Hitachi VM-E55A manual

TABLE OF CONTENT S 1 1 HITA CHI Instruction Manual 8mm Video Camera/R ecorder VM-E53 A /VM-E 55A Hitachi Home Ele c tronics (A merica), Inc. HITA CHI (HSC) CA NA DA INC. 3890 Steve Rey nolds Blvd., N orcross, GA 30093 3300 Trans Canada Hig hway, Pointe Cla ire, Tel. 404-279-5600 Quebec, H9R 1B1, CAN ADA Tel. 514-697-9150 HITA CHI SA LES CORPORATION[...]

TABLE OF CONTENT S 2 TA BLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... 2 For Your Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Read This F[...]

TABLE OF CONTENT S 3 Connecti ng to a Telev ision wi th Audio In an d Video In J acks ..................................................... 37 Connecti ng to a Telev ision wi thout Audio In and Video In Jacks ............................................... 38 Simple Pl ayback (Usin g the Electr onic Viewfinder ) ....................................[...]

For Your Safety 4 F o r Y o u r S a f e t y The CAMERA/OFF/VIDEO swi tch turns the camera/recor der on and off, leaving the date/tim e feature unaffected. If the unit is to be left unattended for a l ong period of tim e, turn the cam era/recorder off and attach the lens cap. Illustrated bel ow is the label on the bottom of your unit. This symbol w [...]

For Your Safety 5 Caution to the user: Changes or modi fications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compli ance could void the user's author ity to operate the eq uipment. WA RNING: TO PREVENT FIR E OR SHOCK HA ZA RD, D O NOT EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RA IN OR MOISTURE.[...]

For Your Safety 6 MOISTURE W hen the camera/recorder is ex posed to rapid temperature chang es from cold to warm, drops of moisture can form inside the mechanism. A flashi ng "DEW " indication in the view finder indicates that moistur e has condensed on the recorder mechanism, w hich could result i n tape damage. Since condensation builds[...]

Read This First 7 R e a d T h i s F i r s t Thank you for buying a Hit achi product. You've chosen the best 8 mm video camer a/recorder for you, and we want to help you m ake the most of your pur chase. Please take time to becom e familiar with the m anual and how it is set up. Keep it handy for future refer ence. To guide you, we've incl[...]

Before You Begin 8 Before You Begin Any problems that occur as a result of any of the f ollowing conditions w ill not be covered by our w arranty .  Be careful that no water, dust or sand enters the camera/recorder .  W hen you shoot at a scene which contai ns an ex tr emel y bright obj ect such as the sun or a lig ht source, a bright v ertic[...]

IMPORT ANT SAFEG UARDS 9 line plug (a plug hav ing one blade wi der than the other). Th is plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. This i s a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the pl ug fully into the outlet, try rev ersing the plug. If the plug should still fail to f it, contact your electrician to replace y our obsolete outlet[...]

IMPORT ANT SAFEG UARDS 10 Caution: Maintain electri cal safety. Powerl ine operated equipment or accessor ies connected to this unit should bear the UL listing mark or CSA certi fication mark on the accessory i tsel f and should not hav e been modi fied so as to defeat the safety features. This will help avoid any potentia l hazard from electric sh[...]

IMPORT ANT SAFEG UARDS 11 could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the v ideo product. 16 Lightning -- For added protection for this vi deo product during a l ightning stor m, or when i t its left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable-sys[...]

IMPORT ANT SAFEG UARDS 12 adjustm e nt of other con trols may resu lt in damage a nd will ofte n require extensive work by a q ualified technician to restore the v ideo product to its normal operation. e. If the video product has been dr opped or the cabinet has been damaged. f. W hen the video product ex hibits a distinct chang e in performance - [...]

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCT IONS FOR AC ADAPTER/CHARGER 13 IMPORTA NT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FOR A C A DA PTER/CHA RGER 1. Save these instr uctions -- This page contains i mportant safety and operating instructions for AC Adapter /Charger Model VM-AC82A(R) . 2. Before using AC Adapter /Charger, read al l instructions and cautionar y marking s on (1) AC [...]

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCT IONS FOR AC ADAPTER/CHARGER 14 NOTES: • This unit uses 8mm vi deo fo rmat cassettes. • It records and play s back in the SP mode (14.3 mm/sec.). • It cannot record and play back in the LP mode (7.2 mm/sec.). Features • Easy to use • 16x z oom ratio • Instant zoom • Multi- f unction TV/Cam remote control • I[...]

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCT IONS FOR AC ADAPTER/CHARGER 15 Components and A ccessories Check that you hav e the following components and accessories before preceding. 1. AV output cord 2. Battery pack 3. AC adapter/charg er 4. Remote control batter y 5. Shoulder Strap 6. External power adapter 7. Remote control[...]

Getting Started 16 G e t t i n g S t a r t e d This section guides you thr ough the initial prepar ation of the camera/recor der. None of these processes are complex. Set aside som e time, relax, and familiariz e yourself with this quality instru ment. Enjoy getting to know all about your Hitachi 8m m camer a/recorder. The m ore comfortable and fam[...]

Getting Started 17 After charging set the mark switch to r ed so that you may q uickly identi fy whether the battery is char ged or uncharged. Note: T he marker switch is not concerned with the battery 's performance. A dditional Information To use a battery in opti mum condition: • Use the battery until the low charge lig ht ( ) flashes. Us[...]

Getting Started 18 A TTENTION: The product that you hav e purchased contains a recharg eable battery. The battery is recyclable. At the end of its useful life, under various state and local laws, it may be illegal to dispose of this battery into the municipal w aste stream. Check with y our local solid w aste officials for details in y our area for[...]

Getting Started 19 A djusting t he Electronic View finder The electronic v iewfinder adjusts si mply by pi voting i t to a position where i t is comfortable and easy to see thr ough. Place the view finder back in its ori ginal positi on before storing the camer a/recorder in its case or carrying the camera r ecorder around to avoid damag ing the v [...]

Getting Started 20 A ttaching the Optional Wide or Tele Converter Lens 1. To remove the lens hood, turn i t counterclockwis e. 2. Remove both caps of the conver ter lens. 3. Screw the l ens into the threads on the camera/recorder lens assembly. Loading Batteries Install the rem ote control battery now to prevent m isplacing it. Remote Control Batte[...]

Getting Started 21 IF SW ALLO W ED CONSULT A PHYSICIAN IMME DIA TELY FOR E MERGENCY TREATMENT. Note: Replace remote control battery with 3V mi cro lithium cells such as Maxell C R2025 or its equiv alent. Note: Dispose of battery safely in accor dance with local law s. Do not dispose of in fire. Camera/Recorder Battery Before you install the batter [...]

Getting Started 22 This symbol i ndicates a fully charg ed battery. This symbol i ndicates a partially charged battery . This flashing sy mbol indicates a battery nearly out of pow er. Use an alternate pow er source or charg e the battery before continuing to use the camera/recorder .[...]

Getting Started 23 Using A lternativ e Pow er Sources Using the A C A dapter/Ch arger Please ensure that the CAM ERA/OFF/VIDEO switch is in the OFF positi on whenever attaching or detaching any power supply (ie. battery, AC adapter /charger, etc.) 1. Plug the AC adapter /charger pow er cord into an AC outlet. M ake sure that the wide blade fits int[...]

Getting Started 24 camere/r ecorder for about 50 m inutes. Please ensure that the CAMERA/OFF/VID EO switch is in the OFF posi tion whenever attaching or detaching any power supply (ie. battery, AC adapter/char ger, etc.) 1. Insert six "AA" alkaline dry -cell batteries as show n, being sure not to confuse their polarity . 2. Align the ar r[...]

Getting Started 25 Inserting and Remov ing Cassettes A power source m ust be connected before inserting or r emoving cassettes. Once connected cassettes can be inserted or r emoved whether the CAMER A/OFF/VIDEO switch is on or off. Inserting a Cassette 1. Slide the EJECT sw itch in the direction of the arrow . The cassette door opens automatically [...]

Getting Started 26 Protecting Recorded Material Protect 8mm cassettes from accidental erasur e by sliding the tab on the side of the cassette towards the opposi te side until the tab is completel y visi ble. Slide the tab in the opposite directi on, until the tab disappears, to record on the cassette ag ain. A ttaching the Optional DC Camera Light [...]

Getting Started 27 vibr ations. • If the DC camera lig ht is turned on and off during recordi ng, there could be noise i n the picture. W atch the battery charg e indicator especiall y when usi ng a battery as the pow er source. • W hen the DC camera light i s used, the operation time of the camera/recorder when a fully-c harged battery pack is[...]

Getting Started 28 Note: Only replace the camera l ight bulb w ith VM-CP4L (opti onal) to reduce the risk of fire. Using Memory The linear ti me counter m emory stops a r ewinding tape at approxim ately 0:00:00M. This feature helps in l ocating a specific point in the tape to whi ch you wish to return. An exampl e might be that you have recorded so[...]

Getting Started 29 1. Load the battery ( "Loading the Batteries: C amera/Recorder battery " p 14). Press the red button on the CAMERA/OFF/VID EO switch as y ou slid it to CAMERA. 2. Press the DATE button and look into the v iewfinder. The date and time should appear in the low er right w ith the "1" flashing. 3. Pressing the F.F[...]

Getting Started 30 Correcting the Date and Time 1. Press the DATE button whi le pressing the stop button. The flashing cursor appears at the month. 2. Move to w here you need to make the cor rection wi th the STOP button and use the F.FW D and REW /REVIEW to correct. 3. Press the DATE button to set the corrected date and time. A utomatic Da te Reco[...]

Getting Started 31 Remaining Tape The tape rem aining display shows the rem aining tape that can be used for recordi ng and playback, using seven dashes. This featur e is handy when recording since i t lets you know how long you can record on the l oaded tape. Insert a cassette into the camera/r ecorder and start recording or playback; 10 seconds l[...]

Getting Started - Identif yi ng Controls 32 Getting Sta rted - Identi fy ing Controls Left side / Front Controls Il lustration 1. Lens F1.4 (6~46mm) 8:1 pow er zoom l ens with auto focus and auto iris functions. 2. Record Indicator This indicator l ights when the camer a/recorder is recor ding. 3. Infrared Receiv er The area wher e infrared signals[...]

Getting Started - Identif yi ng Controls 33 11. EIS (Electronic Image Stabilizer) But ton (Only for VM-E55A ) EIS corrects sligh t shaking o f an im age ("Using th e Electron ic Im age Stab ilizer," p. 32). 12. FOCUS Control (A UTO/MAN) Buttons (Only for VM-E5 5 A ) Press these buttons simultaneousl y to select manual or automati c focus.[...]

Getting Started - Identif yi ng Controls 34 23. REW/REVIEW But ton Use this button to fast rew ind tapes or for visual search. During v isual search the camcorder rew inds at approx imately 7 times normal playback speed. Also use this button to set date and time. Furthermor e, use this button to review the last few seconds of the tape you are recor[...]

Getting Started - Identif yi ng Controls 35 Use this button to cr eate and record titles for your tapes ("Creating and R ecording Titles," p 35). 33. DISPLA Y Button (only on the remote control) Use this button to sel ect the view f inder and TV display ("Us ing the Displ ay Button," p 19). 34. A/V DUB Button (only on the remote[...]

Basic T echniques 36 Basic Techniques The batteries are in place and charged, the date and time are set, and you are fam iliar with the controls it 's time to m ake a recording. Basic recording i s easy and simple. Hooking up the cam era/recorder to your TV i s not complic ated but give yourself plenty of time to ensur e connections are correc[...]

Basic T echniques 37 6. To stop recording pr ess the Start/Stop button and REC disappears from the view finder replaced by . This places the camera/recor der in standby. Note: TAPE END f lashes in the viewfinder w hen about 3 minutes or l ess r emain of the tape cassette. Note: If the camera/recorder is left in record/pause mode for more than 5 min[...]

Basic T echniques 38 3. Turn on your tel evision. 4. Insert the prev iously recor ded cassette into the camera/recorder. 5. Hold dow n the red button on the CAMERA/OFF/VIDEO sw itch whil e sliding the switch to VIDEO. 6. Press the PLAY button to beg in playback. 7. Press the STOP button when finished. Connecting to a Television without A udio In an[...]

Advanced T echniques 39 Using Forw a rd and Reverse Search W hen looking for a particular poi nt in your v ideotape use the F.FW D button and REW /REVIEW button to find the spot quickly. • Press F.FW D button during play back to play the tape forw ard at approximately 9 times normal speed. Press PLAY button to return to normal pl ayback. • Pres[...]

Advanced T echniques 40 Using the Pow e r Zoom The power z oom W control w idens the picture, mov ing the subject farther aw ay, whi le the power zoom T control bring s the subject closer, narrow ing the pictur e. If appears at the left of the view finder, the digital z oom function shown below has been engaged.[...]

Advanced T echniques 41 Using the Digital Zoom The digital z oom increases the magni fication of the power z oom by 2 times. You must place the subject y ou wish to magni fy at the center of the view finder. Note: W hen the digital z oom is used, the more the imag e is magnified, the roug her the picture becomes. Also ev en a slight shaking of the [...]

Advanced T echniques 42 Using A uto Focus The camera/recorder focuses the subject in the center of the viewfinder automatic ally unless the manual focus is engag ed. W ith the VM-E55A, if appears i n the viewfinder , manual focus is engaged. Pr ess the FOCUS control (AUTO/MAN ) buttons simultaneously to return to auto focus. The auto focus will not[...]

Advanced T echniques 43 Objects wi th little difference in light r ef lection such as a w hite wall Rapidly moving objects Dark objects Note: W ith the T zoom control y ou can use the auto f ocus with subjects that are 3.6 feet away from the lens and further away to infinity. W ith the W zoom control y ou can use the auto focus with subjects 1.2 in[...]

Advanced T echniques 44 The electronic image stabilizer (EIS) corrects slight shaking of the im age being recorded and is effective in the follow ing situations. • W hile you zoom to a distant subj ect. • W hile you approach a small subj ect. • W hile you wal k around. • W hile you record from inside a mov ing v ehicle. 1. Press the EIS but[...]

Advanced T echniques 45 • W ipe f ade: The picture opens gradual ly from the center of a black screen or cl oses into the center to a black screen. appears i n the upper left corner of the view finder. • Zoom fade: Fades in while z ooming from a w hite screen or fades out whil e zooming to a white scr een. appears in the upper left corner of th[...]

Advanced T echniques 46 Using Instant Rev iew Use this feature to v iew the last few seconds of the tape you shot. 1. Set the camera/recorder to record/pause mode and tap the REW /REVIEW button. The last few seconds of tape play back in r everse and then in nor mal playback mode. 2. The camera plays back to the spot w here you paused and r eturns t[...]

Advanced T echniques 47 Creating and Recording Titles Create titl es easily and personaliz e your recordings while keeping a per manent visual record of what is contai ned on a tape. The camera/recor der can store 2 different titl es in its m emory. A title stor ed in mem ory can be displayed and recorded at any ti me. A title contains two lines of[...]

Advanced T echniques 48 7. Complete the title by repeating steps 5 and 6. 8. W hen you complete your ti tle, press PLAY to create a second titl e as required, or press the TITLE ON/OFF button on the remote control to store the ti tle in memory and remove the ti tle graphics from the v iewfinder. Note: As long as the correct curr ent time can be dis[...]

Advanced T echniques 49 3. Use the PLAY button to sel ect a title from memory. 4. Press the TITLE ON/OFF button on the remote control to turn titl e off . 5. Turn on the VCR and set it to r ecord. Hold down the r ed button on the CAMERA/OFF/VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to VIDEO. Press PLAY on th e camera/recorder . 6. Press the TITLE ON/OF[...]

Advanced T echniques 50 2. Connect the AV output cord to the AUDIO IN and VIDEO IN jacks of your VCR. 3. Hold dow n the red button of the CAMERA/OFF/VIDEO sw itch while y ou slide the switch to VIDEO. 4. Insert the recorded tape i n the camera/recorder and a blank tape i nto the VCR. Set the VCR to record. 5. Play the tape from the camer a/recorder[...]

Advanced T echniques 51 0:00:00M. Rew ind to the point wher e you wi sh to start recording and star t copying. W hen the linear time counter reaches 0:00:00 the r ecording stops automaticall y, pausing the VCR in the record mode. Note: If the tape counter reads "0:00:00M" y ou cannot start recording .[...]

Advanced T echniques 52 Controlling Your TV with the Camera/Recorder The remote control is designed to be com patible with many televisions, but will not work with every one m ade. If your TV does not respond the way it should when you pr ogram it as explained bel ow, this remote m ay be incapable of operating i t. Once you have program med the rem[...]

Advanced T echniques 53 Gold Star 2 STOP NEC PAUSE (START/STOP) RCA DISP LAY Panasonic TITLE ON/OFF Mitsubishi ZOOM.(T) JVC COUNTER RESET Sharp S.EDIT Controlling the TV Once progr ammed, the camera/recorder's remote contr ol is ready to contr ol the TV. • Press the button of the TV function that you want. Be awar e that not all of your TV&a[...]

Advanced T echniques 54 Using A udio/Video Dubbing Use audio/v ideo dubbing to r ecord audio and video from the camer a/recorder's built- in microphone and camera onto a pr eviously recorded tape in the camera/r ecorder. Audio/Video Dubbi ng Diag ram 1. Hold dow n the red button on the CAMERA/OFF/VIDEO sw itch whil e sliding the switch to VIDE[...]

General Maintenance 55 Recording Television Programs If your television or VCR has AUDIO OUT and VIDEO OUT jacks you can record televi sion programs w ith your camer a/recorder. Recordin g TV Dia gram 1. Connect the camera/recor der to a power sour ce. 2. Insert a cassette in the camera/r ecorder. 3. Hold dow n the red button on the CAMERA/OFF/VIDE[...]

General Maintenance 56 If after cleaning the heads the picture does not cl ear up consult your near est dealer or VCR serv ice center for professional head cleani ng.[...]

General Maintenance 57 Cleaning the Lens and Picture Tube of the Electronic View finder The lens of the electronic vi ewfinder can be user-c leaned if dust, dirt, or other foreig n matter adheres to it. Cleaning the Lens Illustration 1. Pull out the ey e cup to the position wher e a mark can be seen (up to a half wher e it is pulled out all the way[...]

General Maintenance 58 Troubleshooting Quality is ver y important at H itachi. We inspect and check every camera/recorder carefully at the factory under the most rigid quality control and inspection system s. If problem s develop please check the following possi ble solutions before inqui ring about professional serv ice. INSERTING OR REM OVING THE[...]

General Maintenance 59 PLA YBA CK OF PRE-RECORDED CASSETTE PLA YBA CK OF PRE- RECORDED CASSET TE Symptom Check Point & Corr ection “PLAY” button cannot be engaged. Set the pow er swi tch to “VIDEO” position. No picture appear s on television screen w hen “PLAY” button is pr essed. Set the televi sion to the camera/recorder channel ([...]

General Maintenance 60 EJECT OR TROUBLE DISPLAY Symptom Check Point & Corr ection EJECT or TROUBLE appears in the view finder. Remove the cassette and then tr y to reinsert, remov e it several times. If the indication is still sh own in the view finder, use a cleaning tape to clean the heads and replace the cassette.[...]

Specific ations 61 S p e c i f i c a t i o n s General Specifications Power r equirements 6V DC Power consumpti on VM-E53A: 5.0W (when r ecording) VM-E55A: 5.3W (when recording) Dimensions 3-9/16" W x 4-9/16" H x 8-1/16" D (91mm x 116mm x 205mm) W eight VM-E53A: 1.6 lbs ( 710g) wi thout battery pack, lens hood, lens cap or cassette V[...]

Accesso ri es Add Excitement 62 Hitachi Home Elect ronics (A merica), Inc. Hitachi has made ev ery effort to assure y ou hours of trouble free operation from your unit. How ever, should y ou requir e service, a netw ork of Hitachi Authori zed Serv ice Facilities has been established in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Each facility will prov ide you [...]

Accesso ri es Add Excitement 63 By Mail Complete the order f orm on page 53. Detach it and send it to the follow ing address w ith your cr edit card information, money or der, or check (in U.S. cur rency and payabl e to Hitachi Home El ectronics (America) , Inc.) Hitachi Home Elect ronics (A merica), Inc. Parts Division 401 West A rtesia B lvd. Com[...]