Sharp VL-C8000X User manual

SHARR

WARNING:
This Camcorder must be supplied with D.C. 9.6
volts only from a BT-75 battery, the AA-75X AC
adaptor or the optional VRP75CH car adaptor.
CAUTION:
As there are no serviceable controls inside the
Camcorder or AC adaptor, do NOT remove their
cabinets as touching parts inside could result
in electric shock. Please refer servicing to a
qualified dealer or a Camcorder service centre
approved by Sharp as shown in the enclosed
Directory of Service Centres.
1
CAUTION:
To prevent shock, do not open the cabinet. No user
serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified
dealer or service centre.

With so many brands available, the choice was difficult.
But after enjoying the top quality and high performance of this Sharp Camcorder, you’ll
know you were right.
This Camcorder has outstanding features which allow you to relax and enjoy the home entertainment programmes
of your choice. Before using the unit, please read the operation manual carefully. Be sure to store this manual
for future use as it will come in handy if you encounter any problem with the unit.
1 12 x NEW ZOOM SYSTEM
2 Colour Viewfinder
3 Full Auto Camera Recording System
- Automatic Focus, Iris, and White Balance
4 l/10,000, 114,000, l/1,000, 11250, 11100 of a sec. variable range, high speed shutter.
5 Ultra low light recording down to 3 lux (with Gain-up function)
6 Intelligent Auto Iris for shooting backlit subjects
7 Flying erase head (picture insert)
8 Self timer for Camera Recording
9 3-way power source with AC, battery, and car battery
10 Camera search
Copyright may exist in material you wish to record.
Copying such material without permission of the
relevant licensees or owners of the copyright is pro-
hibited by law. Sharp is not in a position to authorize
the recording of copyright works and nothing in this
operation manual should be read or implied at giving
that authority.
This unit can be operated by connecting it to either the
AC adaptor, battery pack or optional car battery adaptor/
charger. The AC adaptor incorporates the AUTO
VOLTAGE (AC llO-24OV, 50/60 Hz) function.
FEATURES..
......................................................... 1
PRECAUTIONS..
...................................................
2
MAJOR OPERATING COMPONENTS AND
THEIR FUNCTIONS ..............................................
4
PREPARATIONS..
.................................................
7
INSTALLING THE LITHIUM BATTERY..
...............
7
SE-ITING THE DATE/TIME..
............................... 7
ATTACHING AND DETACHING
THE BATTERY PACK
.........................................
8
ATACHING THE SHOULDER STRAP..
.............. 8
INSERTING AND REMOVING A CASSETTE..
..... 9
ADJUSTING THE GRIP STRAP..
........................ 9
USING
THE
COLOUR VIEWFINDER
............. 10
POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM
..................................
11
USING THE AC ADAPTOR/
BATTERY CHARGER.. .....................................
11
CHARGING THE BATTERY PACK..
...................
12
USING THE CAR BATTERY ADAPTOR/
CHARGER (OPTIONAL ACCESSORY).
.............
12
USING THE BA-TTERY PACK.. ..........................
13
CAMERA RECORDING
.......................................
14
CAMERA RECORDING..
..................................
14
FULL AUTO SYSTEM..
.....................................
16
REC REVIEW.. ................................................
17
CAMERA SEARCH..........................................
17
POWER ZOOM
(WIDEITELEPHCTTO CONTROL).
......................
17
USING THE ZOOM SELECT BUl-i-ON
.............. 18
LAP TIME FUNCTION
...................................... 19
LCD DISPLAY AND
VIEWFINDER INFORMATION..
.........................
20
AUTO DATE/TIME FUNCTION ..........................
21
ASSEMBLE RECORDING ................................
22
REPLACING THE BATTERY PACK
WHILE RECORDING
....................................... 22
AUTO POWER OFF
.........................................
22
PLAY BACK
.........................................................
23
PLAYBACK IN THE VIEWFINDER.. ...................
23
TRACKING ADJUSTMENT..
............ . ............... 23
FORWARD/REVERSE SEARCH AND STILL
..... 24
COUNTER MEMORY FEATURE.. .....................
25
CONNECTION TO TV
...................................... 26
CONNECTION TO TV WITH A/V TERMINALS..
. 27
RECORDING TO ANOTHER VCR.. ................... 28
EDIT CONTROL
.............................................. 28
USING THE CASSETTE ADAPTOR .................. 29
ADVANCED OPERATION
....................................
31
MANUAL FOCUS
............. .............................. 31
WHITE BALANCE.. .......................................... 31
BACKLIGHT COMPENSATION .........................
32
GAIN-UP ......................................................... 32
SELF TIMER RECORDING ..............................
32
HIGH SPEED SHUTTER.. ................................ 33
MACRO SHOI-S..
.............................................
34
FADE IN & OUT..
............................................. 34
LIGHTING
..........................................................
35
BEFORE REQUESTING SERVICE
.......................
36
SPECIFICATIONS
...............................................
37

READ THE SAFETY AND OPERATING INSTRUC-
TIONS befoe operating this Camcorder.
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND HEED ALL WARi+
INGS on this Camcorder and in this manual.
DEW FORMATION
What is “dew formation?”
When you pour cold beer into a glass, dew forms on
the glass. This clinging of water drops is called dew
formation.
When dew forms,in your Camcorder.
Dew will gradually form on the head drum of your Cam-
corder and make the video tape stick to the head. This
causes damage both to the head and the tape. When
dew formation occurs, recording and playback may not
function properly.
Dew is likely to form in the following circumstances:
l When moving the Camcorder from a cold place to a
warm place.
l When placing the Camcorder in a cold room which is
then heated rapidly.
l When moving the Camcorder outdoors from an air
conditioned room.
l When placing the Camcorder in the direct path of air
blowing from an air conditioner.
@And when placing the Camcorder in a humid room.
How to prevent trouble due to dew formation.
When using the Camcorder in a place where dew for-
mation is likely to occur, allow the Camcorder and the
video tape to acclimatize to the surroundings for about
one hour.
For example, when bringing the Camcorder indoors af-
ter skiing, first put it in a plastic bag and allow it to adapt
to room conditions for some period of time.
“Dew” warning feature
When dew forms on the head drum, the dew warning in-
dicator appears in the viewfinder.
After ten seconds, the power will automatically turn off.
l When “DEW” appears, eject the video tape and leave it out
for several hours to adapt it to the surroundings.
l Since dew forms gradually, it may take 10 to 15 minutes be-
fore “DEW” appears in the viewfinder.
l To use the Camcorder again, turn the power on after waiting
for several hours and make sure that “DEW” has disap-
peared.
Before actual recording, be sure to test record, checking
that both the picture and the sound are being recorded
properly. The picture can be easily checked by using
“REC REVIEW’:
How to continually maintain good recording.
If used in a variety of places, eventually your Camcorder
may not function properly due to accumulation of dirt on
the head drum. Please pay special attention to the fol-
lowing points when using your Camcorder.
@ Dew formation on the head drum.
@The video tape becomes worn:
Using a damaged or soiled video tape may also soil
the head drum, causing the picture to be blurred or
nothing to be recorded on the video tape. Do not use
such a video tape.
3 Using the Camcorder in a humid or a dusty place:
Use in extremely humid or dusty places may cause
damage to your Camcorder.
When the video heads are dirty.
Using the Camcorder when the video head is dirty may
cause the head to clog, producing noise on the record-
ed image or preventing the image from being recorded
at all.
Under such circumstances, contact the nearest service
centre approved by SHARP or your dealer for further
advice.
@ Make sure there is enough air in the plastic bag con-
taining the Camcorder.
@Remove the bag when the air temperature inside it
reaches the temperature of the surroundings.
2

For safety, strictly observe the following
.Do not open the case.
@Take care to avoid flammables or other liquids and
metal objects from entering the unit. Should this
happen, switch the power off and have the Camcorder
checked by qualified personnel.
*Do not disassemble or attempt to modify the unit.
l Do not operate the Camcorder during lightning
storms. Unplug power cables of any connected
equipment.
Avoid using the Camcorder under the following
conditions
*Places of extreme humidity or excessive dust.
l Near electrical appliances generating strong mag-
netic fields (fluorescent lights, televisions, speak-
ers).
@Steamy or sooty places such as near a cooking
stove.
*Excessive mechanical shock or vibration.
*Extremely hot locations such as near heating.
@Wet locations, such as near swimming pools,
bathtubs and the like.
DO not expose the Camcorder to extremely high
or low temperatures for long periods
l Never leave this Camcorder in direct sunlight, in a
closed car during summer or near a heater - this
will most likely deform the exterior and damage the
internal parts of the Camcorder.
l Do not store the Camcorder in places over 60°C.
l Do not use the Camcorder in places over 40°C.
l Do not use the Camcorder in places below 0%.
l Do not use the Camcorder in humid places over 80%
RH.
Store the Camcorder in a location that stays between
- 20°C and 60°C.
Take extra care when recording outdoors
@Do not drop or allow it to strike any hard or rough
surface. Protect from damage during transporta-
tion.
l Prevent the Camcorder from getting wet.
@At the beach, keep away from salt water or spray and
prevent sand from entering the Camcorder.
@Avoid aiming the lens at extremely bright objects
like the sun or other strong lights.
*Do not direct the viewfinder eyepiece at the sun.
l Stop using the Camcorder during lightning storms.
BEFORE DISCONNECTING A POWER SOURCE,
ALWAYS SLIDE THE OPERATE SWITCH TO OFF -
THE OPERATE INDICATOR WILL GO OUT.
Handling the Camcorder
l Protect the microphone from damage.
l Keep the Camcorder horizontal during use, other-
wise the tape may become slack and be damaged.
*Do not carry the Camcorder by the viewfinder.
Loop the strap over your arm - should the Cam-
corder accidentally slip out of
will avoid damaging it. _
/ /
your hand, you
*Cap the lens after use. Remember to switch the
power off.
@Do not touch the focus ring while using Autofocus.
*Before attaching any filter to the lens, switch to manual
focus or switch the power off and remove the lens
hood.
Cleaning the Camcorder
*Detach the battery pack or disconnect the power
before cleaning the Camcorder.
@Remove dust with a soft cloth. Use a soft cloth
moistened with mild detergent to remove persistent
dirt.
l Do not use strong cleaning agents such as PETROL,
thinner or alcohol
- they may damage the exterior.
*Keep the lens and viewfinder clean. Clean the lens by
first blowing it free of dust, then gently wipe it with a soft
brush or lens cleaning paper moistened with lens
cleaning fluid.

For details on the use of each control, refer to the page
indicated in the brackets.
cl
1
0
2
Microphone
BLC (Back Light Compensation)/GAIN-UP button
If the subject is darker than the background, the
recorded subject may appear too dark and unde-
fined. If this is the case, push this button for “BLC”.
When “LIGHT” is displayed in the viewfinder, the
gain-up mode is engaged and the screen becomes
brighter when this button is pressed.
cl
3 Colour Viewfinder/Monitor
Displays the photographic subject in full colour.
Also functions as a convenient colour monitor for
playback of recorded material.
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4
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5
0
6
Diopter adjustment
Use this control to adjust the viewfinder focus to your
eyesight.
Zoom lever
Use this lever to manually zoom in and out on your
subject.
Macro button
L
Use this control for shooting subjects positioned less
+han 1.1 m from the Camcorder. (Autofocus does not
function at this distance.) Press the MACRO button
continuously while moving the Zoom lever to the
“MACRO” position for focusing.
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7
0
8
0
9
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10
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11
El
12
ZOOM SELECT button [18]
Use this button to instantly magnify (or reduce) the
framed area in the viewfinder by 1.5 times.
AUTO/MANUAL FOCUS Select button
Set to “AUTO”, the Camcorder will automatically fo-
cus on the subject even if it is moving.
(Remember to use the macro focus feature to
focus on subjects less than 1.1 metre away.)
If, however, autofocus does not function because
of the prevailing shooting conditions, set this switch
to “MANUAL” and focus manually.
WHITE BALANCE button [31]
Use this button to lock the white balance.
SHUTTER SPEED select button [33]
To select the appropriate high speed shutter during
recording for a clear image replay at high speed
motion in still or slow mode using a VHS VCR for
playback.
FADE IN/OUT button [34]
FULL AUTO switch [16]
4

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14
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16
II
17
0
18
II
19
0
20
0
21
II
22
0
23
Cl
24
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25
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26
0
27
Sub REC START/STOP button
Press to start recording. Recording will be paused if
pressed during the recording mode.
Use when recording from a low angle.
TRACKING 4 control button [23]
DATE/TIME SET button m
TRACKING b control button [23]
DATE/TIME SELECT button m
DATE/TIME INITIAL button m
Power Zoom Wide/Telephoto control button
Maximum telephoto with T rele) depressed (this is
also called “zoom-in” or “zoom-up”). Maximum
wide angle with W (Wide) depressed (this is also
called “zoom-out” or “zoom-down”).
You can vary the speed of the zoom from 6
seconds to 20 seconds by the degree of finger
pressure on the Zoom buttons.
Battery Pack Compartment
External microphone jack
Eyelet tabs
Pull the shoulder strap through these eyelet tabs
and adjust the length of the strap with the buckle.
DC input jack
COUNTER/COUNTER MEMORY/LAP TIME
button
Used to select among Counter, Counter Memory,
and Lap Time modes being indicated in the view-
finder.
COUNTER/LAP TIME RESET button
Used to reset the Counter and Lap Time being indi-
cated in the viewfinder.
REC START/STOP button
Press to start recording. Recording will be paused if
pressed during the recording mode.
Grip Strap
Battery release lever
Used to attach/detach the battery.
SELF TIMER button/Talent Tally indicator
The Talent Tally indicator will light up when the Cam-
corder begins recording, enabling the subject to
determine whether the unit is recording or not. The
SELF-TIMER button and Talent Tally indicator share
the same function. When the button is pressed in
the REC Pause mode, the indicator will blink for 10
seconds before the Self-timer starts recording.

+ EJECT
c!
28
~
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30
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31
0
32
0
33
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34
j35i
(/) OPERATE L
1361
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37
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38-
0
39
AV OUT
a
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28
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29
0
30
0
31
0
32
0
33
0
34
0
35
[7
36
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37
q
38
0
39
ci
40
EJECT button
Used to insert or remove the@@@ cassette.
CAMERA RECNCR PLAY switch
To record with the Camcorder, set this switch to
the CAMERA REC position. (The Camcorder will
then automatically go into REC PAUSE mode.)
When using the Camcorder as a VCR, set this
switch to VCR PLAY.
(In this case, if in the REC PAUSE mode, the Cam-
corder will switch to Still mode; if recording, it will
switch to Stop mode.)
CAMERA SEARCH m button [17]
REWIReverse Search button [24]
REC REVIEW button [17]
STOP button
DATE-TIME DISPLAY button [21]
Used to display either the date/time or date in a pic-
ture being recorded.
EDIT switch
Picture quality inevitably deteriorates each time you
dub from the Camcorder to a VCR. Slide the EDIT
switch to on to minimize deterioration of picture
quality. Use this while you edit your videos.
AV output terminal
OPERATE indicator
OPERATE on/off switch
Turns power on and off.
CAMERA SEARCH bb, button [17]
FF/Forward Search button [24]
PLAY button
Press for playback.
CAMERA SEARCH E button [17]
PAUSE/STILL button
Use to view a still picture duri;g playback.
REC SPEED LP/SP Select switch
Used to set recording to the LP (Long Play) or SP
(Standard Play) mode. Recording time in the
respective modes is as follows (VHS-C tape EC-30):
LP mode . . . . . . . . . . . 60 min.
SP mode . . . . . . . . . . . 30 min.
6

INSTALLING THE LITHIUM BATTERY
1
Open the lithium battery compartment cover with
2
Insert the battery with the “ + ” side out. Close the
a pointed object. lithium battery compartment cover.
l For battery replace-
ment, repeat step 2
after removing old
battery.
Warning:
l Dispose of used battery promptly. Keep away from children.
Do not disassemble and do not dispose of in fire.
l The battery used in this device may present a fire or chemical
burn hazard if mistreated. Do not recharge, disassemble,
heat above 100°C or incinerate. Replace battery with type
CR2025 of SHARP CORPORATION, SONY ENERGYTEC,
FUJI ELECTROCHEMICAL or MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC
only. Use of another battery may present a risk of fire or
explosion.
SETTING THE DATE/TIME
l This lithium battery is available at a local electronic appliance
shop or audio/video shop.
l Disconnect the power source (AC adaptor, battery pack, etc.)
before replacing the battery.
l The battery life is approximately one year but it differs de-
pending on the ambient temperature and the condition of the
lithium battery.
l When the lithium battery runs out, the clock may be ex-
tremely inaccurate, or the clock setting mode may be
engaged. When this occurs, replace the lithium battery
as soon as possible.
Reset the date and time after replacing the battery.
l Do not short-circuit the battery by holding the electrodes with
metallic objects such as tweezers, as doing so will deteriorate
the battery quality.
The auto date/time function features a date and time in the viewfinder which can be recorded as a handy reference.
Follow the instructions below to set the current date and time.
Example: Setting the date to 25th Oct. 1991 and time to 3:27 PM.
1
Install the date/time lithium battery.
2
Connect a battery pack or power source. Slide
the OPERATE switch on.
Press the DATE-TIME DISPLAY button (See
page 6 No.33)
3
Press the INITIAL button using a dull-pointed
4
The day will flash. Press the SELECT button to
object such as a ball point pen. select the day. When the correct
d,ay appears,
press the SET button.
c-
DATVnME
SET - SELECT - INmAL
I
Q TRACKING >
5
The month will flash. Press the SELECT button
to select the month. When the correct month
6The year will flash. Press the SELECT button to
select the year. When the correct “tens” of the
appears, press the SET button.
year appears, press the SET button.
7
The hour will flash. Press the SELECT button to 8
The minutes will flash. Press the SELECT but-
select the hour (check for AM or PM). When
ton to select the minutes. When the correct time
the correct hour appears, press the SET button.
appears, press the SET button.
7

ATTACHING AND DETACHING THE BATTERY PACK
a
Attaching the Battery Pack
1. Lower the battery release lever
by pulling it forward.
I
Detaching the Battery Pack
1. Lower the battery release lever
by pulling it forward.
2. Align the “A” mark on the up-
per portion of the battery pack
with the mark on the camera,
and slide it in the direction of
the arrow.
2. Remove the battery pack by
sliding it in the direction of the
arrow.
3. Raise the battery release lever
until it locks into place.
3. Raise the battery release lever
until it locks into place.
m
. -
The battery pack is uncharged when shipped and must be charged before use.
ATTACHING THE SHOULDER STRAP
i
Loop the strap through the eyelet on top of the Camcorder.
I
I
I
I
Loop the strap through the eyelet at the bottom of the Camcorder.
I
m Before using the Camcorder, make sure that the shoulder strap is fastened tightly enough, and that no slack exists.