VPC-AZ3EX VPC-AZ3
 For American Users
Declaration of Conformity
 For Canadian Users
 Outline of Operation
Take photos in the Basic operation mode*2
 Symbols used in this manual
 Contents
 Playback
 Contents
 Appendices
 Do not modify or open the cabinet
Using Your Digital Camera Safely and Correctly
Be aware of your surroundings when using the digital camera
Do not use while driving
 Do not place on an unstable surface
Do not get the digital camera wet
Do not use during a storm
Do not look through the digital camera into the sun
 Do not use where there is risk of explosion
Keep the digital camera out of the reach of children
 Operating environment
 Use a 100 to 240 V AC power supply
Do not disassemble or modify the battery pack charger
Do not get the battery pack charger wet
 Do not pull on the power cord to unplug it
 Unplug the power cord from the power outlet when finished
Do not handle with wet hands
 Do not damage the power cord
Do not connect to a voltage converter
Operating and storage conditions
 Concerning the Lithium-ion battery pack Model DB-L10
Do not transform, take apart, or modify
 Temperature when using or recharging 0 to 40C
Storage temperature -10C to 30C
Humidity 10% to 90% no condensation
 Use the battery pack only in the specified device
Insert the battery pack correctly, as specified
Do not peel or damage the outer case
 Charge the battery pack before using it
Recycling the battery pack
Keep out of the reach of children
 Concerning the accessories
For Correct USE of Your Camera
Page
 If condensation seems likely to form
Be careful of condensation under the following conditions
 Speaker
 For Correct USE of Your Camera
 Temperatures
High Temperature Warning Screen
Sicon
 Checking the Included Accessories
 Media cards that can be used with this digital camera
What card means in this manual
CompactFlash Microdrive
 Plug the power plug into a power outlet AC 100 to
Charge the battery pack
Connect the supplied power cord to the battery pack charger
Quick Start for Capturing Images
 Install the battery pack and card
Insert the battery pack
Insert the card
 Quick Start for Capturing Images
Point the camera lens at Subject
 Set the main switch to Ô
Press the shutter release button halfway focus-lock
 Parts Names
Front
 Rear
 Recharging the Battery Pack
Ambient temperature during recharging
Recharge a battery pack in the following cases
 About the Charge indicator
Charge indicator
 Reformat
Display the Shooting Option Setting Screen see
Formatting a Card
Press j on the arrow button to select YES
 To cancel reformatting
Reformatting is also possible in the playback mode
Reformatting erases the data
 When capturing images
Turning the Power ON/OFF
Turning the power on
When playing back images
 When capturing images
Turning the power off
Turning the power on when the power save function is active
When playing back images
 Set the main switch
Setting Screens and Option Setting Screens
Displaying a Setting Screen
Shooting Playback
 Exiting the Shooting/Playback Setting Screen
Exiting the Shooting/Playback Option Setting Screen
Full Auto
 Expert mode
Setting Screens and Option Setting Screens
Display the Shooting Setting Screen
Press d on the arrow button twice
 Shooting in the Basic mode
Basic mode settings
Scene Select
 When selecting a menu
Setting screen basic operation
Shooting Setting Screen
When selecting a setting icon
 Zoom
Playback Setting Screen
Other operations
Protect
 Resolution menu
Shooting Setting Screens
Still Image Shooting Setting Screen
Scene Select menu page 76 c B Full auto icon
 ISO sensitivity menu page 106 c Ä Auto sensitivity icon
Compression menu
Spot focus menu page 102 c j Spot focus off icon
Exposure control menu page 107 c Ï Program AE icon
 Sequential Shots Shooting Setting Screen
Sequential shots mode Method menu
Method Best
 Compression menu page 81 a Sfine icon super-low
 Video Clip Shooting Setting Screen
Resolution
 Flicker-reduction Flicker Reduct menu
 Shooting status display
Still image shooting status display
Sequential shots shooting status Display
 200 +0.3
Video clip shooting status display
 Playback Setting Screens
Image Display
 Date and time setting
Shooting/Playback Option Setting Screens
Color correction setting real color equalizer
Audio recording
 Holding the camera
Before Taking Pictures
For best results
Correct hold
 When both near and far objects are present
Conditions that may cause incorrect focus
Subjects without vertical lines
 Before Taking Pictures
Hints for taking pictures
 Did you snap a picture without a card installed?
About sequential shots shooting
If the motion alert icon appears
 SHOOTING/RECORDING Mode Settings
Shooting mode
Set the selector dial to the desired
 Capturing Still Images
Area in the center of the LCD
 Resolution
Sequential Shots
Maximum number of sequential shots
 Standard
Standard sequential shots Ö
Method
Finish capturing images
 AE shift sequential auto bracket shots a
Sequential Shots
Bracket
 Best select shot Ä
Select the image that you want to save
 Capturing images without using the LCD monitor
Save Image Erase Others YES
To save all four images
 Video Clips
End the recording
 Audio Recordings
Audio REC
REC
 Audio REC
Stop
End the audio recording
 Setting the focus
Basic Shooting Functions
 Hint
 Using the flash
Basic Shooting Functions
Set the camera to the still image
 Flash mode
Press the flash button to select
 Automatic flash mode
Press the shutter release button
 Shooting without using the LCD monitor
Set the shooting mode see Set the main switch to à
 Using the zoom
 Example Still image shooting Mode
Basic Mode
Set to a shooting mode see
Select the scene select menu
 Select the desired icon, and press the SET button
Basic Mode
About other settings
To return to normal shooting
 Setting the resolution
Resolution
 About the resolution and compression settings see
 Using the self-timer
OFF
 Setting the compression rate
Compression
Fine
 Selected compression rate is set English
 Sequential shots playback mode
Playback Mode Settings
Still image playback mode
Video clip playback mode
 Turn the selector dial to P
Playing back audio recordings
Audio
Select the audio playback icon M, and press the SET button
 Play back a voice memo
Playing Back Still Images
Play back still images one by one
Image display playback
 Hint
 If the 9-image display appears in step
Playing Back Sequential Shots
To change to a different sequential shots folder
To quickly change to a different sequential shots folder
 Playing Back Video Clips
 Playing Back Video Clips
Example of button operations
 To view video clips on your computer
 Playback Stop
Listening to Audio Recordings
Play
Select the audio playback icon Ô, and press the SET button
 To select a different audio recording
To stop playback
 Time
Automatic playback slideshow
Slideshow
Start Exit
 Magnifying zooming in the image
Move
Zoom I/O
 Using the Various Playback Functions
To magnify the image from the Playback Setting Screen
 Left
Rotating an image
Rotate
Exit
 Playback
Playing back images on a TV set
Connections
Audio recording playback see
Page
 Displaying Image Information Playback Info Screen
 0019
 Adding a Voice Memo
Voice Memo
 Setting the Focus Mode
When the spot focus setting is selected
Spot Focus
 LIGHT-MEASURING Mode Setting
Shooting with the spot light-measuring mode
Multi
 White Balance Setting
Auto
 Setting procedure
To cancel the white balance setting
To capture sepia-tone images
 ISO Sensitivity Setting
ISO
 Setting the Exposure Control
 Aperture and shutter variable program AE Ï
Setting the Exposure Control
Setting
Aperture priority AE Î
 Select Setting
Manual exposure control Í
 Setting the Noise Reduction
Display the Still Image Shooting Setting Screen see
 Adjust the color tones with the digital camera
Select the color adjustment icon
Select one from the ôto õ icons, and press the SET button
 SAT
 Adjust the color
Abcde Scroll Select
Select the ùicon, and press SET button
 About the brightness setting
About the hue setting
About the saturation setting
Select the mark, and press the SET button
 Example of hue and saturation settings
 Icon Title Settings data file To photograph Name
About color correction with Real Color Equalizer 3.0 on PC
 Color Adjustment
Load Setting DATA? YES
Select Setting Data Mount SP
 Select Where to Save Mount SP SEA Mode
About the Real Color Equalizer 3.0 on PC
 To select previously set color correction settings
Display a Shooting Setting Screen
 Digital Zoom Setting
 Quick Shot Setting Still Image Shooting Mode only
How to use the quick shot
 Shortcut for setting the exposure correction
Exposure Correction
 FLICKER-REDUCTION Setting Video Clip Shooting only
 When not using the LCD monitor
Shooting Setting Information Display Shooting Info Screen
When using the LCD monitor
Display the Shooting Information Screen
 P5.6 P1/500
 Copy
Example Sequential shots Playback mode
Copying Images
To select a different image frame in step
 Resize
Changing Image Size
Edit Photo
Select the edit photo icon r, and press the SET button
 RESIZE? YES
 Setting Point
Adding Text
Select the add text icon 2, and press the SET button
 Character row chart
Scroll Select Abcde
Press the arrow button to select the desired character row
 Adding Text
Scroll Select Pqrst
You can change the color of the text
 Scroll Select Abcde Parade
 Select the add audio icon p, and press the SET button
 ADD Audio
Recording
 Print Settings
Select the print setting icon n, and press the SET button
 About the Dpof format
 Print Settings
Standard print
 Select SETTING, and press the SET button
ALL Images
Date
 Specifying the number of prints
 To clear the print settings
If the print settings are correct
To change the print settings
Index print
 Changing the print settings
Follow steps 1 to 4 on pages 137
 Clearing the print settings
ALL Clear
 LOCK? YES
UNLOCK? YES
 To cancel the protect mode for an image
To select a different image in steps 4
 Erasing Data
Select the erase mode icon q
Example Still Image Playback Mode Press the SET button
Erase
 For sequential shots
For video clips
For audio recordings
 Erasing Data
To select a different data in step
To quickly erase the currently displayed image
 Image and Audio Data Storage
Data file formats
Type of data Data format File name structure
 Image and Audio Data Storage
Configuration of directories for the stored data
About file names when the card is replaced
Concerning the video clip data saved by the digital camera
 To USB port
Using the Camera with a Computer
Using the camera as your computer’s external drive
Terminal
 Set the selector dial to Ü, and turn on the power
Using the camera as a PC camera
Using the Camera with a Computer
Connect the digital camera to a personal computer
 USB DIRECT-PRINT
Setup
Select Mode
USB DIRECT-PRINT
 USB DIRECT-PRINT
Print Setting
To print the images that are set to print
Print Exit
 Select Mode
To cancel printing
To select one image and print it
 Display the Print Mode Screen
To change the print settings and print images
Next Setting
Select Custom MODE, and press the SET button
 Media Type Printer Value
Adjust the print settings
Select Next SETTING, and press the SET button
Date OFF
 Ntsc
Setting the TV System
TV System
PAL
 Clock SET
Setting the Date and Time
Example Shooting Option Setting Screen
Example To set the clock to January 23, 2003 at 730 p.m
 Set the date
Setting the Date and Time
Clock SET
Set the clock
 Set the order in which the date is displayed during playback
Select C, and press the SET button
 To correct the date and time settings
 Display the Operational Sounds Screen
Setting the Operational Sounds
Setting the operational sounds
Beep
 Setting the Operational Sounds
Beep
Select BEEP, and press the SET button
 Turning the operational sounds on/off
Mute
Select on or OFF, and press the SET button
 Help
Select the desired setting, and press the SET button
Help Function
Select the help display icon ç, and press the SET button
 Select the language icon à, and press the SET button
Display Language
Language
Select the desired language, and press the SET button
 Power Save Mode
Power Save
Select the power save icon é, and press the SET button
 Example When BATT/CAM Is selected
Press j or l on the arrow button to set the standby time
 Assigning File Names
 Assigning File Names
Select OFF, and press the SET button
 Checking the Remaining Battery Pack Charge
Info
 Checking the Remaining Battery Pack Charge
 Set the main switch to á, and press the power button
Still image shooting mode
Checking the Remaining Card Memory
 Sequential shots shooting mode
Checking the Remaining Card Memory
 Checking the remaining audio recording time
Clock SET Beep Language TV System Reformat
 Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Action
Power
 Troubleshooting
 Shooting
 Troubleshooting
 Problem Cause Action
 Troubleshooting
 Flicker-reduction
 There are black
 Images
 Exposure 122 Correction
 Fluorescent
 Troubleshooting
 No voice memo Select the add Was recorded Voice memo
 Video
Image
 Printing
 Print Busy
Misc
 Protected
 System Problem has Check
 Specifications
Digital Camera
 Specifications
 Reduction
 Digital camera connectors
Battery pack operation
 CompactFlash 16MB Microdrive 1GB
 Sion rate
 Supplied battery pack charger
Supplied CompactFlash
 Supplied Lithium-ion battery pack
 Basic mode and Expert mode
Video clip
 Others