Canon XA10 Manual

BASIC SETUP OF THE CAMERA
• attach battery, insert SD card(s)
• turn on the camera, set recording mode switch to Manual.
• open up the LCD screen to setup the camera
*in Auto and Cinema mode, access to functions is limited, so you need to be in
Manual mode to format and record on the SD card, adjust exposure, focus and
audio levels
RECORDING ON THE SD CARD
•touch FUNC > MENU
•touch the film tab
• > Rec Media for Movies
• > touch A or B then the X tab to quit this menu.
•
* you can only import video recorded on the SD card video into Final Cut
FORMATTING THE SD CARD
•touch FUNC > MENU
•touch the wrench tab
•Initialize ( internal memory or SD card )
• select Initialize
• select Complete Initialization, the Yes
• touch OK then the X tab to quit this menu
* formatting the SD card in the camera will ensure that you will have enough room
and that the card will be properly formatted.
CANON XA-10 BASIC SETUP!page 1

SETTING THE RECORDING MODE
•touch FUNC > MENU
•touch the film tab
• > Recording Mode
• choose the recommended format : SP
• then touch the X tab to quit
*the higher the
recording quality,
the larger the file.
Final Cut Pro will
convert 1440 x
1080 resolution to
1920 x 1080 - so
you will have full
HD and more
room to record on
the SD card.
SETTING THE FRAME RATE
•touch FUNC > MENU
•touch the film tab
• touch Frame Rate, then the recommended frame rate: PF 30
•touch the X tab to quit
*Final Cut will convert 60i to 30 frame rate as it is the standard for editing, so
recording at 60i will just waste room on the SD card - the files will be twice a big.
CANON XA-10 BASIC SETUP!page 2

ADVANCED SETUP OF THE CAMERA
SETTING THE AUTO EXPOSURE
• Touch FUNC > Rec. Programs
• Touch P : auto adjust aperture + shutter speed
SETTING UP THE FOCUS
• Manual Focus ( critical focus )
•press the MF/AF button on the side of the LCD screen to switch to manual focus
• Zoom in on the subject’s eyes
• Use the focus ring to adjust
• Zoom out to the desired framing
• Face Detection ( by default, turned on )!
•Touch & Track
PLAYING BACK + DELETING VIDEO
•press then
• look for the scene you want
• use the Zoom lever ( W ) to show 15 scenes or (T) to
show 6.
• Touch the scene you wish to play back
• Touch the screen to show playback controls
• TO DELETE A SCENE: Pause > Edit > Delete > YES > OK
CANON XA-10 BASIC SETUP!page 3

AUDIO SETUP OF THE CAMERA
ACTIVATING THE HEADPHONE PLUG
• Touch FUNC > MENU
•Touch the wrench tab
•Touch AV/Headphones > Headphones, then
• plug in your headphones
•MENU > touch Volume then to adjust.
SETTING THE XLR CHANNEL TO RECORD STEREO
•Touch FUNC > MENU
•Touch the camera tab
•touch XLR Rec Channel /
• touch the X tab to quit.
*recording in stereo ( 1 mic going to both channels 1 & 2 )
will give the voice more presence and depth.!
Note: if you are using 2 external mics you must change the
XLR REC channel to CH1 > CH1 so that the 2nd plug will work.
"
SETTING UP THE EXTERNAL MIC
• set audio input switch to EXT .
• plug a mic into an CH1 XLR .
• set input to MIC +48v: this provides power to the mic
***WARNING: if using a wireless mic, set the input switch
to MIC. Using the MIC +48v will cause interference.***
ADJUSTING THE MIC LEVELS
• have your subject speak in a normal voice
• adjust the dials so the audio meter levels goes a little
past -20db ( ideal level is -18db ) when the sound is the
loudest.
CANON XA-10 BASIC SETUP!page 4