[. . . ] 4-170-535-11(1) Table of contents 9 12 21 44 57 66 91 119 Getting started Recording/Playback Making good use of your camcorder Saving images with an external device Customizing your camcorder Additional information HDR-CX550E/CX550VE/ XR550E/XR550VE Digital HD Video Camera Recorder "Handycam" Handbook Quick reference 2010 Sony Corporation Read this first Supplied items The numbers in ( ) are the supplied quantity. AC Adaptor (1) Power cord (Mains lead) (1) Component A/V cable (1) A/V connecting cable (1) USB cable (1) Wireless Remote Commander (1) Battery pack A button-type lithium battery is already installed. Remove the insulation sheet before using the Wireless Remote Commander. Rechargeable battery pack NP-FV50 (1) CD-ROM "Handycam" Application Software (1) "PMB" "Handycam" The camcorder is not dustproofed, dripproofed or waterproofed. Even if the camcorder is turned off, the GPS function is working as long as the GPS switch is set to ON. [. . . ] When the white balance has been set with [ONE PUSH], if the lighting conditions changed by bringing your camcorder outdoors from inside the house, or vice versa, you need to redo the [ONE PUSH] procedure to readjust the white balance. SPOT MTR/FCS (Spot meter/ focus) You can adjust the brightness and focus for the selected subject simultaneously. 73) at the same time. Touch the subject in the frame of which you want to adjust the exposure. To return the setting to automatic exposure, touch [AUTO]. Notes [EXPOSURE] is automatically set to [MANUAL]. SPOT FOCUS You can select and adjust the focal point to aim it at a subject not located at the center of the screen. Touch the subject in the frame of which you want to adjust the brightness and focus. To adjust the brightness and focus automatically, touch [AUTO]. Notes [EXPOSURE] and [FOCUS] are automatically set to [MANUAL]. Touch the subject in the frame of which you want to adjust the focus. To adjust the focus automatically, touch [AUTO]. Notes [FOCUS] is automatically set to [MANUAL]. Customizing your camcorder SPOT METER (Flexible spot meter) You can adjust and fix the exposure to the subject, so that it is recorded in suitable brightness even when there is strong contrast between the subject and the background, such as subjects in the spotlight on stage. EXPOSURE You can fix the brightness of a picture manually. Adjust the brightness when the subject is too bright or too dark. Touch / to adjust the brightness. To adjust the exposure automatically, touch [AUTO]. Tips You can also adjust manually by using the MANUAL dial (p. You can select this function also when you want to focus on a certain subject intentionally. TELE MACRO This is useful to shoot small subjects, such as flowers or insects. (TELE MACRO is also canceled when you move the zoom lever to the W side. ) Touch (nearby subject)/ (distant subject) to adjust the focus. To adjust the focus automatically, touch [AUTO]. Notes When you set [FOCUS] to [MANUAL], appears. The minimum possible distance between camcorder and subject while maintaining sharp focus is about 1 cm (about 13/32 in. ) for wide angle and about 80 cm (about 31 1/2 in. ) for telephoto. ON ( ) The zoom (p. 26) moves to the top of the T (telephoto) side automatically and allows recording subjects at a close distance down to about 32 cm (12 5/8 in. ). 74 GB Tips appears when the focus cannot be adjusted any closer, and appears when the focus cannot be adjusted farther away. It is easier to focus on the subject by moving the power zoom lever towards T (telephoto) to adjust the focus, then towards W (wide angle) to adjust the zoom for recording. When you want to record a subject at close range, move the power zoom lever to W (wide angle), then adjust the focus. The focal distance information (distance at which the subject is focused on; used as a guide if it is dark and focus adjustment is difficult) appears for a few seconds in the following cases. (This information will not display correctly if a conversion lens (sold separately) is being used. ) When the focus mode is switched from automatic to manual When you set focus manually You can also adjust manually by using the MANUAL dial (p. 31). Notes When recording a distant subject, focusing may be difficult and can take some time. 74) when it is hard to focus automatically. AE SHIFT You can adjust the exposure manually. OFF Adjusts the exposure automatically. ON ( and the adjustment value) Adjusts the exposure manually. Tips You can adjust the automatic exposure level to brighter or darker when [EXPOSURE] is set to [AUTO]. if the subject is white or the Touch if the subject backlight is bright, or touch is black or the light is dim. You can also adjust manually by using the MANUAL dial (p. You cannot use [GOLF SHOT] when you set the image quality to standard definition image quality (STD). WB SHIFT (White Balance Shift) You can adjust the white balance manually. OFF Adjusts the white balance automatically. ON ( and the adjustment value) Adjusts the white balance manually. Tips When the white balance is set to a lower value, images appear bluish, and when set to a higher value, images appear reddish. [. . . ] Camera recording lamp (90) The camera recording lamp lights up in red during recording. The lamp flashes when the remaining recording media capacity or battery power is low. MANUAL button (31) MANUAL dial (31) HDR-XR550E/XR550VE Quick reference (VIEW IMAGES) button (33) (DISC BURN) button (see Operating Guide) NIGHTSHOT button (30) 121 GB (INTELLIGENT AUTO) button (26) HDR-XR550E/XR550VE POWER button (15) RESET button Press RESET using a pointed object. Press RESET to initialize all the settings including the clock setting. [. . . ]