MVC-CD250)

60min

640

, Set the mode dial to , and

press B ( ) on the control button.

The (macro) indicator appe ars on the LCD screen.

• If the menu is currently displayed, press MENU

first so that the menu disappears.

• You can also carry out this operation when the

mode dial is set to S*, A*, M*, SCN (other than landscape mode) (page 33), or .

* MVC-CD400 only

60min

640

, Center th e subject in t he frame,

and shoot the image.

To return to normal recording mode

Press B ( ) on the control button again. The indicator disappears.

Using the self-timer

Selecting a flash mode

60min

640

, Turn the mode dial to , and

press V ( ) on the control button.

The (self-timer) indi cator app ears on t he LCD screen.

• If the menu is currently displayed, press MENU

first so that the menu disappears.

• You can also carry out this operation when the

mode dial is set to S*, A*, M*, SCN, or .

* MVC-CD400 only

60min

640

0EV

F5.6

, Center the subject in the frame,

and press the shutter button fully down.

The self-timer l amp (p age 11) flashes and a beep sounds after you press the shutter button until the shutter button is released (approximately 10 seconds).

To cancel the self-timer in the middle of the operation

Press V ( ) on the control button agai n.

• If you press the shutter button while standing in

front of the camera, the focus and the exposure may not be correctly set.

60min

640

, Set the mode dial to , and

press v ( ) on the control button repeatedly to sele ct a flash mode.

Each time you press v ( ), the indicator changes as follows.

No indicator (Auto): The flash automatically pops up and strobes when the surroundings are dark (defa ult).

(Forced flash): The flash strobes

regardless of the surrounding brightness.

(No flash): The flash does not strobe.

Shooting still images

• If the menu is currently displayed, press MENU

first so that the menu disappears.

• Y ou can cha nge the brightness of the flash with

[FLASH LEVEL] in the menu settings (page 112).

• When using the Auto or

mode, you may notice some noise in the image when you look at the LCD screen in a dark place, but t his will hav e no ef fect on the shot image.

• While charging the flash, the /CHG la mp

flashes. After the ch arging is comple te, the lamp goes out.

• When you press the shutter button halfway

down while the flash is strobing, the /CHG lamp turns on.

• Attaching a conversion lens (not supplied) may

block the light from the built-in flash or cause the lens shadow to appear.

• You cannot use an external flash that supports

hot shoe (not supplied) and the built-in flash at the same time.

• When using a commercially available external

flash, set [HOT SHOE] to [ON] in the SET UP settings (MVC-CD400 only).

• Two types of external flash can be used: the

optional HVL-F1000 flash and commercially available flashes that support hot shoe (page 84).

• You cannot use the external flash HVL-F1000

(optional) and the built-in flash at the same time.

(Forced flash)

To reduce the red-eye phenomenon when shooting live subjects

Set [RED EYE REDUCTION] to [ON] in the SET UP settings (page 116). indicator appears on the LCD screen, and the flash pre-strobes before shooting to reduce the red-e ye phenomenon.

• Red-eye reduction may not produce the

desired effects depending on individual differences, the distance to the subject, if the subject does not see the pre-strobe, or other conditions.

+ 102 hidden pages

Sony MVC-CD400 User Manual

Before using your camera

Table of contents

Introduction

Charging the battery pack

Using an external power source

Using your camera abroad

Turning on/off your camera

Setting the date and time

Inserting a disc

Initializing a disc

What is initialization?

Setting the still image size and image quality

Basic still image shooting (using auto adjustment mode)

LCD screen indicators during shooting

Checking the last image you shot (Quick Review)

Using the zoom feature

Shooting close-ups (Macro)

Using the self-timer

Selecting a flash mode