DC-3270DV Complere User Guide Package Content: USB cable AV cable Earphone Hand Strap Pouch Installation CD Users Manual
Introduction Welcome Thank you for selecting the new Argus DC-3270 Digital Video Camera! It is our goal to make your digital imaging experience the best that we can. If you ever get stuck, have a question or simply need some advice about using your new DC-3270 digital video camera please feel free to visit our live technicians at http://www.arguscamera.com/support/contact_tech.htm or call us at 1-224-836-3400 option number 4.
Introduction • • • • • To store the camera, wrap it in a clean, soft cloth and place it in a cool, dry, dust-free place. Do not place the camera directly under the sun or in extreme heat. Take care of the lens. Use a soft, damp cloth to clean it. Do not scratch the Lens, LCD Monitor or Viewfinder. If the LCD Monitor is damaged, do not touch it. Condensation is a problem when bringing cold equipment into a warm room. Place the camera in a plastic bag so condensation forms on the outside of the bag.
Specifications Specifications • • • • • • • • • Image Sensor: 3.2 mega pixel CMOS sensor Digital Camera Resolution: - 2048 x 1536 [3 Mega Pixel] - 1600 x 1200 [2 Mega Pixel] - 640 x 480 [VGA - 0.3 Mega pixel] Image Quality Option: Super Fine; Fine; Normal Digital Camcorder Resolution options: - VGA: 640 x 480 at 27fps - QVGA: 320 x 240 at 30fps LCD Display: 1.
Specifications • • • • • • • • • Voice File Format: WAV White Balance: Auto / Manual (Sunny, cloudy, Fluorescent, Tungsten) Flash Modes: Anti-Red Eye, Automatic, On, Off Microphone: Built-in Zoom: 8X Digital Zoom for Photo taking; 4X Digital Zoom for Movie taking Range of focus: 1.2m to Infinity Self-timer: 10 second delay TV output: PAL/ NTSC USB connectivity: version 2.0 (Compatible with 1.
Specifications • • Internal Storage: 64MB Internal Flash Memory Number of images stored in 64MB (typical): 6
Specifications NOTE: • • The above figures are only estimates. The actual numbers will vary depending on scene (image) complexity. Compatibility with all SD/MMC memory cards is NOT guaranteed. Note: When playing an MPEG4 movie on PC for the first time, please install Mpeg4 Movie Driver (included in CD ROM) before connecting to PC.
System Requirements System Requirements The minimum system requirements for the digital camera are as the following: System Requirement OS Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP CPU Pentium MMX, Celeron or AMD Athlon or higher RAM 64 MB CD-ROM 4X or above HDD Hard drive with 500MB free disk space Color display: 16-bit USB port QuickClix 3270DV 8
Package Contents • • • • • • • • USB cable AV cable Earphone Hand Strap Pouch Installation CD (Users Manual, camera drivers) Users Manual Warranty Card 9
Installing Software Driver Before connecting this camera to a computer for the first time, you should install a driver on the computer. The driver is on the CD-ROM disc provided in the package. To install the driver: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Insert installer CD into the CD-ROM drive Close the CD-ROM drive. An installer wizard will automatically launch. If the installer wizard does not appear, then You can click Start in the Windows Taskbar. Then, select Run to continue.
Installing Software Driver *Follow the on-screen instructions to complete driver installation.
Installing Software Driver 12
Installing Software Driver 13
Identifying the Parts 14
Control Button Functions 15
Control Button Functions 16
Preparation Loading the Battery into the Camera Your camera runs on four AAA alkaline batteries. High performance batteries are recommended for this camera for maximum battery life. 1. 2. 3. Slide the battery compartment cover open in the direction as indicated Place the batteries into the compartment. Note that the positive and negative ends cannot be reversed. After the battery is properly installed, close the battery compartment door firmly.
Preparation Note: If you remove the battery from the camera, you will need to set the date and time again the next time you reinsert the battery and use the camera. Inserting and Removing an SD Card (Optional) The video camera comes with 64 MB pre-build memory which allows you to store pictures, movies, recorded voice. You can expand the memory capacity by using an optional SD or MMC memory card up to 512MB.
Preparation 1. Open the SD card cover 2. Insert the memory card until it locks into position To remove an installed SD card, press the card inwards to release it. When the card pops out, gently remove it from its slot. Note: • Do not remove the SD/MMC card while the camera is processing data (when the LED is flashing). When a memory card is fitted, movies and pictures are saved on card rather than on the built-in memory. And, the SD card icon will be shown on LDC display.
Preparation Protecting Data on an SD Card The SD card comes with a write-protect switch. When the write-protect switch is set to the Lock position, the card will become non-writable. To ensure that the camera can operate normally, you should set the write-protect switch to the Unlock position before inserting the SD card. If you insert a write-protected card, the media icon on the LCD display will become red.
Preparation 21
Attaching the Strap 1. 2. Thread the strap through the camera strap eyelet as shown. Thread the other end of strap through the loop.
Using the Bag 1. 2. 3. The accessory bag comes handy if you are planning to carry the camera with you while you are traveling around. Simply put the camera into the bag as indicated, and you are ready to carry the camera with you. Please put your hand through the wrist strap and firmly hold the camera as illustrated. While taking photo with flash light, avoid blocking the strobe flash to retain the best result.
Getting Started Turning the Camera On 1. 2. Flip out the LCD panel; the camera will turn on automatically. Or press power button for one second to turn on it.
Getting Started Turning the Camera Off To turn off the Camera, you can either press and hold the power button for one second, or you can place the panel back to its original position. Checking Battery Power When the camera is on, you will see the battery power indicator on the bottom left corner of the LCD monitor screen. It shows you the battery power level.
Monitor Screen Contents Digital Video Mode The monitor screen uses various indicators and icons to keep you informed of the status of under video mode. 1. MODE Status Indicator • Movie Recording Mode • Photo Taking Mode • Playback Mode [Movie/Photo/Voice] • Voice Recording Mode 2.
Monitor Screen Contents 3. Movie Quality • 640 x 480Pixels (30fps) • 320 x 240Pixels (30fps) (Hints: You can press the arrow key to toggle around above quality setting for quick access!) 4. Movie Quality • Movie Recording in progress • Movie Recording Standby 5. Recording time • Elapsed time (hh:mm:ss) : While movie recording in progress • Remaining recording time (hh:mm:ss) : While in standby status 6.
Monitor Screen Contents 7. Battery Level Indicator 8. Storage Media Type • • Memory card (SD/MMC) is using. (icon turns red): memory card is write protected.
Monitor Screen Contents Digital Camera Mode The monitor screen uses various indicators and icons to keep you informed of the status of under camera mode. 1. MODE Status Indicator • • • • 2.
Monitor Screen Contents 3. Photo Resolution • 2048 x 1536pixels • 1600 x 1200pixels • 640 x 480pixels (Hints: You can press the arrow key to toggle around above resolution-modes for quick access.) 4. Photo Quality • SF : SUPER FINE • F : FINE • N : NORMAL (Hints: You can press the arrow key to toggle around above quality setting for quick access.
Monitor Screen Contents 5. Flash Mode 6. Self Timer 7. Photo Counter • No. of Pictures / Remaining Shots 8.
Setting the Default Menu Different menus are available for Movie, Photo, Playback, and Voice recording mode. To access the menu: 1. Press the MENU button to open the main menu under different mode. The selected mode menu is displayed on the LCD screen. 2. Use the arrows to navigate through function items. 3. Use the [OK] button to enter to specific function item. (The selected function/option is highlighted with color.) 4.
Setting the Default SETUP MODE You can customize the camera settings for your own use, as well as for shooting-related functions. Press the [MENU] button to display a menu for the selected mode. (The Setup menu is displayed in all modes.) 1. Power on the camera. 2. Press [MENU] button, and use the 3. Use the [OK] button to enter to Setup Mode. 4. Use 4-way arrow button to navigate through the available function (The selected function/ option is highlighted with color.
Setting the Default 34
Capturing Movies This mode allows you to take motion video with sound in the Movie Mode. Video is stored in memory with high quality MPEG4 compression with at low file sizes. The length of recorded movie clip is unlimited (maximum length depends on memory size of SD/MMC card). TO CAPTURE A MOVIE: 1. Turn the Mode Dial to [ ] DV mode. 2. Press [ ] button repeatedly to select Movies resolution [VGA] / [QVGA]. 3. To start recording, press [REC] button once.
Capturing Movies Menu Settings (DV Mode) When in DV [ ] mode, you can use the default settings that have already been chosen for video recording. If you want to change the recording settings to suit your needs, press the Menu button. Then use the 4-way arrow keys to go through each setting and make adjustments. The following sections describe about the video recording settings. Changing resolution (DV Mode) Your camera offers 2 choices in resolution: "VGA" or "QVGA".
Capturing Movies Note: - If the moving picture is recorded again after stopping recording, it will be saved as another file. - Exposure Value, White Balance, Strobe Flashetc. adjustments cannot be selected during recording of MPEG4 moving pictures. Changing Zoom Level (DV Mode) While recording, you can press the [ T ] or [ W ] button to zoom in/out the screen. The digital zoom can be set from 1x to 8x and the magnification ratio is shown on the LCD monitor.
Capturing Movies • Exposure Compensation Range: -2.0EV to +2.0EV Steps: 1 /3EV. Exposure compensation lets you change the exposure setting (EV value) manually to adjust for the lighting of your subject. This feature helps to achieve better results when recording a backlit subject, a strongly lit subject indoors, and a subject that is against a dark background. Other Video Recording Settings In the below table, default setting is indication with an asterisk [*].
Capturing Movies DC-3270DV equips with 3.2-Mega Pixel sensor can take high quality images with up to 2432 x 1824 pixels.
Taking Pictures TO TAKE PHOTO: 1. Turn the Mode Dial to [ ] Camera mode. 2. Press [ ] button repeatedly to select photo resolution setting [3MP] / [2MP] / [VGA], Or, press [ ] button to select photo resolution [SF] Super Fine/ [F] Fine / [N] Normal (See next section “Photo Resolution Vs Photo Quality) 3. To start shooting photo, press [REC] button once. Note: Before photo is taken, you can see number of [total no. of photos have been taken] / [remaining shots] on top right corner of LCD.
Taking Pictures The following sections describe about the menu settings. Changing resolution (Camera Mode) Your camera offers 3 choices in resolution: • 2048 x 1536pixels • 1600 x 1200pixels • 640 x 480pixels TIPS - Choice of Resolution – While in Camera mode, you can press [ ] key to toggle the resolution without entering the options menu. • [3M] allows a photo to be taken as sharp as possible, which is suitable for 7 x 5 Photo printout; too large for email.
Taking Pictures Photo Quality (Camera Mode) • SF: SUPER FINE • F: FINE • N: NORMAL You can press [ ] key to toggle around above quality setting for quick access! TIPS – Photo Resolution Vs Photo Quality: • In general, photos taken at higher resolution and quality contain more details and look sharper, but they also take up more memory space as well as longer processing time for taking next photos. To maximize the number of photos to be stored, you can choose a lower quality setting.
Taking Pictures Using the Flash (Camera Mode) In camera mode, press [ ] button to toggle Flash mode. Changing Zoom Level While recording, you can press the [ T ] or [ W ] button to zoom in/out the screen. The digital zoom can be set from 1x to 8x and the magnification ratio is shown on the LCD monitor. In the below table, default setting is indication with an asterisk [*].
Other Camera Settings 44
Other Camera Settings 45
Playback Mode Playing Movie 1. Turn the Mode Dial to (Playback) Mode, then the last file, e.g. Movie / Photo / Audio, taken will be displayed. 2. Press [ ] key once to display 6-images [thumbnail display]. 3. Use the 4-way keys select the movie you want to view. The selected recording is border by a red frame. 4. Press the [OK] button once to view [single display] on the selected movie file. 5. Press the [REC] button once to play the movie, press the button again to pause the movie playback.
Playback Mode 47
Playback Mode Playing Photos 1. Turn the Mode Dial to (Playback) Mode, then the last file, e.g. Movie / Photo / Audio, taken will be displayed. 2. Press [ ] key once to display 6-images [thumbnail display]. 3. Use the 4-way keys select the photo you want to view. The selected recording is border by a red frame. 4. Press the [OK] button once to view [single display] on the selected photo file.
Viewing Pictures & Movies on TV Playing Photos Connect your camera and TV via an AV cable for real-time display. You can export your video clips, still pictures and audio recordings directly to your TV to share them with friends and family. 1. Turn on your TV and select the appropriate Video Input channel to which the camera is connected. 2. Connect the audio and video ends of the AV cable to your TV. 3. Connect the other end to your camera (AV Out port).
Viewing Pictures & Movies on TV 4. Turn on the camera, and turn Rotary Dial to Playback mode. 5. Entering to TV option mode by pressing the [ ] cursor 6. Select [YES], and press "OK" button to confirm entering into TV mode. The steps for viewing stored pictures and movie on a TV are exactly the same as for viewing them on the LCD monitor. TIPS – Hide On-Screen Info: [OK] button allows to hide/show on-screen info of the file.
Viewing Pictures & Movies on TV 7. To return back from TV mode to LCD display mode, repeat step 5 & step 6. The following screen will appear on TV to guide you return to LCD display mode. Notes: – The LCD monitor will be turn off when TV mode is being activated. – The default setting of TV system is in PAL mode for most European countries. If your TV is using NTSC instead of PAL, you need to change TV system setting to NTSC; otherwise the output images will not be displayed properly.
Viewing Pictures & Movies on TV 52
Viewing Pictures & Movies on TV Notes – DPOF : – DPOF print settings can be configured for images only, not for video clips. – DPOF print settings can be configured for images on memory card only (NOT for internal memory). After DPOF settings have been configured, a folder titled “MISC”, which holds DPOF settings information, will be created on the root level of the storage devices.
Deleting Files 4. Press the [MENU] button to enter to delete mode. 5. Press the [OK] button once to select [Delete One] file, [Delete All] files in the memory. 6. Select [YES] to confirm deleting record, or select [NO] to cancel delete.
VIEWING MPEG4 MOVIE ON PC MPEG4 Movie DC-3270DV allows you to take motion video with sound in the Movie Mode. Video is stored in memory with high quality MPEG4 compression with at low file sizes. The length of recorded movie clip is unlimited (maximum length depends on memory size of SD/MMC card). When playing MPEG4 movie for the first time, MPEG4 Video Codec Xvid should be installed in PC. To do this: 1. Insert the CD-ROM into the computers CD-ROM drive.
VIEWING MPEG4 MOVIE ON PC Note: Application software for playing AVI, e.g. Windows Media Player, Quick Time, etc., is NOT included in this camera package. You have to make sure that application program, exists on your computer system. Share MPEG4 Movie You can share the recorded MPEG4 movies to your friends via internet or CD. Make sure MPEG4 Video Codec Xvid is installed in your friends PC. MPEG4 Video Codec Xvid is available in the provided CD or can be downloaded from Internet.
TRANSFERRING FILES 57
Copying Files to a PC 58
Copying Files to a PC 59
Copying Files to a PC 60
Copying Files to a PC Note: Please do not copy any files into the “DCIM” folder or “100COACH” folder of your camera. Otherwise it may cause the camera unstable or crash.
Removing the Camera Use the procedure below when disconnecting the USB cable from a Windows PC • Windows ME Users 1. Double-click the (Eject or Unplug Hardware) icon in the task bar in the lower-right corner of the desktop. 2. Select (USB Disk) and then click (Stop).
Removing the Camera 3. Select (USB Disk) and then click (OK). 4. When the “The ‘USB Disk E:’ device can now be safely removed from the system” message appears, click OK. 5. Disconnect the USB cable from PC and camera.
Removing the Camera • Windows 2000 or Windows XP Users 1. Double-click the (Eject or Unplug Hardware) icon in the task bar in the lower-right corner of the desktop. 2. Select (USB Mass Storage Device) and then click (Stop).
Removing the Camera 3. Select (Zoran Coach6 (162) USB Device) and then click (Stop). 4. When the “The ‘USB Mass Storage Device’ can now be safely removed from the system” message appears, click OK.
Removing the Camera • Windows 98 or Windows 98SE Users In My Computer, Right click on the removable disk corresponding to the camera. Select Eject from the Menu.
Thank You We hope you enjoy your new Argus DC-3270 Digital Video Camera for many years to come. If you should have any questions or require further assistance on how to use the DC3270 dv camera please visit us at www.arguscamera.com and select support. We offer free telephone support, live on line chats, frequently asked questions and answers and overnight email responses. Also, please visit us at www.arguscamera.
