Canon camcorder DC420 User Manual

							
PUB. DIM-890
DVD Camcorder
Instruction Manual
Caméscope DVD
Manuel d’instruction
 English
Français Español
Videocámara DVD 
Manual de Instrucciones
NTSC
DC420
DC410
DC420
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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 materials may infringe on the rights of copyright 
owners and be contrary to copyright laws.
DVD Camcorder, DC420 A/DC410 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 inte rference received, including interference that may cause undesire d 
operation.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with th e limits for class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC 
Rules. These limits are designed to provid e reasonable protection against harmful inte rference in a residential installation. This 
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 measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit di fferent 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.
The Mains plug is used as the disconnect device. The Ma ins plug shall remain readily operable to disconnect the 
plug in case of an accident.
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 DC420 A/DC410 A and all its 
accessories.
1Read these instructions.
2Keep these instructions.
3Heed all warnings.
4Follow all instructions.
5Do not use this apparatus near water.
6Clean only with dry cloth.
7Do not install near any heat sources such as 
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other 
apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
8Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized 
or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two 
blades with one wider than the other. A grounding 
type plug has two blades and a third grounding 
prong. The wide blade or the third prong are 
provided for your safety. If the provided plug does 
not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for 
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
9Protect the power cord from being walked on or 
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience 
receptacles, and the point where they exit from 
the apparatus.
10Only use attachments/accessories specified by 
the manufacturer.
11Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or 
when unused for long periods of time.
12Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. 
Servicing is required when the apparatus has 
been damaged in any way, such as power-supply 
cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or 
objects have fallen into the apparatus, the 
apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, 
does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
13Read Instructions — All the safety and operating 
instructions should be read before the product is 
operated.
14Retain Instructions — The safety and operating 
instructions should be retained for future 
reference.
15Heed Warnings — All warnings on the product 
and in the operating instructions should be 
adhered to.
16Follow Instructions — All operating and 
maintenance instructions should be followed.
17Cleaning — 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.
18Accessories — Do not use accessories not 
recommended in this manual as they may be 
hazardous.
19Avoid 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.
20Water and Moisture — Hazard of electric shock 
— Do not use this product near water or in rainy/
moist situations.
21Placing 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.
22Power 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.
23Polarization — 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.
24Power 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.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
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25Outdoor 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.
26Lightning — 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.
27Overloading — Do not overload wall outlets and 
extension cords as this can result in a risk of fire 
or electric shock.
28Objects 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.
29Servicing — 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.
30Damage 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.
31Replacement 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.
32Safety 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.
33Heat — The product should be situated away 
from heat sources such as radiators, heat 
registers, stoves, or other products (including 
amplifiers) that produce heat.
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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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 disc 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 and can be played back on most 
DVD players.
Dual-layered discs allow writing up to 80% more data (approx. 2.6 GB) on a single 
recording side. However, you cannot 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 brand 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 VIDEO mode can be played back on most 
common DVD players offering the best compatibility. However, recordings cannot be 
edited (deleted, rearranged, etc.).
VR mode:  You can easily edit the recordings. However, discs recorded in VR mode can be 
played back only with DVD players compatible with DVD-RWs in VR mode.
Note: DVD-R and DVD-R DL discs can be recorded only in VIDEO mode.
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Enjoying your DVDs
After selecting the type of disc that is best for your needs, complete the rest of 
the preparations ( 18) to get your camcorder ready to start recording.
Enjoy Shooting Video ( 28)
Take it easy recording movies in   mode or have fun trying out more 
advanced functions ( 36).
Finalize the Disc ( 48)
Do not forget to finalize your disc with this 
camcorder to play it back on a DVD player or 
other external device.
Play back your finalized disc on your 
DVD player ( 49)
You can also connect the camcorder to the 
TV and play back the disc with your 
camcorder ( 65).
Playback on external devices
Make sure to finalize discs ( 48) before you play them back on external DVD 
devices. The disc's type will affect its compatibility with external devices. 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.
FINALIZE
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Available features depend on the DVD disc used
1 Only scenes in the playlist can be divided.2 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 typeDVD-RDVD-R DLDVD-RW
Disc specificationsVIDEOVIDEOVR
Editing scenes with this camcorder (deleting 
scenes, dividing scenes, etc.) ( 45) –––
1
Deleting a scene while reviewing it after recording it 
( 33)––
Initializing the disc in order 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
Recording more video on a single recording side 
( 30)–––
Approved discs
The camcorder's performance was tested and its correct operation was verified 
using the following types of discs (as of November 2008*). Single-layered: Hitachi-
Maxell HG-series discs; dual-layered: Canon DVD-R DL54 and Verbatim DVD-R 
DL discs. For further details, contact directly the customer support center of the 
disc's manufacturer. Note that attempting to record or play back 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 lo
cal 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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8 • Table of contents
Table of contents
Introduction ____________________________________
5 How to Select a DVD Disc
6 Enjoying your 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
20 Preparing the Accessories
20 Basic Operation of the Camcorder20 Power Switch
21 Joystick and Joystick Guide
21 Using the Menus
23 First Time Settings23 Setting the Date and Time
23 Changing the Language
24 Changing the Time Zone
24 Getting Ready to Start Recording24 Opening the Lens Cover and Adjusting the LCD screen
25 Inserting and Removing a Disc
27 Inserting and Removing a Memory Card
Video _________________________________________
28 Basic Recording28 Shooting Video
30 Selecting the Video Quality (Recording Mode)
30 Changing the Aspect Ratio of the Recordings (Widescreen / 4:3)
30 Zooming: Optical, Advanced and Digital Zoom
32 Quick Start Function
32 Reviewing and Deleting the Last Scene Recorded
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33 Basic Playback33 Playing Back the Video
35 Deleting Scenes
36 Additional Functions36 : Special Scene Recording Programs
38  Flexible Recording: Changing the Shutter Speed
39 LCD Video Light
39 Self Timer
40 Manual Exposure Adjustment
40 Manual Focus Adjustment
41 White Balance
42 Image Effects
42 Digital Effects
43 On-Screen Displays and Data Code
44 Using an External Microphone
45 Editing the Playlist and Disc Operations45 Creating a Playlist
45 Deleting Scenes from the Playlist
46 Dividing Scenes in the Playlist
46 Moving Scenes in the Playlist
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 - Additional Recordings on a Finalized Disc
Photos ________________________________________
51 Basic Recording51 Taking Photos
52 Selecting Photo Size and Quality
53 Erasing a Photo Right After Recording It
53 Basic Playback53 Viewing Photos
54 Magnifying Photos during Playback
55 Slideshow
55 Erasing Photos
56 Additional Functions56  Drive Mode: Continuous Shooting and Exposure 
Bracketing
56 Histogram Display
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10 • Table of contents57 Protecting Photos
57 Initializing the Memory Card
58 Printing Photos58 Printing Photos from the Memory Card
58
 Direct Print
59  Selecting the Print Settings
61 Print Orders
External Connections  _____________________________
63 Terminals on the Camcorder64 Connection Diagrams
65 Playback on a TV Screen
65 Copying your Recordings to an External Video Recorder
Additional Information  ____________________________
66 Appendix: Menu Options Lists66 FUNC. Menu
68 Setup menus
68 Camera Setup (Advanced Zoom, Image Stabilizer, etc.)
69 Disc Operations (Initialization, Finalization etc.)
70 Still Image Operations (Card Initialization, etc.)
70 Display Setup (LCD Brightness, Language, etc.)
71 System Setup (Volume, Beep, etc.)
72 Date/Time Setup
73 Trouble?73 Troubleshooting
76 List of Messages
80 Do’s and Don’ts80 Handling Precautions
84 Using the Camcorder Abroad
86 General Information86 System Diagram
87 Optional Accessories
90 Product Codes
91 Specifications
94 Index
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