Sony Handycam HDRCX12 User Manual

							Getting Started
21
Step 5: Inserting a “Memory Stick PRO Duo”
For types of “Memory Stick” you can use in 
your camcorder, see page 2.
Tips For the number/time of recordable images, see 
the following pages.
  Movie (p. 10) Still image (p. 66)
1  Insert the “Memory Stick PRO Duo.”
  Open the Memory Stick Duo cover in the 
direction of the arrow.
  Insert the “Memory Stick PRO Duo” into 
the Memory Stick Duo slot in the right 
direction until it clicks.
  Close the Memory Stick Duo cover.
2 Slide the POWER switch until the  
(Movie) lamp lights up.
If the POWER switch is set to OFF 
(CHG), slide it while pressing the green 
button.
The [Create a new Image Database File.] 
screen appears on the LCD screen when 
you insert a new “Memory Stick PRO 
Duo.”

3  Touch [YES].
To eject the “Memory Stick PRO Duo”
Open the Memory Stick Duo cover and 
lightly push the “Memory Stick PRO Duo” 
in once.
Notes Do not eject the “Memory Stick PRO Duo” 
when the access lamp (p.
  21) is lit or flashing. 
Otherwise, the “Memory Stick PRO Duo” may 
be damaged, recorded images may be lost or 
other malfunctions could occur.
  Do not do any of the following when the  
(Movie)/ (Still) mode lamp (p. 18), access 
lamp (p.
  21) or the QUICK ON lamp (p.  28) is 
lit or flashing. Otherwise, the “Memory Stick 
PRO Duo” may be damaged, recorded images 
may be lost or other malfunctions could occur. 
  Remove the battery pack or AC Adaptor or 
Handycam Station from the camcorder
  Apply mechanical shock or vibration to the 
camcorder
  Do not open the Memory Stick Duo cover 
during recording.
  If you force the “Memory Stick PRO Duo” into 
the slot in the wrong direction, the “Memory 
Stick PRO Duo,” the Memory Stick Duo slot, or 
image data may be damaged.
  If [Failed to create a new Image Database File. 
It may be possible that there is not enough 
free space.] is displayed in step 3, format the 
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” (p.
  57). Note that 
formatting will delete all data recorded on the 
“Memory Stick PRO Duo.”
Tips  You can shoot still images without creating a 
management file.


Access lamp 
						

							22
Recording/Playback
Recording and playback with ease  
(Easy Handycam operation)
Easy Handycam operation makes nearly all settings automatic so that you \
can perform 
recording or playback operations without detailed settings. It also make\
s the screen font size 
larger for easy viewing.
Recording movies
1 Slide the POWER switch   in the 
direction of the arrow until the  
(Movie) lamp lights up.
2  Press EASY .
3 Press START/STOP  (or ) to 
start recording.*
To stop recording, press START/STOP 
again.
Recording still images
1  Slide the POWER switch  in the 
direction of the arrow until the  
(Still) lamp lights up.
2  Press EASY .
3 Press PHOTO   lightly to adjust the 
focus  (a beep sounds), then press 
it fully  (a shutter click sounds).
*  The [REC MODE] is fixed to [HD SP] or [SD SP]. Flashing  Lights up
 appears on 
the LCD screen.
[STBY]  [REC] appears on 
the LCD screen. If the POWER switch is set to OFF (CHG), 
slide it while pressing the green button 
						

							Recording/Playback
2
Playing back recorded movies/still images
1 Slide the POWER switch  to turn on your camcorder.
2 Press  (VIEW IMAGES)  (or ).
The [VISUAL INDEX] screen appears on the LCD screen (It may take some\
 seconds).
  : Goes to the Film Roll Index screen (p.  33).
  : Goes to the Face Index screen (p.  33).
  : Displays movies with HD (high definition) image quality.*
  : Displays still images.
*  appears when you select the movie with SD (standard definition) ima\
ge quality in [/SET] (p. 56).
3  Start playback.
Movies:
Touch the 
 or  tab, then select the desired movie to play back.
*  The setting of [DATA CODE] is fixed to [DATE/TIME] (p.  70).Appears with the image 
on each of the tab 
that was lastly played 
back/recorded ( for 
the still image).
HOME MENU
Previous 6 images
Next 6 images
Returns to the 
recording screen Searches for images 
by date (p.

 34)
Toggles Play or Pause as you touch
Returns (to the 
[VISUAL INDEX] 
screen)
Beginning of the 
movie/previous 
movie
Stops (goes to the 
[VISUAL INDEX] 
screen) Next movie
The recording 
date/time*
Reverse/Forward
Volume 
						

							24
Tips
 When playback from the selected movie reaches the last movie, the screen\
 returns to the [VISUAL 
INDEX] screen.
  You can slow down the playback speed by touching  /  during pause. You can adjust the volume by touching , then touch /.
Still images:
Touch the 
 tab, then select the desired still image to play back.
*  The setting of [DATA CODE] is fixed to [DATE/TIME] (p.  70).

To cancel Easy Handycam operation
Press EASY  again.  disappears 
from the LCD screen.
Menu settings during Easy Handycam 
operation
Press  (HOME)  (or ) to display 
the menu items available for setup changes 
(p.  11, 60).
Notes Most of the menu items automatically return to 
the default settings. The settings of some menu 
items are fixed. For details, see page 84.
  You cannot use the  (OPTION) menu. Cancel Easy Handycam operation if you want 
to add effects to images or change settings.

Invalid buttons during Easy Handycam 
operation
You cannot use some buttons/functions 
during Easy Handycam operation since 
they are automatically set (p.  84). If you set 
an invalid operation, [Invalid during Easy 
Handycam operation.] may appears.
Slide show (p. 35)
Returns (to the [VISUAL 
INDEX] screen)
Goes to the [VISUAL 
INDEX] screen The recording 
date/time*
Previous/Next 
						

							Recording/Playback
25
Recording
Notes If the access lamp is lit or flashing after 
recording is finished, it means data is still being 
written onto the “Memory Stick PRO Duo.” Do 
not eject the “Memory Stick PRO Duo” and do 
not remove the battery or AC Adaptor.
  When a movie file exceeds 2 GB, the next movie 
file is created automatically.
 Tips For types of “Memory Stick” you can use in 
your camcorder, see page 2.
  You can check the recordable time and the 
remaining capacity, etc., by touching  
(HOME)  (or )   (MANAGE 
MEDIA)  [MEDIA INFO] (p.  57).

 (HOME) 
START/STOP 
 (Movie) lamp/ (Still) lamp
POWER switch 
If the POWER switch is set to OFF (CHG), 
slide it while pressing the green button.
 (HOME)  PHOTO 
START/
STOP 
Lens cover
Opens automatically 
when the power is 
switched on.
Access lamp
/CHG  
(charge) lamp 
						

							26
Recording movies
1 Slide the POWER switch  in the 
direction of the arrow until the  
(Movie) lamp lights up.
2  Press START/STOP  (or ).
To stop recording, press START/STOP 
 (or ) again.
Recording still images
1 Slide the POWER switch  in the 
direction of the arrow until the  
(Still) lamp lights up.
2  Press PHOTO   lightly to adjust the 
focus  (a beep sounds), then press 
it fully  (a shutter click sounds).
 appears beside . When  
disappears, the image has been 
recorded.
Tips  For the recordable time and the number of 
recordable images, see pages 10 and 66.
  You can record still images during movie 
recording by pressing PHOTO  ([Dual Rec], 
(p.
  28)).
  In the default setting, a still image is recorded 
automatically on a “Memory Stick PRO Duo” 
when the camcorder detects a smile of a person 
during movie recording ([SMILE SHUTTER], 
p.

  68). An orange frame appears around a face 
targeted for possible smile detection shot.
  A white frame is shown on the detected face, 
and the detected face image is optimized 
automatically ([FACE DET. SETTING], p.
  68). You can capture still images from recorded 
movies (p.  47). You can switch the shooting mode by touching (HOME)  (or )   (CAMERA) 
 [MOVIE] or [PHOTO].

Flashing  Lights up
[STBY]  [REC] 
						

							Recording/Playback
2
Zooming
You can magnify images up to 12 times the 
original size with the power zoom lever or 
the zoom buttons on the LCD frame.
Move the power zoom lever slightly for a 
slower zoom. Move it further for a faster 
zoom.
Notes Be sure to keep your finger on the power zoom 
lever. If you move your finger off the power 
zoom lever, the operation sound of the power 
zoom lever may also be recorded.
  You cannot change the zoom speed with the 
zoom buttons on the LCD frame.
  The minimum possible distance between the 
camcorder and subject while maintaining sharp 
focus is about 1 cm (about 13/32 in.) for wide 
angle and about 80 cm (about 2 5/8 feet) for 
telephoto.
Tips  You can set [DIGITAL ZOOM] (p.  63) if you 
want to zoom to a level greater than 12 × when 
recording movies.


Recording sound with more presence 
(5.1ch surround recording)
Dolby Digital 5.1ch surround sound can 
be recorded with the built-in microphone. 
You can enjoy realistic sound when playing 
the movie on devices that support 5.1ch 
surround sound.
Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator, 5.1ch surround 
sound  Glossary (p.  112)
Notes If you play back 5.1ch sound on your 
camcorder, 5.1ch sound is automatically 
converted and output in 2ch.
  To enjoy the 5.1ch surround sound recorded 
with HD (high definition) image quality, you 
need an AVCHD format device compatible 
with 5.1ch surround.
  When you connect your camcorder with an 
HDMI cable (optional), the sound of movies 
with HD (high definition) image quality is 
automatically output in 5.1ch sound. The sound 
of the movies with SD (standard definition) 
image quality is converted to 2ch.
Tips  You can select the recording sound from [5.1ch 
SURROUND] () or [2ch STEREO]  
() ([AUDIO MODE], p.  62). By saving movies recorded with your camcorder 
to a disc (using the supplied software), you can 
enjoy a more vivid sound on a home theatre 
system, etc.


Built-in microphone
Wider range of view: 
(Wide angle)
Close view: (Telephoto) 
						

							28
Starting shooting quickly (QUICK ON)
When you press QUICK ON, the 
camcorder goes to sleep mode (power 
saving mode) instead of turning off. 
The QUICK ON lamp keeps flashing 
during sleep mode. Press QUICK ON 
again to start recording next time. Your 
camcorder returns to recording standby in 
approximately 1 second.
Tips During sleep mode, the battery is consumed at 
about half that of usual recording, enabling you 
to save battery power.
  The power turns off automatically if you do 
not operate your camcorder for a certain 
period during sleep mode. You can set the time 
that you want the camcorder to remain on 
before automatically turning off in sleep mode 
([QUICK ON STBY], (p.
  75)).
Recording high quality still images 
during movie recording (Dual Rec)
You can record high quality still images 
during movie recording by pressing 
PHOTO.
Notes Do not eject the “Memory Stick PRO Duo” 
from the camcorder until the recording of still 
images is complete, although recording of the 
movie has finished.
  You cannot use the flash during movie 
recording.


  may appear when the capacity of the 
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” is not enough or 
when you record still images continuously. 
You cannot record still images while 
 is 
displayed.
Tips  When the  (Movie) lamp is lit, the size of 
still images becomes [7.6M] (16:9 wide) or 
[5.7M] (4:3).
  You can record still images during recording 
standby in the same way as when the  (Still) 
lamp is lit. You can also record with the flash.
Recording in dark places (NightShot)
When you set the NIGHTSHOT switch to 
ON,  appears. You can record images in 
dark places.
Notes  The NightShot and Super NightShot functions 
use infrared light. Therefore, do not cover the 
infrared port with your fingers or other objects.
  Remove the conversion lens (optional). Adjust the focus manually ([FOCUS], p.  79) 
when it is hard to focus automatically.
  Do not use the NightShot and Super NightShot 
functions in bright places. This may cause a 
malfunction.


Infrared port
QUICK ON lamp 
						

							Recording/Playback
29
Tips To record an image brighter, use the Super 
NightShot function (p.  81). To record an image 
more faithfully to the original colors, use the 
Color Slow Shutter function (p.
  81).
Adjusting the exposure for backlit 
subjects
To adjust the exposure for backlit subjects, 
press  (back light) to display  on the 
screen. To cancel the back light function, 
press  (back light) again.
Recording in mirror mode
Open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the 
camcorder (), then rotate it 180 degrees 
to the lens side ().
Tips A mirror-image of the subject appears on the 
LCD screen, but the image will be normal when 
recorded.


Recording fast action in slow-motion 
(SMTH SLW REC)
Fast moving subjects and actions, which 
cannot be captured under the ordinary 
shooting conditions, can be shot in smooth 
moving slow-motion for about 3 seconds.
This is useful to shoot fast actions such as a 
golf or tennis swing.
 
Touch  (HOME)   (CAMERA)  
[SMTH SLW REC].
  Press START/STOP.  
A 3-second movie (approx.) is recorded as a 
12-second-slow-motion movie.  
[Recording…] disappears, when recording 
is finished.
Touch  to cancel the smooth slow 
recording.
To change the setting
Touch  (OPTION)   tab, then select 
the setting you want to change.
[TIMING]
Select the recording start point after 
START/STOP is pressed. The default 
setting is [3sec AFTER].
[3sec AFTER]
[3sec BEFORE]  
						

							0
[RECORD SOUND]
Select [ON] () to superimpose sounds 
such as conversation on the slow motion 
pictures (The default setting is [OFF]). 
Your camcorder records sounds for 
about 12 seconds while [Recording…] is 
displayed in step .
Notes  Sounds cannot be recorded while shooting a 
3-second movie (approx.).
  Image quality of [SMTH SLW REC] is not as 
good as that of normal recording.
  If you play back a movie that is recorded when 
[RECORD SOUND] on [SMTH SLW REC] is 
set to [OFF], 
 is displayed, regardless of 
the setting of [AUDIO MODE] (p.  62).
Controlling the image settings 
manually with the CAMERA CONTROL 
dial
You can assign one menu item you use 
often to the CAMERA CONTROL dial.
Since the focus adjustment is assigned 
to the CAMERA CONTROL dial in the 
default settings, the operation below is 
described as adjusting the focus using the 
dial.
 Press MANUAL to activate the manual 
adjustment mode. 
Pressing MANUAL switches the setting 
mode between automatic and manual.
  Rotate the CAMERA CONTROL dial to 
adjust the focus.

Items you can assign to the CAMERA 
CONTROL dial
  [FOCUS] (p.  79) [EXPOSURE] (p.  79) [AE SHIFT] (p.  62) [WB SHIFT] (p.  62)
To assign the menu items to the CAMERA 
CONTROL dial
 Press and hold MANUAL for a few 
seconds. 
The [DIAL SETTING] screen appears.
  Rotate the CAMERA CONTROL dial 
and select the item to be assigned.
  Press MANUAL.
Notes Manual settings will be retained even if you 
change the assigned item of the CAMERA 
CONTROL dial. However, if you set 
[EXPOSURE] after setting [AE SHIFT] 
manually, [EXPOSURE] will override [AE 
SHIFT].
  If you select [RESET] in step , all the items 
adjusted manually are reset to the default 
settings.
Tips  The functions of the items that can be assigned 
to the CAMERA CONTROL dial are the same 
as those of menu operation.
  You can also assign menu items to the 
CAMERA CONTROL dial by touching  
(HOME)   (SETTINGS)  [MOVIE 
SETTINGS]/[PHOTO SETTINGS]  [DIAL 
SETTING] (p.
  65).


MANUAL
CAMERA CONTROL dial