4-191-794-11(1)
Digital HD Video
Camera Recorder
HXR-MC50E/MC50P
Operating Guide
Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly,
and retain it for future reference.
2010 Sony Corporation
set to OFF during take off and landing of an
airplane (HXR-MC50E).
all the data stored on it and the data will be
irrecoverable. Save your important data on your
PC etc.
Before starting to record, test the recording
function to make sure the image and sound are
recorded without any problems.
Compensation for the contents of recordings
cannot be provided, even if recording or
playback is not possible due to a malfunction of
the camcorder, recording media, etc.
TV color systems differ depending on the
country/region. To view your recordings on a
TV, you need a PAL system-based TV.
Television programs, films, video tapes,
and other materials may be copyrighted.
Unauthorized recording of such materials may
be contrary to the copyright laws.
Menu items, LCD panel, viewfinder and
lens
A menu item that is grayed out is not available
under the current recording or playback
conditions.
The LCD screen and viewfinder are
manufactured using extremely high-precision
technology, so over 99.99% of the pixels are
operational for effective use. However, there
may be some tiny black points and/or bright
points (white, red, blue, or green in color) that
appear constantly on the LCD screen. These
points are normal results of the manufacturing
process and do not affect the recording in any
way.
Because of the way that the image device
(CMOS sensor) reads out image signals, the
following phenomena may occur.
The subjects passing by the frame rapidly
might appear crooked depending on the
recording conditions. (This phenomenon may
be notable in displays having high motion
resolution.)
Horizontal lines appear on the screen during
recording under fluorescent lights. The
phenomena can be reduced by adjusting the
shutter speed (p. 33).
Images on the screen look horizontally
divided when a subject is lighted with a flash.
The phenomena can be reduced by using a
slower shutter speed.
Black points
White, red, blue or green points
Exposing the LCD screen, the viewfinder or the
lens to direct sunlight for long periods of time
may cause malfunctions.
Do not aim at the sun. Doing so might cause
your camcorder to malfunction. Take images
of the sun only in low light conditions, such as
at dusk.
Notes on playing back
The camcorder is compatible with MPEG-4
AVC/H.264 High Profile for high definition
image quality (HD) recording. Therefore, you
cannot play back images recorded with high
definition image quality (HD) on the camcorder
with the following devices;
About language setting
The on-screen displays in each local language
are used for illustrating the operating
procedures. Change the screen language before
using the camcorder if necessary (p. 19).
Other AVCHD format compatible devices
which are not compatible with High Profile
Devices which are not compatible with the
AVCHD format
You may not be able to play back normally
images recorded on your camcorder with other
On recording
To ensure stable operation of the memory card,
it is recommended to initialize the memory
card with your camcorder before the first use
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devices. Also, you may not be able to play back
images recorded on other devices with your
camcorder.
protection features of the camcorder being
activated in such situations. In this case, an
indicator appears on the LCD screen (p. 110).
Standard (STD) image quality movies recorded
on SD memory cards cannot be played on AV
equipment of other manufacturers.
When the camcorder is connected to a
computer or accessories
Do not try to format the recording media of the
camcorder using a computer. If you do so, your
camcorder may not operate correctly.
When connecting the camcorder to another
device with communication cables, be sure to
insert the connector plug in the correct way.
Pushing the plug forcibly into the terminal
will damage the terminal and may result in a
malfunction of the camcorder.
Discs recorded with HD image quality
(high definition)
This camcorder captures high definition footage
in the AVCHD format. DVD media containing
AVCHD footage should not be used with DVD
based players or recorders, as the DVD player/
recorder may fail to eject the media and may
erase its contents without warning. DVD media
containing AVCHD footage may be played on
a compatible Blu-ray Disc player/recorder or
other compatible device.
If you cannot record/play back images,
perform [MEDIA FORMAT]
If you repeat recording/deleting images for
a long time, fragmentation of data occurs on
the recording media. Images cannot be saved
or recorded. In such a case, save your images
on some type of external media first, and then
perform [MEDIA FORMAT] by touching
(MENU) [Show others]
[MEDIA FORMAT] (under [MANAGE
MEDIA] category) the desired medium
Save all your recorded image data
To prevent your image data from being lost,
save all your recorded images on external media
periodically. It is recommended that you save
the image data on a disc such as DVD-R, etc.
using your computer. Also, you can save your
image data using a VCR, or a DVD/HDD
recorder (p. 72).
You cannot make a AVCHD disc from the
[YES] [YES]
.
image data recorded with
(MENU)
[Show others] [ REC MODE] (under
[SHOOTING SET] category) set to [HD
FX]. Save them on a Blu-ray Disc or using an
external media (p. 67, 70).
Notes on optional accessories
We recommend using genuine Sony accessories.
Genuine Sony accessories may not be available
in some countries/regions.
Notes on battery pack/AC Adaptor
About this manual, illustrations and
on-screen displays
Be sure to remove the battery pack or the AC
Adaptor after turning off the camcorder.
Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the
camcorder, holding both the camcorder and the
DC plug.
The example images used in this manual for
illustration purposes are captured using a
digital still camera, and therefore may appear
different from images and screen indicators that
actually appear on your camcorder. And, the
illustrations of your camcorder and its screen
indication are exaggerated or simplified for
understandability.
Note on the camcorder/battery pack
temperature
When the temperature of the camcorder
or battery pack becomes extremely high or
extremely low, you may not be able to record
or play back on the camcorder, due to the
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In this manual, the internal memory of the
camcorder and the memory card are called
“recording media.”
In this manual, the DVD disc recorded with
high definition image quality (HD) is called
AVCHD disc.
Design and specifications of your camcorder
and accessories are subject to change without
notice.
Confirm the model name of your
camcorder
The model name is shown in this manual when
there is a difference in specification between
models. Confirm the model name on the
bottom of your camcorder.
The main differences in specification of this
series are as follows:
HXR-MC50E: GPS-compatible
HXR-MC50P: GPS-incompatible
Notes on use
Do not do any of the following. Otherwise, the
recording media may be damaged, recorded
images may be impossible to play back or may
be lost, or other malfunctions could occur.
ejecting the memory card when the access
removing the battery pack or AC Adaptor
from the camcorder, or applying mechanical
shock or vibration to the camcorder when the
When using a shoulder belt (sold separately), do
not crash the camcorder against an object.
Do not use your camcorder in very loud areas.
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Operation flow
Getting started (p. 11)
Prepare the power source and memory card.
Recording movies and photos (p. 23)
Playing movies and photos
Saving images
Deleting movies and photos (p. 46)
If you delete the image data that has been saved on your
computer or a disc, you can record new images on the free
media space again.
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Table of contents
Read this first. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Notes on use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Operation flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Step 1: Attaching the supplied microphone and the lens hood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Attaching the microphone holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Attach the microphone to the microphone holder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Attaching the lens hood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Step 2: Charging the battery pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Step 3: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Changing the language setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Step 4: Preparing the recording media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Selecting the recording media for movies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Selecting the recording media for photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Inserting a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Recording movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Shooting photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Useful functions for recording movies and photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Zooming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
quality (STD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Selecting the recording mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Prioritizing the subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Capturing smiles automatically (Smile Shutter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Recording in dark places (NightShot). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Recording in mirror mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Playback on the camcorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
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Useful functions for playing movies and photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Searching for desired images by date (Date Index). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Searching for desired scene by pinpoint (Film Roll Index) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Searching for desired scene by face (Face Index) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Playing back a digest of your movies (Highlight Playback) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using PB zoom with photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Playing back a series of photos (Slide show) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Playing images on a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Connecting a TV using [TV CONNECT Guide]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Using “BRAVIA”Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Deleting movies and photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Protecting recorded movies and photos (Protect) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Dividing a movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Capturing a photo from a movie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
to memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Dubbing movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Copying photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using the Playlist of movies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Creating the Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Playing the Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Using the GPS function (HXR-MC50E) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Setting the GPS function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Acquiring the current location information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Displaying the coordinate information (COORDINATES) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
AUTO AREA ADJ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Preparing a computer (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Step 1 Checking the computer system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Step 2 Installing the supplied software “PMB” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Starting PMB (Picture Motion Browser). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Reading “PMB Help” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Selecting the method for creating a disc (computer). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Creating a disc with one touch (One Touch Disc Burn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Importing movies and photos to a computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
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Creating an AVCHD disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
ordinary DVD players. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Saving images in external media (DIRECT COPY). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Creating a disc with a DVD writer, recorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Selecting the method for creating a disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
other than DVDirect Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
a recorder, etc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Using menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Operating menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Using MY MENU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
OPTION MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Menu lists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
MANUAL SETTINGS (Items to adjust for scene condition) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
SHOOTING SET (Items for customized shooting) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
PHOTO SETTINGS (Items for recording photos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
PLAYBACK (Items for playback) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
EDIT (Items for editing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
OTHERS (Items for other settings). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
MANAGE MEDIA (Items for recording media) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
GENERAL SET (Other setup items) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Self-diagnosis display/Warning indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Recording time of movies/number of recordable photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Expected recording time of movies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Expected number of recordable photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Using your camcorder abroad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
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Maintenance and precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
About the AVCHD format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
About GPS (HXR-MC50E). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
About the memory card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
About the “InfoLITHIUM”battery pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
About x.v.Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
About handling of your camcorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Screen indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Parts and controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
1G0B
Getting started
Step 1: Attaching the supplied microphone and
the lens hood
Attaching the microphone holder
The cover of the fixing
lever
The fixing lever
Turn up the cover of the fixing lever of the microphone holder.
Make sure that the fixing lever is turned fully counterclockwise.
Orient the arrow on the back of the microphone holder in the same
direction as the arrow on the Active Interface Shoe, and insert the
microphone holder in the direction of the arrow to attach.
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11
Fix the microphone holder by turning the fixing lever clockwise until it
clicks.
If the microphone holder is turned, orient it in the direction shown in the illustration.
Return the cover of the fixing lever to its original position.
Notes
If you use the built-in microphone, remove the microphone holder.
Attach the microphone to the microphone holder
When you use the supplied microphone for recording sound, do the following steps.
MIC (PLUG IN POWER) jack
Attach the wind screen to the supplied microphone .
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Unlock the stopper of the microphone holder and open the cover.
Align the convex part of the microphone with the concave part of the
holder, then place the microphone into the holder. Close the cover and lock
the stopper securely.
Be sure to align the mark on the microphone with the mark on the holder.
Connect the microphone cable to the MIC (PLUG IN POWER) jack.
Attaching the lens hood
The fixing lever
Align the part marks , on the lens hood to those on the camcorder,
and attach the lens hood.
Turn the lens hood holder clockwise to lock the lens hood.
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1ꢁ
Notes
Do not touch the lens or the lens cover when you attach the lens hood.
The attached lens hood may interfere with flash operation. When you record photos with the lens hood
attached, touch
(MENU) [Show others] [FLASH MODE] (under
[PHOTO SETTINGS]
category) [OFF] (the default setting).
An optional filter, etc., cannot be attached if the lens hood is attached.
To remove the lens hood
Turn the fixing ring in the opposite direction of when attaching and remove it.
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Step 2: Charging the battery pack
Battery pack
/CHG (flash/charge)
lamp
DC IN jack
DC plug
AC
Power cord (Mains lead)
Adaptor
To the wall outlet (wall socket)
You can charge the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (V series) after attaching it to your
camcorder.
Notes
You cannot attach any “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack other than the V series to your camcorder.
Turn off your camcorder by closing the LCD screen after replacing the
viewfinder.
1
2
3
Attach the battery pack by sliding it in the direction of the arrow until it
clicks.
Connect the AC Adaptor and the power cord (mains lead) to your
camcorder and the wall outlet (wall socket).
Align the mark on the DC plug with that on the DC IN jack.
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1ꢃ
The /CHG (flash/charge) lamp lights up and charging starts. The /CHG (flash/charge)
lamp turns off when the battery pack is fully charged.
When the battery is charged, disconnect the AC Adaptor from the DC IN
jack of your camcorder.
4
Tips
When your camcorder is on, you can check the approximate amount of remaining battery power with the
remaining battery indicator at the upper left on the LCD screen.
Charging time
Approximate time (min.) required when you fully charge a fully discharged battery pack.
Battery pack
NP-FV50
NP-FV70 (supplied)
NP-FV100
Charging time
155
195
390
Times measured with the camcorder at 25 C (77 °F).
10 C to 30 C (50 °F to 86 °F) is recommended.
To remove the battery pack
Close the LCD screen. Slide the BATT (battery) release lever () and remove the battery
pack ().
To use a wall outlet (wall socket) as a power source
attached, the battery pack is not discharged.
Charging the battery pack abroad
You can charge the battery pack in any countries/regions using the AC Adaptor supplied with
your camcorder within the AC 100 V - 240 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz range.
Notes
Do not use an electronic voltage transformer.
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Notes on the battery pack
When you remove the battery pack or disconnect the AC Adaptor, replace the viewfinder, close the LCD
screen and make sure that the
off.
The /CHG (flash/charge) lamp flashes during charging under the following conditions:
The battery pack is not attached correctly.
The battery pack is damaged.
The temperature of the battery pack is low.
Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a warm place.
The temperature of the battery pack is high.
Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a cool place.
We do not recommend using an NP-FV30, which only allows short recording and playback times, with
your camcorder.
Notes on the AC Adaptor
Use the nearby wall outlet (wall socket) when using the AC Adaptor. Disconnect the AC Adaptor from
the wall outlet (wall socket) immediately if any malfunction occurs while using your camcorder.
Do not use the AC Adaptor placed in a narrow space, such as between a wall and furniture.
Do not short-circuit the DC plug of the AC Adaptor or battery terminal with any metallic objects. This
may cause a malfunction.
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1ꢅ
Step 3: Turning the power on, and setting the
date and time
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
1
Your camcorder is turned on and the lens cover is opened.
To turn on your camcorder when the LCD screen is open, press POWER.
MODE lamp
POWER button
Select the desired geographical area with
/
, then touch [NEXT].
2
Touch the button on the
LCD screen
To set the date and time again, touch
(MENU) [Show others] [CLOCK/ LANG]
(under
/
[GENERAL SET] category) [CLOCK SET]. When an item is not on the screen, touch
until the item appears.
Set [SUMMERTIME], date and time, then touch
.
3
The clock starts.
If you set [SUMMERTIME] to [ON], the clock advances 1 hour.
Notes
The date and time does not appear during recording, but they are automatically recorded on the
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recording media, and can be displayed during playback. To display the date and time, touch
(MENU) [Show others] [PLAYBACK SET] (under [PLAYBACK] category) [DATA
CODE] [DATE/TIME]
.
Once the clock is set, the clock time is automatically adjusted with [AUTO CLOCK ADJ] and [AUTO
depending on the country/region selected for your camcorder. In this case, set [AUTO CLOCK ADJ] and
[AUTO AREA ADJ] to [OFF] (HXR-MC50E).
To turn off the power
Close the LCD screen. The (Movie) lamp flashes for a few seconds and the power is turned
off.
Tips
You can turn off your camcorder also by pressing POWER.
If the viewfinder is pulled out, retract the viewfinder as shown in the illustration below.
On turning the camcorder on or off using the LCD screen or the viewfinder
The power of the camcorder is turned on or off depending on the status of the LCD screen or
the viewfinder.
Status
Viewfinder
Power of the
camcorder
LCD screen
Open
Retracted
Pulled out
Retracted
Pulled out
On
On
Off
On
Closed
Notes
Even if the LCD screen is closed, if the viewfinder is pulled out, the camcorder is not turned off. When
you turn off the power of the camcorder, make sure that the viewfinder is retracted to the original
position.
Changing the language setting
You can change the on-screen displays to show messages in a specified language.
Touch
(MENU) [Show others] [CLOCK/ LANG] (under [GENERAL SET]
category) [ LANGUAGE SET] a desired language
.
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1ꢇ
Step 4: Preparing the recording media
The recording media that can be used are displayed on the screen of your camcorder as the
following icons.
*
Internal
Memory
card
memory
* In the default setting, both movies and photos are recorded on the internal memory. You can perform
recording, playback and editing operations on the selected medium.
Tips
Selecting the recording media for movies
Touch
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA SETTINGS] (under
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [MOVIE MEDIA SET].
The [MOVIE MEDIA SET] screen appears.
Touch the desired recording media.
Touch [YES]
.
The recording medium is changed.
Selecting the recording media for photos
Touch
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA SETTINGS] (under
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [PHOTO MEDIA SET].
The [PHOTO MEDIA SET] screen appears.
Touch the desired recording media.
Touch [YES]
.
The recording medium is changed.
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To check the recording media settings
In either movie recording mode or photo recording mode, the media icon of the selected
recording media is displayed at the top right corner of the screen.
Recording media icon
Inserting a memory card
Notes
Set the recording medium to [MEMORY CARD] to record movies and/or photos on a memory card.
Types of memory card you can use with your camcorder
Only “Memory Stick PRO Duo” (Mark2) media, “Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo” media, SD memory cards
(Class 4 or faster), SDHC memory cards (Class 4 or faster) and SDXC memory cards (Class 4 or faster)
can be used with this camcorder. Operation with all memory cards is not assured.
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media of up to 32 GB and SD memory cards of up to 64 GB have been tested
and proven to operate with your camcorder.
In this manual, “Memory Stick PRO Duo” (Mark2) media and “Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo” media are
called “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media and SD memory cards, SDHC memory cards and SDXC memory
cards are called SD cards.
Notes
MultiMediaCard cannot be used.
Images recorded on SDXC memory cards cannot be played back or imported on non-exFAT*-compatible
computers, AV components, etc., connected to this camcorder by USB cable. Check that the connected
devices are compatible with exFAT beforehand. If you connect a device that is not compatible with exFAT,
the screen for initialization may appear. Never execute initialization, otherwise all recorded contents will
be lost.
* exFAT is the file system used in SDXC memory cards.
Size of memory cards that can be used with your camcorder
Only “Memory Stick Duo” media that is about a half the size of the standard “Memory Stick” media, and
standard-sized SD memory cards can be used.
Do not attach a label, etc., to a memory card or memory card adaptor. Doing so may cause a malfunction.
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ꢀ1
Open the cover, and insert the memory card with the notched edge in the
direction as illustrated until it clicks.
Close the cover after inserting the memory card.
Note direction of notched corner.
Access lamp
The [Create a new Image Database File.] screen may appear if you insert a new memory
card. In that case, touch [YES]. If you record only photos on the memory card, touch
[NO].
Confirm the direction of the memory card. If you forcibly insert the memory card in the wrong
direction, the memory card, memory card slot, or image data may be damaged.
Notes
If [Failed to create a new Image Database File. It may be possible that there is not enough free space.]
is displayed, format the memory card by touching
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA
FORMAT] (under
.
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [MEMORY CARD] [YES] [YES]
To eject the memory card
Open the cover and lightly push the memory card in once.
Do not open the cover during recording.
When inserting or ejecting the memory card, be careful so that the memory card does not pop out and
drop.
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Recording/Playback
Recording
In the default setting, movies are recorded with high definition image quality (HD) on the
internal memory.
Tips
Fasten the grip belt.
1
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
2
Your camcorder is turned on and the lens cover is opened.
You can switch recording modes by pressing MODE. Press MODE to light up the desired recording
mode lamp.
MODE button
(Movie): When recording a movie
(Photo): When recording a photo
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ꢀꢁ
Recording movies
Press START/STOP to start recording.
You can start recording also by touching in the bottom left of LCD screen.
START/STOP
button
[STBY] [REC]
To stop recording, press START/STOP again.
You can stop recording also by touching in the bottom left of LCD screen.
The icons and indicators on the LCD panel will be displayed for about 3 seconds, then disappear after
turning on your camcorder or switching the recording (movie/photo)/playback modes. To display the
icons and indicators again, touch anywhere on the screen except the rec & zoom buttons on the LCD.
Rec & zoom buttons on LCD
about 3sec
after
Notes
If you close the LCD screen while recording movies, the camcorder stops recording.
The maximum continuous recordable time of movies is about 13 hours.
When a movie file exceeds 2 GB, the next movie file is created automatically.
It will take several seconds until you can start recording after you turn on the camcorder. You cannot
operate your camcorder during this time.
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The following states will be indicated if data is still being written onto the recording media after recording
has finished. During this time, do not apply shock or vibration to the camcorder, or remove the battery or
AC Adaptor.
The media icon in the upper right of the LCD screen is flashing
Tips
When a face is detected, a white frame appears and the image quality around the face is optimized
automatically ([FACE DETECTION], p. 90).
You can check the recordable time, estimated remaining capacity, etc., by touching
[Show others] [MEDIA INFO] (under [MANAGE MEDIA] category).
(MENU)
The LCD screen of your camcorder can display recording images across the entire screen (full pixel
display). However, this may cause slight trimming of the top, bottom, right and left edges of images when
played back on a TV which is not compatible with full pixel display. In this case, set [GUIDEFRAME] to
To adjust the angle of the LCD panel, first open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the camcorder (), and
then adjust the angle ().
90 degrees (max.)
90 degrees to the
180 degrees (max.)
camcorder
When you make recording with the viewfinder only, pull out the viewfinder and close the LCD panel.
If the indicator on the viewfinder appear blurred, adjust the viewfinder lever located on the side of the
viewfinder.
[ STEADYSHOT] is set to [ACTIVE] in the default setting.
Data code during recording
The recording date, time and condition , and coordinates (HXR-MC50E) are recorded
automatically on the recording media. They are not displayed during recording. However, you
can check them as [DATA CODE] during playback. To display them, touch
[Show others] [PLAYBACK SET] (under [PLAYBACK] category) [DATA
CODE] a desired setting
(MENU)
.
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ꢀꢃ
Shooting photos
In the default setting, photos are recorded on the internal memory.
Tips
Press MODE to turn on the (Photo) lamp.
The LCD screen display switches for photo recording mode, and the screen aspect ratio
becomes 4:3.
Press PHOTO lightly to adjust the focus, then press it fully.
You can record photos also by touching
on the LCD screen.
Flashes Lights up
When
disappears, the photo is recorded.
Tips
To change the image size, touch (MENU) [Show others] [ IMAGE SIZE] (under
[PHOTO SETTINGS] category) a desired setting
You cannot record photos while is displayed.
You can record photos using the flash when there is insufficient ambient light. The flash does not work
in the movie recording mode. You can change how your camcorder flashes by (MENU) [Show
others] [FLASH MODE] (under [PHOTO SETTINGS] category) a desired setting
.
.
If the lens hood is attached, it may interfere with flash operation. When you record photos using the
flash, remove the lens hood.
If you record photos using a flash with a conversion lens (sold separately), the shadow may be reflected.
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If white circular spots appear on photos
This is caused by particles (dust, pollen, etc.) floating close to the lens. When they are
accentuated by the camcorder’s flash, they appear as white circular spots.
To reduce the white circular spots, light the room and shoot the subject without a flash.
Subject
Particles (dust,
pollen, etc.) in
the air
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ꢀꢅ
Useful functions for
recording movies and
photos
You can magnify images up to 10 times using
optical zooming, unless [ STEADYSHOT] is
set to [ACTIVE].
Zooming
Tips
want to zoom to a greater level.
You can magnify images up to 14 times the
original size with the power zoom lever.
You can magnify images also with the
on the LCD screen.
/
Recording better images
automatically (INTELLIGENT AUTO)
By pressing
, you can record images
using the INTELLIGENT AUTO function.
When you turn the camcorder toward
the subject, the camcorder records using
the optimum combination of the three
detection modes: Face detection, Scene
detection and Camera-shake detection.
When the camcorder detects the subject,
the icons that correspond to the detected
condition are displayed.
Tips
In the default setting, INTELLIGENT AUTO
is set to ON.
Wider range of view
(Wide angle)
Close view
(Telephoto)
Move the power zoom lever slightly for a
slower zoom. Move it further for a faster
zoom.
Notes
Face detection
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
button on the LCD screen.
(Portrait), (Baby)
The camcorder detects faces, and adjusts
the focus, color, and exposure.
/
Scene detection
The minimum possible distance between
camcorder and subject while maintaining sharp
focus is about 1 cm (about 13/32 in.) for wide
angle and about 80 cm (about 31 1/2 in.) for
telephoto.
(Backlight),
(Twilight), (Spotlight), (Low light),
(Macro)
The camcorder selects the most effective
setting automatically, depending on the
scene.
(Landscape),
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Notes
Camera-shake detection
(Walk), (Tripod)
The camcorder detects whether camera-
shake occurs or not, and makes the
optimum compensation.
Above settings are reset to the default settings
when INTELLIGENT AUTO is set to ON.
Selecting high definition image
quality (HD) or standard image
quality (STD)
Notes
The camcorder may not detect the expected
scene or subject, depending on the recording
conditions.
You cannot use the flash depending on the
scenes detected.
You can select the desired image quality
from the high definition image quality
(HD) that enables you to record fine
images, or the standard definition image
quality (STD) that has more compatibility
with various playback devices. Change the
image quality according to the recording
situation or the playback device.
To cancel INTELLIGENT AUTO
Press
.
or the detection mode icons disappear,
and you can record with the preferred
settings.
Also, the INTELLIGENT AUTO setting
is canceled if you change the following
settings:
Touch
others] [
(MENU) [Show
SET] (under
/
[SHOOTING SET] category).
NightShot
[IRIS]
[SHUTTER SPEED]
[AE SHIFT]
[WB SHIFT]
Touch [
HD QUALITY] to
record high definition image
quality (HD) images, or touch
[GOLF SHOT]
[
STD QUALITY] to record
[SMTH SLW REC]
[SCENE SELECTION]
[WHITE BAL.]
standard definition image quality
(STD) images.
[SPOT MTR/FCS]
[SPOT METER]
[SPOT FOCUS]
Touch [YES]
.
Recording image quality is changed.
[EXPOSURE]
[FOCUS]
[TELE MACRO]
Tips
[ STEADYSHOT]
[ STEADYSHOT]
[AUTO BACK LIGHT]
[LOW LUX]
You can record, play, or edit movies in the
selected image quality only. To record, play, or
edit movies in another image quality, change
this setting.
[FACE DETECTION]
[SMILE PRIORITY]
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ꢀꢇ
movies are recorded with AVCHD 1440
1080/50i format. Movies are recorded with
MPEG-2 format when the standard image
quality (STD) is selected.
You can select the following high definition
image quality (HD) recording mode. “24M”
of [HD FX] is the maximum bit-rate, and the
value other than of [HD FX], such as “17M,” is
an average bit-rate.
Selecting the recording mode
You can select a recording mode to record
the high definition image quality (HD)
movies from 4 levels. The recording time
of the media is changed depending on
recording mode. In the default setting, the
recording mode is set to [HQ].
[HD FX] (AVC HD 24M (FX))
[HD FH] (AVC HD 17M (FH))
[HD HQ] (AVC HD 9M (HQ)) (the default
setting)
Long time recording
High quality
recording
[HD LP] (AVC HD 5M (LP))
The recording mode of the standard image
quality (STD) is limited to the following value.
“9M” is an average bit-rate.
[STD HQ] (STD 9M (HQ))
“M,” such as in “24M,” means “Mbps.”
Touch
(MENU) [Show
others] [ REC MODE] (under
[SHOOTING SET] category).
Prioritizing the subject
Touch a desired setting.
to [ON] (the default setting), and several
faces are detected, touch the face you want
to record as priority. Focus/color/exposure
are adjusted automatically for the selected
face.
If you want to record high quality
images with the high definition image
quality (HD), select the FX or FH
mode. If you want to record longer
movies, select the LP mode.
Touch
.
Notes
You cannot create an AVCHD disc from a
movie recorded with [HD FX] mode of
Touch the face you want to record as
priority.
[
REC MODE]. Save a movie recorded with
[HD FX] mode onto Blu-ray discs or external
storage devices (p. 70).
Tips
Movies are recorded with AVCHD 1920
1080/50i format when the FX or FH mode
of the high definition image quality (HD) is
selected. And when the HQ or LP mode of the
high definition image quality (HD) is selected,
The double-lined frame is displayed.
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