Canon XA10 User manual

UHM Media Lab CANON XA10 Camcorder
2350 DOLE ST. KHET Studio B Director’s Phone: [phone]
WEB SITE: http://www.communications.hawaii.edu/mlab/about.htm FRONT DESK: 956-3355
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CANON XA10 Camcorder
UHM Media Lab Study Guide 8/17/2011
Page 1
CANON XA10 HD CAMCORDER
STUDY GUIDE
PURPOSE
This Study Guide was created to help students prepare for the Canon XA10 HD Camcorder
Certification Exam, which is necessary to reserve and use the Canon XA10 HD Camcorder,
specifically for classroom purposes. This Study Guide provides all essential information on the
proper handling and use of the Canon XA10 HD Camcorder, including an explanation of
contents, procedures to demonstrate, and required features and techniques to know.
1. Recite the “Safety Principles” (or “Golden Rules”) of the Media Lab.
2. Identify all items included in the Canon XA10 HD Camcorder package.
3. Demonstrate safe handling of the camera and tripod.
4. Demonstrate proper set up and “striking” of camcorder equipment.
1. Never force anything! If something you are attempting to do requires any amount of
excessive force, STOP and review your methods.
2. Never over tighten! This may cause the stripping of threads. The use of excessive
force which can damage the equipment.
3. Never leave the camcorder equipment unattended! Camcorder and other video
equipment are prime targets for theft.
4. Never leave the camcorder equipment exposed to any heat source! (e.g., in the
trunk of a vehicle). Excessive heat will cause camcorder parts to melt.
5. Never take the Media Lab equipment to the beach or near shorelines!
(e.g., where sand and salt air/spray can contact the equipment. Sand and salt air/spray
can clog and damage the sensitive equipment.)
6. Never use equipment in “risky” situations/environments! (e.g., any type of airborne
devices or locations including airplanes, helicopters, skateboards, motorcycles,
rollerblades, etc., night time shoots in low lit and/or unsafe areas, and “remote” areas
which require transport of equipment over rough terrain.)
7. Never touch or attempt to clean the lens! There is a high probability of scratching and
permanently damaging the lens without the proper cleaning materials. Only use the
cleaning cloth provided.
8. Never aim the viewfinder or the LCD screen directly at a strong light source! This
will cause permanent damage to the viewfinder/LCD screen. (e.g., the sun, very bright
light, or its reflection from an object.)
PURPOSE
THE “GOLDEN RULES” OF THE UHM MEDIA LAB (REQUIRED INFORMATION)
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REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR CERTIFICATION

UHM Media Lab CANON XA10 Camcorder
2350 DOLE ST. KHET Studio B Director’s Phone: [phone]
WEB SITE: http://www.communications.hawaii.edu/mlab/about.htm FRONT DESK: 956-3355
!
CANON XA10 Camcorder
UHM Media Lab Study Guide 8/17/2011
Page 2
Identify and
explain all
the items
in the
Camcorder
Package
Identify all Detachable parts of the
CANON XA10 Camcorder Unit
1. Shotgun Microphone (condenser type)
2. Camera Handle unit
3. Lens Cap
4. Lens protection filter
5. Lens Hood
6. Tripod Quick-Release Adapter
WHAT’S IN THE CAMCORDER PACKAGE?

UHM Media Lab CANON XA10 Camcorder
2350 DOLE ST. KHET Studio B Director’s Phone: [phone]
WEB SITE: http://www.communications.hawaii.edu/mlab/about.htm FRONT DESK: 956-3355
!
CANON XA10 Camcorder
UHM Media Lab Study Guide 8/17/2011
Page 3
1. List 3 safety rules for proper handling of the
tripod (to avoid costly damage):
a. Never lean a collapsed tripod against a wall;
always lay it down on the floor.
b. Always open tripod legs by pulling all 3 legs
outward at the same time.
c. Never attempt to pan or tilt the head with the
pan and tilt locks tightened down.
2. Memorize and identify the
following Tripod Parts:
1. Tripod head
2. Tilt lock
3. Pan lock
4. Pan handle
5. Release lever (for camcorder plate)
6. Camcorder Head Lock
7. Bubble level
8. Leg extensions
9. Leg extension lock
10. Spreaders
11. Spreader lock (for collapsed tripod)
12. Camcorder Wedge Plate (remains
attached to the camcorder)
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Complete the following Camcorder related demonstrations:!
A. Demonstrate how to properly extend the tripod legs.
Unlock the spreader lock (11) holding the tripod legs together. Unlock the leg extension
locks (9). Extend legs and re-lock.
B. Demonstrate how spread the tripod legs and adjust the head so that the head is level.
Drop one leg to the ground and pull on the other 2 legs so that they open evenly. Adjust the
tripod head by loosening the head lock (6) and centering the bubble in the level indicator (7).
Retighten the head lock.
THE TRIPOD AND CAMERA

UHM Media Lab CANON XA10 Camcorder
2350 DOLE ST. KHET Studio B Director’s Phone: [phone]
WEB SITE: http://www.communications.hawaii.edu/mlab/about.htm FRONT DESK: 956-3355
!
CANON XA10 Camcorder
UHM Media Lab Study Guide 8/17/2011
Page 4
C. Demonstrate how to mount the camcorder on the tripod.
Before mounting the camcorder to the tripod, make sure that the tilt lock (2) and pan lock (3)
are locked and all leg extensions are secured so that the tripod does not move or collapse
when mounting the camcorder. After mounting the camcorder to the tripod, be sure to loosen
the pan lock (3) in order to avoid accidentally knocking the tripod over.
D. Demonstrate this basic safety procedure.
Always double check tripod stability prior to mounting the camcorder.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To avoid potential accidents with tipping the tripod over, never leave the
camcorder unattended, especially when tripod head (tilt lock) is in an unlocked position.
ALWAYS BE AWARE OF THE STATUS OF THE TRIPOD! To avoid damage to the tripod
head, never force a pan or tilt when the tripod head is in a locked position. This will cause
permanent damage to the tripod head!
Demonstrate two ways to power the camcorder
1. Battery power: Push a battery into the battery slot under the
viewfinder. Slide the battery upward (the triangle arrow at the top of
the battery points in the correct direction) until it locks into place.
Turning the camcorder on.
Remove the camcorder lens cap and press the “POWER” button to
turn the camera on. A green light will illuminate next to the ON/OFF
text. Open the LCD screen to see the picture. The battery level
indicator is on the upper right. If it isn’t, push the “DISP. BATT
INFO” Button to bring it up. To remove the battery, turn the
camcorder off, slide the lever on the bottom of the camcorder
toward the front of the camcorder, and then slide the battery
downward and pull it out.
2. AC power: To avoid pulling over the camera, start by working from the wall
to the camera. Plug an extension cord into the wall. Plug a power strip into the
extension cord, making sure the power strip is turned off. Plug the AC power
adapter cord into the power strip. Plug the AC power adapter into the “DC IN”
plug on the camera. Turn on the power strip. The camera can now be turned on.
NOTE: The camera battery can be charged when the AC adapter is plugged
into the camera and the camera is turned off. The ON/OFF (CHG) light on the
camera blinks red to indicate that the battery is charging and it goes out when
the battery is fully charged.
Explain the situations in which a battery or AC power is used.
Batteries should be used for mobility such as when the camera is handheld or used for short
periods of time before setting up again. AC power should be used for extended setups when
camera is to be set up in one place for an extended period.
POWERING THE CAMERA

UHM Media Lab CANON XA10 Camcorder
2350 DOLE ST. KHET Studio B Director’s Phone: [phone]
WEB SITE: http://www.communications.hawaii.edu/mlab/about.htm FRONT DESK: 956-3355
!
CANON XA10 Camcorder
UHM Media Lab Study Guide 8/17/2011
Page 5
You will be recording to SD memory cards rather than the
camcorder’s internal memory. Use a memory card with a class
rating of 4or better for recording speed. Demonstrate how to
load memory cards to use them with this camcorder.
1) Turn the camcorder off. The ON/OFF (CHG) indicator
must be off with no green light.
2) Open the LCD panel.
3) Open the double memory card slot cover.
4) Insert an SD memory card straight in, with the label facing the front of the camcorder,
into slot “A” until you hear a click.
5) You can put another card in the slot “B” if you wish.
6) Close the slot cover.
NOTE: ALWAYS TURN OFF THE CAMCORDER WHEN INSERTING OR REMOVING A MEMORY
CARD. Also, when the ACCESS indicator light is flashing, do not disconnect power, turn off camcorder,
or remove memory cards.
NOTE: The camera has internal memory that can be used for recording, but any recordings on this
memory must be deleted before returning the camera to the Media Lab. The lab will not be
responsible for any recordings left in the camera when it is checked in!
1. This camera comes with built-in microphones that are only good for ambient/background
sounds. For professional quality audio, we will plug in professional microphones.
2. If the camera isn’t already setup with an external on camera shotgun microphone, attach it
and plug it in to CH2 (audio channel 2). Connect the hand mic to an XLR cable and plug that
into CH1. Plug in the headphones.
3. Set the audio controls on the camera handle (see
illustration). The switch position for CH1 will be middle
(MIC) for the hand mic and right (MIC+48) for the lavalier
mic. Know the following terminology for our mics:
SHOTGUN MIC:A condenser mic which requires
electrical power to work and has a narrow pickup pattern
which picks up sound best from the front.
HAND MIC: A dynamic mic with a cone-shaped pickup pattern and picks up sound a bit better
from the front than from the sides.
LAVALIER MIC: A condenser mic with an omnidirectional pickup pattern (picks up sound
evenly from any direction).
LINE LEVEL:A setting on the camera to match the strong electrical audio signal from a device
such as audio amplifier or DVD player.
MIC LEVEL:A setting on the camera to match the weak electrical audio signal generated by a
microphone.
DYNAMIC MIC:A microphone that generates its own weak electrical audio signal such as a
hand mic.
CONDENSER MIC:A microphone that needs electrical power to work. (The shotgun mic and
the lavalier mic are examples of condenser mics).
SD MEMORY CARD INSTALLATION
SETTING UP AUDIO MICS