Panasonic Sdr H79 Operating Instructions Manual

							101LSQT1561
Others
Helpful hints
2
Troubleshooting
ProblemCheck points
This unit cannot be 
turned on.
This unit does not stay 
on long enough.
Battery runs down 
quickly. ≥
Charge the battery using the AC adaptor. ( l16)
≥ The battery protection circuit may have operated. Attach 
the battery to the AC adaptor for 5 to 10 seconds. If the unit 
still cannot be used, the battery is faulty.
≥ Make sure the LCD monitor is opened.
≥ The battery is affected by ambient temperature. In cold 
places, the battery usi ng time becomes shorter.
≥ The battery has a limited life. If the operating time is still too 
short even after the battery is  fully charged, the battery has 
worn out and needs to be replaced.
This unit is turned off 
automatically. ≥
If you do not use the unit for approximately 5 minutes, the 
power is automatically turned off  to conserve battery life. To 
resume recording, turn the power back on.
The power will not turn off automatically when the economy 
function ( l27) is set to [OFF].
Remaining battery 
indication is not 
displayed properly. ≥
The remaining battery capacity indication is an 
approximation.
If you think the remaining battery capacity indication is not 
displayed correctly, fully charge the battery, discharge it and 
then charge it again. (Even if this operation is performed, it 
may not be possible to display the remaining battery 
capacity correctly if the battery was used for a long period 
of time where the temperature was low or high or if the 
battery was repeatedly charged.)
This unit cannot be 
operated though it is 
turned on.
This unit does not 
operate normally. ≥
The unit cannot be operated unless you open the LCD 
monitor.
≥ Turn on the power again. If normal conditions are not 
restored yet, remove the battery or AC adaptor, wait about 
1 minute and then reconnect the battery or AC adaptor. 
Then about 1 minute later, turn on the power again. 
(Conducting the above operation while the SD card or HDD 
is being accessed may damage the data on the SD card or 
HDD.)
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ProblemCheck points
A clicking sound is heard 
when the power is turned 
off. ≥
This is the sound of the lens moving and is not a 
malfunction.
The screen has changed 
suddenly.
(Demo mode is on) ≥
If you set [DEMO MODE] to [ON] without inserting an SD 
card in video recording mode or picture recording mode, 
the unit is automatically set to the demonstration mode for 
introducing its functions. Normally this should be set to 
[OFF]. ( l28)
A function indication 
such as the remaining 
time indication or the 
elapsed time indication is 
not shown. ≥
If you set [SETUP]  > [DISPLAY] >  [OFF], indications 
other than warnings and date are not displayed.
Recording does not start 
although power is 
supplied to this unit. ≥
No recording is possible while the SD card’s write protect 
switch is set to LOCK. ( l21)
≥ If the HDD or SD card has no more available memory, free 
up some memory by deleting unnecessary scenes ( l59) 
or use a new SD card.
≥ Is the unit set to the video recording mode or picture 
recording mode?
≥ If the SD card slot cover is open, this unit may not operate 
normally. Close the card slot cover.
Recording starts but 
stops immediately.
The playback picture 
breaks up for a moment. ≥
The unit is hot. Follow the messages on the display. To use 
the unit again, turn the unit off and leave it for a while.
≥ If the recording stops when the HDD is used, back up the 
data on the HDD to a PC, etc. and then format the HDD. 
(l 71)
The operation arbitrarily 
stops. ≥
If the unit is exposed to strong  vibrations or shocks while 
recording on HDD, recording may stop to protect the HDD. 
If the unit is used in a place with loud sounds, the recording 
may stop due to sound vibrations. Recording data on an SD 
card is recommended in these places.
≥ The drop detection function has activated to protect the 
HDD. Do not drop or shake this unit while operating it.
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ProblemCheck points
Recording stops 
suddenly during motion 
picture recording on an 
SD card. ≥
Use an SD card that can be used for motion picture 
recording. ( l22)
≥ When using an SD card on which data has been written 
many times and the data writ ing speed has reduced, the 
recording may suddenly stop during motion picture 
recording. Back up the data on the SD card to a PC, etc. 
and then format the SD card. ( l71)
Auto focus function does 
not work. ≥
Press MANUAL AF/MF button to erase the MF icon, or 
press iA button.
≥ There are some recording subjects and surroundings for 
which the auto focus does not operate correctly. (l 109) If 
so, use the manual focus mode to adjust the focus. ( l51)
“ENVIRONMENT TOO 
DARK, OR LENS COVER 
CLOSED.” is displayed. ≥
Open the lens cover before turning the unit on.
≥ This message may appear if you try to record in extremely 
dark places.
Sound is not played back 
from the built-in speaker 
of this unit. ≥
During playback, move the volume lever to display the 
volume indication and adjust it. ( l55)
Although this unit is 
correctly connected to a 
TV, playback images 
cannot be seen.
The playback images are 
squeezed horizontally. ≥
Please read the operating instructions of your TV and 
select the video input that this unit is connected to.
≥ Change the setting to match the aspect ratio of the TV. 
(l 73)
Scenes or files cannot be 
deleted or edited. ≥
Locked scenes or files cannot be deleted. Release the lock 
setting. ( l61, 67)
≥ It may not be possible to delete scenes that are displayed 
as [ ] on the thumbnail display. If the scenes are 
unnecessary, format the HDD or the SD card to erase the 
data. ( l71) Please be aware that if the HDD or the SD 
card is formatted then all the data recorded on the HDD or 
the SD card will be erased.
≥ If the SD card’s write protect switch is set to LOCK, then 
deletion and editing are disabled. ( l21)
The images on the SD 
card do not look normal. ≥
The data may be destroyed. It may have been destroyed by 
static or electromagnetic waves. Store important data on a 
PC or other products as well.
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Even if HDD or an SD 
card is formatted, it 
cannot be used.≥
Either this unit or the SD card may be damaged. Please 
contact consumer support ( l119).
≥ Use an SD card from 8 MB to 32 GB with this unit. ( l20)
The indication 
disappears.
The screen is frozen.
No operation can be 
performed. ≥
No operation can be performed on this unit when it is 
connected to a PC.
≥ Turn off the power to this unit. If the power cannot be turned 
off, remove the battery or AC adaptor and then reconnect it. 
Turn on the power again. If normal operation is still not 
restored, detach the power  connected, and contact 
consumer support. ( l119)
“ERROR OCCURRED. 
PLEASE TURN UNIT OFF, 
THEN TURN ON AGAIN.” 
is displayed. ≥
The unit has automatically detected an error. Restart the 
unit by turning off and on the power.
≥ The power will be turned off in about 1 minute if the power 
is not turned off and on.
≥ Repair is needed if it is repeatedly displayed even if it is 
restarted. Detach the power connected, and contact 
consumer support. ( l119) Do not attempt to repair the unit 
by yourself.
When the SD card is 
inserted in this unit, it is 
not recognized. ≥
Use this unit to format SD cards. Please be aware that if an 
SD card is formatted, then all the data recorded on the card 
will be erased. ( l71)
When the SD card is 
inserted in another 
device, it is not 
recognized. ≥
Check that the device is compatible with the capacity or 
type of SD card (SD Memory Card/SDHC Memory Card) 
that you inserted. Refer to the operating instructions of the 
device for details.
ProblemCheck points
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							105LSQT1561
With other products
With a PC
ProblemCheck points
The sound does not play 
back properly when a 
DVD disc that has been 
copied using the DVD 
burner is played back. ≥
When the scenes recorded on an SD card by setting 
[AUDIO REC] to [MPEG] are copied to a DVD disc using 
the DVD burner and then played back with any other 
devices, sound may not  play back properly.
In this case, record scenes by setting [AUDIO REC] to 
[DOLBY] and then copy to the disc. Or use the software 
supplied with this unit to copy the scenes.
ProblemCheck points
When connected by the 
USB cable, this unit is not 
detected by the PC. ≥
Close the menu screen before connecting the USB cable.
≥ Select another USB terminal on the PC.
≥ Check the operating environment. ( l85)
≥ Disconnect the USB cable, turn the unit off then on and 
then reconnect the USB cable.
When the USB cable is 
disconnected, an error 
message will appear on 
the PC. ≥
To disconnect the USB cable safely, double-click the   
( ) icon in the task tray and follow the instructions on the 
screen.
The DVD COPY function 
will not start. ≥
To create DVD-Video discs using the DVD COPY function, 
you need to install VideoCam Suite from the supplied CD-
ROM to your PC. ( l88)
I cannot copy motion 
pictures using the 
DVD COPY function. ≥
Once motion pictures have been copied using the 
DVD COPY function, they c annot be copied a second or 
subsequent time.
Import the motion pictures onto the PC, and then write them 
on the DVD disc.
It takes a long time to 
create a DVD. ≥
Creating a DVD may take some time even if the size of the 
motion picture files are small.
The DVD player cannot 
play back the discs I have 
created using VideoCam 
Suite. ≥
To playback a DVD disc created using VideoCam Suite, the 
player must support playback of that DVD disc. (Refer to 
the operating instructions of the player.)
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							106LSQT1561
Others
Cautions for use
≥The unit and SD card become warm after long 
operation, but this is not a malfunction.
Keep the SD Card/Hard Disk Video Camera as 
far away as possible from electromagnetic 
equipment (such as microwave ovens, TVs, 
video games etc.).
≥ If you use the SD Card/Hard Disk Video 
Camera on top of or near a TV, the pictures 
and sound on the SD Card/Hard Disk Video 
Camera may be disrupted by electromagnetic 
wave radiation.
≥ Do not use the SD Card/Hard Disk Video 
Camera near cell phones because doing so 
may result in noise adversely affecting the 
pictures and sound.
≥ Recorded data may be damaged, or pictures 
may be distorted, by strong magnetic fields 
created by speakers or large motors.
≥ Electromagnetic wave radiation generated by 
microprocessors may adversely affect the SD 
Card/Hard Disk Video Camera, disturbing the 
pictures and sound.
≥ If the SD Card/Hard Disk Video Camera is 
adversely affected by electromagnetic 
equipment and stops functioning properly, turn 
the SD Card/Hard Disk Video Camera off and 
remove the battery or disconnect AC adaptor. 
Then reinsert the battery or reconnect AC 
adaptor and turn the SD Card/Hard Disk Video 
Camera on.
Do not use the SD Card/Hard Disk Video 
Camera near radio transmitters or high-
voltage lines.
≥ If you record near radio transmitters or 
high-voltage lines, the recorded pictures and 
sound may be adversely affected.
Make sure to use the supplied cords and 
cables. If you use optional accessories, use 
the cords and the cables supplied with them.
Do not extend the cords and the cables. Do not spray insecticides or volatile 
chemicals onto the unit.
≥
If the unit is sprayed with such chemicals, its 
body may be marred and the surface finish 
may peel off.
≥ Do not leave rubber or plastic products in 
contact with the unit for a long time.
When you use the unit in a sandy or dusty 
place such as a beach, do not let sand or fine 
dust get into the body and terminals of the 
unit.
Also, keep the unit away from sea water.
≥ Sand or dust may damage the unit. (Care 
should be taken when inserting and removing 
an SD card.)
≥ If sea water splashes onto the unit, wipe off the 
water with a well wrung cloth. Then wipe the 
unit again with a dry cloth.
When carrying the unit, do not drop or bump 
it.
≥ A strong impact can break the unit’s casing, 
causing it to malfunction.
Cleaning
≥ Before cleaning, detach the battery or pull the 
AC cable from the AC outlet, and then wipe the 
unit with a soft, dry cloth.
≥ If the unit is very dirty, dip a cloth in water and 
squeeze firmly, and then wipe the unit with the 
damp cloth. Next, dry the unit with a dry cloth.
≥ Use of benzine, paint thinner, alcohol, or 
dishwashing liquid may alter the camera body 
or peel the surface finish. Do not use these 
solvents.
≥ When using a chemical dust cloth, follow the 
instructions that came with the cloth.
Do not use the unit for surveillance purposes 
or other business uses.
≥ This unit was designed for consumer 
intermittent use. It was not intended for 
continuous use, or for any industrial or 
commercial application resulting in prolonged 
use.
≥ In certain situations, continuous use could 
cause the unit to overheat and cause a 
malfunction. Such use is strongly discouraged.
About this unit
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							107LSQT1561
When you are not going to use the unit for an 
extended time
≥When storing the unit in a cupboard or cabinet, 
it is recommended that you place a desiccant 
(silica gel) in with it.
When disposing of or giving away this unit, 
note that:
≥ Formatting and deletion simply change the file 
management information and cannot be used 
to completely erase the data in HDD of this 
unit. The data can be recovered using 
commercially available software or the like.
≥ We recommend that you physically format the 
HDD before disposing of or giving away this 
unit. To physically format the HDD, connect the 
unit via the AC adaptor, select [FORMAT HDD] 
#  [YES] from the menu, and then press and 
hold the delete button on the screen below for 
about 3 seconds. When the HDD data deletion 
screen appears, select [YES], and then follow 
the on-screen instructions.
≥ Please look after the data in your HDD 
carefully. Panasonic will not be held 
responsible in the unlikely case that private 
data is divulged.
The battery used in this unit is a rechargeable 
lithium-ion battery. It is susceptible to humidity 
and temperature and the effect increases the 
more the temperature rises or falls. In cold areas, 
the full charge indication may not appear or the 
low battery indication may appear for about 
5 minutes after starting use. At high 
temperatures, the protection function may be 
triggered, making it impossible to use the unit.
Be sure to detach the battery after use.
≥ If the battery is left inserted, a minute amount 
of current continues to flow even if the unit’s 
power is off. Keeping the unit in this state may 
result in over discharge of the battery. This  may result in you not being able to use the 
battery even after it is charged.
≥ The battery should be stored in the vinyl bag 
so metal does not come into contact with the 
terminals.
≥ The battery should be stored in a cool place 
free from humidity, with as constant 
temperature as possible. (Recommended 
temperature: 15 °C to 25 °C (59 °F to 77 °F), 
Recommended humidity: 40% to 60%)
≥ Extremely high temperatures or low 
temperatures will shorten the life of the battery.
≥ If the battery is kept in high-temperature, high-
humidity, or oily-smoky places, the terminals 
may rust and cause malfunctions.
≥ To store the battery for a long period of time, 
we recommend you char ge it once every year 
and store it again after you have completely 
used up the charged capacity.
≥ Dust and other matter attached to the battery 
terminals should be removed.
Prepare spare batteries when going out for 
recording.
≥ Prepare enough batteries to last 3 to 4 times 
the period you are planning to record.
≥ Cold weather, such as when skiing, can 
shorten the recording period.
If you drop the battery accidentally, check to 
see if the terminals are damaged.
≥ Inserting a battery with damaged terminals can 
damage the unit or AC adaptor.
Do not throw old battery into fire.
≥ Heating a battery or throwing it into a fire may 
result in an explosion.
If the operating time is very short even after 
the battery has been recharged, the battery 
has worn out. Please purchase a new battery.
About the battery
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							108LSQT1561
≥If the temperature of the battery is extremely 
high or extremely low, charging may take time 
or the battery may not be charged.
≥ If the CHARGE lamp keeps flashing, make 
sure that the terminals of the battery or the AC 
adaptor are not exposed to dirt, foreign objects 
or dust, then reconnect them properly.
≥ If you use the AC adaptor near a radio, radio 
reception may be disturbed. Keep the AC 
adaptor 1 m (3.3 feet) or more away from the 
radio.
≥ When using the AC adaptor, it may generate 
whirring sounds. However, this is normal.
≥ After use, be sure to disconnect the AC 
adaptor. (If it is left connected, a minute 
amount of current is consumed.)
≥ Always keep the electrodes of the AC adaptor 
and battery clean.
≥ When the LCD monitor gets dirty, wipe it with a 
dry soft cloth.
≥ In a place with drastic temperature changes, 
condensation may form on the LCD monitor. 
Wipe it with a soft dry cloth.
≥ When the unit has become very cold, for 
example due to storage in a cold area, its LCD 
monitor will be slightly darker than usual 
immediately after the power is turned on. The 
normal brightness will be restored when the 
unit’s internal temperature rises.
If condensation forms on the unit, the lens will 
cloud up, the HDD may be damaged and the unit  may not work properly. Make every effort to 
ensure that condensation does not form. If it 
does form, take the actions described below.
Causes of condensation
Condensation takes place when the ambient 
temperature or humidity is changed as 
follows.
≥
When this unit is brought inside from the cold 
(e.g. a ski slope) to a warm room.
≥ When this unit is moved from an 
air-conditioned car to outside.
≥ When a cold room has been warmed up 
quickly.
≥ When cool wind from an air conditioner is 
directly blown onto this unit.
≥ After summer afternoon showers of rain.
≥ When this unit is in a very humid place where 
the air is thick with steam. (e.g. a heated 
swimming pool)
Helpful hint
If, for example, you have used this unit for 
recording on a ski slope and are taking it into a 
heated room, place the unit inside a plastic bag, 
remove as much of the air from inside the bag as 
possible, then seal the bag. Leave the unit for 
about an hour in the room so the temperature of 
the unit is close to the ambient temperature of 
the room, then use it.
About the AC adaptor
If the charging lamp is still flashing, something 
may be wrong with the battery or AC adaptor. 
Contact consumer support ( l119).
LCD monitor
Extremely high precision technology is 
employed to produce the LCD Monitor screen 
featuring a total of approximately 123,000 
pixels. The result is more than 99.99% 
effective pixels with a mere 0.01% of the 
pixels inactive or always lit. However, this is 
not a malfunction and does not affect the 
recorded picture.
About condensation
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							109LSQT1561
Others
Explanation of terms
Automatic white balance
White balance adjustment recognizes the color 
of light and adjusts so the white color will 
become a purer white. The unit determines the 
hue of light that comes through the lens, thereby 
judging the recording condition, and selects the 
closest hue setting.
This is called automatic white balance 
adjustment.
However, since the unit only stores white color 
information under certain light sources, 
automatic white balance adjustment does not 
function normally under other light sources.
The illustration above shows the range over 
which the auto white balance functions.
1) The effective range of automatic white balance adjustment on this unit
2) Blue sky
3) Cloudy sky (rain)
4) TV screen
5) Sunlight
6) White fluorescent lamp
7) Halogen light bulb
8) Incandescent light bulb
9) Sunrise or sunset
10) Candlelight
Outside of the effective range of automatic white 
balance adjustment, the image will become 
reddish or bluish. Even within the effective range 
of automatic white balance adjustment, the 
automatic white balance adjustment may not 
function properly if there is more than one light 
source. For light outside the functional automatic  white balance adjustment range, use the manual 
white balance adjustment mode.
White balance adjustment
White balance adjustment determines the white 
color under different light sources. By 
recognizing which is the white color under 
sunlight and which is the white color under a 
fluorescent light, the unit can adjust the balance 
among the other colors.
Since the white color is the reference for all the 
colors, the unit can record pictures in a natural 
hue if it can recognize the reference color white.
Auto focus
The lens is moved forward or backward 
automatically to bring the subject into focus.
Auto focus has the following characteristics.
≥
Adjusts the focus so that the vertical lines of a 
subject are seen more clearly.
≥ Attempts to bring an object with higher contrast 
into focus.
≥ Focuses on the screen center only.
Due to these characteristics, auto focus does not 
work correctly in the following situations. Record 
pictures in the manual focus mode.
Recording distant and close-up objects at the 
same time
Since the unit focuses on whatever is at the 
center of the screen, it is difficult to bring the 
background into focus when close-up objects are 
placed in focus. When recording people with 
distant mountains in the background, you cannot 
focus on both the subject which is close-up and 
the objects which are in the distance.
Recording a subject behind dirty or dusty 
window
The subject behind the window will not be 
focused because the focus is on the dirty 
window.
Similarly, when recording something on the 
opposite side of a road with heavy traffic, a 
vehicle that happens to pass by may be brought 
into focus.
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Recording a subject that is surrounded by 
objects with glossy surfaces or by highly 
reflective objects
Since whatever is shiny or glistens is brought into 
focus, it is hard to focus on the subject to be 
recorded. The focus may become blurry when 
recording subjects at the beach, night views or in 
scenes involving fireworks or special lights.
Recording a subject in dark surroundings
The unit cannot focus correctly because the light 
information that comes through the lens 
decreases considerably.
Recording a fast-moving subject
As the focus lens-inside moves mechanically, it 
cannot keep up with a fast-moving subject.
When, for example, recording a sports event with 
fast moving subjects, the focus may lose its 
sharpness.
Recording a subject with little contrast
It is easy to bring subjects with a sharp contrast 
or vertical lines or stripes into focus. This means 
that a subject with little contrast, such as a white 
wall, may become blurry because the unit 
achieves focus based upon the vertical lines of 
an image.
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