Panasonic Hc V550 Owners Manual

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It is possible to set the focus and exposure to the subject specified on the touch screen.
The focus and exposure will keep following the subject automatically even if it moves.
1To u c h  .≥An icon is displayed  B.2Touch the object and lock the target.≥When you touch the head of the object, the target frame 
on the head gets locked and tracking starts.
≥ Touch the object to be changed again when you want to 
change the target.
≥ When the Intelligent Auto Mode or Intelligent Auto Plus 
Mode is selected, the setting becomes  /  
(Normal) and touched object is tracked. Selection 
becomes  /  (Portrait) when target frame is locked 
on a face. (It may turn to  /  (Normal) even if the 
target is locked on the face when a spotlight is shining or 
with a dark scene.)
3 Start recording.
∫About target frame
≥When target lock fails, the target frame blinks in red and then disappears. Touch a characteristic 
part (color etc.) on the object to lock onto it again.
≥ When the   button is pressed halfway in Still Picture Recording Mode, the focus is set to the 
object that is locked. The target frame turns green when it focuses, and the target cannot be 
changed.
≥This function cannot be used in Manual Mode. In Still Picture Recording Mode, it can only be 
used with some settings in Scene Mode.
≥ It may track different objects or may not lock the target depending on the recording conditions 
such as the following:
jWhen the object is too large or too small
j When color of the object is similar to the background
j When the scene is dark
≥ When the target is locked in Still Picture Recording Mode, the screen may become dark.
≥ If you use the Fade function while the target is locked, the target lock will be canceled. ( l65)
≥ AF/AE tracking will be canceled in the following cases.
jWhen the unit is turned off
j Press the recording/playback button
j Touch the recording mode switching icon
j Touch the Recording Mode button icon
j Switch to recording of yourself
AF/AE tracking


A Target frame 
						

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In Motion Picture Recording Mode, you can further improve optical image stabilization by 
touching and holding  . With this function, you can further reduce the effects of the 
shake that tends to occur when using zoom.
1Touch   to turn the Image Stabilizer on. ( l59)
Touch   to turn the Image Stabilizer on. ( l60)
2 Touch and hold  .
≥Icon is displayed in  A while you are touching and holding  .
≥ Optical Image Stabilizer Lock is released when you remove your finger from the icon.
∫ To make the display of   disappear
Display of   will not disappear even when no operation is performed for specific time with the 
default setting. To make the display of   disappear, change the setting of the [O.I.S. LOCK 
DISPLAY].
≥Stabilization may not be possible under strong shaking conditions.
≥ To record while moving the unit quickly, release Optical Image Stabilizer Lock.
Optical Image Stabilizer Lock
: [SETUP]  # [O.I.S. LOCK DISPLAY]  # desired setting
[ON]:Constantly display.
[OFF]:The icon will disappear after approx. 5 seconds without any touch operation.

HC-V550
HC-V250
MENU 
						

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It is possible to focus and record a still picture of a subject that is touched.1To u c h  .≥An icon is displayed  A.2Touch the subject.≥Focus area is displayed at the touched position, and a 
still picture is recorded.
≥Depending on the recording conditions or recognition of the touched position, it may not be 
possible to record the intended picture.
≥ This will not operate for recording yourself.
Touch Shutter
 
						

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Select the operation icons to add different effects to the images to be recorded.
1Touch   (left side)/  (right side) of   on the Touch Menu to display the 
operation icons. (l19)
2Touch an operation icon.(e.g. PRE-REC)
≥ The operation icons that are displayed in the Touch 
Menu can be changed.
([SELECT OPERATION ICONS]:  l35)
≥ Select the operation icon again to cancel the function.
Refer to the respective pages for canceling the following 
functions.
jSelf-timer ( l66)
j Guidelines ( l67)
≥ The icon is displayed when the operation icon is set.
Operation icons
*1 Not displayed in Still Picture Recording Mode.
*2 Not displayed in Motion Picture Recording Mode.
≥If you turn off the unit or press the recording/playback button,
PRE-REC, Backlight Compensation, Night Mode, Self-timer and Tele Macro functions are 
canceled.
≥ If you turn off the unit, the Fade function is canceled.
≥ It is possible to set from the menu.
Advanced (Recording)
Recording functions of operation 
icons
PRE-REC
Fade*1
Intelligent Contrast Control*1
PRE-REC*1
Self-timer*2
Intelligent Exposure*2
Backlight Compensation
Tele Macro
Guidelines
Night Mode
*1 
						

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When you start recording, the image/audio gradually 
appears. (Fade in)
When you pause recording, the image/audio gradually 
disappears. (Fade out)
≥The Fade setting is canceled when the recording stops.
∫ To select the color for fade in/out
≥The thumbnails of scenes recorded using fade in become black (or white).
This brightens parts that are in shadow and difficult to see and suppresses white saturation 
in bright parts at the same time. Both bright and dark parts can be recorded clearly.
≥ If there are extremely dark or bright parts or the brightness is insufficient, the effect may not be 
clear.
Fade
: [RECORD SETUP]  # [FADE COLOR]  # 
[WHITE] or [BLACK]
Intelligent Contrast Control
(Fade in)
(Fade out)
MENU 
						

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This allows recording of the pictures and sound to start approximately 3 seconds before the 
recording start/stop button is pressed.
≥ appears on the screen.
≥Aim the unit at the subject beforehand.
≥ There is no beep sound.
≥ PRE-REC is canceled in the following cases.
jPress the recording/playback button
j Touch the recording mode switching icon
j If you remove the SD card
j If you touch 
j If you press 
the Wi-Fi button
j If you turn the unit off
j If you start recording
j After 3 hours have passed
≥
After setting PRE-REC, if recording starts in less than 3 seconds, motion pictures taken 
3 seconds before pressing the recording start/stop button cannot be recorded.
≥ Images displayed on the thumbnail in Playback Mode will differ from the motion pictures 
displayed at the start of playback.
This is for recording still pictures using the timer.
Each time the icon is selected, the indication changes by one setting in the following order:
Ø 10 (Records after 10 seconds)  # Ø2 (Records after 2 seconds)  # setting canceled
≥ When you press the   button,  Ø10 or Ø2 flashes for the set period before a still picture is 
recorded. After recording, the Self-timer is canceled.
≥ In Auto Focus Mode, if the   button is pressed  halfway once and then fully, the lens focuses 
on the subject when the button is pressed halfway. If the   button is pressed fully all at once, 
the lens focuses on the subject just before recording.
To stop the timer midway throughTouch [CANCEL].
≥ Setting the Self-timer to  Ø2 is a good way to prevent image shake when the   button is 
pressed while using a tripod etc.
This brightens dark areas so the image can be recorded clearly.
≥ If there are extremely dark parts or the brightness is insufficient, the effect may not be clear.
PRE-RECThis prevents you from missing a shot.
Self-timer
Intelligent Exposure
PRE-REC
MENU 
						

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This makes the image brighter to prevent darkening of a backlit subject.
A more impressive image can be obtained by focusing on the object only in close-up and 
shading off the background.
≥The unit can focus on the subject at a distance of approx. 1.1 m (3.6 feet).
≥ When you set Tele Macro, the zoom magnification automatically changes to one of the following 
levels. In Still Picture Recording Mode, the level depends on the picture size setting. If you lower 
the zoom magnification to a level below the following values, Tele Macro will be canceled.
(Motion Picture Recording Mode)
j
62k* (when the zoom magnification before you set Tele Macro was 62 k or lower)
(Still Picture Recording Mode)
j 62 k (when the picture size is set to [  10M]/[  2.1M] and the zoom magnification before 
you set Tele Macro was 62 k or lower)
j 52 k (when the picture size is set to [  7.4M]/[  0.3M] and the zoom magnification before 
you set Tele Macro was 52 k or lower)
j 51 k (when the picture size is set to [  7.7M]/[  2M] and the zoom magnification before 
you set Tele Macro was 51 k or lower)
* Scale factor when [O.I.S.] is set to [Standard] and Level Shot Function is set to off.
Scale factor when [O.I.S.] is set to [Standard].
You can check if the image is level while recording motion pictures and still pictures. The 
function can also be used to estimate the balance of the composition.
It will switch every time the icon is touched.  #   #   # Setting canceled
≥ The guidelines do not appear on the images actually recorded.
This function allows you to record color images in very low light situations. (Minimum 
required illumination: approx. 1 lx)
≥ Recorded scene is seen as if frames were missed.
≥ If set in a bright place, the screen may become washed out for a while.
≥ Bright dots that are usually invisible may be seen, but this is not a malfunction.
≥ Using a tripod is recommended.
≥ In darker areas, Auto Focus may focus a bit slower. This is normal.
Backlight Compensation
Tele Macro
Guidelines
Night Mode
16:916:9
4:34:3
3:
23 :
2
HC-V550
HC-V250 
						

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This function is identical to Scene Mode in Recording Mode. (l43)
The shutter speed and aperture, etc. are automatically adjusted to match the scene you want to 
record.
≥ This item is displayed in the menu only when [Time Lapse Rec] in Creative Control Mode is 
set. ( l49)
≥ Please refer to page 50  for details about the effect of each mode.
Advanced (Recording)
Recording functions of menus
[SCENE MODE]
: [RECORD SETUP] # [SCENE MODE]  # desired setting
[OFF]:Cancel the setting
5Sports:To make fast moving scenes less shaky with slow playback and 
pause of playback
Portrait:To make people stand out against the background
Soft Skin:To makes skin colors appear softer for a more attractive 
appearance
Spotlight:Improved quality when subject is brightly illuminated.
Snow:Improved image quality when shooting in snowy locations.
Beach:To make blue in the sea or sky vibrant
Sunset:To make red in the sunrise or sunset vibrant
Scenery:For spatial scenery
Fireworks:To capture the fireworks in the night sky beautifully
Night Scenery:To capture the evening or night scenery beautifully
Low Light:For dark scenes, such as at dusk
MENU 
						

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Set the maximum zoom ratio for the Motion Picture Recording Mode.
*The zoom magnification when [O.I.S.] is set to [Standard] and Level Shot Function is set to off.
The zoom magnification when [O.I.S.] is set to [Standard].
≥The larger the digital zoom magnification, the more the image quality is degraded.
≥ This function cannot be used in Still Picture Recording Mode.
Switch the recording format of motion picture.
≥ This function’s default setting is [AVCHD] mode.
[ZOOM MODE]
: [RECORD SETUP] # [ZOOM MODE]  # desired setting
[i.Zoom OFF]:Up to 62 k*
[i.Zoom 90 k]:This zoom function allows you to maintain high-definition 
picture quality. (Up to 90 k)
[D.Zoom 150 k]:Digital zoom (Up to 150 k)
[D.Zoom 3000 k]:Digital zoom (Up to 3000 k)
[REC FORMAT]
: [RECORD SETUP] # [REC FORMAT]  # desired setting
[AVCHD]:Set the recording format to AVCHD. (l2)
[MP4/iFrame]:Set the recording format to MP4/iFrame. ( l2)
MENU
HC-V550
HC-V250
MENU 
						

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Switch the picture quality and recording format of the motion pictures to record. The recording 
formats that can be set change according to [REC FORMAT] setting.
≥When [REC FORMAT] is set to [AVCHD]
A Favors image quality
B Favors Recording time
≥ When [REC FORMAT] is set to [MP4/iFrame]
*1 This option allows you to record in 1080/60p (1920 k1080/60 progressive), which is the highest 
picture quality for this unit.
*2 [1080] and [720] are recording modes suitable for playing back or editing on a PC.
*3 [iFrame] is a format suitable for Mac (iMovie etc.). It is recommended for when using a Mac.
≥ Recordable time using the battery ( l12)
≥ This function’s default setting is [HG] mode.
≥ Please refer to page 199 for details about approximate recordable time.
≥ When the unit is moved a lot or moved quickly, or when a fast-moving subject is recorded, 
mosaic-type noise may appear at playback.
[REC MODE]
: [RECORD SETUP] # [REC MODE]  # desired setting
[PH]/[HA]/[HG]/[HE]:
(AB )Set the recording format to 1080/60i.
[1080/60p]*1:Set the recording format to 1080/60p.
[1080]*2:Set the recording format to 1080/60p.
[720]*2:Set the recording format to 720/30p.
[iFrame]*3:Set the recording format to iFrame.
MENU