Canon camcorder DC320 User Manual

							
PUB. DIM-857A
DVD Camcorder
Instruction Manual
Caméscope DVD
Manuel d’instruction
 English
Français Español
Videocámara DVD
Manual de Instrucciones
NTSC
PUB. DIM-857A


U.S.A.  CANON U.S.A., INC. NEW JERSEY OFFICE
  100 Jamesburg Road, Jamesburg, NJ 08831 USA
  CANON U.S.A., INC. CHICAGO OFFICE
  100 Park Blvd., Itasca, IL 60143 USA 
  CANON U.S.A., INC. LOS ANGELES OFFICE
  15955 Alton Parkway, Irvine, CA 92618 USA
  CANON U.S.A., INC. HONOLULU OFFICE
  210 Ward Avenue, Suite 200, Honolulu, Hl 96814 USA
❖ If you have any questions, call the Canon U.S.A. Information 
Center toll-free at 1-800-828-4040 (U.S.A. only).
CANADA  CANON CANADA INC. NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
  6390 Dixie Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1P7
  CANON CANADA INC. CALGARY
  2828, 16th Street, N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2E 7K7
  CANON CANADA INC. MONTREAL
  5990 Côte de Liesse, Quebec H4T 1V7
❖ If you have any questions, call the Canon Canada Information 
Center toll-free at 1-800-828-4040 (CANADA only).
❖  Si vous avez des questions, veuillez téléphoner sand frais au 
Canada 1-800-828-4040 (CANADA seulement).
MEXICO  CANON MEXICANA, S. DE R.L. DE C.V. Periférico Sur No. 4124, Col. Ex-Rancho de Anzaldo, 
C.P. 01900 México, D.F., México
  CANON U.S.A., INC. NEW JERSEY OFFICE
  100 Jamesburg Road, Jamesburg, NJ 08831 USA
CENTRO Y  CANON LATIN AMERICA, INC.
SURAMÉRICA   703 Waterford Way, Suite 400, Miami, FL 33126 USA
ASIA  CANON HONGKONG COMPANY LTD. 19/F, The Metropolis Tower, 10 Metropolis Drive, 
Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
The information in this manual is verified as of February 2008.
Les informations contenues dans ce manuel ont été vérifiées \
février 2008.
La información de este manual fué verificada febrero de 2008.
PUB. DIM-857A  © CANON INC. 2008  0000Ni00.0
PRINTED IN JAPAN / IMPRIME AU JAPON / IMPRESO EN JAPÓN 
DIM-857
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2
IntroductionImportant Usage Instructions
WARNING!TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS 
PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
WARNING!
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK AND TO REDUCE ANNOYING 
INTERFERENCE, USE THE RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES ONLY.
COPYRIGHT WARNING:
Unauthorized recording of copyrighted material s may infringe on the rights of copyright 
owners and be contrary to copyright laws.
DVD Camcorder, DC320/DC310 A systems
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may n ot cause 
harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesire d 
operation.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the  FCC 
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. T his 
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and use in accordance with the instructi ons, 
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a 
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be deter mined by 
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following mea sures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
The cable with the ferrite core provided with the digital video camcorder must be used with this equipment in order to comply w ith 
Class B limits in Subpart B of Part 15 of the FCC rules.
Do not make any changes or modifications to the equipment unless otherwise specified in the manual.
If such changes or modifications should be made, you could be required to stop operation of the equipment.
Canon U.S.A. Inc.
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042, U.S.A.
Tel No. (516)328-5600
CAUTION:TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.
Important Warning
CAUTION:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC 
SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR 
BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS 
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED 
SERVICE PERSONNEL.
CAUTIONRISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, 
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to 
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated 
“dangerous voltage” within the product’s 
enclosure, that may be of sufficient 
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric 
shock to persons.
The exclamation point, within an equilateral 
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the 
presence of important operating and 
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the 
literature accompanying the product.
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In these safety instructions the word 
“product” refers to the Canon DVD 
Camcorder DC320/DC310 A and all its 
accessories.
1Read Instructions — All the safety and 
operating instructions should be read 
before the product is operated.
2Retain Instructions — The safety and 
operating instructions should be retained 
for future reference.
3Heed Warnings — All warnings on the 
product and in the operating instructions 
should be adhered to.
4Follow Instructions — All operating and 
maintenance instructions should be 
followed.
5Cleaning — Unplug this product from the 
wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use 
liquid or aerosol cleaners. The product 
should be cleaned only as recommended 
in this manual.
6Accessories — Do not use accessories 
not recommended in this manual as they 
may be hazardous.
7Avoid magnetic or electric fields — Do 
not use the camera close to TV 
transmitters, portable communication 
devices or other sources of electric or 
magnetic radiation. They may cause 
picture interference, or permanently 
damage the camera.
8Water and Moisture — Hazard of electric 
shock — Do not use this product near 
water or in rainy/moist situations.
9Placing or Moving — Do not place on an 
unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or 
table. The product may fall, causing 
serious injury to a child or adult, and 
serious damage to the product.
A product and cart 
combination should be 
moved with care. Quick 
stops, excessive force, 
and uneven surfaces may 
cause the product and 
cart combination to 
overturn.
10Power Sources — The CA-570 Compact 
Power Adapter should be operated only 
from the type of power source indicated 
on the marking label.  If you are not sure 
of the type of power supply to your home, 
consult your product dealer or local 
power company. Regarding other power 
sources such as battery power, refer to 
instructions in this manual.
11Polarization — The CA-570 Compact 
Power Adapter is equipped with a 
polarized 2-prong plug (a plug having one 
blade wider than the other).
The 2-prong polarized plug will fit into the 
power outlet only one way. This is a 
safety feature. If you are unable to insert 
the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing 
the plug. If the plug still fails to fit, contact 
your electrician to replace your obsolete 
outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose 
of the polarized plug.
12Power Cord Protection — Power cords 
should be routed so that they are not 
likely to be walked on or pinched by 
items placed upon or against them. Pay 
particular attention to plugs and the point 
from which the cords exit the product.
13Outdoor Antenna Grounding — If an 
outside antenna is connected to the 
product, be sure the antenna is grounded 
so as to provide some protection against 
voltage surges and built-up static 
charges. Section 810 of the National 
Electrical Code, ANSI / NFPA No. 70—
1984, provides information with respect 
to proper grounding of the mast and 
supporting structure, grounding of the 
lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, 
size of grounding conductors, location of 
antenna discharge unit, connection to 
grounding electrodes, and requirements 
for the grounding electrode. See figure 1.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
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14Lightning — For added protection of this 
product during a lightning storm, or when 
it is left unattended and unused for long 
periods of time, disconnect it from the 
wall outlet and disconnect the antenna. 
This will prevent damage to the product 
due to lightning and power-line surges.
15Overloading — Do not overload wall 
outlets and extension cords as this can 
result in a risk of fire or electric shock.
16Objects and Liquid Entry — Never push 
objects of any kind into this product 
through openings as they may touch 
dangerous voltage points or short out 
parts that could result in a fire or electric 
shock. Be careful not to spill liquid of any 
kind onto the product.
17Servicing — Do not attempt to service 
this product yourself as opening or 
removing covers may expose you to 
dangerous voltage or other hazards. 
Refer all servicing to qualified service 
personnel.
18Damage Requiring Service — Disconnect 
this product from the wall outlet and all 
power sources including battery, and 
refer servicing to  qualified service 
personnel under the following conditions:
a.  When the power-supply cord or plug is  damaged.
b. If any liquid has been spilled onto, or 
objects have fallen into, the product.
c.  If the product has been exposed to 
rain or water.
d.  If the product does not operate  normally even if you follow the 
operating instructions. Adjust only 
those controls that are covered by the 
operation instructions. Improper 
adjustment of other controls may 
result in damage and will often require 
extensive work by a qualified 
technician to restore the product to its 
normal operation.
e. If the product has been dropped or the 
cabinet has been damaged.
f.  When the product exhibits a distinct  change in performance. This indicates 
a need for service.
19Replacement Parts — When replacement 
parts are required, be sure the service 
technician has used replacement parts 
that are specified by Canon or that have 
the same characteristics as the original 
part. Unauthorized substitutions may 
result in fire, electric shock or other 
hazards.
20Safety Check — Upon completion of any 
service or repairs to this product, ask the 
service technician to perform safety 
checks to determine that the product is in 
safe operating order.
EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING AS PER 
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE
ANTENNA 
LEAD IN 
WIRE
ANTENNA DISCHARGE UNIT 
(NEC SECTION 810-20)
GROUNDING CONDUCTORS 
(NEC SECTION 810-21)
GROUND CLAMPS
POWER SERVICE GROUNDING 
ELECTRODE SYSTEM 
(NEC ART 250. PART H)
NEC - NATIONAL 
ELECTRICAL CODE
ELECTRIC 
SERVICE 
EQUIPMENT
GROUND 
CLAMPFig. 1
When replacement of the power supply is required, please return it to the responsible nearest 
Canon Service Center and please replace it with the same type number CA-570.
The Adapter can be used with a power supply between 100 and 240 V AC. For areas where 
120 V AC power is not used, you will need a special plug adapter. Contact your nearest Canon 
Service Center for further information.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
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5
How to Select a DVD Disc
There are many types of DVD discs but this camcorder uses only the following three 
types of 8 cm mini DVD discs: DVD-R,  DVD-R DL and DVD-RW. Read the differences 
between them and select the di sc that best fits your needs.
DVD-Rs can be recorded only  once – you cannot edit or delete the recordings. On the 
other hand, these discs are comparatively cheaper.
Dual-layered discs allow wr iting up to 80% more data (approx. 2.6 GB) on a single 
recording side. However, you canno t edit or delete the recordings.
Dual-layered discs have two recording layers. The 
camcorder will record on layer 1 and then continue to 
layer 2. During the playback of a recording spanning 
both layers, you may notice a brief stop (about 1 
second) at the point where the camcorder switches to 
the second layer. The switch to layer 2 will break the 
recording into 2 separate scenes.
Recordings made on a DVD-RW disc can be  edited or deleted. Also, the disc can be 
initialized. Initializing a DVD-RW disc clears all the recordings and restores the free 
space on the disc to its initial value  so you can use the same disc again.
DVD-RBest for Compatibility
DVD-R DLBest for Recording Time
DVD-RWBest for Reusability
Scene 2
Scene 1
Layer 2
Layer 1
Recording surface
Disc specification on DVD-RWsDVD-RW discs can be recorded using either one of two disc specifications: VIDEO mode 
or VR mode. When you first insert a br
and new DVD-RW disc, the camcorder will 
automatically display the initialization screen  where you can select the disc specification 
for the disc.
VIDEO mode:  Once finalized, discs recorded in VIDE O mode can be played back in most 
common DVD players offering the best comp atibility. However, recordings cannot be 
edited (deleted, rearranged, etc.).
VR mode:  You can easily edit the recordings. However, discs recorded in VR mode can 
only be played back with DVD players compatible with DVD-RWs in VR mode.
Note: DVD-R and DVD-R DL discs can only be recorded in VIDEO mode.
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Advantages of Using DVDs
No need to worry about recording over a tape.
When you use a DVD, the camcorder will automatically record on the empty 
space of the disc. So you don't have to worry about mistakenly recording over a 
precious memory.
Just select a scene from the index screen.
You don't need to bother running a tape forwards and backwards to find the 
scene you want to play back. Simply select a scene from the index screen and 
start the playback in a breeze.
Easily play back your recordings on a DVD player.
After your finalize your DVD (  48), you can play it on a DVD player and share 
your recordings with friends and family. 
Playback on external devices
Make sure to finalize discs (  48) bef ore you play them back on external 
DVD devices. The disc's type will affect  its compatibility with external devices. 
For a summary, you can refer to the si debar on page 49. However, to be sure, 
always refer to the instruction manual of  the external device and make sure it 
is compatible before inserting the disc.
For the highest compatibility with external DVD devices we recommend 
using VIDEO mode.
Discs that have been tested
The camcorder's performance was test ed with single-layered discs using 
Hitachi-Maxell HG series DVD discs;  and with dual-layered discs using Canon 
DVD-R DL54 discs and Verbatim DVD-R  DL discs (as of January 2008*). For 
further details, contact directly the ma nufacturer's customer support center. 
Note that attempting to record or pl ay with this camcorder DVD discs that 
were recorded, initialized or finalized  with a device other than this camcorder 
can result in damage to  the camcorder or in the permanent loss of the 
recordings.
* For the latest information, visit your local Canon Web site or contact your nearest  Canon office. The use of DVD-R DL discs that have not been tested by Canon may 
result in incorrect recording/playback or  in not being able to remove the disc.
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Available features depend on the DVD disc used
1 Only scenes in the playlist can be divided.2 Disc finalization is the processing of the free space (the unrecorded area) on the disc in 
order to make it playable on external DVD devices (  48). Playback cannot be 
guaranteed with all external DVD devices. To finalize a DVD-R DL disc, the camcorder has 
to process both layers. Therefore, and depending on the amount of free space on the disc, 
this process may be lengthy. 
3 You will need to unfinalize the disc first.
Disc type
DVD-R, DVD-R DL
DVD-RW
Disc specificationsVIDEO 
modeVR 
mode
Editing scenes with this camcorder (deleting 
scenes, dividing scenes, etc.) ( 45) ––
1
Deleting a scene afte
r recording it ( 34) –
Initializing the disc in or der to use it again for 
recording ( 47) –
Giving a title to the disc ( 47)
Finalizing the disc in order to  play it with an external 
DVD device ( 48)
2 
Adding recordings to a  disc already finalized 
( 49) – 
3
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8 • Table of contents
Table of contents
Introduction ____________________________________
5 How to Select a DVD Disc
6 Advantages of Using DVDs
11 About this Manual
12 Getting to Know the Camcorder12 Supplied Accessories
13 Components Guide
15 Screen Displays
Preparations ____________________________________
18 Getting Started18 Charging the Battery Pack
19 Preparing the Accessories
20 Basic Operation of the Camcorder20 Power Switch
21 Operating Modes
21 Joystick and Joystick Guide
22 Using the Menus
24 First Time Settings24 Setting the Date and Time
24 Changing the Language
25 Changing the Time Zone
25 Getting Ready to Start Recording25 Opening the Lens Cover and Adjusting the LCD screen
26 Inserting and Removing a Disc
28 Inserting and Removing a Memory Card
Video _________________________________________
29 Basic Recording29 Shooting Video
31 Selecting the Recording Mode
31 Zooming: Optical, Advanced and Digital Zoom
32 Quick Start Function
33 Reviewing and Deleting the Last Scene Recorded
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Table of contents • 9
34 Basic Playback34 Playing Back the Video
36 Deleting Scenes
36 On-Screen Displays (Data Code)
37 Additional Functions37 : Special Scene Recording Programs
39 Flexible Recording: Changing the Shutter Speed
40 LCD Video Light
40 Self Timer
41 Manual Focus Adjustment
42 Manual Exposure Adjustment
42 White Balance
43 Image Effects
44 Digital Effects
45 Managing Scenes and the Disc45 Creating a Playlist
46 Moving Scenes in the Playlist
46 Dividing Scenes
47 Initializing the Disc
47 Disc Playback on an External Device47 Changing the Disc Title
48 Finalizing the Disc
49 Disc Playback on External Devices
49 Unfinalizing the Disc - Addition al Recordings on a Finalized Disc
Photos ________________________________________
51 Basic Recording51 Taking Photos
52 Selecting Photo Size and Quality
53 Erasing the Last Photo Just Recorded
53 Basic Playback53 Viewing Photos
55 Magnifying Photos during Playback
55 Erasing Photos
56 Additional Functions56  Continuous Shooting and  Exposure Bracketing (Drive 
Mode)
57 Automatic Focus Priority
58 Histogram and Other Screen Displays
58 Protecting Photos
59 Initializing the Memory Card
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10 • Table of contents
60 Printing Photos60 Printing Photos 
60 Print Orders
External Connections  _____________________________
61 Connecting to a TV or VCR61 Connection Diagram
62 Playback on a TV Screen
62 Copying your Recordings to an External Video Recorder
Additional Information  ____________________________
63 Appendix: Menu Options Lists63 FUNC. Menu
63 Setup menus
65 Camera Setup (Advanced Zoom, Image Stabilizer, etc.)
66 Disc Operations (Initialization, Finalization etc.)
67 Still Image Operations (Card Initialization, etc.)
67 Display Setup (LCD Brightness, Language, etc.)
68 System Setup (Volume, Beep, etc.)
69 Date/Time Setup
70 Trouble?70 Troubleshooting
73 List of Messages
76 Do’s and Don’ts76 Handling Precautions
80 Using the Camcorder Abroad
81 General Information81 System Diagram
82 Optional Accessories
85 Product Codes
86 Specifications
89 Index
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