Sony Mavica MVC-FD83 User manual

3-866-779-13 (1)
©1999 by Sony Corporation
MVC-FD83/FD88
Digital Still Camera
Operating Instructions
Manual de instrucciones
GB
ES
MVC-FD88

2-GB
WARNING
To prevent fire or shock hazard,
do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.
This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.
This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of
important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions
in the literature accompanying the appliance.
English
Operating instructions
Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly,
and retain it for future reference.
The instructions in this manual are for the two models: MVC-FD83,
MVC-FD88
The MVC-FD88 is the model used for illustration purposes.
Otherwise, the model name is indicated in the illustrations. Any
differences in operation are clearly indicated in the text, for example,
“MVC-FD83 only.”
Before you start reading this manual and operating the unit, check
the model number.
As you read through this manual, buttons and settings on the
camera are shown in capital letters.
e.g. Press FLASH.

3-GB
Owner’s Record
The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom. Record the serial
number in the space provided below. Refer to these numbers whenever you
call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product.
Model No. MVC-FD
Serial No.
CAUTION
Never expose the battery pack to temperatures above 140°F (60°C), such as in
a car parked in the sun or under direct sunlight.
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT USE THIS POLARIZED AC
PLUG WITH AN EXTENSION CORD, RECEPTACLE OR OTHER OUTLET
UNLESS THE BLADES CAN BE FULLY INSERTED TO PREVENT BLADE
EXPOSURE.
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved
in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.
Note:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:
– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
– Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
– Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
– Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

4-GB
For the Customers in the United States and CANADA
DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY.
LITHIUM ION BATTERY.
DISPOSE OF PROPERLY.
You can return you unwanted lithium ion batteries to your nearest Sony
Service Center or Factory Service Center.
Note: In some areas the disposal of lithium ion batteries in household or
business trash may be prohibited.
For the Sony Service Center nearest you call
1-800-222-SONY (United States only)
For the Factory Service Center nearest you call
416-499-SONY (Canada only)
Caution: Do not handle damaged or leaking lithium ion batteries.
NOTICE FOR THE CUSTOMERS IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM
A moulded plug complying with BS 1363 is fitted to this equipment for your
safety and convenience.
Should the fuse in the plug supplied need to be replaced, a 5 AMP fuse
approved by ASTA or BSI to BS 1362, (i.e., marked with or mark)
must be used.
If the plug supplied with this equipment has a detachable fuse cover, be
sure to attach the fuse cover after you change the fuse. Never use the plug
without the fuse cover. If you should lose the fuse cover, please contact
your nearest Sony service station.
For the customers in Germany
Directive: EMC Directive 89/336/EEC
92/31/EEC
This equipment complies with the EMC regulations when used under the
following circumstances:
• Residential area
• Business district
• Light-industry district
(This equipment complies with the EMC standard regulations EN55022
Class B.)
ATTENTION
The electromagnetic fields at the specific frequencies may influence the
picture and sound of this camera.

5-GB
Be sure to read before using your camera
Trial recording
Before you record one-time events, you may want to make a trial
recording to make sure that the camera is working correctly.
No compensation for contents of the recording
Contents of the recording cannot be compensated for if recording or
playback cannot be made due to a malfunction of the camera, floppy
disk, etc.
Precaution on camera care
The LCD screen is manufactured using high- precision technology.
However, there may be some tiny black spots and/or bright spots
(red, blue or green in color) that constantly appear on the LCD
screen. These spots occur normally in the manufacturing process
and do not affect the recorded picture in any way. Effective number
of pixels is 99.99% or more.
Do not place your camera so as to point the LCD screen toward the
sun. The inside of the LCD screen may be damaged.
Precaution on copyright
Floppy disks, television programs, films, video tapes, and other
materials may be copyrighted. Unauthorized recording of such
materials may be contrary to the provisions of the copyright laws.

6-GB
Table of contents
Before using your camera....................................................................... 8
Parts identification .................................................................................. 9
Basic operations
Preparation ...................................................................................... 12
1: Charging the battery pack........................................... 12
2: Installing the battery pack .......................................... 13
3: Setting the date and time ............................................ 15
Recording and playing back images............................................ 17
1: Recording still images ................................................. 17
2: Recording moving images .......................................... 18
3: Playing back still images ............................................. 20
4: Playing back moving images ...................................... 21
Battery life/No. of images that can be
recorded/played back ..................................................... 23
Viewing images using a personal computer ....................... 25
Playing back JPEG files with Microsoft Office .................... 26
Advanced operations
Various recording ........................................................................... 27
Focusing manually .................................................................. 27
Recording images in macro ................................................... 28
Adjusting the white balance .................................................. 29
Enjoying Picture Effect ........................................................... 30
Using the PROGRAM AE function....................................... 31
Selecting image quality (QUALITY)..................................... 33
Selecting image size ................................................................ 34
Selecting recording mode (REC MODE).............................. 35
Various playback ............................................................................ 38
Playing back multiple images at a time (INDEX) ............... 38
Playing back images in a continuous loop
– SLIDE SHOW ................................................................. 39
Preventing accidental erasure – PROTECT ......................... 41
Deleting images – DELETE .................................................... 44

7-GB
• IBM PC/AT is a registered trademark of International Business Machines
Corporation of the U.S.A.
• MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks licensed to Microsoft
Corporation, registered in the U.S.A. and other countries.
• Netscape Navigator is a trademark of Netscape Communications
Corporation.
• Macintosh is a trademark licensed to Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the
U.S.A. and other countries.
• All other product names mentioned herein may be the trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Furthermore, “TM” and “” are not mentioned in each case in this manual.
Copying images – COPY ........................................................ 46
Copying all the infomation in your floppy disk
– DISK COPY .................................................................... 48
Formatting a floppy disk – FORMAT .................................. 49
Writing a print mark on an image ........................................ 50
Using image data with other equipment ............................. 52
Changing the mode settings ......................................................... 53
Setting the mode of each item ............................................... 54
Additional information
Precautions ...................................................................................... 60
Troubleshooting.............................................................................. 62
Self-diagnosis display .................................................................... 64
Specifications................................................................................... 65
Warning messages................................................................... 66
Index ................................................................................................. 67

8-GB
This digital still camera uses a floppy disk as a medium for
recording images.
Use the following floppy disk type:
•Size: 3.5 inch
•Type: 2HD
•Capacity: 1.44 MB
•Format: MS-DOS format (512 bytes ×18 sectors)
When using 3.5 inch, 2HD floppy disk other than described above,
format it using the camera or personal computer.
Do not shake or strike the unit
Malfunctions, inability to record images as well as inability to use
floppy disks or image and memory data breakdown, damage or loss
may occur.
Do not get the unit wet
When taking pictures outdoors in the rain or under similar
conditions, be careful not to get the unit wet.
If moisture condensation occurs, refer to page 61 and follow
instructions on how to remove it before using.
Do not insert the floppy disk forcefully
Insert the floppy disk carefully into the digital still camera. You may
not be able to remove the floppy disk if you insert it forcefully.
Back up recommendations
To avoid the potential risk of data loss always copy (back up) data to
disk.
Supplied accessories
Power cord (1 set) NP-F330 battery pack (1)
A/V connecting cable (1) Lens cap (1)
Shoulder strap (1) String for lens cap (1)
Battery charger (1)
Before using your camera

9-GB
Parts identification
See pages in ( ) for more details.
To insert the floppy disk
Insert the floppy disk until it clicks.
Before inserting, check that the
write protect tab set to the
recording position.
To remove the floppy disk
While sliding EJECT lock down, slide DISK EJECT in the direction of the
arrow.
DISK EJECT lever
Shutter button (17, 18)
Self-timer lamp
The lamp keeps on
blinking until recording
starts after the shutter
button is depressed.
Flash emitter (11)
Lens
FOCUS AUTO/
MANUAL switch
(27)
A/V OUT Jack
Audio is monaural.
Tripod receptacle
Make sure that the length of
the tripod screw is less than
7/32 inch (6.5 mm).
Focus ring (27)
Slot for AC
power adaptor cord
Photocell window
for flash
Do not block when
recording.
Lens cap
Microphone
Do not touch when
recording.
EJECT lock

10-GB
kParts identification
POWER lamp
BRIGHT +/– button
Press to adjust the
brightness of the
LCD screen.
PLAY/STILL/MOVIE
switch (17, 18, 20)
PICTURE EFFECT
button (30)
PROGRAM AE button (31)
DISPLAY button
Press to display or turn off the
indicators on the LCD screen.
The indicators do not go off in the
following modes:
Program AE, Picture effect, Manual
focus, Zoom, AE Lock, Self-timer,
Flash, Adjusting the exposure, Flash
level, and White balance.
Battery cover/
PUSH button (13)
POWER switch
Slide down to
turn on/off the
power.
Control button
LCD screen
LCD BACK LIGHT switch
Normally select ON.
Set to OFF to save
the battery.
DISK EJECT lever
(8)
Hooks for strap
ACCESS lamp
(17, 20)
Attaching the shoulder
strap

11-GB
Zoom lever
FLASH button
Auto is set at the factory.
Each time you press the button, the
flash mode changes as follows:
Auto (no indication) tforced-
flash t
no flash tAuto
In auto mode, the flash goes off
automatically according to the
brightness of the surroundings.
The subject must be 1 5/8 feet to 8
1/3 feet (0.5 m to 2.5 m) away.
When you record using the flash
and conversion lens (not supplied),
an eclipse may occur.
FLASH/CHARGE lamp
Photocell window
for LCD screen
The LCD screen becomes
brighter when exposed to
sunlight.
VOLUME +/– button
Press to adjust the
volume of the speaker.
Speaker
Self-timer
Select SELFTIMER from the menu
bar with the control button, then
press z.
About 10 seconds after you press
the shutter button, the subject is
recorded.
Floppy disk
slot
POWER lamp
(17, 20)
Control button
Upper side
Left
side
Press to
execute.
Lower side
Right
side
Function of the control button
You can execute the functions by
pressing the upper, lower, left or right
(v/V/b/B) side of the control
button. When an item is selected in
the menu, the color of the item
changes from blue to yellow. To enter
your selection, press the center of the
control button (z).

12-GB
Preparation
Charging the battery pack
To charge the battery pack, use the battery charger. Your camera
operates only with the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (L series)
“InfoLITHIUM” is a trade mark of Sony Corporation.
1Connect the power cord
to a wall outlet.
2Insert the battery pack
in the direction of the
Vmark. Slide it down
until it clicks.
Battery charger
CHARGE lamp
(orange)
The CHARGE lamp
(orange) lights up.
Charging begins.
To remove the battery pack
Slide up the battery pack.
Charging time
Battery Full charge* Normal charge**
NP-F330 (Supplied) 210 min. 150 min.
NP-F550 240 min. 180 min.
Approximate minutes to charge a discharged battery pack using the
battery charger BC-V615/BC-V615A. (Lower temperatures require a
longer charging time.)
*Charging for about one hour after the CHARGE lamp goes out.
**Charging just until the CHARGE lamp goes out.

Basic operations
13-GB
Installing the battery pack
1Open the battery cover.
Slide the battery cover in the
direction of the arrow pressing
PUSH button.
2Install the battery pack.
Insert the battery pack with the V
mark facing toward the battery
compartment.
3Close the cover.
Press the cover until it clicks.
(base)
To remove the battery pack
Open the battery cover. While sliding the battery
release lever rightward, remove the battery pack.
Be careful not to drop the battery pack when removing.
Battery release lever

14-GB
kPreparation
Remaining battery time indication
This camera shows on the LCD panel how many minutes you can still keep on
recording or playing back images*. Note, however, that the time might not be
displayed correctly under some use conditions or in some environments.
* The time displayed during recording or during playback refers to the time
for which the battery lasts if you simply keep the camera on or if you simply
keep it displaying images without performing any operation.
Auto power-off function
During recording if you leave the camera inactive for about 3 minutes while
the power is on, the camera turns off automatically to prevent wearing down
the battery.
About the power source
This camera can be powered from the following three power
sources:
•InfoLITHIUM battery* NP-F330 (supplied)/F550 (not supplied)
•AC power adaptor AC-VQ800 (not supplied)
•DC power adaptor DC-VQ800 (not supplied)
When you use the camera for a long time, we recommend you to
power the camera from a wall outlet with the AC power adaptor.
*What is “InfoLITHIUM” ?
The “InfoLITHIUM” is a lithium ion battery pack which can exchange data
such as battery consumption with compatible equipment. This unit is
compatible with the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (L series). Your camera
operates only with the “InfoLITHIUM” battery. “InfoLITHIUM”battery packs
have the mark.
“InfoLITHIUM” is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

Basic operations
15-GB
Setting the date and time
When you use the camera first, set the date and time.
The date and time are necessary for MS-DOS format recording. If
they are not set, incorrect date and time are recorded, and CLOCK
SET screen in step 5appears whenever you turn on the camera in
STILL/MOVIE mode.
1Slide the POWER switch down to turn on the power.
The POWER lamp lights up.
2Press vof the control button.
The menu bar appears on the LCD
screen.
3Select “SETUP” with the control button, then press z.
4Select “CLOCK SET” from the menu bar with the
control button, then press z.
INDEX FILEDELETE SETUP
SELECT OK
CLOCK SET
VIDEO OUT
/LANGUAGE
BEEP
1999JAN AM:1 12 00
D/M/Y
ENTER
CANCEL
M/D/Y
Y/M/D
CLOCK SET
BEEP
CLOCK SET
INDEX FILEDELETE SETUP
SELECT OK
/LANGUAGE
VIDEO OUT
12 : 00 : 00AM
JAN 1 1999
SELECT/ADJUST OK
INDEX FILEDELETE SETUP
MENU BAR OFF
SELECT OK

16-GB
5Select the desired display of the date with the control
button, then press z.
Y/M/D (year/month/day)
M/D/Y (month/day/year)
D/M/Y (day/month/year)
6Select the date and time with the control button, then
press z.
The item to be changed is indicated
with v/V. Select number by pressing
the upper side or lower side of the
control button, then press it to enter the
number.
After entering the number, v/Vmoves
to the next item.
When “D/M/Y” is selected, set the
time on a 24-hour cycle.
7Select “ENTER” with the control button, then press z
at the desired moment to begin clock movement.
To cancel setting the date and time
Select “CANCEL” with the control button, then press z.
1999 AM:1 1 12 00
D/M/Y
ENTER
CANCEL
M/D/Y
Y/M/D
CLOCK SET
SELECT/ADJUST OK
1999 PM:7 4 10 30
D/M/Y
ENTER
CANCEL
M/D/Y
Y/M/D
CLOCK SET
SELECT/ADJUST OK
1999 AM:1 1 12 00
D/M/Y
ENTER
CANCEL
M/D/Y
Y/M/D
CLOCK SET
SELECT/ADJUST OK
kPreparation

Basic operations
17-GB
Recording still images
To record the images, slide the POWER switch down to turn on the
power (The POWER lamp lights up) and insert the floppy disk until
it clicks.
Recording and playing back images
1Set PLAY/STILL/MOVIE to STILL.
2Press the shutter button halfway
down.
The AE lock indicator z(green) flashes.
When AE (auto exposure), AWB (auto
white balance) and AF (auto focus) are
frozen, the AE lock indicator stops flashing.
3Press the shutter button fully
down.
The image is recorded on the disk.
The number of images you can record on a floppy disk
About 8 – 12 images(FD83)/6 – 10 images(FD88) with all default settings.
(p. 36)
Note
When the image is recorded on the disk, the ACCESS lamp flashes.
When the ACCESS lamp is flashing, never shake or strike the unit. Also, do
not turn the power off or remove the battery pack or floppy disk. Otherwise,
an image data breakdown may occur and the floppy disk may become
unusable.
ACCESS lamp
POWER lamp

18-GB
kRecording and playing back images
Recording moving images
1Set PLAY/STILL/MOVIE to MOVIE.
2Press the shutter button fully down momentarily.
The image and sound are recorded for the length which you select in
the file menu: 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds.
Hold the shutter button fully down.
The image and sound are recorded until you release it.
Maximum 60 seconds when recording 160 ×112 size
15 seconds when recording 320 ×240 size
Using the zoom feature
Move the power zoom lever a little for a slower zoom. Move it
further for 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)
If you cannot get a sharp focus, move the power zoom lever to the “W”
side until the focus is sharp. You can shoot a subject that is at least about
25 cm (FD83)/90 cm (FD88) away from the lens surface in the telephoto
position, or about 25 cm away in the wide-angle position. When the
subject is too close to focus on, refer to p. 28.
Digital zoom starts to function when zoom exceeds 3×(FD83)/8×(FD88).
The picture quality deteriorates as you go toward the “T” side. Set
DIGITAL ZOOM to OFF in the MENU settings. Otherwise the digital
zoom activates without notice (p. 55).
Digital zoom does not work for moving
images.
The right side of the bar shows
the digital zooming zone.
T
W

Basic operations
19-GB
120 min
+1.0 EV
BRT
REC 0:03
FINE 10
15s
SETUPCAMERAFILE
MENU BAR OFF
SELECT OK
MACRO
SELF
TIMER
1280
The indicators during recording
The indicators on the LCD screen are not recorded.
* Only displayed during operation.
White balance
indicator
Image size indicator
Recording mode indicator
AE/Focus lock indicator
Remaining battery
time indicator
Flash level
indicator
Picture effect*/LCD
bright level indicator*/
Volume level indica-
tor*/Zoom indicator*
MACRO
Image quality indicator
Remaining disk
capacity indicator
Self-diagnosis
function indicator/
Recording time
indicator
Recording time
indicator
Menu bar/Guide menu
They appears by pressing v
of the control button and
disappears by pressing Vof
the control button.
Self-timer indicator
Number of stored
images
Manual focus indicator
Program AE
indicator
EV level indicator

20-GB
kRecording and playing back images
Playing back still images
To view the recorded images on the LCD screen, slide POWER
down to turn on the power (The POWER lamp lights up) and insert
the floppy disk until clicks.
1Set PLAY/STILL/MOVIE to PLAY.
The ACCESS lamp flashes and the last recorded
image appears on the LCD screen.
2Press vof the control button.
The menu bar appears on the LCD screen.
3Select the recorded image with the control button.
Select the button on the LCD screen with the control button, then
press z.
'b : To display the preceding recorded image.
B' : To display the next image.
INDEX
: To display six recorded images at a time
(INDEX screen).
You can select the image with b/Bof the control button if you turn
off the menu bar.
POWER lamp
ACCESS lamp