Sony Digital Camcorder DSR PD170 Operating Instructions

Recording – Basics
21
Recording a picture
Adjusting the brightness of the LCD screen
To adjust the brightness of the LCD screen, press LCD BRIGHT + or –.
The battery life is longer when the LCD panel is closed. Use the viewfin\
der instead of
the LCD screen to save the battery power.
On the LCD screen backlight
You can change the brightness of the backlight. Select LCD B.L. in the m\
enu settings
(p. 105).
Even if you do the LCD screen adjustment using the LCD BRIGHT +/– but\
tons, or
using LCD B.L. and...

22
After recording
(1 ) Set the POWER switch to OFF (CHG).
( 2 ) Close the LCD panel.
( 3 ) Eject the cassette.
( 4 ) Remove the battery pack.
Adjusting the viewfinder
If you record pictures with the LCD panel closed, check the picture with\
 the viewfinder.
Adjust the viewfinder lens to your eyesight so that the images in the vi\
ewfinder come
into sharp focus.
Lift up the viewfinder and move the viewfinder lens adjustment lever.
To adjust the brightness of the viewfinder screen, use the VF B.L. item \...

Recording – Basics
23
W
T
TW
TW
Recording a picture
Using the zoom feature
To zoom using the zoom lever/handle zoom leverPress the power zoom lever a little for a slower zoom. Press it deeper f\
or a faster zoom.
Using the zoom function sparingly results in better-looking recordings.
“T” side: for telephoto (subject appears closer)
“W” side: for wide-angle (subject appears farther away)
When using the handle zoom lever, you can change the zooming speed using\
 the
handle zoom switch.
H: Fast
L: Slow...

24
Recording a picture
Using the digital zoom – Zoom greater than 12×
Zoom greater than 12× is performed digitally, if you set D ZOOM to  24× or 48×  in the
menu settings. The digital zoom function is set to OFF as a default sett\
ing (p. 105). If
you use the digital zoom function, the picture quality deteriorates.
You cannot use the digital zoom:
– When you set PROG. SCAN to ON in the menu settings (p. 105).
– When the POWER switch is set to MEMORY.
Indicators displayed during recording
The indicators...

Recording – Basics
25
Recording a picture
Time code
The time code indicates the recording or playback time, “00:00:00:00”\
 (hours : minutes :
seconds : frames). You cannot rewrite only the time code. You can prese\
t the time code.
The time code can be preset or be reset during recording (p. 90). You \
can select the drop
frame or non-drop frame system using the menu.
On user bits display
You can display the user bits, pressing TC/U-BIT (p. 94).
Remaining tape indicator
The indicator may not be...

26
Recording a picture
Spot light
This function prevents people’s faces, for example, from appearing ex\
cessively white
when shooting subjects lit by strong light, such as in the theater.
Press SPOT LIGHT in standby, recording, or memory mode.
The 
 indicator appears on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.
To cancel, press SPOT LIGHT again.
If you press BACK LIGHT when using the spot light function
The spot light function will be canceled and the backlight function will\
 be enabled.
You cannot use the...

Recording – Basics
27
END SEARCH
EDITSEARCH
Checking the recording
– END SEARCH / EDITSEARCH / Rec Review
You can use these buttons to check recorded pictures or shoot so that th\
e transition
between the last recorded scene and the next scene you record is smooth.\
Searching the end point of the recording — END SEARCH
You can easily go to the end of the last recorded portion.
Press END SEARCH in standby mode.
The camcorder rewinds or fast-forwards the tape and the last five-second\
 recorded
picture is...

28
— Playback – Basics —
Playing back a tape
You can monitor the playback picture on the LCD screen. If you close the\
 LCD panel,
you can monitor the playback picture in the viewfinder. You can also con\
trol playback
using the Remote Commander supplied with your camcorder.
(1 ) Install the power source and insert the recorded tape.
( 2 ) Set the POWER switch to VCR while pressing the small green button. The
video control buttons light up.
( 3 ) Slide OPEN in the direction of the  B mark to open the LCD...

29
Playback – Basics
Playing back a tape
When monitoring on the LCD screen
You can turn the LCD panel over and move it back to the camcorder body w\
ith the LCD
screen facing out.
When you close the LCD panel
You cannot monitor the sound from the speaker. However, when the LCD pan\
el is
turned over to view on the LCD screen, you can monitor the sound from th\
e speaker.
To control the display of the screen indicators
Press DISPLAY on the camcorder or on the Remote Commander supplied with \
your...

30
Playing back a tape
Using the data code functionYour camcorder automatically records not only images on the tape but als\
o the
recording data (date/time or various settings when recorded) (Data code).
Press DATA CODE on the camcorder or on the Remote Commander supplied wit\
h
your camcorder in playback mode.
The display changes as follows:
date/time  t various settings (SteadyShot, white balance, gain, shutter speed, aper\
ture
value, exposure mode)  t no indicator
[ a ] SteadyShot OFF
[ b ] Exposure...