Declaration of Conformity Trade Name: SONY Model No.: DSLR-A380 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.

CAUTION

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

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. 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).
Disposal of Old Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Applicable in the European Union and other European countries with separate collection systems)

Attention

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

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.
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)
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 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.

This symbol on the battery or on the packaging indicates that the battery provided with this product shall not be treated as household waste. 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 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.
Notes on using your camera

Shooting procedure

This camera has two modes for shooting: the Live View mode using the LCD monitor, and the viewfinder mode using the viewfinder (OVF). There may be differences between an image recorded in Live View mode and an image recorded in viewfinder mode, such as exposure, white balance, or Drange optimizer, depending on the method used of metering or the exposure mode. In Live View mode, the recorded image may be different from the image you monitored with the LCD monitor. The difference becomes larger in the following or other cases: When firing the flash. When shooting a low-intensity subject, such as night scenery. When the difference of the intensity of a subject is too large. When attaching a Circular PL Filter. effect by using the Pixel mapping function (page 158).
Black, white, red, blue and green points
No compensation for contents of the recording

Setting up the date

When you turn the camera on for the first time, the date/time setup screen appears. Preparing the camera
1 Set the power switch to ON to turn

the camera on.

To turn the camera off, set it to OFF.
2 Verify that [OK] is selected on the
LCD monitor, then press the center of the control button.
3 Select each item with b/B and
set the numeric value with v/V.
When changing the sequence of [YYYY/MM/DD], first select [YYYY/ MM/DD] with b/B, then change it with v/V.
4 Repeat step 3 to set other items, then press the center of the

control button.

5 Verify that [OK] is selected, then press the center of the control

button.

To cancel the date/time setting operation Press the MENU button. To set up the date/time again

MENU button t

2 t [Date/Time setup]
Using the accessories supplied
This section describes how to use the shoulder strap, the eyepiece cover, and eyecup. The other accessories are described in the following pages. Rechargeable battery pack (page 14) Battery charger (page 14) Power cord (mains lead) (not supplied in the U.S.A. and Canada) (page 14) USB cable (pages 132, 148) CD-ROM (page 140)
Attaching the shoulder strap
Attach both ends of the strap onto the camera.
You can also attach the eyepiece cover (page 28) on the strap.

Eyepiece cover

Using the eyepiece cover and eyecup
You can prevent light from entering through the viewfinder and affecting the exposure. When the shutter is released without the use of the viewfinder in viewfinder mode, as in shooting with the self-timer, attach the eyepiece cover.
1 Tilt the LCD monitor downward.
2 Carefully slide the eyecup off by
pushing on each side of the eyecup.
Put your fingers under the eyecup, and slide it upward.
3 Slide the eyepiece cover over the

viewfinder.

Note The eyepiece sensors located below the viewfinder may be activated depending on the situation, and the focus may be adjusted or the LCD monitor may continue to flash. In such cases, turn off both [Eye-Start AF] (page 68) and [Auto off w/ VF] (page 127).

M Control button

When the menu is turned on: v/ V/b/B (40) When the menu is turned off: DISP (39, 70, 104)/ (99)/ ISO (92)/ (84)
(Delete) button (112) (Playback) button (104)
(Smart teleconverter) button (82) (Exposure) (Zoom in) button (88) For viewing: button (105)

J For shooting:

K Fn (Function) button (42) L Control button (Enter) (40)/

Spot AF button (80)

Sides/Bottom
A HDMI terminal (114) B Memory card switch C Memory card cover D Memory Stick PRO Duo

K Tripod receptacle

media insertion slot (22)
E SD memory card insertion slot
Use a tripod with a screw length of less than 5.5 mm (7/32 inch). You will be unable to firmly secure the camera to tripods having screws longer than 5.5 mm (7/32 inch), and may damage the camera.
(USB) terminal (132, 148)
G Access lamp (23) H Hooks for shoulder strap (27) I DC IN terminal
When connecting the ACPW10AM AC Adaptor (sold separately) to the camera, turn the camera off, then plug the connector of the AC Adaptor to the DC IN terminal on the camera.

J Battery cover (17)

LCD monitor
The indicators on the monitor are displayed as follows in Live View mode. For the indicators in viewfinder mode, see page 71.
A Display 1.4 Indication Remaining battery (18) Smart teleconverter (82) Image quality (119)
B Display Indication Drive mode (99)
Histogram (89) Image size (118)/Aspect ratio (118) Memory card (22) 100 Remaining number of recordable images (29) PASM Focus mode (79) AF area (80) Metering (91) Mode dial (48 67)
White balance (Auto, Preset, Custom, Color 7500K temperature, Color filter) G9 (93) D-Range Optimizer (96) Creative Style (96) +2.0 ISO 400
Flash mode (84) Red-eye reduction (86) Flash compensation (90) ISO sensitivity (92)
C Display z 1/125 F3.5 Indication Focus (77) Shutter speed (62) Aperture (60) EV scale (65, 102) Camera shake warning (46)

SteadyShot scale (46)

Shooting with the viewfinder (OVF)
You can select either the LCD monitor (Live View) or the viewfinder (OVF) to shoot images.
Switching to the viewfinder
Set the LIVE VIEW/OVF switch to OVF.
The screen status changes as follows:

Viewfinder display

LCD monitor display
When you look into the viewfinder, the subject inside the focus area comes into focus automatically (Eye-Start AF). To deactivate the Eye-Start AF function
1 t [Eye-Start AF] t [Off]
When attaching the FDA-M1AM Magnifier (sold separately) or the FDAA1AM Angle Finder (sold separately) to the camera, setting [Eye-Start AF] to [Off] is recommended because the eyepiece sensors located below the viewfinder may be activated.
Adjusting the focus of the finder (diopter adjustment)
Adjust the diopter-adjustment dial to your eyesight until the indicators appear clearly in the viewfinder.
Turn the dial toward + when you are farsighted, toward when you are near-sighted. Training the camera on a light allows you to adjust the diopter easily.
When it is hard to rotate the diopter-adjustment dial Put your fingers under the eyecup, and slide it upward to remove the eyecup, then adjust the diopter.
When attaching the FDA-M1AM Magnifier (sold separately) or the FDA-A1AM Angle Finder (sold separately) to the camera, remove the eyecup as illustrated and attach them.
Switching the recording information display (DISP)
Press DISP on the control button to switch between the Graphic Display and the Standard Display. When you rotate the camera to a vertical position, the display automatically rotates to adjust to the camera position.
Graphic Display (Default setting)

Standard Display

No display
LCD monitor (Graphic Display)
The Graphic Display graphically shows the shutter speed and aperture value and clearly illustrates how the exposure works. In AUTO or Scene Selection mode, only the items that can be set are displayed. See the pages in parentheses for details of operation.

A Display Indication

C Display Indication Flash mode (84)/Red-eye reduction (86) Drive mode (99) +2.0 ISO AUTO Indication Shutter speed indicator* (62) Aperture indicator* (60) Exposure compensation (88) ISO sensitivity (92)

Notes Do not hold the camera by grabbing the flash emitter. Shooting conditions required to prevent shadows from appearing on an image vary, depending on the lens. When the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection, the (Slow sync.), (Rear sync.), and (Wireless) items cannot be selected.
The flash range The range of the built-in flash depends on the ISO sensitivity and aperture value. Refer to the following table.
Aperture ISO setting F2.8 F4.0 F5.3.6 m (3.feet) 1 1.8 m (3.3 5.9 feet) 1 2.5 m (3.3 8.2 feet) 1 3.6 m (3.feet) AUTO 1.4 7.1 m (4.m (3.feet) feet) 1 3.6 m (3.feet) 1 5.1 m (3.feet) 1 2.5 m (3.3 8.2 feet) 1 3.5 m (3.feet)
1.4 7.1 m (4.m (3.feet) feet) m (6.feet)
1.4 7.1 m (4.1 5.1 m (3.feet) feet) 1.4 7.1 m (4.feet)
2.m (9.m (6.feet) feet) m (feet)

2.m (9.m (6.feet) feet)

The AF illuminator AF illuminator does not operate when [Autofocus mode] is set to (Continuous AF) or the subject is moving in (Automatic AF). (The or indicator lights.) The AF illuminator may not operate with focal lengths of 300 mm or longer. When an external flash is attached, the AF illuminator of the external flash is used. To deactivate the AF illuminator
1 t [AF illuminator] t [Off]
To use the red-eye reduction The red-eye reduction reduces the red-eye phenomenon by providing preflash (low-flash light) a few times before shooting when using the flash.
1 t [Red eye reduc.] t [On]
Performing wireless flash shooting
With an external wireless flash (sold separately), you can shoot with the flash without a cord when the external flash is not attached to the camera. By changing the position of the flash, you can shoot an image with a three dimensional feel by highlighting the contrast of light and shadow on the subject. For the actual steps of shooting, refer to the operating instructions of the flash.
1 Attach the wireless flash to the accessory shoe and turn both
the camera and the flash on.
on the control button t (Wireless)
3 Remove the wireless flash from the accessory shoe.
Notes The camera cannot perform a pre-flash test of the wireless flash. Confirm that the flash fires properly by releasing the shutter. The camera cannot carry out the wireless lighting ratio control. Turn off the wireless flash mode after wireless flash shooting. If the built-in flash is used while the wireless flash mode is still active, inaccurate flash exposures will result. Change the channel of the external flash when another photographer is using a wireless flash nearby and his/her built-in flash light causes your external flash to fire. To change the channel of the external flash, refer to the operating instructions supplied with it.

Adjusting the brightness of the image (Exposure, Flash compensation, Metering)
Using brightness compensation for the entire image (Exposure compensation)
Except for recording mode M, the exposure is automatically selected (Automatic exposure). Based on the exposure acquired by the automatic exposure, you can perform exposure compensation by shifting the exposure to either the + side or the side, depending on your preference. You can make the entire image brighter by shifting to the + side. The entire image becomes darker when you shift it to the side.
Adjust in the direction Base exposure Adjust in the + direction

1 Press the

The exposure compensation screen is displayed in the viewfinder mode.
2 Adjust the exposure with the
Toward + (over): Brightens an image. Toward (under): Darkens an image.

Standard exposure

Adjust the compensation level by checking the recorded image. Using bracket shooting, you can shoot multiple images with the exposure shifted to the plus or minus sides (page 101).
Note This item cannot be set when the exposure mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection.
To shoot while checking the screen using the histogram The histogram displays the luminance distribution that shows how many pixels of a particular brightness exist in the picture. To display the histogram, press DISP on the control button (pages 39 and 104). The exposure compensation will change the histogram accordingly. The right illustration is an example. Shooting with the exposure compensation on the positive side brightens the whole picture, making the entire histogram shift to the bright side (right side). If the exposure compensation is applied on the negative side, the histogram will shift to the other side. Both ends of the histogram show a highkey or low-key portion. It is impossible to restore these area with a computer later. Adjust the exposure if necessary and shoot again.
Number of pixels Dark Light
Notes The histogram displayed in Live View mode does not indicate the final recorded image. It indicates the condition of the image just monitored on the LCD monitor. The histogram will differ based on aperture setting, etc. The histogram differs between shooting and playback in the following situations: When firing the flash. When the subject has low intensity, such as night scenery.

To cancel the self-timer Press on the control button.
Note When you shoot images using the viewfinder, use the eyepiece cover (page 28).
Shooting images with the exposure shifted (Exposure bracket)

Base exposure

direction

+ direction

Bracket shooting allows you to shoot several images, each with different degrees of exposure. This camera is equipped with an auto bracket function. Specify the value of deviation (steps) from the base exposure, and the camera shoots while automatically shifting the exposure. You can choose an image that has the brightness you like after shooting is finished. When the flash is fired, flash bracket shooting is used to shift the amount of flash light. To shoot, press the shutter button shot by shot.
on the control button t (Bracket: Cont.) t Select the desired bracket step
The base exposure is set at the first shot in the bracket.

* (Bracket: Cont.)

Shoots three images with the exposure shifted by a selected step. Press and hold the shutter button until the recording stops. When the flash is fired, press the shutter button shot by shot. is the step currently selected.

* _ EV displayed with

Notes When the mode dial is set to M, the exposure is shifted by adjusting the shutter speed. When you adjust the exposure, the exposure is shifted based on the compensated value. The bracket cannot be used when the recording mode is set to AUTO or Scene Selection.
The EV scale in bracket shooting
Ambient light* bracket 0.3 steps, three shots Exposure compensation 0 LCD monitor (Live View mode) LCD monitor (Viewfinder mode/ Standard Display) Flash bracket 0.7 steps, three shots Flash compensation 1.0

Shown in the top row.

Shown in the bottom row.
* Ambient light: Any light other than the flash light that shines on the scene for an extended period of time, such as natural light, a light bulb, or a fluorescent light. In bracket shooting, the same number of indices as the number of recordable images is displayed on the EV scale. However, in flash bracket shooting, the indices are not displayed in the viewfinder. When the bracket shooting starts, the indices that indicate already recorded images start to disappear one by one.
In viewfinder mode, if the shutter button is pressed halfway down and released, br 1 appears. Fbr 1 appears for the flash bracket. When flash bracket shooting starts, it indicates what number the next frame is, for instance, Fbr 2, Fbr 3.

Viewing images on a TV screen
To view images recorded on the camera on a TV set, an HDMI cable (sold separately) and an HD TV equipped with an HDMI connector are required.
1 Turn off both your camera and the
TV, and connect the camera to the TV.

1 To the HDMI connector

HDMI cable (sold separately)

2 To the HDMI terminal

2 Turn on the TV and switch the input.
See also the operating instructions supplied with the TV.

3 Turn on the camera.

Images shot with the camera appear on the TV screen. Select the desired image with b/B on the control button. The LCD monitor on the camera does not turned on.

Control button

Notes Use an HDMI cable with the HDMI logo. Use an HDMI mini connector on one end (for the camera), and a connector suitable for connection to your TV on the other end.
By connecting your camera to Sonys VIDEO-A compatible TV using an HDMI cable, the TV automatically selects the appropriate image quality for viewing still pictures. Please refer to the operating instructions of Sonys VIDEO-A compatible TV for more details. Some devices may not work properly. Do not connect the output connector of the device with the HDMI terminal on the camera. This may cause a malfunction.
On PhotoTV HD This camera is compatible with the PhotoTV HD standard. By connecting Sonys PhotoTV HD-compatible devices using an HDMI cable, a whole new world of photos can be enjoyed in breathtaking Full HD quality. PhotoTV HD allows for a highly-detailed, photo-like expression of subtle textures and colors. To use your camera abroad The camera automatically detects the color system to match that of the connected video device. On TV color systems If you want to view images on a TV screen, you need a TV with a video input jack and the video cable. The color system of the TV must match that of your digital still camera. Check the following lists for the TV color system of the country or region where the camera is used.
NTSC system Bahama Islands, Bolivia, Canada, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Surinam, Taiwan, the Philippines, the U.S.A., Venezuela, etc. PAL system Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, etc. PAL-M system Brazil
PAL-N system Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay SECAM system Bulgaria, France, Guiana, Iran, Iraq, Monaco, Russia, Ukraine, etc.

Using BRAVIA Sync

By connecting the camera to a TV that supports BRAVIA Sync using an HDMI cable, you can operate the camera with the TV Remote Control.
1 Connect a TV that supports BRAVIA Sync to the camera

(page 114).

The input is automatically switched and the image shot with the camera appears on the TV screen.

2 Press the LINK MENU button on the TV Remote Control. 3 Operate with the control button on the TV Remote Control.

The items for Link Menu

Delete Image Index Slide show Protect Specify Printing Selects the method for deleting images from single or all images (page 112). Switches to the image index screen. Plays back images automatically (page 107). Protects all the images/cancels the protections of all the images (page 111). Specifies/unspecifies DPOF on all the images (page 145). Specifies the number of images to be printed. Dates images or not. Returns to the single-image screen.

Single-image playback

Notes The operations available are restricted when the camera is connected to a TV using an HDMI cable. Only TVs that support BRAVIA Sync can provide these operations. For details, refer to the operating instructions supplied with the TV.
If the camera performs unnecessary operations in response to the TV Remote Control when the camera is connected to another manufacturers TV using an HDMI connection, set [CTRL FOR HDMI] in the Setup menu to [Off].
Setting image size and image quality

Image size

[Aspect ratio]: [3:2] DSLR-A380
L:14M M:7.7M S:3.5M pixels pixels pixels
1 t [Image size] t Select the desired size
L:10M M:5.6M S:2.5M pixels pixels pixels
[Aspect ratio]: [16:9] DSLR-A380
L:12M M:6.5M S:2.9M pixels pixels pixels
L:8.4M M:4.7M S:2.1M pixels pixels pixels
Note When you select a RAW image with [Quality], the image size of the RAW image corresponds to L. This size is not displayed on the LCD monitor.

Aspect ratio

MENU button t ratio 1 t [Aspect ratio] t Select the desired

3:2 16:9

A normal ratio. An HDTV ratio.

Quality

1 t [Quality] t Select the desired setting
File format: RAW (raw data) This format does not perform any digital processing on the images. Select this format to process images on a computer for professional purposes. The image size is fixed to the maximum size. The image size is not displayed on the LCD monitor. File format: RAW (raw data) + JPEG A RAW image and a JPEG image are created at the same time. This is suitable when you need two image files, a JPEG for viewing, and a RAW for editing. The image quality is fixed to [Fine] and the image size is fixed to [L]. File format: JPEG The image is compressed in the JPEG format when recorded. Since the compression rate of (Standard) is higher than that of (Fine), the file size of is smaller than that of. This will allow more files to be recorded on one memory card, but the image quality will be lower.

To start Help from the Start menu, click [Start] t [All Programs] t [Sony Image Data Suite] t [Help] t [Image Data Lightbox SR]. To start up/exit Image Data Lightbox SR x Windows Double-click [Image Data Lightbox SR] on the desktop. When starting up from the Start menu, click [Start] t [All Programs] t [Sony Image Data Suite] t [Image Data Lightbox SR]. To exit, click the button on the upper-right corner of the screen. The dialogue used for saving a collection appears. x Macintosh Double-click [Image Data Lightbox SR] in the [Sony Image Data Suite] folder from the [Applications] folder. To exit, click a quit item from the [Image Data Lightbox SR] menu.

Using PMB

With PMB you can: Import images shot with the camera and display them on the computer. Organize images on the computer on a calendar by shooting date to view them. Retouch (Red Eye Correction, etc.), print, and send still images as e-mail attachments, change the shooting date and more. Print or save still images with the date. Create a data disc using a CD burner drive or DVD burner drive. For details on PMB, refer to PMB Guide. To start PMB Guide, double-click the shortcut of (PMB Guide) on the desktop. When starting up from the start menu, click [Start] t [All Programs] t [Sony Picture Utility] t [Help] t [PMB Guide].
To start up/exit PMB Double-click the (PMB) icon on the desktop. Or, from the Start menu: Click [Start] t [All Programs] t [Sony Picture Utility] t [PMB]. To exit the PMB, click button on the upper-right corner of the screen.
Note The confirmation message of the Information tool appears on the screen when starting PMB for the first time. Select [Start]. This function informs you of news, such as software updates. You can change the setting later.

Printing images

Specifying DPOF
Using the camera, you can specify the images and the number of images to print before you print images at a shop or with your printer. Follow the procedure below. DPOF specifications are left with images after printing. It is recommended that you unspecify them after printing.
Specifying /unspecifying DPOF on selected images
DPOF specifications can be operated either using the Fn button or the MENU button. Here operation using the Fn button is described.
1 Fn button t [Specify Printing] t [DPOF setup] t [Marked

images] t [OK]

2 Select the image with b/B on the control button. 3 Select the number of sheets with the center of the control

The five bars of the SteadyShot scale flashes.
The SteadyShot function does not work. You can continue to shoot but the SteadyShot function will not work. Turn the camera off and on. If the SteadyShot scale continues to flash, consult your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony service facility.
--E- is indicated on the screen.
Remove the memory card, and insert it again. If this procedure does not turn off the indication, format the memory card.

Warning messages

If the following messages appear, follow the instructions below. Incompatible battery. Use correct model.
An incompatible battery pack is being used (page 18).
If the message still appears, change the memory card.

Card error

An incompatible memory card is inserted or the format has failed.
Reinsert Memory Stick. Reinsert SD memory card.
The inserted memory card cannot be used in your camera. The memory card is damaged. The terminal section of the memory card is dirty.

Set date and time?

Set the date and time. If you have not used the camera for a long time, charge the internal rechargeable battery (pages 25, 167).
This Memory Stick is not supported.
Use Memory Stick media available on this camera (page 23).

Power insufficient

You tried to perform [Cleaning mode] when the battery level is insufficient. Charge the battery pack or use the AC Adaptor (sold separately).
No Memory Stick inserted. Shutter is locked. No SD memory card inserted. Shutter is locked.
No memory card of the type selected using the memory card switch is inserted. Insert a memory card, or change the type of the memory card using the memory card switch.
Unable to use Memory Stick. Format? Unable to use SD memory card. Format?
The memory card was formatted on a computer and the file format was modified. Select [OK], then format the memory card. You can use the memory card again, however, all previous data in the memory card is erased. It may take a some time to complete the format.