Canon HFM400 - Manuals

5 Smart AUTO ( 0 44) Smart AUTO automatically selects the best scene mode for the scene you want to shoot. You get spectacular recordings every time without worrying about settings. Video Snapshot ( 0 64) Relay Recording ( 0 39) Shoot or capture short scenes and arrange them into a video clip set to...

6 Enjoying your Recordings on Other Devices Eye-Fi MPEG-2 AVCHD Connect the camcorder to an HDTV ( 0 126) Play video directly from your recorded memory card AVCHD-compatible HDTVs and digital recorders with a card slot compatible with the type of memory card used *. Use an Eye-Fi card ( 0 140) to wi...

8 Š Table of contents „ Introduction 4 Exciting Features and New Functions 12 About this Manual 14 Getting to Know the Camcorder 14 Supplied Accessories and CD-ROMs 16 Names of Parts „ Preparations 20 Getting Started 20 Charging the Battery Pack 22 Preparing the Accessories 25 Adjusting the Position...

Table of contents Š 9 „ AUTO Mode 42 Basic Recording 42 Shooting Video and Taking Photos in AUTO Mode 44 About the Smart AUTO function 47 Zooming 49 Quick Start Function „ Video 51 Basic Playback 51 Playing Back Video 55 3D Flip View 55 The Index Selection Screen: Selecting the Content to Play Back ...

10 Š Table of contents 95 Automatic Gain Control (AGC) Limit 95 Manual Focus Adjustment 97 Tele Macro 98 White Balance 99 Image Effects 100 Self Timer 101 Audio Recording Level 102 Built-In Microphone Directionality 103 Audio Equalizer 104 Audio Mix 105 Using Headphones 106 Using the Mini Advanced S...

Table of contents Š 11 „ Additional Information 142 Appendix: Menu Options Lists 142 FUNC. Panel 145 Setup Menus 157 Appendix: Onscreen Icons and Displays 161 Trouble? 161 Troubleshooting 167 List of Messages 175 Do’s and Don’ts 175 Handling Precautions 180 Maintenance/Others 181 Using the Camcorder...

12 Š Introduction About this Manual Thank you for purchasing the Canon LEGRIA HF M41 / LEGRIA HF M40 / LEGRIA HF M400. Please read this manual carefully before you use the camcorder and retain it for future reference. Should your camcorder fail to operate correctly, refer to Troubleshooting ( 0 161)...

14 Š Introduction G et ting to Know the Camco rder Supplied Accessories and CD-ROMs The following accessories are supplied with the camcorder: X CA-570 Compact Power Adapter (incl. power cord) BP-808 Battery Pack W X WL-D89 Wireless Controller (incl. CR2025 lithium button battery) Stylus Pen W X HTC...

Introduction Š 15 The following CD-ROMs and software are supplied with the camcorder:• PIXELA’s Transfer Utility CD-ROM* - Use Transfer Utility for saving and transferring movies and music files you can use as background music. • PIXELA’s VideoBrowser CD-ROM* - In addition to all the functionality o...

16 Š Introduction Names of Parts 1 2 (camera/play) button ( 0 29) 2 VIDEO SNAP (video snapshot) button ( 0 64) 3 (Story Creator button) ( 0 61) 4 DISP. (onscreen display) button ( 0 26, 112)/BATT. INFO button ( 0 160) 5 USB terminal ( 0 122, 125, 134) 6 AV OUT terminal ( 0 122, 124)/ X (headphones) ...

Introduction Š 17 S q Mini advanced shoe ( 0 106) S a Zoom lever ( 0 47) S s POWER button S d ON/OFF (CHG) (charge) indicator:Green – ONOrange – Standby ( 0 49) Red – Charging ( 0 20) S f Remote sensor ( 0 22) S g LCD touch screen ( 0 25, 28) S h POWERED IS button ( 0 87)/ WEB button ( 0 135) S f S ...

18 Š Introduction S j Battery attachment unit ( 0 20) S k START/STOP button ( 0 42) S l DC IN terminal ( 0 20) D q RESET button ( 0 165) D a Dioptric adjustment lever* ( 0 27) D s Viewfinder* ( 0 27) D d VIEWFINDER button* ( 0 27) D f BATTERY RELEASE switch ( 0 21) D g Tripod socket ( 0 176) D h Ser...

Introduction Š 19 Wireless Controller WL-D89 1 START/STOP button ( 0 42) 2 b (index selection) button ( 0 55) Press and hold for more than 2 seconds to switch between shooting and playback mode. 3 MENU button ( 0 31, 145) 4 DISP. (onscreen display) button ( 0 112) 5 SET button 6 B (stop) button ( 0 ...

20 Š Preparations Preparations This chapter describes basic operations, such as using the touch panel, navigating the menus, and first time settings to help you learn more about your camcorder. Getting Started Charging the Battery Pack The camcorder can be powered with a battery pack or directly usi...

Preparations Š 21 5 Charging will start when the camcorder is turned off. • If the camcorder was on, the green ON/OFF (CHG) indicator will go out when you turn off the camcorder. After a moment, the ON/OFF (CHG) indicator will start flashing in red (battery pack charging). The red ON/OFF (CHG) indic...

22 Š Preparations NOTES • We recommend charging the battery pack in temperatures between 10 °C and 30 °C. If either the ambient temperature or the battery pack’s temperature is outside the range of approx. 0 °C to 40 °C, charging will not start. • The battery pack will be charged only when the camco...

Preparations Š 23 NOTES • The wireless controller may not work properly when the remote sensor is situated under strong light sources or direct sunlight. Grip Belt and Straps Fasten the grip belt. Adjust the grip belt so that you can reach the zoom lever with your index finger, and the g button with...

24 Š Preparations To attach an optional wrist strap Attach the wrist strap to the rear bracket on the camcorder, adjust the length and fasten. You can also attach the wrist strap to the strap mount on the grip belt to use both for extra convenience and protection. To attach an optional shoulder stra...

Preparations Š 25 Adjusting the Position and Brightness of the LCD Screen Rotating the LCD Panel Open the LCD panel 90 degrees. • You can rotate the panel 90 degrees downward.• You can rotate the panel 180 degrees toward the lens. Rotating the LCD panel 180 degrees can be useful in the following cas...

26 Š Preparations LCD Backlight When recording in bright places it may be difficult to use the LCD screen. Turn on the LCD backlight to make it brighter. With the camcorder on, hold h pressed down for more than 2 seconds. Repeat this action to switch the LCD backlight between off (normal) and on (br...

Preparations Š 27 Using the Viewfinder If it is difficult to use the LCD screen even after turning on the LCD backlight, you can use the viewfinder. You can also use the viewfinder when you rotate the LCD panel 180 degrees to let the subject watch the recording. Press to activate the viewfinder. • Y...

28 Š Preparations Basic Operation of the Camcorder Using the Touch Screen The control buttons and menu items that appear on the touch screen change dynamically depending on the operating mode and the task you are performing. With the intuitive touch screen interface you have all the controls at your...

Preparations Š 29 Operating Modes Recording In recording mode, the camcorder’s operating mode is determined by the position of the mode switch. Playback Press the camera/play button S to switch the cam- corder between camera (recording) mode and playback mode. You can press S when the camcorder is o...

30 Š Preparations Using the Menus Many of the camcorder’s functions can be adjusted from the FUNC. panel and the setup menus. For details about the available menu options and settings, refer to the appendix Menu Options Lists ( 0 142). FUNC. Panel The FUNC. panel shows a convenient overview of frequ...

Preparations Š 31 Setup Menus * In mode setup menus cannot be accessed and most menu settings will be reset to default values. 1 or mode only: Touch [FUNC.] 2 Touch [MENU] to open the setup menus. You can also press u on the wireless controller. 3 Touch the tab of the desired menu. 4 Drag your finge...

32 Š Preparations First Time Settings Setting the Date and Time You will need to set the date and time of the camcorder before you can start using it. The [Date/Time] screen will appear automatically when the cam-corder’s clock is not set.When the [Date/Time] screen appears, the year will be selecte...

Preparations Š 33 Changing the Language The default language of the camcorder is English. You can set it to one of 26 other languages. * Only when performing the procedure in a recording mode. NOTES • Some control buttons, such as [ZOOM], [FUNC.] or [MENU], will appear in English regardless of the l...

Preparations Š 35 Using a Memory Card Memory Cards Compatible for Use with the Camcorder You can use the following types of commercially available Secure Digi-tal (SD) cards with this camcorder. As of October 2010, the movie recording function has been tested using SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards made by ...

36 Š Preparations Compatible operating systems for SDXC memory cards IMPORTANT • If you use an SDXC memory card with a computer OS that is not SDXC- compatible, you may be prompted to format the memory card. In such case, cancel the operation to prevent data loss . • After repeatedly recording, dele...

Preparations Š 37 Inserting and Removing a Memory Card Make sure to initialize ( 0 40) all memory cards before using them with this camcorder. 1 Turn off the camcorder. Make sure the ON/OFF (CHG) indicator is off. 2 Open the double memory card slot cover. 3 Insert the memory card straight, with the ...

38 Š Preparations Selecting the Memory for the Recordings You can select to record your movies and photos in the built-in mem-ory ( only) or on a memory card. The default memory for recording both is the built-in memory ( ) or memory card X ( ). POINTS TO CHECK • Be sure you understand the informati...

Preparations Š 39 Relay Recording You can activate the relay recording so if the memory you are using becomes full while recording movies, the recording will continue unin-terrupted on a memory card.When recording on memory card X , you can use memory card Y for relay recording ( 497 ). only: When r...

40 Š Preparations Initializing the Memory Initialize memory cards when you use them with this camcorder for the first time. You can also initialize a memory card or the built-in memory ( only) to permanently delete all the recordings it contains. At the time of purchase, the built-in memory comes pr...

Preparations Š 41 IMPORTANT • Initializing the memory will permanently erase all recordings. Lost origi- nal recordings cannot be recovered. Make sure you save important recordings in advance using an external device ( 0 127). • Initializing a memory card will permanently erase any music files and i...

42 Š AUTO Mode AUTO Mode This chapter covers how to easily record video and photos in mode, and how to use basic shooting functions like zoom and Quick Start. To enjoy full access to menus and more advanced functions, refer to Recording in y (Manual) Mode ( 0 80). Basic Recording Shooting Video and ...

AUTO Mode Š 43 To take photos Touch [PHOTO]. • A green icon ( h ) will appear momentarily on the screen and the ACCESS indicator will flash as the photo is recorded. • You can record photos simultaneously while recording a movie.• You can also press j on the wireless controller. When you have finish...

44 Š AUTO Mode Rating Scenes You can turn on the scene rating option in recording mode with the 8 8 [Rate Scenes (Recording)] setting. Immediately after recording a scene, you will have the option to rate it by touching one of the rating buttons; you can also touch [ ] or [ a ] to leave the scene un...

AUTO Mode Š 45 IMPORTANT • Observe the following precautions while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing. Failing to do so may result in permanent data loss or damage to the memory.- Do not open the double memory card slot cover.- Do not disconnect the power source or turn off the camcorder.- Do no...

46 Š AUTO Mode • Be sure to save your recordings regularly ( 0 127), especially after making important recordings. Canon shall not be liable for any loss or corruption of data. • Photos recorded on an Eye-Fi card in memory card slot Y will be uploaded automatically after setting the camcorder to pla...

AUTO Mode Š 47 Zooming There are three ways you can zoom in and out: using the zoom lever on the camcorder, using the zoom buttons on the wireless controller or using the zoom controls on the touch screen.In addition to the 10x optical zoom, in mode, you can turn on the digital zoom (40x or 200x) wi...

48 Š AUTO Mode Using the Touch Screen’s Zoom Controls 1 Display the zoom controls on the touch screen. • The zoom controls appear on the left side of the screen. 2 Touch the zoom controls to operate the zoom. Touch anywhere within the Q area to zoom out or anywhere within the P area to zoom in. Touc...

AUTO Mode Š 49 Quick Start Function When you close the LCD panel with the camcorder on, the camcorder enters the standby mode. In standby mode the camcorder consumes only about 1/3 the power used when recording, saving energy when you are using a battery pack. Additionally, when you open the LCD pan...

50 Š AUTO Mode • About standby mode and auto power off: - The camcorder will power off automatically if left in standby mode for 10 minutes. Press x to turn on the camcorder. - You can select the length of time until shut-off or turn off the Quick Start function altogether with the 6 8 [Power Saving...

Video Š 51 Video This chapter covers functions related to movies, including play-back, advanced shooting, using Story Creator and other advanced functions. For details about basic video shooting, refer to AUTO Mode ( 0 42). Basic Playback Playing Back Video 1 Press S . You can also press and hold B ...

52 Š Video 4 Touch the desired scene to play it back. • Playback will start from the scene selected and continue until the end of the last scene in the index screen. • Touch the screen to display the playback controls. During playback, the playback controls will disappear automatically after a few s...

Video Š 53 During playback: Adjusting the volume 1 During playback, touch the screen to display the playback controls. 2 Touch [ ], drag your finger along the [Speaker Volume]* bar to adjust the volume and touch [ f ]. * When 6 8 [AV/Headphones] is set to [ J Headphones], adjust the [Head- phone Vol...

54 Š Video During playback pause: IMPORTANT • Observe the following precautions while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing. Failing to do so may result in permanent data loss.- Do not open the double memory card slot cover.- Do not disconnect the power source or turn off the camcorder.- Do not cha...

Video Š 55 3D Flip View Touch [ ] in the date index screen to switch to 3D Flip View. This fun way of displaying scenes grouped by recording date in a 3D layout can be useful to flip through a large number of recordings. The Index Selection Screen: Selecting the Content to Play Back From the index s...

56 Š Video In any index screen, touch [ b ]. During single photo view, touch the screen once to display the controls then touch [ Q ] to open the [Photos] index screen. Options NOTES • Fast/slow playback modes are not available for scenes con- verted to standard definition. Scenes in the [SD Movies]...

Video Š 57 Deleting Scenes and Stories You can delete those scenes and stories that you are not interested in keeping. Deleting scenes allows you also to free up space on the mem-ory. Deleting a Single Scene 1 Play back the scene you wish to delete. 2 Touch the screen to display the playback control...

58 Š Video 2 Delete the scenes. * When you select [Select], perform the following procedure to select the individ- ual scenes you want to delete before touching [Yes]. ** Touch [Stop] to interrupt the operation while it is in progress. Some scenes may be deleted nevertheless. To select individual sc...

Video Š 59 4 Delete the scene. Deleting Scenes from a Story by Rating 1 Open the information screen of the story that contains the scenes you want to delete. 2 Open the rating selection screen. 3 Touch one or more of the rating buttons to select all the applicable scenes. A grayed out rating button ...

60 Š Video 2 Select the story you want to delete. Drag your finger right/left to bring the desired story to the front. 3 Delete the story. * Touch [Stop] to interrupt the operation while it is in progress. Some scenes may be deleted nevertheless. IMPORTANT • Be careful when deleting recordings. Once...

Video Š 61 Video Stories and Cinema Style Using Story Creator to Create Compelling Stories Story Creator is a helpful function that offers suggestions for typical scenes in a number of situations. With Story Creator, creating interest-ing video stories is as easy as selecting one of the story themes...

62 Š Video • Scenes will be recorded under the story and category currently selected. • You can also record video snapshot scenes ( 0 64). To select a different story scene (category) 1 Touch [ ] to return to the list of story scenes. When it appears on the screen, you can also touch the button of t...

Video Š 63 The list of story scenes will appear. The orange frame on the right will show how many scenes you have recorded in each story scene (category). 3 Drag your finger up/down to select a category and touch the orange frame on the right (number of scenes). The camcorder will enter record pause...

64 Š Video NOTES • Photos cannot be recorded while the camcorder is set to mode. Video Snapshot Record a series of short scenes. Then, play back your video snapshot scenes set to your favorite music ( 0 73) to create your own fun music video. You will be surprised how by changing the background musi...

Video Š 65 1 Press z . • A blue border appears on the screen. • Press z again to return to normal video recording mode. 2 Press g . • The camcorder records for a few seconds (the blue frame serves as a visual progress bar) and then automatically returns to record pause mode. • When the camcorder sto...

66 Š Video Decorating Scenes while Recording 1 Open the decoration screen. • The decoration screen will open automatically also when you stow the LCD panel with the touch screen facing out. 2 Use a tool from the toolbar as explained in the following procedures. 3 Press g to record movies with your d...

Video Š 67 G [ C ]* In recording mode: pause the live video. Touch [ C ] again to restore the live video. You can add decorations to and record the frozen image.In playback mode: pause the playback. Touch [ A ] to resume playing back the scene. H [ ] Minimize the toolbar to the top of the screen to ...

68 Š Video To use [Animated Stamps] 1 Touch [ ]. The [Animated Stamps] screen will appear. 2 Touch one of the control buttons. 3 Touch anywhere on the canvas to place the selected animated stamp. You can also drag the animated stamp to a different location. To use [Captions] 1 Touch [ ]. The [Captio...

Video Š 69 To use the Chroma Key function 1 Open the [Select Image] screen of the image mix function ( 0 68). 2 Touch [+] or [-] to select the image you created. 3 Touch [ A ] to open the [Chroma Key] screen. 4 Touch [Green] or [Blue] depending on the characteristics of the image you want to use and...

70 Š Video 2 Touch the screen to display the playback controls. 3 Touch [ ] to open the decoration screen. 4 Decorate the scene using the tools from the toolbar as explained in the previous section. In playback mode, the decorations will not be saved with the original recording. NOTES • Initializing...

Video Š 71 A Drag your finger right or left to select a story. B Story’s theme. C Selected story (large thumbnail in the front). D Story’s title ( 0 78). E Open the index selection screen ( 0 55). F Details about the story (number of scenes, total playback time) and editing options. G List of scenes...

72 Š Video - Do not open the double memory card slot cover.- Do not disconnect the power source or turn off the camcorder.- Do not change the camcorder’s operating mode. Rating Scenes You can rate story scenes immediately after recording them ( 0 44) or during playback. You can then select multiple ...

Video Š 73 3 Touch [ A ] to resume the playback and rate other scenes in the same way or touch [ B ] to return to the gallery. Playback with Background Music Play back movies (or a photo slideshow) with background music. You can use one of the supplied music tracks or connect an external audio playe...

74 Š Video 3 Adjust the mix balance between the original sound and the background music. Touch [ 1 ] (more of the original sound) or [ b ] (more of the background music) or drag your finger along the [Music Balance] bar to adjust the background music balance as desired. 4 Touch [ a ] and then touch ...

Video Š 75 Using an External Audio Player for Background Music Use your favorite songs as background music by connecting an exter-nal player. POINTS TO CHECK • You will need a commercially available audio cable with at least one mini-stereo plug (to connect to the MIC terminal on the camcorder); the...

76 Š Video Playback with the video not linked to the external audio 5 Touch a story or scene to start the video playback. 6 Start the music playback on the external player. IMPORTANT • If you use copyrighted songs and music tracks in your video creations, remember that music under copyright may not ...

Video Š 77 Copying and Moving Scenes Within/Between Stories You can copy and move scenes in the gallery within the same story scene (category), between story scenes in the same story, and between stories recorded in the same memory. 1 Open the list of scenes of the story that contains the scene you ...

78 Š Video Selecting a Story’s Thumbnail Image Initially, the image used as the story’s thumbnail is the first frame of the first scene in the story. You can set your favorite scene as the thumb-nail that will represent the story in the gallery. 1 Open the gallery. 2 Select the story whose thumbnail...

Video Š 79 1 Open the gallery. 2 Select the story whose title you want to change. Drag your finger right/left to bring the desired story to the front. 3 Open the [Edit Title] screen. 4 Use the virtual keyboard to change the title. 5 Touch [OK] 8 [ f ] 8 [ f ] to return to the gallery. [ b ] 8 [ Gall...

80 Š Video Advanced Functions Recording in y (Manual) Mode When the mode switch is set to y (Manual mode), you can enjoy full access to the menus and manually adjust the exposure, focus, white balance and many more of the camcorder’s settings to your prefer-ence. Even in mode, though, the camcorder ...

Video Š 81 • Be sure to save your recordings regularly ( 0 127), especially after making important recordings. Canon shall not be liable for any loss or corruption of data. • Photos recorded on an Eye-Fi card in memory card slot Y will be uploaded automatically after setting the camcorder to playbac...

82 Š Video NOTES • Movies recorded in MXP mode cannot be saved on AVCHD discs. Use an external Blu-ray Disc recorder to copy MXP movies onto Blu-ray discs or use the supplied software VideoBrowser to create AVCHD discs*. • The camcorder uses a variable bit rate (VBR) to encode video so the actual re...

Video Š 83 Selecting the Frame Rate You can change the frame rate (the number of frames recorded per second) to change the look of your movies. Options Special Scene Recording Programs Recording in a very bright ski resort or capturing the full colors of a sunset or a fireworks display becomes as ea...

86 Š Video of the waterproof case and keep it in a cool place until the temperature goes down. If the camcorder becomes too hot, it will turn off automatically. - When making recordings underwater with the [ r Underwater] recording program, the image on the LCD screen will appear redder than the act...

Video Š 87 NOTES • If the degree of camcorder shake is too high, the image stabilizer may not be able to fully compensate. • For surveying and following shots, when you pan the camcorder from side to side or tilt it up and down, we recommend setting the IS mode to [ Dynamic] or [ Standard]. Pre-Reco...

88 Š Video 1 Activate the pre-recording function. • d will appear on the screen. • Repeat, selecting [ B Off], to turn off pre-recording. 2 Press g . The scene recorded in the memory will start 3 seconds before g was pressed. NOTES • The camcorder will not record the full 3 seconds prior to pressing...

Video Š 89 By default, face detection is activated. If the function was turned off, per-form the following procedure to turn it on. To select the main subject If there is more than one person in the picture, the camcorder will auto-matically select one person it determines is the main subject. The m...

90 Š Video Touch & Track When recording a group of people using face detection, the camcorder will automatically detect one person as the main subject. You can use Touch & Track to tell the camcorder to track and optimize settings for a different person. You can also use Touch & Track to...

Video Š 91 Faders The camcorder offers two professional looking transition effects to fade-in or fade-out scenes. You have the option to activate the fader only one time or every time you start or stop recording. * You can preview the transition effect on the screen. • The icon of the selected fader...

92 Š Video Manually Setting the Shutter Speed or Aperturse [ A Programmed AE] is the default automatic exposure (AE) recording program; using it, you can change functions like the white balance or image effects. Select one of the other AE recording programs to control the shutter speed or aperture. ...

Video Š 93 • During exposure lock, the aperture value/shutter speed cannot be changed. Set the aperture value or shutter speed before manually adjusting the exposure. Shutter Speed and Aperture Value Guidelines X With slower shutter speed you can add a nice motion blur and sense of movement. With fa...

94 Š Video Manual Exposure Adjustment At times, backlit subjects may appear too dark (underexposed) or sub-jects under very strong lights may appear too bright or glaring (overex-posed). To correct this, you can adjust the exposure manually or use the Touch AE function to automatically set the optim...

Video Š 95 NOTES • If the recording program is changed during exposure lock, the cam- corder will return to automatic exposure. • When shooting subjects with a strong light source behind them, the camcorder automatically corrects for the backlight*. You can turn off the automatic backlight correctio...

Video Š 97 Tele Macro Using tele macro, the camcorder can focus at a shorter distance (up to 40 cm from the subject at full telephoto), allowing you get closer shots of small subjects like flowers and insects. This function also adds a soft focus to the background, so the subject not only looks larg...

98 Š Video White Balance The white balance function helps you to accurately reproduce colors under different lighting conditions so that white objects will always look truly white in your recordings. POINTS TO CHECK • Select a recording program other than the Special Scene recording pro- grams. * Wh...

Video Š 99 NOTES • When you select the custom white balance: - Set 7 8 [Digital Zoom] to [ B Off]. - Reset the white balance when you change locations or the lighting or other conditions change. - Depending on the light source, g may keep flashing. The result will still be better than with [ Y Autom...

100 Š Video + levels: richer colors, sharper image, stronger contrast, brighter image.- levels: shallower colors, softer image, softer contrast, darker image. 4 Touch [ a ] to save and apply the customized picture settings. Z will appear on the screen. Self Timer • n will appear on the screen. • Rep...

Video Š 101 Audio Recording Level You can adjust the audio recording level of the built-in or an external microphone. You can display the audio level indicator while recording. POINTS TO CHECK • Select a recording program other than [ r Underwater] or [ s Surface]. Manual Adjustment of the Audio Rec...

102 Š Video To display the audio level indicator Usually, the audio level indicator will be displayed only after activating the manual adjustment of the audio recording level. You can choose to display it also when the audio level is adjusted automatically. NOTES • When the audio level meter reaches...

Video Š 103 NOTES • Except when using the audio mix function, an external microphone overrides the built-in microphone. In the following cases, the built-in microphone’s directionality cannot be changed.- When an external microphone is attached to the mini advanced shoe.- When an external microphone...

104 Š Video Audio Mix When recording, you can mix audio from the built-in microphone with external audio from the MIC terminal and adjust the mix balance for original sound effects. The external audio input can be from the optional WM-V1 Wireless Microphone, a commercially available exter-nal microp...

Video Š 105 Using Headphones Use headphones for playback or to check the audio level while record-ing. The headphones are connected to the AV OUT/ X terminal, which is used for both the headphones and the audio/video output. Before connecting the headphones, follow the procedure below to change the ...

106 Š Video IMPORTANT • When using headphones, make sure to lower the volume to an appro- priate level. • Do not connect the headphones to the AV OUT/ X terminal if the J icon does not appear on the screen. The noise output in such case may be harmful to your hearing. NOTES • Use commercially availa...

Video Š 107 NOTES • Accessories designed for the Advanced Accessory Shoe cannot be used with this camcorder. Look for video accessories bearing this logo to ensure compatibility with the mini advanced shoe . Using an External Microphone When recording in very quiet surroundings, the built-in microph...

108 Š Video Using the WM-V1 Wireless Microphone Using the WM-V1 you can reliably record sound even when recording subjects at a distance exceeding the practical range of the built-in microphone. You can also mix and record audio from the WM-V1 with audio from the built-in microphone. 1 Attach the re...

Video Š 109 • If necessary, activate and adjust the audio mix balance with the 7 8 [Audio Mix] setting. NOTES • When an external microphone is connected to the camcorder, 7 8 [Wind Screen] will automatically be set to [ B Off Z ]. • If the audio level is too high and the sound gets distorted, adjust...

110 Š Video Using a Zoom Remote Controller By attaching the optional RA-V1 Remote Control Adapter to the mini advanced shoe, you can use the optional ZR-2000 or ZR-1000 Zoom Remote Controller. Doing so will allow you to use certain functions while viewing the picture on an external monitor without t...

Video Š 111 NOTES • In mode, the only available functions are turning the power on/off, starting/stopping a recording, and zoom. Selecting the Playback Starting Point If you have a very long scene, you may want to start playing back the scene from a certain point. You can use the movie timeline to b...

112 Š Video To change the interval between frames Onscreen Displays and Data Code You can turn most onscreen displays on or off. Repeatedly press h to turn the onscreen displays on/off in the following sequence: , mode: • All displays on• Most displays off 1 , mode 2 : • Only data code on• All displ...

Video Š 113 Capturing Photos and Video Snapshot Scenes from a Movie You can capture video snapshot scenes, single photos or a series of continuous photos from a previously recorded scene. For example, you may want to print photos from video recorded at a party or create a small video clip using vide...

114 Š Video - Scenes that were edited using the supplied software VideoBrowser and were then transferred back to the camcorder. • When the source scene is itself a video snapshot scene, you may not be able to capture a video snapshot scene depending on the length of the source scene and the length c...

Video Š 115 ured network. Always verify that Eye-Fi cards have been approved in the country/region of use. See also Using an Eye-Fi card ( 0 140). NOTES • The data code of the photos will reflect the date and time of recording of the original scene. • Photos captured from a scene with a lot of fast ...

Photos Š 117 Photos Refer to this chapter for details on viewing photos and other photo-related operations. Viewing Photos 1 Press S . 2 Open the [Photos] index screen, if it is not displayed. 3 Look for the photo you want to play back. Move the zoom lever toward Q to show 15 photos per page; move i...

118 Š Photos 4 Touch the photo you wish to view. • The photo is displayed in single photo view. • Drag your finger left/right to browse through the photos one by one. To return to the index screen from single photo view 1 Touch the screen to display the playback controls. 2 Touch [ Q ]. Photo Jump F...

Photos Š 119 IMPORTANT • Observe the following precautions while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing. Failing to do so may result in permanent data loss.- Do not open the double memory card slot cover.- Do not disconnect the power source or turn off the camcorder.- Do not change the camcorder’s o...

120 Š Photos 2 Delete the photos. * When you select [Select], perform the following procedure to select the individ- ual photos you want to delete before touching [Yes]. ** Touch [Stop] to interrupt the operation while it is in progress. Some photos will be deleted nevertheless. To select individual...

Photos Š 121 2 Select the background music to use during the photo slideshow. Music tracks: Step 2 ( 0 73). External audio: Steps 2 - 4 ( 0 75). Slideshow set to a music track 3 Touch the photo that will open the slideshow to display it in single photo view. 4 Touch the screen to display the playbac...

122 Š External Connections External Connections This chapter explains how to connect your camcorder to an external device such as a TV, VCR, or computer. Terminals on the Camcorder Open the LCD panel to access the terminals on the camcorder. 1 USB Terminal 2 AV OUT/ X Terminal Sound from the built-i...

External Connections Š 123 Connection Diagrams In the following connection diagrams, the left side shows the terminals on the camcorder and the right side shows (for reference only) an example of terminals on a connected device. Connection A HDMI Type: Digital Quality: High definition Output only Co...

126 Š External Connections Playback on a TV Screen Connect the camcorder to a TV to enjoy your recordings with family and friends. Playback on an HDTV using one of the high-definition con-nections will ensure the best playback quality. 1 Turn off the camcorder and the TV. 2 Connect the camcorder to ...

External Connections Š 127 Saving and Sharing Your Recordings Copying Recordings to a Memory Card You can copy your recordings only one way: from the built-in memory ( only) or from memory card X to memory card Y . Scenes and photos will be copied from the index screen or from a story in the gallery...

128 Š External Connections Options Copying Scenes from a Story by Rating 1 Open the gallery and bring the desired story to the front. • Check that you have selected the f tab (built-in memory, only) or 4 tab (memory card X ). 2 Select the rating of the stories you want to copy. 3 Copy all the applic...

External Connections Š 129 3 Copy the photo. 4 Drag your finger left/right to select another photo to copy or touch [ a ]. Copying Photos from the Index Screen 1 Open the [Photos] index screen. Check that you have selected the f tab (built-in memory, only) or 4 tab (memory card X ). 2 Copy the photo...

130 Š External Connections IMPORTANT • Observe the following precautions while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing. Failing to do so may result in permanent data loss.- Do not open the double memory card slot cover.- Do not disconnect the power source or turn off the camcorder.- Do not change the...

External Connections Š 131 Installation Install the software before you connect the camcorder to the computer for the first time. Refer to the Installation Guide (supplied leaflet) and follow the instructions in the Software Guide (PDF file) to install the supplied PIXELA’s software. Connecting the ...

132 Š External Connections Installation Install the software before you connect the camcorder to the computer for the first time. See also the relevant sections in the ‘Photo Applica-tion’ Instruction Manual ( r , PDF file in the [MANUALS_ENGLISH] folder on the supplied Camcorder Supplemen-tal Disc)...

External Connections Š 133 loss. Always use only the supplied PIXELA’s software to save your movies on the computer and, if necessary, to transfer back previously saved video files to the camcorder. • Observe the following precautions while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing. Failing to do so ma...

134 Š External Connections Copying Recordings to an External Video Recorder In High Definition Connect the camcorder to Blu-ray Disc recorders and other AVCHD-compatible digital video recorders using the supplied USB cable to make perfect copies of your movies in high definition. If the external dig...

External Connections Š 135 Connecting Connect the camcorder to the VCR using Connection C or c . Refer to Connection Diagrams ( 0 124). Recording 1 External recorder: Load a blank cassette or disc and set the recorder to record pause mode. 2 Turn on the camcorder and set it to mode. • We recommend p...

External Connections Š 137 • Before touching [START], you can touch [ ] to decorate the converted SD movies ( 0 65), or touch [ ] to adjust the volume ( 0 53) and background music balance ( 0 74). • You can also decorate the scenes as they are being converted.• Touch [STOP] to interrupt the operatio...

138 Š External Connections Connecting to the Computer and Uploading your Videos 1 Connect the camcorder to the computer using the supplied USB cable. Connection D . Refer to Connection Diagrams ( 0 125). 2 Computer: Depending on the software you chose to install, Transfer Utility or VideoBrowser wil...

External Connections Š 139 Converting Scenes into Standard Definition from a Story by Rating 1 Open the gallery and bring the desired story to the front. • Check that you have selected the f tab (built-in memory) or 4 tab (memory card X ). 2 Select the rating of the stories you want to convert. 3 Pr...

140 Š External Connections Uploading your Videos Wirelessly If you are using an Eye-Fi card, you can automatically upload the con-verted SD movies to your favorite video sharing Web site. You will need to have installed the software supplied with your Eye-Fi card and com-pleted all the required conf...

External Connections Š 141 NOTES • Depending on the amount of data to be uploaded and the network’s wireless connection conditions, it can take some time to upload video files. If the wireless connection is too weak, the wireless upload may fail and the video files will be registered as incomplete u...

142 Š Additional Information Additional Information This chapter contains troubleshooting advice, screen mes-sages, handling and maintenance tips, and other information. Appendix: Menu Options Lists Menu items not available appear grayed out. For details about how to select an item, refer to Using t...

Additional Information Š 143 1 Option available only for recording movies. 2 Some options are available only when recording a story using Story Creator. [ X Focus] [ 2 ] (manual focus): Toggle on ( ) or off ( ), Touch AF frame – z z 95 [ e Exposure] [ y ] (manual exposure): Toggle on ( ) or off ( ),...

144 Š Additional Information Edit Panel - Mode Control Button Date Index Screen [SD Movies] Index Screen Playback Pause 0 [Copy ( 497 )] 1 [Copy ( f97 )] 1 < date >, [Select], [All Scenes] – – 127 [Convert HD 9 SD ( 497 )] 1 [Convert HD 9 SD ( f97 )] 1 < date >, [Select], [All Scenes] – ...

Additional Information Š 145 1 Operation not available for recordings on memory card Y ( 7 tab). 2 Operation not available for the two preexisting stories, [Unsorted] and [Video Snap-shot]. Edit Panel - Mode * Operation not available for recordings on memory card Y ( 7 tab). Setup Menus 7 Camera Set...

146 Š Additional Information 1 Option available only for recording movies. 2 Option available only when the optional SM-V1 Surround Microphone is attached to the camcorder after having updated the camcorder’s firmware using the mem-ory card supplied with the SM-V1. [Auto Backlight Correction] [ A On...

Additional Information Š 149 [Surround Mic Attenuator]: Helps prevent audio distortions due to high audio recording levels when the optional SM-V1 Surround Microphone is attached to the camcorder. When set to [ A On V ], V will appear on the screen. y / z Playback Setup * Option not available when t...

150 Š Additional Information 8 Recording & Connections Setup Menu item Setting options y CINEMA 1 2 0 [Self Timer] [ A On n ], [ B Off] z z – – 100 [Video Snapshot Length] 1 [ i 2 sec], [ j 4 sec], [ l 8 sec], [Story Length-Based]: Toggle on ( ) or off ( ) z z z – 64, 113 [Rate Scenes (Recording...

152 Š Additional Information [ b Continuous]: Photo numbers will continue from the number following that of the last photo recorded with the camcorder.• If the memory card you insert already contains a photo with a larger number, a new photo will be assigned a number one higher than that of the last...

Additional Information Š 157 Appendix: Onscreen Icons and Displays Recording Movies (using Story Creator) 1 Control button [FUNC.]: Open the FUNC. panel ( 0 30) 2 Smart AUTO ( 0 44) 3 Face detection frame ( 0 88) 4 Touch & Track frame ( 0 90) 5 Control button [PHOTO]: Take a photo ( 0 42, 80, 11...

158 Š Additional Information , Recording Movies y Manual mode CINEMA mode A g Recording program ( 0 83, 92) A h Manual exposure ( 0 94) A j R Instant AF/ S Normal AF ( 0 147), MF Manual focus ( 0 95) A k Face detection ( 0 88) A l White balance ( 0 98) S q Audio level indicator ( 0 101) S a x.v.Colo...

Additional Information Š 161 Trou ble? Troubleshooting If you have a problem with your camcorder, refer to this section. Some-times what you think is a malfunction of the camcorder may have the simplest of solutions - please read the “CHECK THIS FIRST” box before going on to the more detailed proble...

164 Š Additional Information Cannot copy scenes/photos - You may not be able to copy scenes/photos recorded or edited using another device. Cannot mark individual scenes/photos in the index screen with a checkmark O - You cannot select more than 100 scenes/photos individually. Select the [All Scenes...

Additional Information Š 165 Picture and Sound The screen appears too dark. - The LCD screen was dimmed. Hold h pressed down for 2 seconds to restore the LCD screen to its previous brightness setting. Screen displays turn on and off repeatedly. - The battery pack is exhausted. Replace or charge the ...

166 Š Additional Information Memory Card and Accessories Cannot insert the memory card. - The memory card was not facing the correct direction. Turn the memory card over and insert it. Cannot record on the memory card. - The memory card is full. Delete some recordings ( 0 57, 119) to free some space...

Additional Information Š 167 Playback looks fine on the camcorder but there is no image on the TV screen. - The video input on the TV is not set to the video terminal to which you connected the cam- corder. Select the correct video input. - There will be no video output from the AV OUT terminal whil...

Additional Information Š 175 Do ’s and Don ’ts Handling Precautions Camcorder Be sure to observe the following precautions to ensure maximum per-formance. • Save your recordings periodically. Make sure to transfer your record- ings to an external device such as a computer or digital video recorder (...

176 Š Additional Information • When mounting the camcorder on a tripod, make sure that the tripod’s fas-tening screw is shorter than 5.5 mm. Using other tripods may damage the camcorder. • When recording movies, try to get a calm, stable picture. Excessive cam- corder movement while shooting and ext...

Additional Information Š 177 Long-term storage • Store battery packs in a dry place at temperatures no higher than 30 ° C. • To extend the battery life of the battery pack, discharge it completely before storing it. • Charge and discharge all your battery packs fully at least once a year. Remaining ...

178 Š Additional Information • Check the direction before inserting the memory card. Forcing a mem- ory card into the slot if it is not correctly oriented may damage the mem-ory card or the camcorder. • Do not attach any labels or stickers on the memory card. • Secure Digital (SD) memory cards have ...

Additional Information Š 179 Lithium Button Battery • Do not pick up the battery using tweezers or other metal tools, as this will cause a short circuit. • Wipe the battery with a clean dry cloth to ensure proper contact. Disposal When you delete movies or initialize the memory, only the file alloca...

180 Š Additional Information Maintenance/Others Cleaning Camcorder Body • Use a soft, dry cloth to clean the camcorder body. Never use chemically treated cloths or volatile solvents such as paint thinner. Lens, Viewfinder ( only) and Instant AF • If the lens surface or Instant AF sensor is dirty, au...

Additional Information Š 181 • Remove the memory card and battery pack. Then, place the camcorder in an airtight plastic bag and let it adjust gradually to temperature changes before removing it from the bag. When condensation is detected The camcorder automatically shuts off.The precise time requir...

182 Š Additional Information G en eral I nfo rmat io n Accessories * Supplied with the camcorder; not available as an optional accessory. (Availability differs from area to area) Optional accessories not listed below are described in more detail in the following pages. 1 SS-600/SS-650 Shoulder Strap...

Additional Information Š 183 NOTES • Accessories that are compatible with the Advanced Accessory Shoe cannot be attached to this camcorder. Look for the Mini ADVANCED SHOE logo to ensure compatibility with the mini advanced shoe. Optional Accessories 4 Battery Packs When you need extra battery packs...

184 Š Additional Information Charging, Recording and Playback Times The charging times given in the following table are approximate and vary according to charging conditions and initial charge of the battery pack. Recording and playback times given in the following tables are approxi-mate and vary a...

Additional Information Š 185 Using a memory card * Approximate times for recording with repeated operations such as start/stop, zooming, and power on/off. 7 TL-H43 Tele-converter This Tele-converter lens increases the focal length of the camcorder lens by a factor of 1.5.• The image stabilizer is no...

186 Š Additional Information 8 WD-H43 Wide-converter This Wide-converter lens decreases the focal length by a factor of 0.7, giving you a wide perspective for indoor shots or panoramic views. 9 FS-H43U II Filter Set Neutral density and MC protector filters help you to control difficult lighting cond...

Additional Information Š 187 A g VL-5 Video Light This video light enables you to record brightly in color even in dark places. It attaches to the camcorder’s mini advanced shoe for cable-free operation. A h VFL-2 Video Flash Light This video flash light allows you to record photos and movies even a...

Additional Information Š 189 Specifications LEGRIA HF M41 / LEGRIA HF M40 / LEGRIA HF M400  — Values given are approximate figures. System • Recording System Movies: AVCHD Video compression: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264; Audio compression: Dolby Digital 2ch; Dolby Digital 5.1ch** Only when using the optional S...

190 Š Additional Information • Lens Configuration: 11 elements in 9 groups (1 double-sided aspheric element) • AF System Autofocus (TTL + external distance sensor when set to [Instant AF]) or Manual focus • Filter Diameter: 43 mm • Minimum Focusing Distance 1 m; 40 cm with tele macro on at full tele...

Additional Information Š 191 • Weight  (camcorder body only) 360 g 350 g • When the recording program is set to [Underwater] or [Surface] - The following functions are not available: face detection (available only for [Surface]), Instant AF, auto slow shutter, manual audio recording level adjustmen...

Additional Information Š 193 Index 3D Flip View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 A Abroad, using the camcorder . . . . 181 AGC (automatic gain control) limit . 95 Aperture (f number) . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Aspect ratio of a connected TV (TV type) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Audio equal...