Main
Handycam Handbook
HDR-CX550E/CX550VE/ XR550E/XR550VE
Recording/Playback
Read this first
Supplied items
Using the camcorder
Menu items, LCD panel, viewfinder and lens
About language setting
On recording
Notes on playing back
Discs recorded with HD image quality (high definition)
Save all your recorded image data
Note on the camcorder/battery pack temperature
When the camcoder is connected to a computer or accessories
The model with * is equipped with GPS.
If you cannot record/play back images, perform [MEDIA FORMAT]
Notes on optional accessories
Notes on use
On the drop sensor (HDR-XR550E/ XR550VE)
Note on using the camcorder at high altitudes (HDR-XR550E/XR550VE)
Operation flow
Advice for successful recording
To get good results in recording
Stabilizing your camcorder
Zooming smoothly
Evoking a feeling of spaciousness
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Table of contents
Getting started
Recording/Playback
Making good use of your camcorder
Saving images with an external device
Customizing your camcorder
Additional information
Quick reference
Getting started
Step 1: Charging the battery pack
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To remove the battery pack
Close the LCD screen. Slide the BATT (battery) release lever () and remove the battery pack ().
To use a wall outlet (wall socket) as a power source
Charging the battery pack abroad
Notes on the battery pack
Step 2: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time
To turn off the power
On turning the camcorder on or off using the LCD screen or the viewfinder
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Step 3: Preparing the recording media
Selecting the recording media for movies
Selecting the recording media for photos
Getting started
Touch [YES] .
To eject the memory card
Open the cover and lightly push the memory card in once.
Recording/Playback
Recording
Fasten the grip belt.
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
Recording movies
Press START/STOP to start recording.
To stop recording, press START/STOP again.
90 degrees (max.) 180 degrees (max.) 90 degrees to the camcorder
Data code during recording
Shooting photos
Press MODE to turn on the (Photo) lamp.
Press PHOTO lightly to adjust the focus, then press it fully.
If white circular spots appear on photos
Useful functions for recording movies and
Zooming
Recording better images automatically (INTELLIGENT AUTO)
To cancel INTELLIGENT AUTO
Selecting high definition image quality (HD) or standard image quality (STD)
Touch (MENU) [Show others] [ / SET] (under [SHOOTING SET] category).
Touch [YES] .
Selecting the recording mode
Touch (MENU) [Show others] [ REC MODE] (under [SHOOTING SET] category).
Touch a desired setting.
Touch .
Prioritizing the subject
Capturing smiles automatically (Smile Shutter)
Built-in microphone
Recording sound with more presence (5.1ch surround recording)
Touch the face you want to record as priority.
The double-lined frame is displayed.
Recording high quality photos during movie recording (Dual Rec)
You can record photos during movie recording by pressing PHOTO.
Recording in dark places (NightShot)
Infrared port
When you press NIGHTSHOT, appears, and you can record images even in total darkness.
Recording in mirror mode
Controlling the image settings manually with the MANUAL dial
Press MANUAL to activate the manual adjustment mode.
Rotate the MANUAL dial to adjust the focus.
Items you can assign to the MANUAL dial
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Playback
Playing movies
Volume adjustment
Previous
To stop
OPTION
To adjust the sound volume of movies
While playing back movies, touch adjust with / .
Viewing photos
Your camcorder displays the selected photo.
Useful functions for playing movies and
Searching for desired images by date (Date Index)
Searching for desired scene by pinpoint (Film Roll Index)
Searching for desired scene by face (Face Index)
Playing back a digest of your movies (Highlight Playback)
To stop Highlight Playback
To pause, touch . To stop, touch or .
To change the settings for Highlight Playback
To save a scenario for Highlight Playback
Touch (OPTION) [ SCENARIO SAVE] [YES] during Highlight Playback.
Using PB zoom with photos
Play back the photo you want to magnify.
Magnify the photo with T (Telephoto).
The screen is framed.
Touch the screen at the point you want to display in the center of the displayed frame.
Playing back a series of photos (Slide show)
Playing images on a TV
Connecting a TV using [TV CONNECT Guide]
Play back movies and photos on your camcorder (p. 33).
Types of connection cables between your camcorder and TV
Connecting to a high definition TV
Using BRAVIA Sync
Making good use of your camcorder
Deleting movies and
You can free media space by deleting movies and photos from recording media.
Touch (MENU) [Show others] [DELETE] (under
To delete movies, touch [ DELETE] [ DELETE] or [ DELETE].
Touch and display the mark on the movies or photos to be deleted.
Protecting recorded movies and photos (Protect)
To protect all the movies and photos recorded on the same day at one time
To undo the protection of movies and photos recorded on the same day at one time
Dividing a movie
Touch (MENU) [Show others] [ DIVIDE] (under
Touch the movie to be divided.
Touch at the point where you want to divide the movie into scenes.
Touch [YES] .
Capturing a photo from a movie
Touch (MENU) [Show others] [PHOTO CAPTURE] (under [EDIT] category).
The [PHOTO CAPTURE] screen appears.
Touch the movie to be captured.
The selected movie starts playback.
Dubbing/copying movies and photos from the internal recording media to memory card
Dubbing movies
Touch (MENU) [Show others] [MOVIE DUB] (under [EDIT] category).
The [MOVIE DUB] screen appears.
Copying photos
Using the Playlist of movies
Creating the Playlist
To add all the movies recorded on the same day at one time
Playing the Playlist
Touch (MENU) [Show others] [PLAYLIST] (under [PLAYBACK] category).
Touch the movie you want to play back.
To erase unnecessary movies from the Playlist
To change the order within the Playlist
Using the GPS function (HDR-CX550VE/ XR550VE)
What is GPS?
Making good use of your camcorder
Setting the GPS function
indicators GPS reception status
Acquiring the current location information
Touch ( YOUR LOCATION) on the recording screen.
To close the map screen
Searching for a desired scene by recording location (Map Index)
Press ( VIEW IMAGES).
Displaying the coordinate information (COORDINATES)
Adjusting the clock and the area automatically (AUTO CLOCK ADJ/ AUTO AREA ADJ)
Saving images with an external device
Saving images in external media
(DIRECT COPY)
After the operation is completed, touch on the camcorder screen.
When connecting an external media
To save desired movies and photos
To play back images in the external media on the camcorder
To finish the external media connection
Creating a disc with a DVD writer, recorder
Selecting the method for creating a disc
Ordinary DVD device Player
Creating device
Disc type
Creating a disc with the dedicated DVD writer, DVDirect Express
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To play back a disc on the DVD writer
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After the operation is completed, touch [END] [YES] on the camcorder screen.
Disconnect the USB cable.
Creating a standard definition image quality (STD) disc with a recorder, etc.
A/V connecting cable (supplied)
A/V connecting cable with S VIDEO (sold separately)
Insert the recording media in the recording device.
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Customizing your camcorder
Using menus
Operating menus
Using MY MENU
Using the OPTION MENU
Customizing your camcorder
Menu lists
(MANUAL SETTINGS) category
(SHOOTING SET) category
(PHOTO SETTINGS) category
(PLAYBACK) category
(OTHERS) category
(MANAGE MEDIA) category
(GENERAL SET) category
MANUAL SETTINGS
(Items to adjust for scene condition)
SCENE SELECTION
FADER
WHITE FADER
WHITE BAL. (White balance)
You can adjust the color balance to the brightness of the recording environment.
AUTO
OUTDOOR ( )
INDOOR ()
SPOT MTR/FCS (Spot meter/ focus)
SPOT METER (Flexible spot meter)
SPOT FOCUS
EXPOSURE
FOCUS
TELE MACRO
ON ( )
AE SHIFT
You can adjust the exposure manually.
WB SHIFT (White Balance Shift)
GOLF SHOT
SMTH SLW REC (Smooth slow rec)
To change the setting
[TIMING]
SHOOTING SET
(Items for customized shooting)
/ SET
REC MODE (Recording mode)
GUIDEFRAME
STEADYSHOT
CONVERSION LENS
LOW LUX
FACE DETECTION
PRIORITY SETTING
SMILE DETECTION
SMILE SENSITIVITY
AUDIO REC SET
BLT-IN ZOOM MIC (Built-in zoom microphone)
OTHER REC SET
DIGITAL ZOOM
AUTO BACK LIGHT
DIAL SETTING
NIGHTSHOT LIGHT
PHOTO SETTINGS
(Items for recording photos)
SELF-TIMER
IMAGE SIZE
STEADYSHOT
FLASH MODE
FLASH LEVEL
REDEYE REDUC (Redeye reduction)
FILE NO. (File number)
PLAYBACK
(Items for playback)
VISUAL INDEX
VIEW IMAGES
DATE INDEX
DATE/TIME
CAMERA DATA
COORDINATES (HDR-CX550VE/ XR550VE)
See page 55.
Movie
EDIT
(Items for editing)
OTHERS
(Items for other settings)
MANAGE MEDIA
(Items for recording media)
MEDIA SETTINGS
MEDIA INFO
To turn off the display
GENERAL SET
(Other setup items)
SOUND/DISP SET
VOLUME
BEEP
OUTPUT SETTINGS
TV TYPE
COMPONENT
HDMI RESOLUTION
DISP OUTPUT (Display output)
CLOCK/ LANG
CLOCK SET
AREA SET
AUTO CLOCK ADJ (Auto clock adjustment) (HDR-CX550VE/XR550VE)
AUTO AREA ADJ (Auto area adjustment) (HDR-CX550VE/XR550VE)
POWER SETTINGS
A.SHUT OFF (Auto shut off)
OTHER SETTINGS
DEMO MODE
CALIBRATION
DROP SENSOR (HDR-XR550E/ XR550VE)
CTRL FOR HDMI (Control for HDMI)
REC LAMP (Recording lamp)
REMOTE CTRL (Remote control)
Additional information
Troubleshooting
Overall operations/Wireless Remote Commander
The power does not turn on.
The camcorder does not operate even when the power is set to on.
The menu settings have changed automatically.
Batteries/power sources
The power abruptly turns off.
The /CHG (flash/charge) lamp does not light while the battery pack is being charged.
The /CHG (flash/charge) lamp flashes while the battery pack is being charged.
LCD screen/viewfinder
Memory card
Recording
Photos cannot be recorded.
The access lamp remains lit or flashing even if recording was stopped.
The imaging field looks different.
The flash does not work.
The camcorder stops operating.
Playback
Photos cannot be played back.
is indicated on an image on the VISUAL INDEX screen.
No sound or only a quiet sound is heard during playback.
The demonstration movies cannot be played.
Playing back images stored on memory card on other devices
Images cannot be played back or the memory card is not recognized.
Editing movies/photos on your camcorder
Unable to edit.
Movies cannot be added in the Playlist.
Playback on the TV
Neither image nor sound is played on the connected TV.
The top, bottom, right, and left edges of images are trimmed slightly on a connected TV.
The image appears distorted on the 4:3 TV.
Black bands appear at the top and bottom of the screen of the 4:3 TV.
Connecting to a Computer
PMB cannot be installed.
Check the computer environment or installation procedure required to install PMB.
PMB does not work correctly.
Quit PMB and restart your computer.
C:(or E:) : (Self-diagnosis display)
(Warning on the internal hard disk of the camcorder)
(Battery level warning)
(Warning indicator pertaining to battery pack temperature)
(High temperature warning)
Description of warning messages
Recording media
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Other
Recording time of movies/number of recordable photos
HD stands for high definition image quality, and STD stands for standard image quality.
Expected time of recording and playback with each battery pack
Recording time
Approximate time available when you use a fully charged battery pack.
Expected recording time of movies
Internal memory
High definition image quality (HD) in h (hour) and m (minute)
Standard definition image quality (STD) in h (hour) and m (minute)
Internal hard disk
Expected number of recordable photos
Internal recording media
You can record the maximum 9,999 photos.
Memory card
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Using your camcorder abroad
Power supply
Viewing high definition image quality (HD) movies
Viewing standard definition image quality (STD) movies
On TV color systems
Setting to the local time
HDR-CX550VE/XR550VE
World time difference
Maintenance and precautions
About the AVCHD format
What is the AVCHD format?
Recording and playback on your camcorder
About GPS (HDR-CX550VE/ XR550VE)
On triangulating errors
On the restriction of use of GPS on an airplane
On the map data
On the geographic coordinate system
On copyright
About the memory card
On the memory card adaptor
On image data compatibility
About the Memory Stick media
About the InfoLITHIUM battery pack
What is an InfoLITHIUM battery pack?
To charge the battery pack
To use the battery pack effectively
About the remaining battery time indicator
About x.v.Color
About handling of your camcorder
On use and care
When not using your camcorder for a long time
Moisture condensation
LCD screen
To clean the LCD screen
On adjustment of the touch panel (CALIBRATION)
On handling the casing
About care and storage of the lens
On charging the pre-installed rechargeable battery
How to charge the pre-installed rechargeable battery
Note on disposal/transfer of the memory card
On trademarks
Notes on the License
On GNU GPL/LGPL applied software
Quick reference
Screen indicators
Upper left
Center
Upper right
Bottom
Parts and controls
Figures in ( ) are reference pages.
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Wireless Remote Commander
To change the battery of the Wireless Remote Commander
Tab
WARNING
Quick reference
Index
D
E
F
G
N
O
P
R
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