VPC-MZ3EX VPC-MZ3 VPC-MZ3GX
 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
 Using Your Digital Camera Safely and Correctly
Be aware of your surroundings when using the digital camera
Do not modify or open the cabinet
Do not use while driving
 Do not get the digital camera wet
Do not use during a storm
Do not place on an unstable surface
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
 Do not get the battery pack charger wet
Use a 100 to 240 V AC power supply
Do not disassemble or modify the battery pack charger
 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
Operating and storage conditions
 Concerning the Lithium-ion battery pack Model DB-L10
Do not transform, take apart, or modify
 Humidity 10% to 90% no condensation
Temperature when using or recharging 0 to 40C
Storage temperature -10C to 30C
 Do not peel or damage the outer case
Use the battery pack only in the specified device
Insert the battery pack correctly, as specified
 Keep out of the reach of children
Charge the battery pack before using it
Recycling the battery pack
 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
 Sicon
 CompactFlash 16MB
Checking the Included Accessories
Handstrap
 Media cards that can be used with this digital camera
What card means in this manual
CompactFlash
Microdrive
 Charge the battery pack
Connect the supplied power cord to the battery pack charger
Plug the power plug into a power outlet AC 100 to
Quick Start for Capturing Images
 Insert the card
Install the battery pack and card
Insert the battery pack
 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
 Recharge a battery pack in the following cases
Recharging the Battery Pack
Ambient temperature during recharging
 About the Charge indicator
Charge indicator
 Display the Shooting Option Setting Screen see
Formatting a Card
Press j on the arrow button to select YES
Reformat
 Reformatting erases the data
To cancel reformatting
Reformatting is also possible in the playback mode
 Turning the Power ON/OFF
Turning the power on
When capturing images
When playing back images
 Turning the power off
Turning the power on when the power save function is active
When capturing images
When playing back images
 Setting Screens and Option Setting Screens
Displaying a Setting Screen
Set the main switch
Shooting Playback
 Full Auto
Exiting the Shooting/Playback Setting Screen
Exiting the Shooting/Playback Option Setting Screen
 Setting Screens and Option Setting Screens
Display the Shooting Setting Screen
Expert mode
Press d on the arrow button twice
 Video clip shooting
Shooting in the Basic mode
Basic mode settings
 Setting screen basic operation
Shooting Setting Screen
When selecting a menu
When selecting a setting icon
 Playback Setting Screen
Other operations
 Shooting Setting Screens
Still Image Shooting Setting Screen
Resolution
Scene Select Full Auto
 Compression menu
Voice Memo menu page 104 c b Voice memo off icon
Spot focus menu page 105 c j Spot focus off icon
ISO sensitivity menu page 109 c Ä Auto sensitivity icon
 Method Best
Sequential Shots Shooting Setting Screen
Sequential shots mode Method menu
 Sequential shots interval menu
 Video Clip Shooting Setting Screen
Resolution menu
 White Balance menu page 107 c H Auto white balance icon
Compression menu page 82 c D Fine icon low
Flicker-reduction Flicker Reduct menu
 Shooting status display
 +0.3
 Playback Setting Screens
Volume
 Shooting/Playback Option Setting Screens
Color correction setting real color equalizer
Slideshow settings
Audio recording
 Before Taking Pictures
For best results
Holding the camera
Correct hold
 Subjects without vertical lines
When both near and far objects are present
Conditions that may cause incorrect focus
 Before Taking Pictures
Hints for taking pictures
 Where is the image and audio data saved?
Field of view differs depending on the shooting mode
Taking pictures in backlight conditions
About sequential shots shooting
 Set the selector dial to the desired
SHOOTING/RECORDING Mode Settings
Shooting mode
 Capturing Still Images
Area in the center of the LCD
 Maximum number of sequential shots
Resolution Compression rate
Sequential Shots
 Standard sequential shots Ö
Method
Standard
Interval
 Sequential Shots
Finish capturing images
 AE shift sequential auto bracket shots a
Bracket
 Best select shot Ä
 Select the image that you want to save
 Select YES, and press the SET button
Best Shot Confirmation Screen
 Capturing images without using the LCD monitor
To save all four images
 Video Clips
End the recording
 REC
Audio Recordings
Audio REC
 Recording time minsec
Audio Recordings
End the audio recording
 Setting the focus
Basic Shooting Functions
 Set the camera to the still image
Using the flash
Basic Shooting Functions
 Press the shutter release button
Flash mode
Press the flash button to select
 Set the shooting mode see Set the main switch to à
Shooting without using the LCD monitor
Automatic flash mode
 Using the zoom
 Basic Mode
Set to a shooting mode see
Example Still image shooting Mode
Select the scene select menu
 About other settings
Select the desired icon, and press the SET button
About the wide-range shot
To return to normal shooting
 Setting the resolution
Basic Mode
 OFF
Using the self-timer
About the resolution and compression settings see
 This completes the self-timer setting
 Setting the compression rate
Fine
 Selected compression rate is set English
 15FPS
Setting the frame rate
Frame Rate
 Playback Mode Settings
Still image playback mode
Sequential shots playback mode
Video clip playback mode
 Playing back audio recordings
Turn the selector dial to P
Select the audio playback icon M, and press the SET button
Audio
 Playing Back Still Images
Play back still images one by one
Play back a voice memo
Image display playback
 Hint
 Playing Back Sequential Shots
To change to a different sequential shots folder
If the 9-image display appears in step
To quickly change to a different sequential shots folder
 Playing Back Video Clips
 Example of button operations
 To view video clips on your computer
 Listening to Audio Recordings
Select the audio playback icon Ô, and press the SET button
To fast forward or rewind
Play
 To select a different audio recording
To stop playback
 Select START, and press the SET button
Automatic playback slideshow
Slideshow
 Magnifying zooming in the image
 Using the Various Playback Functions
To magnify the image from the Playback Setting Screen
 Example Still Image Playback Mode
Rotating an image
Select the rotate image icon Ç, and press the SET button
Rotate
 Playing back images on a TV set
Connections
Playback
Audio recording playback see
Page
 Displaying Image Information Playback Info Screen
 100-0001
 WIDE-RANGE Shot
Press the shutter release button About the wide-range shot
 Adding a Voice Memo
 Setting the Focus Mode
When the spot focus setting is selected
 LIGHT-MEASURING Mode Setting
Shooting with the spot light-measuring mode
 White Balance Setting
Auto
 To capture sepia-tone images
Setting procedure
To cancel the white balance setting
 ISO Sensitivity Setting
 Setting the Exposure Control
 Setting the Exposure Control
Aperture and shutter variable program AE Ï
Aperture priority AE Î
Shutter speed priority AE Ì
 Select
Manual exposure control Í
 Adjust the color tones with the digital camera
Display the Shooting Option Setting
Select the color adjustment icon
Screen see
 HUE SAT BR
 Select the ùicon, and press SET button
Adjust the color
Initial color Adjusted color
 About the hue setting
About the saturation setting
About the brightness 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
 Load Setting DATA? YES
Select Setting Data 01MOUNT SP 02SUNSET GLW
 About the Real Color Equalizer 3.0 on PC
For 12-color mode setting data
Select Where to Save Mount SP SEA Mode Sunset GLW
 To select previously set color correction settings
Display a Shooting Setting Screen
 Digital Zoom Setting
 Quick Shot
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
 Shooting Setting Information Display Shooting Info Screen
Still image shooting mode
Sequential shots shooting mode
Display the Shooting Information Screen
 Exit the Shooting Information Screen
When using the LCD monitor
When not using the LCD monitor
 Example Sequential shots Playback mode Copy
Copying Images
Copy
To select a different image frame in step
 Changing Image Size
Edit Photo
Select the edit photo icon r, and press the SET button
Resize
 RESIZE? YES
 Adding Text
Select the add text icon 2, and press the SET button
 Press the arrow button to select the desired character row
R S T
 Adding Text
You can change the color of the text
 Parade
 Exit
Select the add audio icon p, and press the SET button
 Recording
 Image combining procedure
Combining Images ADD Photo Function
 Display the background image
ADD Photo
 Determine the size of the superimposed image
Combining Images ADD Photo Function
 Press the arrow button to specify the end point
 Compose the picture, and press the shutter release button
Determine the position of the superimposed image
Capture the superimposed image
Page
 Video clip clipping procedure
Editing Video Clips
 Join the two video clips press the SET button
Video clip joining procedure
Display the video clip for the first part
 Edit Video
Saving part of a video clip clipping
Editing Video Clips
 POINT?
Clipping
Clip Former
 Edit Do not Power OFF
Erase ORIGINAL? YES Exit
 Joining two video clips
Display the first video clip
Press l on the arrow button to select the joint icon m
Joint
 Erased No The original video clips are not
9-image playback display for Video clips appears
Joined video clip is saved YES The original video clips are
 Edit Do not Power OFF
 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
 Specifying the number of prints
Select Exit and press the SET button
 ALL Images Date
Changing the print settings
Index print
 Clearing the print settings
 Info
 Image Protect Mode Preventing Accidental Erasure
LOCK? YES
 To cancel the protect mode for an image
To select a different image in steps 4
 Select the erase mode icon q
Example Still Image Playback Mode Press the SET button
Erasing Data
Erase
 For sequential shots
For video clips
For audio recordings
ONE ERASE?
 To select a different data in step
To quickly erase the currently displayed image
 Type of data Data format File name structure
Image and Audio Data Storage
Data file formats
 Configuration of directories for the stored data
About file names when the card is replaced
Image and Audio Data Storage
Concerning the video clip data saved by the digital camera
 Using the Camera with a Computer
Using the camera as your computer’s external drive
 Using the camera as a PC camera
Using the Camera with a Computer
Set the selector dial to Ü, and turn on the power
Connect the digital camera to a personal computer
 Setting the Date and Time
Clock SET
Time
Disp
 Set the clock
Setting the Date and Time
Set the date
 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
 Setting the Operational Sounds
Setting the operational sounds
Display the Operational Sounds Screen
Beep
 Setting the Operational Sounds
Select BEEP, and press the SET button
 Turning the operational sounds on/off
Select on or OFF, and press the SET button
 Select the desired setting, and press the SET button
Help Function
Select the help display icon ç, and press the SET button
Help
 Display Language
Language
Select the language icon à, and press the SET button
ENGLISH@
 Power Save
Power Save Mode
Select the power save icon é, and press the SET button
 Press j or l on the arrow button to set the standby time
Is selected
 Setting the TV System
TV System
Ntsc
PAL
 Assigning File Names
 Assigning File Names
Select OFF, and press the SET button
 Checking the Remaining Battery Pack Charge
Battery pack remaining charge
Display a Shooting or Playback
Information Screen see pages
 Checking the Remaining Battery Pack Charge
 Set the main switch to á, and press the power button
Checking the Remaining Card Memory
 Checking the Remaining Card Memory
 Checking the remaining audio recording time
 Power
Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Action
 Battery
 Troubleshooting
Shooting
 Problem Cause Action
 Troubleshooting
 Problem Cause Action
 Troubleshooting
 AE Ì
 There are black
 Images
 Exposure 124 Correction
 Fluorescent
 Troubleshooting
 No voice memo Select the add Was recorded Voice memo
 Video
Image
 Misc
 Protected
 System Problem has Check
 Specifications
Digital Camera
 For playback 1x to 31x varies with resolution
 Specifications
 Digital camera connectors
Battery pack operation
 Microdrive 1GB
 12 min
 Supplied battery pack charger
Supplied Lithium-ion battery pack
 Basic mode and Expert mode
Video clip
 Others