Model 163 Moviecorder 8 Camcorder (160-0864) Video Recording Features Faxback Doc. # 19180 AUTO FOCUSING The automatic focusing feature lets you concentrate on recording great videos without having to worry about whether or not they are properly focused The camcorder detects the distance from the camcorder to the object you see in the center of the viewfinder, then sets the focus for that distance. When you move the camcorder, it contiguously adjusts the focus to maintain the sharpest picture. Try to keep your desired subject in the middle of the viewfinder. NOTES: If the lens gets dirty, clean it with a soft tissue and lenS- cleaning fluid. If the lens gets damp, dry it with a soft cloth or wait until the moisture evaporates. The camcorder might not be able to focus on a subject when: - You are taping in extremely low light. - You are taping in snow or fog. - Close and distant objects are both near the center of the viewfinder. - You are taping a long object (such as a fence rail) from its end. - The scene includes several objects equal distances apart. - Light reflects off the subject. - The focus point moves rapidly. - You are taping through a window. ZOOM Power Zoom The power-zoom feature lets you change from wide-angle to telephoto shots at the touch of a button. During recording, press W or T with the fingers of your right hand. Press W (wide-angle) to zoom out and T (telephoto) to zoom in. As you zoom out or in, a bar with an indicator appears on the left side of the viewfinder. The indicator moves up and down the bar, showing the relative zoom position. Digital Zoom The digital zoom feature automatically doubles the magnification of telephoto shots while you use power zoom. To use digital zoom, simply continue to press and hold down T while you are zooming. As you press and hold down T, the magnification doubles and ZOOM appears above the indicator on the left side of the viewfinder. NOTES: The subject you are magnifying while using digital zoom might appear coarse. This is normal. Since digital zoom exaggerates even the slightest movement of the camcorder or subject, we recommend that you set the camcorder on a tripod while using digital zoom. Instant Zoom The instant zoom feature automatically increases the magnification of a shot 1 1/2 times while you use power zoom and/or digital zoom. To use instant zoom, press INST. ZOOM on the power zoom control. I. ZOOM appears above the indicator on the left side of the viewfinder if the zoom indicator is displayed. Press INST. ZOOM again to stop instant zoom and return to the previous zoom setting. NOTES: If the camcorder was in digital zoom, I. ZOOM replaces ZOOM on the viewfinder until you press INST.ZOOM again. Since instant zoom exaggerates even the slightest movement of the camcorder or subject, we recommend that you set the camcorder on a tripod while using instant zoom. MACRO FOCUSING The camcorder's macro focusing feature lets you shoot close up pictures (as little as 3/8 inch away) of objects such as flowers, printed material, or photos in your family album. To use macro focus, press and hold down W until you see the widest possible angle in the viewfinder, then aim the camcorder at the object you are shooting. In most cases, the camcorder automatically focuses on the subject. NOTES: If the camcorder does not automatically focus on a subject while you use macro focusing, you can set the focus manually (see "Setting the Focus Manually" (BELOW). Since macro focus exaggerates even the slightest movement of the camcorder or subject, we recommend that you set the camcorder on a tripod while using macro focus. For the best possible resolution while using macro focus, be sure to shoot in a well-lighted area. SETTING THE FOCUS MANUALLY 1. Press both FOCUS button (F (far) and N (near)) together. FOCUS appears in the viewfinder. 2. Press and hold down T until the camcorder zooms in on the subject. NOTE: If you do not zoom in on the subject by pressing T, the camcorder might lose focus on the subject when you record. 3. Repeatedly press (or press and hold down) F or N until you get the sharpest picture. To return to automatic focus, press both FOCUS buttons at the same time. FOCUS disappears from the viewfinder. REVIEW This feature lets you quickly review the last few seconds of a recording. 1. During recording, press the record/pause button to stop the tape. II appears in the viewfinder. 2. Press REW <<. The tape rewinds and plays the last few seconds of the tape, then stops the tape where the recording ends. 3. Press the record/pause button to resume recording from that point. CAMERA SEARCH The camera search feature lets you review recorded portions of a tape and resume recording at the desired point on the tape. This lets you smoothly connect recorded scenes. 1. During recording, press the record/pause button to stop the tape. II appears in the viewfinder. 2. Press and hold down >> F.F to search forward, or REW << to search backward. When you see the exact place on the tape where you want to start recording, release >> F.F or REW << to stop the tape. 3. Press the record/pause button to start recording from that point. AUTO EXPOSURE Depending on the brightness of the subject, the camcorder automatically sets its shutter speed to one of the following: 1/60 1/250 1/1000 1/100 1/350 1/1500 1/120 1/500 1/2000 1/180 1/750 1/4000 The iris in the camcorder's lens also adjusts automatically in response to the shutter speed. The camcorder displays AE and the current shutter speed (shown as 60, 100, etc.) in the upper left corner of the viewfinder. RECORDING THE DATE AND TIME ON A TAPE You can select a date/time recording option by repeatedly pressing DISPLAY DATE/TITLE. Each time you press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE, you see one of the following options: Clock symbol and the date - the camcorder automatically records the date on the first 10 seconds of the first recording of the day. Clock symbol/TITLE and the date - the camcorder automatically records a title you created (see "Title" (BELOW) and the date on the first 10 seconds of the first recording of the day. Date only - the camcorder continuously records the date. No date/time display - the camcorder does not record the date or time. Time and date - the camcorder continuously records the date and time. NOTES: The camcorder records the same date when: - You replace the cassette. - You select another date/time option, then select the auto date option. - The previous recording was less than 10 seconds long. If the date changes while recording continues for more than 10 seconds, the new date is recorded at the beginning of the next recording. Date Search If you made a recording using the auto date function, you can easily locate the start or end of the latest recording while the tape is playing. 1. Slide VCR/OFF/CAMERA to VCR. 2. Press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE. SEARCH appears in the viewfinder. 3. Press REW << to locate the start of the last recording or >> F.F to locate the end. When the tape reaches the start or the end, the camcorder stops and SEARCH disappears from the viewfinder. NOTES: Date search does not work with a tape recorded on another camcorder. If the length of the recording is less than 30 seconds, date search might not work. DIGITAL COUNTER The camcorder displays a digital tape counter in the upper right corner of the viewfinder during recording or playback. This counter displays the elapsed time (the length of time that the tape has been running) in hours, minutes, and seconds. NOTES: The camcorder does not record the digital counter onto the tape. The digital counter resets to 0:00:00 when you insert a tape. Rewinding a Tape to its Insertion Point You can set the digital counter's memory so you can rewind the tape to the point where you inserted it into the camcorder. 1. Load a cassette into the camcorder, then slide VCR/OFF/CAMERA to VCR. The counter appears in the viewfinder. 2. Press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE. M appears next to the counter in the viewfinder. 3. Begin playback of the tape. When you want to rewind the tape to the point where it was when you inserted it into the camcorder, press STOP, then press REW <<. The tape rewinds, then stops when the counter reaches 0:00:00. To rewind past the location on the tape where you press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE, press REW. << again. Rewinding a Tape to a Point You Select You can reset the digital counter to 0:00:00 during playback or recording, and then have the camcorder return to that location at a later time. NOTE: You need a remote control (CMC No. T16-RME55A (Radio Shack Unlimited No. 11449246), not supplied) to do this procedure. 1. Load a cassette into the camcorder, then slide VCR/OFF/CAMERA to CAMERA or VCR. The counter appears in the Viewfinder. 2. Press DISPLAY on the remote control. M appears next to the counter in the viewfinder. 3. Begin recording or playback of the tape. When you see a scene you might want to return to, press COUNTER RESET on the remote control. The counter resets to 0:00:00. 4. When you want to return to the location on the tape where you pressed COUNTER RESET, press the record/pause button or STOP, then press REW <<. The tape rewinds, then stops when the counter reaches 0:00:00. TAPE REMAINING During recording and playback, the camcorder displays a bar below the tape counter in the viewfinder showing the amount of tape left on the loaded cassette. The camcorder displays tape remaining information in ranges from (empty indicator)(the tape is at or near the beginning), to (half-full indicator)(the tape is in or near the middle), to (full indicator)(the tape is at or near the end). NOTES: When you first load, record, or play back a cassette, the camcorder displays (a series of dots)for about 10 seconds. Then the bar changes to show the remaining amount of tape. When there is less than 3 minutes of tape left, TAPE END also flashes in the viewfinder. The tape remaining bar disappears when you eject the cassette. TITLER You can easily create and record a personalized title on your recordings using the camcorder's titler. The camcorder stores one title "page" in its memory. Once you store a title, you can display and record it onto a tape at any time. The title page can contain up to two lines of 16 characters each. The titler contains 47 different characters you can use to create titles. Creating a Title Follow these steps to create a title and save it in the camcorder's memory. 1. Slide VCR/OFF/CAMERA to CAMERA. 2. Repeatedly press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE until a flashing cursor and TITLE appear in the viewfinder. 3. Repeatedly press STOP to move the flashing cursor to the place where you want to begin your title. 4. Select the first character of your title by repeatedly pressing REW << or >> F.F to move backward or forward through the characters until the viewfinder shows the correct character. The characters appear in this order as you press >> F.F (or in reverse order as you press REW <<). A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ? ' . / , - ; : < > ! (space) NOTE: To quickly move backward or forward through the characters, press and hold down REW << or >> F.F. 5. When the correct character shows in the viewfinder, press STOP to move the flashing cursor to the place where you want the next character. 6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until you complete the title. 7. If you do not want to record a title immediately after you create it, but save it for later use, press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE. TITLE disappears from the viewfinder. Or, to record the title you created, see "Adding the Title to a Recording." (BELOW) NOTES: Your camcorder's date/title battery protects the title you created (see "Loading the Date/Calendar Battery").(see Fackback Doc. # Power Sources). The camcorder saves the title you created when it automatically stops and turns itself off. Editing the Title 1. Repeatedly press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE until the title appears. 2. Repeatedly press STOP to move forward through the characters until the character you want to change flashes. 3. Repeatedly press (or press and hold down) REW << or >> F.F. to move backward or forward through the characters until the viewfinder shows the correct character. 4. If necessary, repeat Steps 2 and 3 to select and correct other characters. Adding the Title to a Recording You can superimpose (add) the title on your recordings. 1. Slide VCR/OFF/CAMERA to CAMERA. 2. Press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE. The title you created appears in the viewfinder. 3. Press the record/pause button to start the title recording. The camcorder superimposes the title on the scene you are recording for 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, the title disappears. NOTES: If you are planning to record an event, you must prepare the title in advance, then press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE as you record it to superimpose the title, over the scene. You cannot superimpose a title over an existing video. When you press DISPLAY DATE/TITLE to record a title, the date also appears, and is recorded along with the title. Be sure to set the date correctly. If you use an optional remote control, you can add a title while dubbing and add or delete a title while recording. (JC 11/15/95)