Sony Digital Video Camera Recorder TRV940, TRV950 Operating Instructions

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Recording – Basics
Using the zoom feature
Move the power zoom lever a little for a slower zoom. Move it further for a faster zoom.
Using the zoom sparingly results in better-looking recordings.
W: Wide-angle (subject appears farther away)
T: Telephoto (subject appears closer)
To use zoom greater than 12×
Zoom greater than 12× is performed digitally. Digital zoom can be set to 24× or 150×.
To activate digital zoom, select the digital zoom power in D ZOOM in the menu
settings (p. 209). The digital zoom is set to OFF as a default setting.
When you shoot close to a subject
If you cannot get a sharp focus, move the power zoom lever to the “W” side until the
focus is sharp. You can shoot a subject that is at least about 80 cm (about 2 feet 5/8 inch)
away from the lens surface in the telephoto position, or about 1 cm (about 1/2 inch)
away in the wide-angle position.
Note on digital zoom
The picture quality deteriorates as you move the power zoom lever towards the “T”
side.
When the POWER switch is set to MEMORY/NETWORK (DCR-TRV950 only)
You cannot use the digital zoom.
Recording a picture
T WT W
T W
The right side of the bar shows the digital zooming
zone.
The digital zooming zone appears when you select
the digital zoom power in the menu settings. 
						

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Shooting with the Mirror Mode
This feature allows the camera subject to view him-or herself on the LCD screen.
The subject uses this feature to check his or her own image on the LCD screen while
you look at the subject in the viewfinder.
Set the POWER switch to CAMERA or MEMORY/NETWORK (DCR-TRV950 only).
Rotate the LCD screen 180 degrees.
The 
 indicator appears in the viewfinder and on the LCD screen.
Xz appears  in the standby, and z appears in the recording while the POWER switch
is set to CAMERA. Some of other indicators appear mirror-reversed and others are not
displayed.
Picture in the mirror mode
The picture on the LCD screen is a mirror-image. However, the picture will be normal
when recorded.
During recording in the mirror mode
•ZERO SET MEMORY on the Remote Commander does not work.
•FN appears mirror-reversed in the viewfinder.
When you press FN
The 
 does not appear on the screen.
Recording a picture 
						

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Recording – Basics
Indicators displayed in the recording
Indicators are not recorded on tapes.
Remaining battery time indicator during recording
The remaining battery time indicator roughly indicates the continuous recording time.
The indicator may not be correct, depending on the conditions in which you are
recording. When you close the LCD panel and open it again, it takes about one minute
for the correct remaining battery time in minutes to be displayed.
Time code
The time code indicates the recording or playback time, “0:00:00” (hours : minutes :
seconds) in CAMERA and “0:00:00:00” (hours : minutes : seconds : frames) in VCR.
You cannot rewrite only the time code.
Remaining tape indicator
The indicator may not be displayed accurately depending on the tape.
Recording data
The recording data (date/time or various settings when recorded) are not displayed
while recording. However, they are recorded automatically on the tape. To display the
recording data, press the DATA CODE button during playback. You can also use the
Remote Commander for this operation (p. 41).
Recording a picture
0:00:0145min50minREC
JUL   4  200212:05:56PM
FN
Recording mode
Cassette memoryThis appears when using a cassette with cassette memory.
TimeThe time is displayed about five seconds after the
power is turned on.
DateThe date is displayed about five seconds after the
power is turned on.
STBY/REC
Remaining battery time
Time code/Tape counter
Remaining tapeThis appears after you insert a cassette and record or
play back for a while.
FN buttonPress this button to display operation buttons on the
LCD screen. 
						

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Recording a picture
Shooting backlit subjects – BACK LIGHT
When you shoot a subject with the light source behind the subject or a subject with a
light background, use the backlight function.
Press BACK LIGHT while the POWER switch is set to CAMERA or MEMORY/
NETWORK (DCR-TRV950 only).
The . indicator appears on the screen. To cancel, press BACK LIGHT again.
When shooting backlit subjects
If you press SPOT LIGHT, EXPOSURE or SPOT METER, the backlight function will be
canceled.
When you manually adjust the exposure
You cannot use the backlight function.
BACK LIGHT 
						

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Recording – Basics
Recording a picture
Shooting subjects lit by strong light – SPOT LIGHT
This function prevents peoples faces, for example, from appearing excessively white
when shooting subjects lit by strong light, such as in the theater.
Press SPOT LIGHT while the POWER switch is set to CAMERA or MEMORY/
NETWORK (DCR-TRV950 only).
The 
  indicator appears on the screen. To cancel, press SPOT LIGHT again.
when shooting spotlighted subjects
If you press BACK LIGHT, EXPOSURE or SPOT METER, the spot light function will be
canceled.
When you manually adjust the exposure
You cannot use the spot light function.
SPOT LIGHT 
						

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Recording a picture
Self-timer recording
Recording with the self-timer starts in 10 seconds automatically. You can also use the
Remote Commander for this operation.
(1)In the standby, press FN and select PAGE2.
(2)Press SELFTIMER.
The 
 (self-timer) indicator appears on the  screen.
(3)Press START/STOP.
The self-timer starts counting down from 10 with a beep. In the last two
seconds of the countdown, the beep gets faster, then recording starts
automatically.
To stop the count downPress START/STOP.
To restart the countdown, press START/STOP again.
To cancel the self-timerPress SELFTIMER so that the  (self-timer) indicator disappears from the screen
while your camcorder is in the standby.
Note
The self-timer is automatically canceled when:
–The self-timer recording is finished.
–The POWER switch is set to OFF (CHG) or VCR.
When the POWER switch is set to MEMORY/NETWORK (DCR-TRV950 only)
You can also record still images on a “Memory Stick” with the self-timer (p. 143).
1
FN
START/STOP
START/STOP 
						

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Recording – Basics
You can use these buttons to check the recorded picture or shoot so that the transition
between the last recorded scene and the next scene you record is smooth.
END SEARCH
You can go to the end of the recorded section after you record.
(1)In the standby, press FN to display PAGE1.
(2)Press END SCH.
The last five seconds of the recorded section are played back and your
camcorder returns to the standby. You can monitor the sound from the speaker
or headphones.
To return to FNPress EXIT.
To stop searchingPress END SCH again.
End search
When you use a cassette without cassette memory, the end search function does not
work once you eject the cassette after you have recorded on the tape. If you use a
cassette with cassette memory, the end search works even once you eject the cassette.
If a tape has a blank portion between recorded portions
The end search may not work correctly.
EDITSEARCH
You can search for the next recording start point.
Hold down the EDITSEARCH in the standby. The recorded portion is played back.
– 7: To go backward
+: To go forward
Release EDITSEARCH to stop playback. If you press START/STOP, recording begins
from the point you released EDITSEARCH. You cannot monitor the sound.
Checking recordings
– END SEARCH / EDITSEARCH / Rec Review
FN
EDITSEARCH 
						

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Checking recordings – END SEARCH / EDITSEARCH / Rec Review
Rec Review
You can check the last recorded section.
Press the  – 7  side of EDITSEARCH momentarily in the standby.
The section you have stopped most recently will be played back for a few seconds, and
then your camcorder will return to the standby. You can monitor the sound from the
speaker or headphones. 
						

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Playback – Basics
You can monitor the playback picture on the screen. If you close the LCD panel, you
can monitor the playback picture in the viewfinder. You can control playback using the
Remote Commander supplied with your camcorder.
(1)Prepare the power supply and insert the recorded tape.
(2)Set the POWER switch to VCR while pressing the small green button.
(3)Open the LCD panel while pressing OPEN.
(4)Press m to rewind the tape.
(5)Press N to start playback.
(6)To adjust the volume, press either of the two buttons on VOLUME.
– : To turn down
+ : To turn up
When you close the LCD panel, sound is muted.
To stop playbackPress x. — Playback – Basics —
Playing back a tape
456
2
1 3
VOLUME
REWPLAY
POWER
OFF(CHG)
CAMERA
MEMORY/
NETWORK
VCR 
						

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When monitoring on the LCD screen
You can turn the LCD panel over and move it back to the camcorder body with the
LCD screen facing out.
If you leave the power on for a long time
Your camcorder gets warm. This is not a malfunction.
When you open or close the LCD panel
Make sure that the LCD panel is set vertically.
Playing back a tape