Safety Check

Upon completion of any service or repairs to the set, ask the service technician to perform routine safety checks (as specified by the manufacturer) to determine that the set is in safe operating condition.

Service

Damage Requiring Service
Unplug the set from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed. If liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the set. If the set has been exposed to rain or water. If the set has been subject to excessive shock by being dropped, or the cabinet has been damaged. If the set does not operate normally when following the operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are specified in the operating instructions. Improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the set to normal operation. When the set exhibits a distinct change in performance this indicates a need for service.

Servicing

Do not attempt to service the set yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

Replacement parts

When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer that have the same characteristics as the original parts. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.
Read this before operating your camcorder
Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly, and retain it for future reference.

Owners Record

The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom. Record the serial number in the space provided below. Refer to these numbers whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product. Model No. DCRSerial No. Model No. ACNo.

CAUTION

The use of optical instruments with this product will increase eye hazard. Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure. Replace the battery with the specified type only. Otherwise, fire or injury may result.
For customers in the U.S.A.
If you have any questions about this product, you may call: Sony Customer Information Center 1-800-222-SONY (7669). The number below is for the FCC related matters only.
For customers in the U.S.A. and CANADA
RECYCLING LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES
Lithium-Ion batteries are recyclable. You can help preserve our environment by returning your used rechargeable batteries to the collection and recycling location nearest you. For more information regarding recycling of rechargeable batteries, call toll free 1-800-8228837, or visit http://www.rbrc.org/ Caution: Do not handle damaged or leaking Lithium-Ion batteries.

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
Types of the disc you can use in your camcorder
You can use the following discs only. 8cm DVD-RW 8cm DVD+RW 8cm DVD-R 8cm DVD+R DL Use the discs with marks listed below. See page 14 for details.
For reliability durability of recording / playback, we recommend that you use Sony *(for discs or discs with an VIDEO CAMERA) mark for your camcorder.

b Note

Using a disc other than above may cause the unsatisfactory recording/playback or you may not be able to remove the disc from your camcorder.
* Depending on the place you bought, the disc has mark.
Types of Memory Stick you can use in your camcorder
You can use Memory Stick Duo marked with or (p. 101).
Memory Stick Duo (This size can be used with your camcorder.) Battery Viewfinder LCD screen
Memory Stick (You cannot use it in your camcorder.)
The camcorder is not dustproofed, dripproofed or waterproofed. See About handling of your camcorder (p. 104). To prevent discs from being broken or recorded images from being lost, do not do the following when either of the respective lamps of the POWER switch (p. 25) or the access lamps (p. 28, 29) is on:
to remove the battery pack or AC Adaptor from the camcorder. to apply mechanical shock or vibration to the camcorder.
You cannot use any type of memory card except Memory Stick Duo. Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick PRO Duo can be used only with Memory Stick PRO compatible equipment. Do not attach a label or the like on a Memory Stick Duo or a Memory Stick Duo Adaptor.
When using a Memory Stick Duo with Memory Stick compatible equipment
Be sure to insert the Memory Stick Duo into the Memory Stick Duo Adaptor.

About the marks used in this manual
The operations available depend on the disc used. The following marks are used to indicate the type of disc you can use for a particular operation.

About language setting

The on-screen displays in each local language are used for illustrating the

Table of Contents

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS.3 Read this before operating your camcorder. 5 Subject examples and solutions 11
Adjusting the exposure for backlit subjects... 37 Recording in mirror mode. 37 Selecting the aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3) (DCR-DVD308/DVD708).. 37

Playback..39

Using PB zoom.. 41 Playing back a series of still images (Slide show).. 41
What you can do with your camcorder.. 12 Choosing a disc. 14 Using your camcorder. 16 HOME and OPTION - Taking advantage of two types of menus.. 18
Playing the picture on a TV.42 Making the disc compatible with playback on other devices or DVD drives (Finalizing)..44

Editing

(OTHERS) category.48 Deleting images.48 Dividing the image..50 Creating the Playlist.51 Dubbing to VCR or DVD/HDD recorders.54 Printing recorded images (PictBridge compliant printer)..55

Getting Started

Step 1: Checking supplied items.. 21 Step 2: Charging the battery pack.. 22 Step 3: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time. 25
Changing the language setting 26
Utilizing recording media
(MANAGE DISC/MEMORY) category..57 Playing a disc on other devices..57 Finding the right disc (DISC SELECT GUIDE).58 Deleting all scenes on the disc (Formatting)..59 Recording additional scenes after finalizing.60
Step 4: Preparing for recording.. 27 Step 5: Inserting a disc or a Memory Stick Duo. 28

Recording/Playback

Recording and playing back with ease (Easy Handycam). 31 Recording.. 34
Zooming.. 36 Recording sound with more presence (5.1ch surround recording) (DCRDVD308/DVD708).. 36 Recording in dark places (NightShot plus)... 37
Table of Contents (Continued)
Customizing your camcorder
What you can do with the (SETTINGS) category of the HOME MENU.. 62
Using the HOME MENU. 62 List of the (SETTINGS) category items... 63

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting.. 85 Warning indicators and messages.. 94

Additional Information

Using your camcorder abroad. 98 Maintenance and precautions. 100 Specifications.. 108

MOVIE SETTINGS.. 64

(Items for recording movies)

PHOTO SETTINGS. 66

(Items for recording still images)

VIEW IMAGES SET. 67

(Items to customize the display)

Quick Reference

Identifying parts and controls. 111 Indicators displayed during recording/playback. 115 Glossary.. 118 Index.. 119

SOUND/DISP SET.. 69

(Items to adjust beep and the screen)

OUTPUT SETTINGS.. 70

(Items for when connecting other devices)

CLOCK/

LANG. 71
(Items to set clock and language)
Spanish Quick Guide/Gua rpida en espaol 122

GENERAL SET. 72

(Other setup items)
Activating functions using the OPTION MENU. 73
Using the OPTION MENU. 73 Recording items on the OPTION MENU.. 74 Viewing items on the OPTION MENU.. 74
Functions set in the OPTION MENU.. 75

Using a Computer

What you can do with Windows computer. 80 Installing the First Step Guide and software.. 81 Viewing First Step Guide. 83 Using a Macintosh computer.. 84
Subject examples and solutions

Shooting

Flowers in close-up A child on the stage under a spot light
B PORTRAIT.. 77 B FOCUS.. 75 B TELE MACRO.. 75

B SPOTLIGHT..77

Focusing on the dog on the left side of the screen
B FOCUS.. 75 B SPOT FOCUS.. 75
Fireworks with all its splendor
B FIREWORKS.76 B FOCUS..75
Getting a good shot of a ski slope or beach
B BACK LIGHT.. 37 B BEACH.. 77 B SNOW.. 77
A sleeping child under dim light
B NightShot plus..37 B COLOR SLOW SHTR..78

Checking your golf swing

B SPORTS... 77
What you can do with your camcorder
Your camcorder records image data on 8cm DVD*. It is more convenient than video tape and far more versatile.
Taking beautiful shots easily
No rewinding to start recording (p.31, 34)
Recorded images are stored in empty areas on the disc so there is no risk that valuable recordings are accidentally overwritten. Since no rewinding is necessary prior to recording, you can start shooting any time you desire.

b Notes

Still images can be recorded only on "Memory Stick Duo."
You can find a scene quickly using a VISUAL INDEX screen (p.32, 39)
The VISUAL INDEX screen allows you to check recorded at a glance. All you have to do is touch the scene you want to view. The disc does not wear out no matter how many times you play it back. The precious moments you have captured on disc last for a long time.
Records widescreen format and 5.1ch surround sound (p.36, 37)
You can record high quality widescreen images on a wide LCD screen that shows the same 16:9 angle of view as a wide TV. Realistic 5.1ch surround sound can also be directly recorded onto the disc.

The NightShot plus and Super NightShot plus functions use infrared light. Therefore, do not cover the infrared port with your fingers or other objects, and remove the conversion lens (optional). Adjust the focus manually ([FOCUS], p. 75) when it is hard to focus automatically. Do not use the NightShot plus and Super NightShot plus functions in bright places. This may cause a malfunction.
Open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the camcorder (1), then rotate it 180 degrees to the lens side (2).
A mirror-image of the subject appears on the LCD screen, but the image will be normal when recorded. When recording in mirror mode, the images is not displayed in the viewfinder.
Selecting the aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3) (DCR-DVD308/DVD708)
To record an image brighter, use Super NightShot plus function (p. 78). To record a movie more faithfully to the original colors, use Color Slow Shutter function (p. 78).
Adjusting the exposure for backlit subjects

WIDE SELECT

To select the aspect ratio of the movies
1 Turn the POWER switch until the (Movie) lamp turns on. 2 Press WIDE SELECT repeatedly to select the desired screen aspect ratio.
To adjust the exposure for backlit subjects, press BACK LIGHT to display. To cancel the back light function, press BACK LIGHT again.
Differences in the angle of view between 16:9 (wide) and 4:3 vary depending on the zoom position. When you view the movie on a TV, set [TV TYPE] to [16:9] or [4:3] according to your TV (16:9/4:3) (p. 42, 70). When viewing 16:9 (wide) pictures with [TV TYPE] set to [4:3], pictures may appear rough depending on subjects (p. 42).
To select the aspect ratio of the still images
1 Turn the POWER switch until the (Still) lamp turns on. The aspect ratio of the picture switches to 4:3. 2 Press WIDE SELECT repeatedly to select the desired screen aspect ratio. b Notes
The size of still images is [ 0.7M] (16:9) or [1.0M] (4:3) at the maximum.
See page 66 for the number of recordable still images. With the DCR-DVD108/DVD608, you can change the aspect ratio of movies in the HOME MENU. For details, see page 64.

Playback

DCR-DVD108/DVD608 Zoom lever F POWER switch A (HOME) D (HOME) E
(VIEW IMAGES) C DCR-DVD308/ DVD708 (VIEW IMAGES) B (HOME) D
Turn the POWER switch A to turn on your camcorder.

(VIEW IMAGES) B (or C).

The VISUAL INDEX screen appears on the LCD screen. (It may take some time to display the VISUAL INDEX screen.)

When you connect your camcorder to a TV compatible with the ID-1/ID-2 system and play back the disc, set [TV TYPE] to [16:9]. The TV switches to full mode automatically. Refer also to the instruction manuals supplied with your TV. When you set [TV TYPE] to [4:3], the image quality may deteriorate. Also, when the recorded
2 A/V connecting cable with S VIDEO (optional)
When connecting to another device via the S VIDEO jack, by using an A/V connecting cable with an S VIDEO cable (optional), higher quality pictures can be produced than with an A/V connecting cable. Connect the white and red plug (left/right audio) and the S VIDEO plug (S VIDEO channel) of the A/V connecting cable with an S VIDEO cable (optional). The yellow plug connection is not necessary. S VIDEO connection only will not output audio.
When your TV is connected to a VCR
Connect your camcorder to the LINE IN input on the VCR. Set the input selector on the VCR to LINE (VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2, etc.), if the VCR has an input selector.
pictures aspect ratio switches between 16:9 (wide) and 4:3, the image may jitter. When you play back a picture recorded in 16:9 (wide) aspect ratio on a 4:3 TV not compatible with the 16:9 (wide) signal, set [TV TYPE] to [4:3].
When your TV is monaural (When your TV has only one audio input jack)
Connect the yellow plug of the A/V connecting cable to the video input jack and connect the white (left channel) or the red (right channel) plug to the audio input jack of your TV or VCR.
You can display the counter on the TV screen by setting [DISP OUTPUT] to [V-OUT/PANEL] (p. 71).
Making the disc compatible with playback on other devices or DVD drives (Finalizing)
Finalizing makes the recorded disc compatible for playback with other devices and DVD drives of computers. Before finalizing, you can select the style of the DVD menu which displays the image list (p. 47).
Whether finalizing is required depends on the type of disc.

2 Turn on your camcorder, and
press (VIEW IMAGES). Set [TV TYPE] according to the display device (p. 42, 70).
3 Insert the recording media in the
recording device. If your recording device has an input selector, set it to the input mode.
Connecting your camcorder to the printer
4 Connect your camcorder to the
recording device (VCR or DVD/ HDD recorder) with the A/V connecting cable (supplied) 1 or an A/V connecting cable with S VIDEO (optional) 2. Connect your camcorder to the input jacks of the recording device.
1 Turn on your camcorder. 2 Connect the
(USB) jack of your camcorder to the printer using the USB cable (p. 113). [USB SELECT] appears on the screen automatically.
5 Start the playback on your
camcorder, and record it on the recording device. Refer to the instruction manuals supplied with your recording device for details.

3 Touch [

PRINT].
When connection is complete, (PictBridge connecting) appears on the screen.
6 When dubbing is finished, stop
the recording device, and then your camcorder.
One of the still images stored on the Memory Stick Duo will be displayed.
We can guarantee the operation of only models that are PictBridge compatible.
Printing recorded images (PictBridge compliant printer) (Continued)

Printing

Refer also to the instruction manual of the printer to be used. Do not attempt the following operations when is on the screen. The operations may not be performed properly. To operate the POWER switch. To press (VIEW IMAGES) To disconnect the USB cable from the printer. To remove the Memory Stick Duo from your camcorder If the printer stops working, disconnect the USB cable, turn the printer off and on again, and restart the operation from the beginning. You can select only the paper sizes that the printer can print. On some printer models, the top, bottom, right, and left edges of images may be trimmed. If you print a still image recorded in a 16:9 (wide) ratio, the left and right ends of the image may be trimmed widely. Some printer models may not support the date printing function. Refer to your printers instruction manual for details. You may not be able to print the following: images edited by a computer images recorded by other devices images of 3MB or more images with a pixel size larger than 28482136

PORTRAIT (

Select to bring out the subject such as people or flowers while creating a soft background.

OUTDOOR (

SPOTLIGHT** (
The white balance is adjusted to be appropriate for the following recording conditions:
Outdoors Night views, neon signs and fireworks Sunrise or sunset Under daylight fluorescent lamps
Select to prevent people's faces from appearing excessively white when subjects are lit by strong light.

INDOOR (n)

Indoors At party scenes or studios where the lighting conditions change quickly Under video lamps in a studio, or under sodium lamps or incandescent-like color lamps
SPORTS** (Sports lesson) (
Select to minimize shake when shooting fast moving subjects.

BEACH** (

ONE PUSH (
Select to take the vivid blue of the ocean or a lake.

SNOW** (

Select to take bright pictures of a white landscape.
* Your camcorder is set to focus only on distant subjects. ** Your camcorder is set not to focus on nearby subjects.
The white balance will be adjusted according to the ambient light. 1 Touch [ONE PUSH]. 2 Frame a white object such as a piece of paper, to fill the screen under the same lighting conditions as you will shoot the subject. 3 Touch [ ]. flashes quickly. When the white balance has been adjusted and stored in the memory, the indicator stops flashing.
Set [WHITE BAL. ] to [AUTO] or adjust the color in [ONE PUSH] under white or cool white fluorescent lamps. While is flashing quickly during [ONE PUSH] setting, continue to frame a white object until stops flashing. flashes slowly if [ONE PUSH] could not be set. When [ONE PUSH] was selected, if keeps flashing after touching , set [WHITE BAL. ] to [AUTO]. If you set [WHITE BAL. ], [SCENE SELECTION] is automatically set to [AUTO].
to [ON] while the NIGHTSHOT PLUS switch (p. 37) is also set to ON. appears on the screen. To return to the normal setting, set [S. NIGHTSHOT PLS] to [OFF].
Do not use [S. NIGHTSHOT PLS] in bright places. This may cause a malfunction. Do not cover the infrared port with your fingers or other objects (p. 112). Adjust the focus manually ([FOCUS], p. 75) when it is hard to focus automatically. The shutter speed of your camcorder changes depending on the brightness, which may result in a slowdown of the motion of the image.
If you change the battery pack with [AUTO] selected, or take your camcorder outdoors after inside use (or vice versa), select [AUTO] and aim your camcorder at a nearby white object for about 10 seconds for better color balance adjustment. If you change the [SCENE SELECTION] settings or move your camcorder outdoors during white balance setting with [ONE PUSH], you need to repeat the [ONE PUSH] operation.

x Editing images imported to a computer x Creating an original DVD
You can create an original DVD from image data imported from your camcorder.
x Copying a disc t Video Disc Copier
You can copy all the images on a disc taken with your camcorder.
Hard disk: Disc volume required for installation: Approximately 600 MB (5 GB or more may be necessary when creating DVD videos.) Display: DirectX 7 or later-compatible video card, Minimum dots, High Color (16 bit color) Others: USB port (this must be provided as standard, Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0 compatible) is recommended), Disc drive that can burn DVDs (CD-ROM drive required for software installation)
Installing the First Step Guide and software
You need to install the First Step Guide and software to your Windows computer before connecting your camcorder to the computer. The installation is required only for the first time. Contents to be installed and procedures may differ depending on your OS.
When playing still images recorded on a Memory Stick Duo on a computer
OS: Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Media Center Edition Standard installation is required. Operation is not assured if the above OS has been upgraded. CPU: MMX Pentium 200 MHz or faster Others: USB port (this must be provided as standard) b Note
Operations are not guaranteed on all the recommended environments. For example, other open or background applications running on currently may limit product performance.
Installing the First Step Guide
1 Confirm that your camcorder is
not connected to the computer.

2 Turn on the computer.

Log on as Administrators for installation. Close all applications running on the computer before installing the software.
3 Place the supplied CD-ROM in the
disc drive of your computer. The installation screen appears.
If your computer has a Memory Stick slot, insert the Memory Stick Duo on which still images are recorded into the Memory Stick Duo Adaptor (optional), then insert it into the Memory Stick slot on your computer to copy still images to the computer. When using a Memory Stick PRO Duo and your computer is not compatible with it, connect your camcorder with the USB cable instead of using the Memory Stick slot on the computer.
If the screen does not appear
1 Click [Start], then click [My Computer]. (For Windows 2000, double-click [My Computer].) 2 Double-click [SONYPICTUTIL (E:)] (CD-ROM) (disc drive).*

You can also start this program by selecting [Start] t [Programs] ([All Programs] for Windows XP) t [Sony Picture Utility] t [First Step Guide] t folder with model name of your camcorder t HTML version of First Step Guide. To view First Step Guide in HTML without installing, copy the desired language folder from the [FirstStepGuide] folder on the CD-ROM, and then double-click [Index.html]. Refer to the PDF version of First Step Guide in the following cases: When printing the desired topics of First Step Guide When First Step Guide is not displayed correctly due to the browser setting even in recommended environment. When the HTML version of First Step Guide cannot be installed.
8 Remove the CD-ROM from the
disc drive of your computer.
Refer to the "First Step Guide" for how to remove the USB cable.
After you install the software, a shortcut icon for the customers registration website is created on the desktop. Once you register on the website, you can get secure and useful customer support. http://www.sony.net/registration/di/ For the information about Picture Motion Browser, visit the following URL: http://www.sony.net/support-disoft/
Using a Macintosh computer
You can copy the still images from the Memory Stick Duo to the Macintosh. Install First Step Guide in the supplied CD-ROM.
The supplied software Picture Motion Browser does not operate on Mac OS. Refer to First Step Guide for the details on connecting your camcorder to the computer and copying the still images.
To copy still images from a Memory Stick Duo
OS: Mac OS 9.1/9.2 or Mac OS X (v10.1/ v10.2/v10.3/v10.4). Others: USB port (this must be provided as standard)
The First Step Guide is an instruction manual you can refer to on your computer. This describes basic operations, from initial hookup of your camcorder and computer and making setting. Referring to Installing the First Step Guide, start the First Step Guide, then follow the instructions.
Installing First Step Guide
Copy FirstStepGuide(PDF), stored in the desired language in the [FirstStepGuide] folder, to your computer.
Double-click FirstStepGuide(PDF). If no software for viewing PDF files is installed on your computer, you can download Adobe Reader from the following website: http://www.adobe.com/

Scenes cannot be added in the Playlist.
The disc is full, or the added scenes exceed 999. Delete unnecessary scenes (p. 52). You cannot add still images in the Playlist.
is indicated on an image in the DVD menu.
Loading of the data may have failed when the disc was finalized. For the following discs, make the disc capable of additional recording (p. 60), then remake the DVD menu by finalizing the disc again (p. 47). The DVD menu may be displayed correctly. DVD-RW (VIDEO mode) DVD+RW
A movie cannot be divided.
A movie that is too short cannot be divided. A movie protected on another device cannot be divided.
A scene cannot be deleted. Playback freezes for an instant between the scenes.
The image may freeze for an instant between scenes depending on the device being used. This is not a malfunction. In case of a DVD+R DL, the image may freeze for an instant when the recording layer changes. This is not a malfunction. Your disc may not be configured for deleting data (p. 15). You cannot delete movie during the Easy Handycam operation. A scene protected on another device cannot be deleted.
Unable to copy the images from a disc to a Memory Stick Duo.
You cannot copy a movie from a disc to a Memory Stick Duo as a still image during playback on your camcorder.
You cannot dub correctly.
The A/V connecting cable is not connected properly. Make sure that the A/V connecting cable is connected to the proper jack, i.e. to the input jack of another device for dubbing a image from your camcorder (p. 54).

Unable to finalize.

Battery is running out during finalizing. Use the AC Adaptor. The disc has already been finalized. In the case of following discs, follow the required procedure to record additional material (p. 60): DVD-RW (VIDEO mode) DVD+RW

Connecting to a computer

When using the movies on a disc, a computer does not recognize your camcorder.
Install Picture Motion Browser (p. 82). Disconnect the USB device other than the keyboard, the mouse, and the camcorder from the computer. Disconnect the cable from the computer and camcorder, restart the computer, then connect them again correctly.

Unable to [UNFINALIZE].

[UNFINALIZE] is not available for the following types of disc: DVD-RW (VR mode) DVD+RW DVD-R DVD+R DL
Cannot use the supplied software, Picture Motion Browser, on the Macintosh computer.
You cannot use Picture Motion Browser on a Macintosh.
You cannot edit or record additional material on a disc using other devices.
You may not be able to edit a disc recorded on your camcorder using other devices.
Functions that cannot be used simultaneously
The following list shows examples of unworkable combinations of functions and menu items.
Cannot use Because of following settings
Dubbing/Editing/Connecting to other devices
You cannot hear the sound.

Your camcorder operates only with an InfoLITHIUM battery pack (H series). InfoLITHIUM H series battery packs have the mark.
What is an InfoLITHIUM battery pack?
An InfoLITHIUM battery pack is a lithium-ion battery pack that has functions for communicating information related to operating conditions between your camcorder and an optional AC Adaptor/ charger. The InfoLITHIUM battery pack calculates the power consumption according to the operating conditions of your camcorder, and displays the remaining battery time in minutes. With an AC Adaptor/charger, the remaining battery time and charging time appear.
About the remaining battery time indicator
When the power goes off even though the remaining battery time indicator indicates that the battery pack has enough power to operate, charge the battery pack fully again. Remaining battery time will be indicated correctly. Note, however, that the battery indication will not be restored if it is used in high temperatures for a long time, or if left in a fully charged state, or when the battery pack is frequently used. Use the remaining battery time indication as a rough guide only. The E mark that indicates low battery flashes even if there are still 5 to 10 minutes of battery time remaining, depending on the operating conditions or ambient temperature.
To charge the battery pack
Be sure to charge the battery pack before you start using your camcorder. We recommend charging the battery pack in an ambient temperature of between 10 C to 30 C (50 F to 86 F) until the CHG (charge) lamp turns off. If you charge the battery pack outside of this temperature range, you may not be able to charge it efficiently. After charging is complete, disconnect the cable from the DC IN jack on your camcorder or remove the battery pack.
About storage of the battery pack
If the battery pack is not used for a long time, fully charge the battery pack and use it up on your camcorder once a year to maintain proper function. To store the battery pack, remove it from your camcorder and put it in a dry, cool place. To discharge the battery pack on your camcorder completely, touch (SETTINGS) t [GENERAL SET] t [A.SHUT OFF] t [NEVER] on the HOME MENU and leave your camcorder in recording standby until the power goes off (p. 72).

About battery life

Battery capacity decreases over time and through repeated use. If decreased usage time between charges becomes significant, it is probably time to replace it with a new one. Each batterys life is governed by storage, operating and environmental conditions.

Upper left

Indicator

Meaning

PictBridge connecting (55) EZ Warning (94)

Upper right

Bottom

Indicator Meaning

Picture effect (79) Digital effect (79) 9 Manual focus (75) SCENE SELECTION (76)

Center

n 5.1ch surround recording/ playback (36) Self-timer recording (79) MICREF LEVEL low (79) Flash (67, 79) [WIDE SELECT] (64) WIDE SELECT (37)
Backlight (37) White balance (77) SteadyShot off (65) EXPOSURE (76)/ SPOT METER (76) Tele macro (75)
Data code during recording
The date, time, and camera setting data of the recorded images are recorded automatically on the disc and Memory Stick Duo. They are not displayed while recording. However, you can check them as [DATA CODE] during playback (p. 67). You can view the recording date and time on another device, etc. ([SUB-T DATE], p. 65).
Fader (78) LCD backlight off (27)
NightShot plus (37) Super NightShot plus (78) Color Slow Shutter (78) Slide show set (41)

Glossary

x 5.1ch surround sound
A system that plays back sound on 6 speakers, 3 at the front (left, right and center) and 2 at the rear (right and left) with an additional low-pass subwoofer counted as a 0.1 channel for frequencies of 120 Hz or lower.

x VR mode

One of the recording formats you can select when using a DVD-RW. VR mode enables editing (deleting or sequence rearrangement) with your camcorder Finalizing the disc lets you play it back on a VR mode compatible DVD device.

x DVD menu

A menu screen that enables you to select a particular scene from a disc being played back on another device.

x VISUAL INDEX

This function displays images of movies and still images you have recorded so that you can select those scenes you want to play back.

x Dolby Digital

An audio encoding (compression) system developed by Dolby Laboratories Inc.