Canon Hf G20 Owners Manual

							Recording Movies and Photos
41
IMPORTANT
• Observe the following precautions while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing. Failing to do so  may result in permanent data loss or damage to the memory.
- Do not open the double memory card slot cover.
- Do not disconnect the power source or turn off the camcorder.
- Do not change the camcorder’s operating mode.
• Be sure to save your recordings regularly ( A124), especially after making important recordings. 
Canon shall not be liable for any loss or corruption of data.
• If supported recordings were made on an Eye-Fi card in memory card slot  3, wireless upload will 
start automatically after setting the camcorder to playback mode, if you are within the range of a 
configured network. Always verify that Eye-Fi cards have been approved in the country/region of 
use. See also  Using an Eye-Fi Card  (A 136).
Smart AUTO icons 
1The icon in parentheses appears under backlight conditions.2This icon will appear under tele macro conditions. Tele macro is activated automatically when you 
zoom toward the telephoto end and close in on the subject. Tele macro allows you to get closer 
shots of small subjects and adds a soft focus to the background, so the subject not only looks 
larger but also stands out more.
Background (color of the icon)  →Bright1
(gray)
Blue skies1
(light blue)
Vivid colors1
(green/red)
Sunsets1
(orange)Subject ↓
People (stationary)
(  )(  )(  )—
People (moving)
(  )(  )(  )—
Subjects other than people, 
such as landscapes
(  )(  )(  )
Close objects/2
( /2)
/2
( /2)
/2
( /2)—
Background (color of the icon)  →Dark (dark blue)
Subject ↓SpotlightNight scene
People (stationary)——
People (moving)——
Subjects other than people, such as 
landscapes
Close objects/2——
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							Recording Movies and Photos
42
NOTES
• About the power saving mode:  If q  >  [Power Saving Mode] >  [Auto Power Off] is set to 
[ i On], the camcorder will shut off automatically to save power when it is powered by a battery 
pack and is left without any operation for 5 minutes. Press  P to turn on the camcorder.
• When recording in bright places, it may be difficult to use the LCD screen. In such cases, you can  turn on the LCD backlight ( A24) or adjust the brightness of the LCD screen with the  q >  
[LCD Brightness] setting. Alternatively, you can also use the viewfinder ( A22).
• Under certain conditions, the Smart AUTO icon that appears on the screen may not match the  actual scene. Especially when shooting against orange or blue backgrounds, the sunset or one of 
the blue skies icons may appear and the colors may not look natural. In such case, we recommend 
recording in   mode ( A42).
• Photos are recorded as JPG files. The photo size (1920x1080) and quality cannot be changed. At  this size, a 1 GB memory card can hold approximately 670 photos. However, the actual number of 
photos that can be recorded will vary depe nding on the subject and shooting conditions.
• Photos cannot be recorded while the digital zoom is activated, during double slot recording or while  fading in or fading out a scene.
• When you need to record for a long time with the camcorder set on a tripod (a school recital, for  example), you can close the LCD panel and use only the viewfinder in order to save power when 
using a battery pack (A 22).
Recording in n (Manual) Mode
When the mode switch is set to  n (Manual mode), you can enjoy full access to the menus and 
manually adjust the exposure, focus, white balance and many more of the camcorder’s settings to 
your preference. Even in   mode, though, the camcorder can help you with the settings. For 
example, by using Special Scene recording programs ( A64).
1 Set the mode switch to  n.
2 Turn on the camcorder.
3 Record movies and photos.
• The procedure is the same as in   mode ( A39).
Operating modes:
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							Recording Movies and Photos
43
Reviewing the Latest Scene Recorded
You can review the last 4 seconds of the last scene recorded with the camcorder without switching to 
playback mode. While reviewing the latest scene, the picture will be played back without sound.
1 Set the mode switch to n or E.
2 Review the last 4 seconds of the scene.  [FUNC.]  > [
v  Review Recording]
NOTES
• When double slot recording is activated, only the scene recorded on memory card  2 will be played 
back.
IMPORTANT
• Observe the following precautions while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing. Failing to do so  may result in permanent data loss or damage to the memory.
- Do not open the double memory card slot cover.
- Do not disconnect the power source or turn off the camcorder.
- Do not change the camcorder’s operating mode.
• Be sure to save your recordings regularly ( A124), especially after making important recordings. 
Canon shall not be liable for any loss or corruption of data.
• If supported recordings were made on an Eye-Fi card in memory card slot  3, wireless upload will 
start automatically after setting the camcorder to playback mode, if you are within the range of a 
configured network. Always verify that Eye-Fi cards have been approved in the country/region of 
use. See also  Using an Eye-Fi Card  (A 136).
NOTES
• About the power saving mode:  If q  >  [Power Saving Mode]  > [Auto Power Off] is set to 
[ i On], the camcorder will shut off automatically to save power when it is powered by a battery 
pack and is left without any operation for 5 minutes. Press  P to turn on the camcorder.
• When recording in bright places, it may be difficult to use the LCD screen. In such cases, you can  turn on the LCD backlight ( A24) or adjust the brightness of the LCD screen with the  q >  
[LCD Brightness] setting. Alternatively, you can also use the viewfinder ( A22).
• When you need to record for a long time with the camcorder set on a tripod (a school recital, for  example), you can close the LCD panel and use only the viewfinder in order to save power when 
using a battery pack ( A22).
Operating modes:
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							Quick Start Function
44
Quick Start Function
When you close the LCD panel with the camcorder on, the camcorder enters the standby mode. In 
standby mode the camcorder consumes only about 1/3 the power used when recording, saving 
energy when you are using a battery pack. Additionally, when you open the LCD panel or pull out the 
viewfinder, the camcorder is ready to start recording in approximately 1 second*, allowing you to 
record the subject right away.
* The actual time required varies depending on the shooting conditions.
1 With the camcorder on and in a recording mode, close the LCD panel.
• A beep will sound and the green ON/OFF (CHG) indicator will change to orange to indicate the  camcorder entered standby mode.
• When using only the viewfinder (with the LCD panel closed), you can return the viewfinder to its  retracted position to set the camcorder in standby mode.
2 When you wish to resume recording, open the LCD panel.
• The ON/OFF (CHG) indicator turns back green and the camcorder is ready to record.
• You can also pull out the viewfinder to start recording with the LCD panel closed.
IMPORTANT
• Do not disconnect the power source during standby mode (while the ON/OFF (CHG) indicator is lit  in orange). 
NOTES
• The camcorder will not enter standby mode while the ACCESS indicator is on or flashing, while the  setup menus are being displayed or while using the viewfinder. The camcorder may also not enter 
standby mode when the battery charge is too low. Check that the ON/OFF (CHG) indicator changes 
to orange.
• About standby mode and auto power off:  - The camcorder will power off automatically if left in standby mode for 10 minutes. Press  P 
to turn on the camcorder.
- You can select the length of time until auto power off or turn off the Quick Start function  altogether with the  q >  [Power Saving Mode] >  [Quick Start (Standby)] setting. 
- The usual 5-minute auto power off setting of [Power Saving Mode] is not applicable while the  camcorder is in standby mode.
• Changing the position of the mode switch while the camcorder is in standby mode will reactivate the  camcorder in the operating mode selected.
Operating modes:
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							Selecting the Video Quality (Recording Mode)
45
Selecting the Video Quality (Recording Mode)
The camcorder offers 5 recording modes. Changing the recording mode will change the recording 
time available on the memory. Select MXP or FXP mode for better movie quality; select LP mode for 
longer recording times. The following table gives approximate recording times.
1 Open the [Recording Mode] screen.
[FUNC.] > [MENU]  > r  >  [Recording Mode]
2 Touch the desired recording mode and then touch [ X].
NOTES
• Movies recorded in MXP mode cannot be saved on AVCHD discs. Use an external Blu-ray Disc  recorder to copy MXP movies onto Blu-ray discs or use the supplied software  VideoBrowser to 
create AVCHD discs*.
• The camcorder uses a variable bit rate (VBR) to encode video so the actual recording times will vary  depending on the content of the scenes.
• The camcorder retains the last setting used even if you set the camcorder to   mode.
* MXP scenes will be converted to an image quality similar to that of FXP scenes.
Operating modes:
Approximate recording times Default value
1Recorded in 1920 x 1080 resolution. Movies recorded using other recording modes are recorded 
in 1440 x 1080 resolution.
2At the time of purchase, the built-in memory contains about 70 MB of music files (background 
music) and 5 MB of image files (image mix frames).
3A single scene can be recorded continuously for 12 hours; at that point, the camcorder will stop 
for about 3 seconds before resuming recording.
Recording mode  →MXP1FXP1, XP+SPLPMemory ↓
4 GB Memory card20 min.30 min.40 min.1 hr. 10 min.1 hr. 30 min.
8 GB Memory card40 min.1 hr. 1 hr. 25 min.2 hr. 20 min.3 hr.
16 GB Memory card1 hr. 25 min.2 hr. 5 min.2 hr. 50 min.4 hr. 45 min.6 hr. 5 min.
32 GB Memory card/
Built-in memory22 hr. 55 min.4 hr. 10 min.5 hr. 45 min.9 hr. 35 min.12 hr. 15 min.3
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							Selecting the Frame Rate
46
Selecting the Frame Rate
You can change the frame rate (the number of frames recorded per second) to change the look of your 
movies.
1 Open the [Frame Rate] screen.
[FUNC.] > [MENU] >  r  >  [Frame Rate]
2 Touch the desired frame rate and then touch [ X].
Options
* Recorded as 60i.
NOTES
• Movies recorded with the [ » 24P] frame rate cannot be converted to standard definition using 
the camcorder. If you want to upload your movies  to video sharing Web sites, set the frame rate to 
[ ¹ PF24] or convert the movies to standard definition using the supplied software 
VideoBrowser .
Operating modes:
[
´ 60i (Standard)]60 fields per second, interlaced. Standard frame rate of NTSC analog TV 
signals.
[ · PF30]Shooting at 30 frames per second, progressive*. Use this frame rate to easily edit your 
recordings, for example, to post them on the Web.
[ ¹ PF24]Shooting at 24 frames per second, progressive*. Using this frame rate will give your 
recordings a cinematic look. Recording in   mode will further enhance the effect.
[ » 24P]24 frames per second, progressive. Using this frame rate will achieve the same cinematic 
look as [ ¹ PF24], the difference being that video is recorded as true 24p.
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							Focus Adjustment
47
Focus Adjustment
You can adjust the focus manually and use the peaking function to assist you or you can let the 
camcorder focus for you by using autofocus. With autofocus, you can set the autofocus speed.
The camcorder also features two more focusing functions, face detection and Touch & Track.
POINTS TO CHECK
• Adjust the zoom before you start the procedure.
Manual Focus
Use the focus ring to focus manually. You can also use peaking to help you focus more accurately.
1 Open the focus controls.
[FUNC.]  > [<  Focus]
• To switch to autofocus without opening the focus controls,  press  B. In such case, Touch AF (step 3) will not be 
available. Skip directly to step 4.
2Touch [D].
3 Touch a subject that appears inside the  < frame.
• The Touch AF mark ( I) will flash and the focusing distance 
will be adjusted automatically. You have the option to further 
adjust the focus manually as necessary.
4 If necessary, turn the focus ring to further adjust the  focus.
• The center of the screen will be magnified to help you focus more easily. You can also turn off this 
function with the  p >  [Focus Assistance] setting.
• The focusing distance displayed will change as you adjust the focus. You can change the units  used for the distance display with the  q >  [Distance Units] setting.
• You can use the q  >  [Focus Ring Response] setting to adjust the sensitivity of the focus 
ring. 
• You can use the q  >  [Focus Ring Direction] setting to  select which direction to turn the 
focus ring.
Focus Preset
When focusing manually, you can set a preset position for the focus in advance so that you can later 
return to that preset focus position instantly.
1 Open the focus controls.
[FUNC.]  > [< Focus]
2Touch [ D].
3 Use Touch AF or turn the focus ring to obtain the desired focus position.
4 Touch [SET] to set the preset focus position. Operating modes:
Focus ring
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							Focus Adjustment
48
5 After adjusting the focus, touch [ON] to return to the preset focus position.• Touch [SET] again to cancel the current preset focus position.
• [ON] will be grayed out while adjusting the focus or zoom.
• You can use the  q >  [Focus Preset Speed] setting to adjust the speed at which the 
camcorder returns to the preset focus position.
NOTES
• The preset focus position will be canceled when the camcorder is turned off.
• When the camcorder is in   mode, the focus preset function cannot be used.
Peaking
When peaking is activated, the edges of objects in focus will be highlighted in red, blue or yellow on 
the screen. In addition, you can choose to switch the screen to black & white, further emphasizing the 
edges.
1 Open the focus controls. [FUNC.]  > [< Focus]
2Touch [ w].
For the black & white setting: Touch [Off] or [On]
For the peaking color: Touch [Red], [Blue] or [Yellow]
3Touch [ K].
4Touch [ O].
• Peaking is activated and edges are highlighted. You can turn the focus ring on this screen or  touch [ X] to hide the focus controls.
•Touch [ O] again to turn off the peaking effect.
NOTES
• The peaking effect and black & white picture will not appear in your recordings.
Autofocus
When autofocus is activated, the camcorder continuously adjusts the focus on the subject in the 
center of the screen. The focusing range is 2 cm (0.8 in.; at full wide-angle, measured from the front of 
the lens barrel) to  G and 60 cm (2 ft.; throughout the zoom range, measured from the front of the 
lens barrel) to  G. Perform the following procedure to set the autofocus speed.
1 Open the [AF Mode] screen. [FUNC.]  > [MENU] >  p  >  [AF Mode]
2 Touch the desired option and then touch [ X].
• The icon of the selected option appears on the screen.
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							Focus Adjustment
49
Options( Default value)
NOTES
• When recording in bright surroundings, the camcorder closes down the aperture. This may cause  the picture to appear blurred and is more noticeable toward the wide angle end of the zoom range. 
In such case, select the [ “ Aperture-Pri. AE] or [n Manual Exposure] recording program and set 
p  >  [ND Filter] to [ k Automatic].
• When you set  p >  [Conversion Lens] to a setting other than [ j Off], the [ =Instant AF] 
and [ ? Medium AF] settings are not available.
• Autofocus takes longer to focus when the frame rate is set to [ ·PF30], [ ¹PF24] or 
[ » 24P] than when it is set to [ ´60i (Standard)].
• When recording under dark conditions, the focusing range narrows and the picture may appear  blurred.
• While using autofocus, you can turn the manual ring to focus manually. When you stop turning the  ring, the camcorder returns to autofocus. This is useful in situations such as when focusing on a 
subject on the other side of a window.
• Autofocus may not work well on the following subjects or in the following cases. In such case, focus  manually.
- Reflective surfaces
- Subjects with low contrast or without vertical lines
- Fast moving subjects
- Through dirty or wet windows
- Night scenes
Face Detection
The camcorder automatically detects people’s faces and uses this information to select the optimal 
focus and exposure settings.
* Face detection is always activated in   mode.
POINTS TO CHECK
• Select a recording program other than [ üNight Scene], [ ŒLow Light], [ ŠFireworks] or 
[ n Manual Exposure].
[= Instant AF]Sets the autofocus to Instant AF. The focus is adjusted at the highest speed. This 
mode is useful even when recording in very bright or low-light surroundings. This mode uses both the 
TTL system and external sensor for focusing.
[?Medium AF]Sets the autofocus to Medium AF. The camcorder focuses more smoothly on the 
subject than when using the [ =Instant AF] setting. This mode uses both the TTL system and 
external sensor for focusing.
[ @ Normal AF]Sets the autofocus to Normal AF. The autofocus adjustment is made at a stable 
speed.
Operating modes: *
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							Focus Adjustment
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By default, face detection is activated. If the function was turned off, perform the following procedure 
to turn it on.
1 Open the [Face Detection & Tracking] screen.
[FUNC.] > [MENU] >  p  >  [Face Detection & Tracking]
2Touch [ iOn}] and then touch [ X].
To select the main subject
If there is more than one person in the picture, the camcorder will automatically select one person it 
determines is the main subject. The main subject is indicated by a white face-detection frame and the 
camcorder will optimize the settings for that person. Other faces will have gray frames.
Touch a different face on the touch screen to optimize the 
camcorder’s settings for that person using the Touch & Track 
function.
Limiting Autofocus to Faces
While using autofocus, you can limit the autofocus function only to cases when a subject’s face is 
detected and use manual focus for all other scenes. The camcorder will also adjust the brightness 
when focusing automatically on the subject’s face.
Set an assignable button to [ ~ Face Only AF] ( A85) and press the button.
• ~  appears on the screen.
NOTES
• The camcorder may mistakenly detect the faces of non-human subjects. In such case, turn face  detection off.
• In certain cases, faces may not be detected correctly. Typical examples include: - Faces extremely small, large, dark or bright in relation to the overall picture.
- Faces turned to the side, at a diagonal or partially hidden.
• Face detection cannot be used in the following cases. - When the shutter speed used is slower than 1/30 (1/24 if the frame rate is set to [ ¹PF24] or 
[ » 24P]).
- When the digital zoom is activated at more than  40x zoom (dark blue area on the zoom bar).
- When  r >  [Scan Reverse Rec] is set to an option other than [ jOff]. 
• When face detection is activated, the slowest shutter speed used by the camcorder is 1/30 (1/24 if  the frame rate is set to [ ¹ PF24] or [ »24P]).
Main subject
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