Canon camcorder DC100 User Manual

							
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Do’s & Don’ts
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Do’s & Don’tsHandling Precautions
Camcorder
Do not subject the camcorder to vibrations or strong impacts while the DISC access 
indicator is on or flashing. The data may not be correctly recorded on the disc, and the 
recording may be permanently lost.
 Do not touch the pick up lens.
 Do not carry the camcorder by the LCD panel or the disc cover. Be careful when 
closing the LCD panel.
 Do not leave the camcorder in places subject to high temperatures (like the inside of a 
car under direct sunlight), or high humidity.
 Do not use the camcorder near strong electric or magnetic fields such as above TVs, 
near plasma TVs or mobile phones.
 Do not point the lens or viewfinder at strong light sources. Do not leave the camcorder 
pointed at a bright subject.
 Do not use or store the camcorder in dusty or sandy places. The camcorder is not 
waterproof – avoid also water, mud or salt. If any of the above should get into the 
camcorder it may damage the camcorder and/or the lens. Be sure to close the disc 
compartment cover after use.
 Be careful of heat generated by lighting equipment.
 Do not disassemble the camcorder. If the camcorder does not function properly, 
consult qualified service personnel.
 Handle the camcorder with care. Do not subject the camcorder to shocks or vibration 
as this may cause damage.
Battery Pack
Charged battery packs continue to discharge naturally. Therefore, charge them on the 
day of use, or the day before, to ensure a full charge.
 Attach the terminal cover whenever a battery pack is not in use. Contact with metallic 
objects may cause a short circuit and damage the battery pack.
 Dirty terminals may cause a poor contact between the battery pack and the camcorder. 
Wipe the terminals with a soft cloth.
 Since storing a charged battery pack for a long time (about 1 year) can shorten its 
lifecycle or affect performance, we recommend to discharge the battery pack fully and 
to store it in a dry place at temperatures no higher than 30 °C (86 °F). If you do not use 
the battery pack for long periods, charge and discharge it fully at least once a year. If 
you have more than one battery pack, perform these precautions at the same time for 
all battery packs.
DANGER!
Treat the battery pack with care.
• Keep it away from fire (or it might explode).
• Do not expose the battery pack to temperature higher than 60 °C (140 °F). Do not 
leave it near a heater or inside a car in hot weather.
• Do not try to disassemble or modify it.
• Do not drop or knock it.
• Do not get it wet.  
						

							
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Although the battery pack’s operating temperature range is from 0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F
to 104 °F), the optimal range is from 10 °C to 30 °C (50 °F to 86 °F). At cold 
temperatures, performance will temporarily decline. Warm it in your pocket before use.
 Replace the battery pack if the usable time after full charge diminishes substantially at 
normal temperatures.
About the battery terminal cover
The battery terminal cover has a [ ]-shaped hole. This is useful when you wish to 
differentiate between charged and uncharged battery packs. 
Mini DVD Disc
The recording surface of DVD discs is extremely delicate. Be sure to observe the 
following precautions when handling your discs.
Keep the disc clean of dust, dirt or smudges. Even very small smudges or particles of 
dust can lead to problems when recording or playing back the disc. Carefully inspect the 
recording surface of the disc before inserting it in the camcorder. If the disc gets dirty 
use a dry, soft lens-cleaning cloth to remove any fingerprints, dirt buildup or smudges 
from the disc surface. Clean the disc in a radial motion from its center outwards.
 Never use a chemically treated cloth or flammable solvents such as paint thinner to 
clean the disc.
 Do not bend, scratch or wet the disc and do not subject it to strong shocks.
 Do not attach labels or stickers on the disc surfaces. The disc may not rotate in a stable 
manner and this may cause malfunctions.
 Return discs to their case for storage.
 When writing on the label side of the disc, avoid hard tip pens. Use waterproof soft-
tipped felt pens instead.
 Moving a disc rapidly between hot and cold temperatures may cause condensation to 
form on its surfaces. If condensation forms on the disc, put it aside until the water 
droplets have evaporated completely.
 Never expose the disc to direct sunlight and do not store it in places subject to high 
temperatures or high humidity.
 Make sure to finalize a disc before inserting it in a DVD player, DVD recorder or a 
computer’s DVD drive. Failing to do so can result in the loss of the recorded data.
Built-in Rechargeable Lithium Battery
The camcorder has a built-in rechargeable lithium battery to keep the date/time and other 
settings. The built-in lithium battery is recharged while you use the camcorder, however, it 
will become totally discharged if you do not use the camcorder for about 3 months.
To recharge the built-in lithium battery:  Connect the compact power adapter to the 
camcorder and leave it connected for 24 hours with the power switch set to  .
Back side of the 
battery pack Terminal cover attached 
Charged Uncharged  
						

							
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Do’s & Don’ts
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Maintenance/Others
Storage
If you do not intend to use the camcorder for a long time, store it in a place free of dust, 
in low humidity, and at temperatures not higher than 30 °C (86 °F).
Cleaning
Camcorder Body Use a soft, dry cloth to clean the camcorder body. Never use chemically treated cloth 
or volatile solvents such as paint thinner.
Pick Up LensRemove any dust or dirt particles using a non-aerosol type blower brush. Never touch 
the pick up lens directly to clean it.
Lens and ViewfinderIf the lens surface is dirty, the autofocus may not work properly.
 Remove any dust or dirt particles using a non-aerosol type blower brush.
 Use a clean, soft lens-cleaning cloth to gently wipe the lens or viewfinder. Never use 
tissue paper.
LCD ScreenClean the LCD screen using a clean, soft lens-cleaning cloth.
 Condensation may form on the surface of the screen when the temperature changes 
suddenly. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth.
Condensation
Moving the camcorder rapidly between hot and cold temperatures may cause 
condensation (water droplets) to form on its internal surfaces. Stop using the camcorder if 
condensation is detected. Continued use may damage the camcorder.  
						

							
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Condensation may form in the following cases:
How to avoid condensation:
Do not expose the camcorder to sudden or extreme changes in temperature.
 Unload the disc, place the camcorder in an airtight plastic bag and let it adjust to 
temperature changes slowly before removing it from the bag.
When condensation is detected:The camcorder automatically shuts off. If a disc is loaded, remove the disc immediately 
and leave the disc cover open. Leaving the disc in the camcorder may damage it.
 A disc cannot be loaded when condensation is detected.
Resuming use:The precise time required for water droplets to evaporate will vary depending on the 
location and weather conditions. As a general criterion, wait for 2 hours before 
resuming use of the camcorder.
Using the Camcorder Abroad
Power SourcesYou can use the compact power adapter to operate the camcorder and to charge battery 
packs in any country with power supply between 100 and 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz. Consult 
the Canon Service Center for information on plug adapters for overseas use.
Playback on a TV ScreenYou can only play back your recordings on TVs compatible with the NTSC system. The 
NTSC system is used in the following countries/areas:
American Samoa, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, Canada, 
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, Greenland, 
Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, 
Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent 
and the Grenadines, Surinam, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, USA, Venezuela, Virgin 
Islands.
When the camcorder is movedfrom an 
air-conditioned room to a warm, humid 
placeWhenthe camcorder is movedfrom a 
cold place to a warm room
When the camcorder is left in a humid 
room When a cold room is heated rapidly  
						

							
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Additional Information
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Additional InformationSystem Diagram (Availability differs from area to area)
BP-208 Battery Pack
CG-300
Battery Charger
STV-250N Stereo 
Video Cable CA-570 Compact 
Power Adapter
SC-2000 Soft
Carrying Case
WS-20 Wrist Strap
Shoulder Strap
BP-208
Battery Pack
TV
VCR
Mini DVD Disc
DVD-R/RW
DVD player/
recorder
Mini DVD Disc
DVD-R/RWComputer  
						

							
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Optional Accessories
Call or visit your local retailer/dealer for genuine Canon video accessories. You can also 
obtain genuine accessories for your Canon camcorder by calling: 1-800-828-4040, Canon 
U.S.A. Information Center.
Battery Packs
When you need extra battery packs, select 
only the BP-208 battery pack.
CG-300 Battery Charger
Use the battery charger for charging the 
battery packs. It plugs directly into a power 
outlet without a cable.
Charging Time: 105 min.
Charging time varies according to the 
charging condition.
Shoulder Strap
You can attach a shoulder strap for more
security and portability.
Pass the ends through the strap mount and
adjust the length of the strap.Use of genuine Canon accessories is recommended.
This product is designed to achieve excellent performance when used with genuine 
Canon accessories. Canon shall not be liable for any damage to this product and/or 
accidents such as fire, etc., caused by the malfunction of non-genuine Canon 
accessories (e.g., a leakage and/or explosion of a battery pack). Please note that this 
warranty does not apply to repairs arising out of the malfunction of non-genuine Canon 
accessories, although you may request such repairs on a chargeable basis.  
						

							
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Additional Information
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WS-20 Wrist Strap
Use this for extra additional protection for 
active shooting.
SC-2000 Soft Carrying Case
A handy camcorder bag with padded 
compartments and plenty of space for 
accessories.
Product Codes
Provided AccessoriesCA-570 Compact Power Adapter  8468A002AA
BP-208 Battery Pack 0802B002AA
STV-250N Stereo Video Cable 3067A002AA (D82-0590-201)
Optional AccessoriesCG-300 Battery Charger 0784B002AA
WS-20 Wrist Strap 3118A002AA (D81-0190-202)
SC-2000 Soft Carrying Case 9389A001AAThis mark identifies genuine Canon video accessories. When you 
use Canon video equipment, we recommend Canon-brand 
accessories or products bearing the same mark.  
						

							
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Specifications
DC100
SystemDisc Recording SystemVideo:  DVD-VIDEO (VIDEO mode) 
DVD-VR (VR mode) only with 8 cm DVD-RW
Video Compression: MPEG2
Audio Compression: Dolby Digital 2ch
Still Images: Exif 2.2 complia nt with JPEG compression
Television System EIA standard (525 lines, 60 fields) NTSC color signal
Image Sensor 1/6-inch CCD, approx. 680,000 pixels
Effective pixels:
Movies 16:9 (Image stabilizer [ON]): approx. 400,000 16:9 (Image stabilizer [OFF]): approx. 450,000
4:3 recordings: approx. 340,000
Still images approx. 450,000
Compatible Media 8 cm (3 in.) mini DVD discs marked 
with the DVD-R or DVD-RW  logo
Maximum Recording Time
(1.4 GB single-sided 
8 cm Mini DVD) XP: approx. 20 min., SP: approx. 30 min., LP: approx. 60 min.
LCD Screen 2.7 in., wide, TFT color, approx. 112,000 pixels
Viewfinder 0.3 in., TFT color, approx. 123,000 pixels
Microphone Stereo electret condenser microphone
Lens f=2.6-65 mm, F/1.8-4.4, 25x power zoom
35 mm equivalent:
Movies 16:9 (Image stabilizer [ON]): 43.8-1,095 mm 16:9 (Image stabilizer [OFF]): 41.0-1,025 mm
4:3 recordings: 49.8-1,245 mm
Still images 43.6-1,090 mm
Lens Configuration 10 elements in 8 groups
AF system TTL autofocus, manual focusing possible
Minimum Focusing Distance 1 m (3.3 ft.); 1 cm (0.39 in.) on maximum wide angle
White Balance Auto white balance, preset white balance (DAYLIGHT, SHADE, 
CLOUDY, TUNGSTEN, FLUORESCENT, FLUORESCENT H) or custom 
white balance
Minimum Illumination 2.0 lx ([NIGHT] recording program (SCN), Shutter speed at 1/8)
7.5 lx (Auto mode, Auto slow shutter [ON], Shutter speed at 1/30)
Recommended Illumination More than 100 lx
Image Stabilization Electronic
Output TerminalsAV  OUT Terminal‡ 3.5 mm minijack; Output only
Video: 1 Vp-p/75 ohms unbalanced
Audio: –10 dBV (47 kohm load)/3 kohm or less
Power/OthersPower supply (rated) 7.4 V DC (battery pack), 8.4 V DC  (compact power adapter)
Power consumption 
(SP mode, AF on) 3.9 W (viewfinder), 4.0 W (LCD screen [NORMAL])
Operating temperature 0 – 40 °C (32 – 104 °F)
Dimensions (W x H x D) 51 x 86 x 123 mm (2.0 x 3.4 x 4.8 in.) excluding protrusions
Weight (camcorder body only) 410 g (14.5 oz.)  
						

							
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Additional Information
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CA-570 Compact Power Adapter
BP-208 Battery Pack
Weight and dimensions are approximate. Errors and omissions excepted. Subject to 
change without notice.
Power supply100 – 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
Power consumption 17 W
Rated output 8.4 V DC, 1.5 A
Operating temperature 0 – 40 °C (32 – 104 °F)
Dimensions 52 x 90 x 29 mm (2.1 x 3.5 x 1.1 in.)
Weight 135 g (4.8 oz.)
Battery type Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery
Rated voltage 7.4 V DC
Operating temperature 0 – 40 °C (32 – 104 °F)
Battery capacity 850 mAh
Dimensions 39 x 8 x 63 mm (1.5 x 0.31 x 2.5 in.)
Weight 40 g (1.4 oz.)  
						

							
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Index
16:9 screen ratio   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
9 Point AiAF  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45
AAbroad, using the camcorder  . . . . . . . .  74
Auto (recording program)  . . . . . . . . . . .  39
Auto slow shutter  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33
Av (recording program)   . . . . . . . . . . . .  42
AV OUT terminal   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  64
BBattery pack, charging  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
Battery pack, remaining charge  . . . . . .  16
Beach (SCN)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  39
Beep  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
CCondensation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  73
Connection to a TV   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  64
DData code  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  32
Date and time  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21
Daylight saving time  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
Digital effects   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  50
Digital zoom  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33
Disc title  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  58
DVD discs   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
DVD-R/RW discs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
EEffects   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  50
Erasing still images   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59
Error messages   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  69
Exposure adjustment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  43
FFaders   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  50
File numbers   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
Finalizing the disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  61
Fireworks (SCN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  39
Focus priority  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  34
Focusing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45
FUNC. menu   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11, 37
GGrip belt  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19
IImage enhancing effects . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Image jump  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Image stabilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Index screen, movies  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Index screen, still images  . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Initialization, disc   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
LLanguage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
LCD backlight  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
LCD screen, rotating the  . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Lens cover   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 26
LP mode  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
MMagnifying a still image   . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Maintenance  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
MENU  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 33
Metering method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Mode switch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Multi selector   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Multi-image screen  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
NNight (SCN)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Normal TV   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
OOn-screen displays  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Original recordings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
PP (recording program)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Photomovie scene   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Playback - Movies   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Playback - Still images  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Playlist   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Portrait (SCN)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Power - Battery pack   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Power - Compact power adapter   . . . . . 17
Power save  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Protecting the disc   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
RRecord review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25