Vivitar ViviCam V15 User manual

V15 Freelance
Digital Camera
Owner’s Manual
© 2009 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.

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents......................................................1
Introduction ...............................................................2
Key Features.............................................................2
What your camera includes ......................................3
Computer System Requirements for Windows.........3
A Quick Look at Your Camera ..................................4
Inserting Batteries.....................................................5
Software Installation..................................................5
Camera Modes .......................................................10
Capturing Photos ....................................................17
Capturing Video ......................................................21
Webcam Mode........................................................22
Everything you need to get the most from your photos
................................................................................23
Download photos to your PC..................................26
Viewing Videos .......................................................30
Using your Camera as a Webcam..........................31
Maintenance of Your Digital Camera......................35
Sakar Warranty Card ..............................................36
Appendix A: Technical Specifications.....................37
Appendix B: Troubleshooting.................................38

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Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the V15 Freelance Vivitar
Digital Camera. Everything you need to take quality
digital photos and videos is included with your device.
Please read this manual carefully FIRST in order to get
the most out of your digital camera.
Important Notice:
Please do not plug the camera into the USB port of
your computer until you have installed the Photags
Express software and the cameras driver (included
in the CD-ROM packaged with this camera).
Plugging in your camera at this stage will cause the
device to not be recognized by the computer.
Key Features
•1.3 Mega-Pixel Dual Mode Digital and Video Camera
1280 x 1024
•1.4 Inch Color LCD monitor
•PhoTags Express software for downloading photos
and videos from your Digital Camera, managing and
enhancing your photos, printing, sending photos by
e-mails and much more
•WebCam Express software to use your Digital
Camera as a webcam for live chat or creating videos
and taking snapshots.

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What your camera includes
•Digital Camera
•PhoTags Express, WebCam Express and driver
installation CD
•USB cable
•User’s Manual in CD
•Neck strap
•Warranty card
•Quick User Guide
Computer System Requirements
for Windows
To be able to download photos and videos to your PC
you will need the following minimum configuration:
•Pentium III processor or above with Windows XP or
Vista
•150 MB free disk space, 128 MB RAM
•Available USB Interface
•CD-ROM Drive
•Recommended screen resolution 1024 X 768 pixels
or higher
•16-bit color or higher display adaptor

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A Quick Look at Your Camera

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Inserting Batteries
Open the camera’s battery compartment cover (if the
screw on the compartment has been fixed, please use a
small screwdriver to loose the screw, then open the
battery compartment cover) and insert 2 new AAA
alkaline batteries according to the polarity shown.
Close the cover and press the Power/Menu button to
power on the camera.
After powered on, if you want to make changes to the
camera’s default settings, please read the instructions of
this manual.
Warning: Do not remove the batteries before
downloading the photos and videos from the
camera. Doing so will erase everything in the
camera`s memory.
Note: We recommend to download and save your
photos and videos often so as not to lose them if
the battery power becomes too low.
Software Installation
NOTE: Before attempting to install the software,
make sure that you do not have the camera’s USB
cable attached to your computer. This will affect the
install process and can cause a failed installation of

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the camera software and drivers.
In order to install the Software and drivers to download
and edit the photos and videos captured using this
camera, you need to install the CD installation disk.
Insert the installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. A
Menu screen will automatically appear.
Warning: DO NOT PLUG YOUR CAMERA INTO THE
USB PORT UNTIL THE SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
HAS BEEN COMPLETELY INSTALLED.
Software & Camera Driver Installation
On the “Install your camera software” screen, select
your camera model from the drop down list and click the
“Install” button to install PhoTags Express followed by
the installation of PhoTags WebCam Express and your
camera driver.
For more installation information click the “Read Me
First!” button.
On the “PhoTags Express" screen, click the “Next”

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button.
Please review the license terms and click the “I Agree”
button to continue.
Let the “PhoTags Express” installer create the folder
where the program will be installed to, and then click
“Install”.

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Please wait while the application is being installed on
your computer.
Once the application has been installed on your
computer, click the “Finish” button to let the “PhoTags
Express” installer finish the installation program.

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This will automatically launch the Install shield for the
camera driver. Click “Next” to continue.
Follow the Setup screens that appear to install the
driver for this camera.
Once the program has finished installing you will be
asked to restart your computer. Please do so.

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Congratulations!! You have successfully installed the
“PhoTags Express”, “WebCam Express” software and
the Camera Driver.
Camera Modes
Note: In order to download the photos and videos
captured with this camera you need to install the
PhoTags Express, WebCam Express and camera
specific driver for this device as described in the
previous section
Press the Power/Menu button to power on the camera.
Press the Power/Menu button again to view the Main
Menu screen.
Use the Up button to toggle between the menu icons on
the screen.
Use the Shutter button to select the different submenu
features within each icon.

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Press the Power /Menu button to save your choice.
Below is an explanation for each of the Submenus on
the Main Menu.
Camera Submenu
Press the Power/Menu button to enter the Main Menu.
By default the camera icon is automatically selected.
Press the Shutter button to toggle through the following
various options within the camera submenu.
Take Photo

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Press the Power/Menu button to select and save the
mode of your choice. The LCD screen will show your
choice with a symbol in the upper left corner.
Self-Timer
AVI（Video）
Continuous Capture

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Resolution Modification
Submenu
Press the Power/Menu button to enter the Main Menu.
Press the Up button until the Resolution Modification
icon is selected and then press the Shutter button to
toggle between the different resolution options. Press
the Power/Menu button again to select and save the
desired resolution. Options within the Resolution
Modification Submenu are as follows:
SXGA (1280x1024)
Note: At higher resolutions the pictures captured will be
clearer but will take up more of the camera`s memory.
You will therefore be able to take less photos at higher
resolution than at lower resolution.
An indication of the number of photos that can still be
captured for each resolution appears on the bottom left
of the LCD screen once the picture is taken.
VGA (640x480)
QVGA (320x240)

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Compression Rate Submenu
Press the Power/Menu button to enter the Main Menu,
press the Up button until the Compression Rate icon is
selected and then press the Shutter button to toggle
between the different compression rate options, and
then press the Power/Menu button again to select and
save the desired compression. Options within the
Compression Rate Submenu are as follows:
Frequency (Anti-Flicker) Submenu
Press the Power/Menu button to enter the Main Menu,
press the Up button until the Frequency icon is selected
and then press the Shutter button to toggle between the
frequency options, and then press the Power/Menu
button to select and save the desired frequency.
Options within the Frequency Submenu are as follows:
Non-Compression Mode
Compression Mode

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Note: 60Hz is suitable for the U.S. and Japan, and
50Hz for Europe and Asia. Select the correct frequency
for the present conditions you find yourself.
Delete All Submenu
Press the Power/Menu button to enter the Main Menu,
press the Up button until the Delete All icon is selected
and then press the Shutter button to select this
submenu. Upon entering this submenu, you will be
shown the following screen, asking if you wish to Delete
All of the photos in the camera. Press the Up button to
move between options, select Yes to Delete All, or No
to Cancel. Press the Shutter button to confirm your
choice.
Note: Please use this feature only after you have
downloaded all the images to your computer. Once
deleted the images are lost forever and cannot be
retrieved.
50Hz
60Hz

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Battery Capacity Icons:
An icon will appear on the top right corner of your LCD
screen, showing the amount of battery power available.
Once the battery indicator falls below 35% it is
advisable to download the images to your computer as
quickly as possible so as not to lose them.
Once the batteries run low and the camera turns off, the
images may be erased from the camera`s memory.
Removing the batteries and replacing them with new
ones also erases the images from the camera`s
memory.
more than
70% power 35%-70% power

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5%-35%
power less than 5% power
Capturing Photos
TAKING INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS
You can compose your shot using the LCD screen.
Hold the camera steady and press the shutter button. A
beep will sound and the red LED indicator on the front
of the camera will light up, indicating that the photo has
been taken. Do not move the camera until you hear the
beep. Moving the camera while taking the picture will
cause the photo to blur.
After each photo is taken the number of photos left to
shoot at this resolution is displayed at the bottom left of
the LCD screen.
If the level of brightness is too low, two quick beeps will
sound, indicating that the photo cannot be taken.

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If there is not enough battery power, two quick beeps
will sound, indicating that the photo cannot be taken.
If the camera’s memory is full, two quick beeps will
sound, indicating that photos cannot be taken. In order
to continue taking photos you will need to download the
photos on the camera to the computer and then delete
them from the camera.
CONTINUOUS SHOT
Your camera can be set up to take 3 photos in one
continuous shot.
Select the Continuous shot mode from the camera
menu options on the LCD screen.
Press the Power/Menu button. Toggle between the
camera modes by pressing the Shutter button until the
continuous shot icon appears in the top left corner.
Press the Power/Menu button to save your choice. The
camera will show the continuous shot icon in the top left
corner - you can now take your shots.
Press the Shutter button once and the camera will take
3 consecutive shots saved in jpeg format. The red LED
indicator on the front of the camera will light up three
times and you will hear three beeps.

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TIMER
Your camera can be set up with the timer mode to take
a photo after 10 seconds.
Select the Timer shot mode from the camera menu
options on the LCD screen.
Press the Power/Menu button. Toggle between the
camera modes by pressing the Shutter button until the
Timer icon appears in the top left corner. Press the
Power/Menu button to save your choice. When the
Timer icon appears in the top left corner you can now
prepare your shot.
Press the Shutter button once and the timer will be
activated to take the photo after 10 seconds. The red
LED indicator on the front of the camera will light up
and a beep will sound every second.
PLAYBACK MODE
Press the Power/Menu button to power on the camera.
Press the Playback button on your camera in order to
view all the photos that are presently on your camera.
Press the Up button to navigate between the photos.