Vivitar DVR 505 User manual

DVR 505
Digital Camcorder
User Manual
© 2016 Sakar International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Windows and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2
What’s Included............................................................................................................................ 2
Parts of the Camcorder................................................................................................................ 3
Initial Camcorder Setup................................................................................................................ 4
Main Camcorder Modes............................................................................................................... 7
Camcorder Technical Specifications............................................................................................. 8
Computer System Requirements ................................................................................................. 9
Powering the Camcorder On/Off................................................................................................ 10
Changing Camcorder Mode........................................................................................................11
Navigating the Menus................................................................................................................. 12
Video Capture Mode .................................................................................................................. 13
Video Playback Mode................................................................................................................. 22
Photo Capture Mode.................................................................................................................. 28
Photo Playback Mode ................................................................................................................ 42
Installing the Software................................................................................................................ 48
Connecting the Camcorder to the Computer.............................................................................. 51
Getting Photos and Videos from the Camcorder to the Computer ............................................. 51
Getting Started! .......................................................................................................................... 52
Transferring Images from my Camcorder to my Computer Manually......................................... 53
Camcorder Maintenance............................................................................................................ 54
Sakar Warranty Card.................................................................................................................. 55
Technical Support....................................................................................................................... 56
Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................................... 56

2
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this digital camcorder. Everything you need to take quality digital
photos and videos is included with your digital camcorder.
Vivitar makes capturing those special moments as easy as possible.
Note:
Your digital camcorder requires a SD Memory card (up to 32GB) for normal use. SD
Memory cards are not included and need to be purchased separately.
Important: You must use only a Class 4 SD Memory card or higher.
This camcorder is a Plug and Play device. You can download the pictures and videos
captured by your camcorder without the software by directly accessing the camcorder’s
memory card from your computer. It is recommended however that you install the Vivitar
Experience™ Image Manager Software to enjoy the full Vivitar experience.
Please read this manual carefully first in order to get the most out of your digital camcorder.
What’s Included
1) Digital Camcorder
2) Vivitar Experience Image Manager
Software Installation CD
3) USB Cable
4) Attached Hand Strap
Note: SD Memory Card and batteries not included.

3
Parts of the Camcorder
1. Power Button
9. LCD Display
2. Shutter / OK Button
10. USB Port Cover
3. T (Zoom In) / Up Button
11. Lens
4. W (Zoom Out) / Down / Thumbnail View Button
12. Microphone
5. MODE / Menu Button
13. Wrist Strap
6. Left / Self-Timer Button
14. Battery Compartment Cover
7. Right Button
15. SD Memory Card Slot
8. Speaker
16. Tripod Socket

4
Initial Camcorder Setup
Installing the Batteries
Installing the Memory Card
Slide open the battery compartment
cover.
Insert 3 AAA (1.5V) batteries.
Alkaline batteries recommended.
Batteries not included.
SD Memory card (up to 32GB)
needed for normal use.
It is recommended to use a Class 4
SD card or higher SD card.
Please turn off the camcorder before
inserting the SD Memory Card.
Turning On the Camcorder
Using the Camcorder

5
POWERING THE CAMCORDER ON
INSTALLING THE BATTERIES
1) Remove the battery compartment cover.
2) Insert the batteries properly into your digital camcorder, according to the polarity shown
inside the battery compartment.
Use 3 xAAA(1.5V) batteries. Alkaline batteries are recommended. Batteries not included.
3) Close the battery compartment cover securely.
Note:
Remove the batteries from the camcorder when not in use for an extended period.
Do not mix alkaline and non-alkaline batteries.
Some camcorder features (i.e. Flash) will not work if the battery power level is low.
When the battery power is low, the battery icon appears empty and ‘Battery Low’
appears on the LCD screen. The camcorder automatically turns off a few seconds later.
The energy status of the power is displayed on LCD as shown below:
Full battery power Medium battery power Low battery power
INSTALLING THE SD CARD
Make sure the SD Memory card (up to 32GB) has been properly inserted into your digital
camcorder. SD Memory card not included. To properly insert the SD Card:
1) Push the SD card into the slot in the direction shown on the digital camcorder.
2) Push the SD card until you hear a slight clicking sound. This indicates the SD card has been
inserted correctly.
Note:
After the digital camcorder is powered on, an SD icon appears on the LCD display. If
you do not see the SD icon on the display, please check if the card was inserted
properly.
Make sure the SD card is not locked (check the lock switch on the side
of the SD card). If the SD card is locked this will prevent the digital
camcorder from saving captured photos to the SD card.

6
POWERING ON THE DIGITAL CAMCORDER
Flip open the LCD screen and press the POWER button to turn on the digital camcorder.
CAMCORDER INITIAL SETUP
Flip open the LCD screen and press the POWER button to power. When powering the camcorder
on for the first time the camcorder will take you through the initial setup.
SETTING THE CAMCORDER LANGUAGE
1) You will first be prompted to select a language for the digital camcorder.
The Language selection menu appears.
2) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to select the language of your choice.
3) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm the selection.
Congratulations! Your digital camcorder is now ready to use!

7
Main Camcorder Modes
Your digital camcorder has different modes for the various camcorder functions.
You can switch modes by pressing the MODE button on your digital camcorder after the
camcorder has been powered ON.
VIDEO CAPTURE MODE
Use this mode to capture videos with your digital camcorder.
This is the default mode when the camcorder is powered ON. To take a video, aim your
camcorder as desired and press the Shutter button to start recording. A red, blinking record
indicator appears on the LCD screen while the recording is in progress. To stop the
recording, press the Shutter button again. The video is automatically saved to your
camcorder’s memory card.
To access the various menus for the Video Capture mode, press the MENU button for 2
seconds while in the Video Capture mode.
PHOTO CAPTURE MODE
Use this mode to capture pictures with your digital camcorder.
After turning on your camcorder, press the MODE button once to open the Photo Capture
mode.
To take a picture, aim your camcorder as desired and press the Shutter button.
The picture is automatically saved to your camcorder’s memory card.
To access the various menus for the Photo Capture mode, press the MENU button for 2
seconds while in the Photo Capture mode.
PLAYBACK MODE (PHOTOS & VIDEOS)
Use this mode to view and manage the photos and videos on your digital camcorder.
After turning on your camcorder, press the MODE button twice to open the Playback mode
for photos and videos. You can scroll through the photos and videos that you’ve captured to
view, edit or delete them as desired.
To access the various menus for the Playback mode for photos and videos, press the
MENU button for 2 seconds while in the Playback mode.

8
Camcorder Technical Specifications
Image Sensor
CMOS Sensor
Video Resolution
(VGA) 640x480, (QVGA) 320x240
Image Resolution
(5M) 2592x1944, (3M) 2048x1536, (2M) 1600x1200,
(1.3M) 1280x1024, (VGA) 640x480
File Format
JPEG/AVI
External Memory
SD Card (up to 32GB) –Class 4 or higher
LCD Display
1.5” TFT
Zoom
2X Digital Zoom
Exposure
-3.0EV ~ +3.0EV
White Balance
Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent
ISO
Auto, 100, 200, 400
Scene
Auto, Scenery, Portrait, Night Scenery, Night Portrait,
High Sensitivity, Sport, Beach, Party
Language
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German,
Dutch, Italian
Self-Timer
2, 5 or 10 second delay
Anti-Shake
Yes
Multi Snapshots (Burst)
Yes
Auto Power Off
1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, Disable
Interface
USB 2.0
System Requirements
Microsoft® Windows XP (SP 3), Vista (SP1) and
Windows 7 or higher ; Mac OSX v10.5.x or higher
Battery
3xAAA(1.5V) batteries –Alkaline batteries
recommended
Working Temperature
0~45C

9
Computer System Requirements
To be able to download photos and videos to your computer using the Vivitar Experience™ Image
Manager Software, you will need the following minimum configuration:
WINDOWS OS
MICROSOFT® Windows XPwith Service Pack3,Windows Vista with Service Pack 1or
MICROSOFT® Windows 7 or above
Pentium® 4 processor (or above)
1 GB RAM, 250 MB available hard disk space
16-bit Color monitor, 1024 X 768 recommended screen resolution
CD-ROM Drive
QuickTime® 6 or higher
MICROSOFT ® Internet Explorer 7 or higher
Windows Media Player 10 or higher
DirectX 9 or higher
Internet connection required
MACINTOSH OS
Intel Processor running MACINTOSH OS X v10.5.x or later
1 GB RAM, 250 MB available hard disk space
Display: 1024 x 768 or higher-resolution monitor
QuickTime® 6 or higher
CD-ROM Drive
Internet connection required
Note: Make sure the latest compatible Adobe® Flash® Player is installed on your computer.

10
Powering the Camcorder On/Off
Make sure the batteries have been inserted properly into your digital camcorder.
Make sure an SD card (up to 32GB) has been inserted into your digital camcorder.
Note: SD Memory Card and batteries not included.
Please see ‘Initial Camcorder Setup’for more information.
POWERING THE CAMCORDER ON
Flip open the LCD panel and press the Power button to turn your camcorder ON.
After powering on, the camcorder emits a sound and the LCD screen turns on.
The camcorder will be in Video Capture mode to start.
POWERING THE CAMCORDER OFF
While the camcorder is on, you can press the Power button again at any point to turn your
camcorder OFF. You will see a “Goodbye” splash screen and then the camcorder will power off
completely.
AUTO POWER OFF –POWER SAVING
Your digital camcorder also has an Auto Power Off feature that automatically turns off your
camcorder after a specific period of time that your camcorder is left idle. The Auto Power Off can
be set from the Auto Power Off settings menu in either Photo Capture Mode or Video Capture
Mode.

11
Changing Camcorder Mode
Your camcorder has three main modes:
1) Video Capture Mode - Use this mode to capture videos with your camcorder.
2) Photo Capture Mode - Use this mode to capture photos with your camcorder.
3) Playback Mode (for photos and videos) - Use this mode to view the photos and videos
you have already taken with your camcorder.
When the camcorder is first powered ON, the Video Capture Mode will be active. The icons that
appear on the LCD screen are the best default settings so that you can begin to capture and
enjoy clear quality photos.
To change the active camcorder mode, make sure the camcorder is powered ON and press the
MODE button to toggle between the Video Capture Mode, Photo Capture Mode and Playback
Mode.
When in Video Capture Mode, this icon displays on the top-left corner of the LCD display.
When in Photo Capture Mode, this icon displays on the top-left corner of the LCD display.
When in Playback Mode, this icon displays on the top-left corner of the LCD display.

12
Navigating the Menus
Each camcorder mode has a set of menus specific to that mode.
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to scroll between the various menus for the current
mode.
3) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to highlight the desired menu selection.
4) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to confirm and save the highlighted menu option.
5) If the selection can be remembered by the camcorder, a selection icon appears to the
right of the selected menu option. Changes made to these options remain until you decide to
change them again at a later time.
Some menu options are single-use functions that are not remembered by the camcorder
and do not display the selection icon.
6) At any time you can press the MODE button to exit the menus and return to the previous
screen.
Note:
For most menu settings, an icon reflecting your selection displays on the LCD screen.
The settings are saved by your digital camcorder until you manually change the setting or
restore the camcorder’s default factory settings.

13
Video Capture Mode
The Video Capture Mode allows you to capture videos with your digital camcorder.
When the camcorder is first powered ON, it will be in Video Capture Mode.
TAKING A VIDEO
1) Selecting the Scene Using the LCD Display:
While in Video Capture mode, flip open the LCD panel and use the LCD display to direct the
camcorder at the scene you would like to capture.
2) Zoom Options:
Use the T/ Zoom In (Up) and W / Zoom Out (Down) buttons located to the left of the LCD
screen to better set the camcorder display if desired. You can magnify your subject up to 2
times using the digital zoom. A magnifying glass icon appears on the bottom right of the
LCD screen indicating the selected zoom.
3) Capturing the Video:
START: Press the Shutter button to start the video capture.
While recording, a red, blinking icon appears at the top of the LCD screen indicating
that the recording is in progress. The elapsed video recording time appears on the
top-right of the LCD.
STOP: To stop recording the video, press the Shutter button again.
The video is automatically saved to the camcorder’s SD Memory card.
Note: The amount of recording time available for the resolution selected appears on the top-right
of LCD screen while in ‘Standby’ mode. The lower the resolution setting the more recording time
is available. However, please note that videos recorded at lower resolution are of less quality than
videos recorded at the higher resolution.
Remember, the amount of time that you can capture videos also depends on the size of the SD
memory card inserted as well as the video resolution selected.

14
VIDEO CAPTURE MODE BUTTONS
BUTTON
FUNCTION
SHUTTER / OK
STARTS/STOPS the video capture
MENU - SAVE SELECTION - Saves your selected menu
option.
MODE / MENU
MODE SELECTION - Toggles between the Photo Capture
Mode, Video Capture Mode and Playback Mode.
MENU –Press for 2 seconds to open the menu options for
Video Capture Mode.
To navigate through the Menus, use the T/UP, W/DOWN,
LEFT, RIGHT buttons.
MENU - Exits the menu screen.
T / UP
Zooms In.
MENU - Navigates through the menu options.
W / DOWN
Zooms Out.
MENU - Navigates through the menu options.
RIGHT
MENU - Navigates through the menu options.
LEFT
MENU - Navigates through the menu options.

15
VIDEO CAPTURE MODE MENUS
The following are the menus that appear in your camcorder’s Video Capture Mode:
Once you change a setting, the setting is saved by your camcorder until you manually change
the setting or restore the camcorder’s Factory Default Settings.
The selection icon displays the Factory Default Settings in the menus shown below.
SCENE MENU
The ‘Scene’ menu allows you to choose scene settings that let your camcorder to adapt properly
to your current environment.
The ‘Scene’ options include:
Auto / Scenery / Portrait / Night Scenery / Night Portrait / High Sensitivity / Sport / Beach / Party
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Scene’ menu.
3) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
4) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.

16
A selected option icon appears on the selected item.
5) To continue within the menus and select a different menu option:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
6) To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
An icon reflecting your selection is displayed on the LCD screen.
IMAGE SIZE MENU
The ‘Image Size’ menu allows you to choose the desired size of the images taken by your
camcorder. Keep in mind that images with a higher resolution will also take up more of your
camcorder’s memory.
The ‘Image Size’ options include: VGA 640x480 / QVGA 320x240
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Image Size’ menu.
3) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
4) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
A selected option icon appears on the selected item.
5) To continue within the menus and select a different menu option:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
6) To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
An icon reflecting your selection is displayed on the LCD screen.
WHITE BALANCE MENU
The ‘White Balance’ feature allows your camcorder to adjust the coloring of the captured images
depending on the type of light source in the current environment.
Properly adjusting the White Balance setting to match your current environment will allow the
camcorder to properly balance the colors in the images that are taken with your camcorder.

17
The ‘White Balance’ options include: Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Incandescent / Fluorescent
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘White Balance’ menu.
3) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
4) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
A selected option icon appears on the selected item.
5) To continue within the menus and select a different menu option:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
6) To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
An icon reflecting your selection is displayed on the LCD screen.
LIGHT EXPOSURE MENU
The ‘Light Exposure’ setting helps you control the amount of light that enters your camcorder’s
lens. This setting should be adjusted when the environment is lighter or darker than normal.
When the environment has more light than is needed, reduce the exposure setting (by using the
negative - count) to reduce the amount of light allowed into the lens by your camcorder.
If the environment has less light (darker) than is needed, increase the exposure setting (by using
the positive + count) to increase the amount of light allowed into the lens by your camcorder.
The ‘Light Exposure’ options include:
+3 Lightest / +2 Lighter / +1 Light / 0 Normal / -1 Dark / -2 Darker / -3 Darkest
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Light Exposure’ menu.
3) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
4) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
A selected option icon appears on the selected item.
5) To continue within the menus and select a different menu option:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.

18
6) To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
An icon reflecting your selection is displayed on the LCD screen.
LANGUAGE MENU
You can select your camcorder’s language setting by selecting the desired language from the
‘Language’ menu.
The ‘Language’ options include:
English / French / Spanish / Portuguese / German / Dutch / Italian
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Language’ menu.
3) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
4) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
A selected option icon appears on the selected item.
5) To continue within the menus and select a different menu option:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
6) To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
AUTO POWER OFF MENU
You can use the ‘Auto Power Off’ feature in order to conserve you camcorder’s battery life. The
designated time represents when your camcorder will automatically power off.
When the camcorder sits idle for the designated period of time, the camcorder will shut off
completely and will need to be powered on again with the power button before the next use.
The ‘Auto Power Off’ options include:
1 Minute / 3 Minutes / 5 Minutes / Disable (camera remains on until you power it off)
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Auto Power Off’ menu.

19
3) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
4) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
A selected option icon appears on the selected item.
5) To continue within the menus and select a different menu option:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
6) To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
FREQUENCY MENU
The options in the ‘Frequency’ menu represent the frequency of the electrical current in
fluorescent lighting sources in your locale. If your camcorder is set to a frequency that does not
match your country’s electric current, you may see waves on the images taken by your
camcorder.
The ‘Frequency’ options include:
50Hz –UK, Europe and Australia
60Hz –US, Canada and South America
1) Press the MENU button for 2 seconds to open the menus for the current mode.
2) Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Frequency’ menu.
3) Press the T/UP or W/DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
4) Press the SHUTTER/OK button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
A selected option icon appears on the selected item.
5) To continue within the menus and select a different menu option:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
6) To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
Table of contents
Other Vivitar Digital Camcorder manuals

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 918M User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 950WHD User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 708HD User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 992HD User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 538NHD User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 948HD User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 548NHD User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 918M User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 808HD User manual

Vivitar
Vivitar DVR 508NHDv3 User manual