The camera referred to throughout this section is the Panasonic AG-DVC15E. It is a 3-chip video camera which uses MiniDV camera tapes (preferably Panasonic). It will give you excellent results if you can control it.

Do Nots
Do not rely on Auto functions. The more manual control you have over your camera the better your results will be.

Do not panic. If the camera is left on pause for 6 minutes it will switch itself off. To resume recording you will need to switch the camera off and back on again.

Do not use the camera in Long Play (LP) mode.

Don't drop or knock the camera. Always check that it is firmly set on the tripod with all sliders locked before letting go of the camera handle.

Do not panic. If your camera will not record, check that the VCR light is not on, that there is no condensation, that the tape is not at the end, that the slider on the tape itself is not set to Save.

Do not place the camera on or near TVs, speakers or other magnetised equipment. This will damage your picture and sound quality on your recorded tape and possibly erase it altogether.

Do not leave the camera unattended, even if it is locked in the boot of your car.

Do not try to clean it, and do not try to fix it or open the case in any way. If it is not working properly let us know at the Media Centre. There is probably an easy remedy.

Camera Death
Cameras are killed by water, dust, sand and impact. These are generally not covered by insurance so take great care with the kit in situations where such damage might occur. Do not leave the lens or finder pointing at the sun as this will fry some of the internal components.

Condensation
If condensation forms in the camera (due to temperature changes) do not use it. The condensation indicator will flash (looks like a water droplet) and many functions will be disabled. You must remove the tape from the camera, leave the tape door open, and wait for 2 to 3 hours. If the problem is only with the lens (ie a fogged up lens) switch the camera off and wait for an hour. Note that condensation is water inside the camera. If you do not solve this problem before attempting to use it you will either obtain no results or will break the camera, and damage caused by neglect is not covered by insurance.

Batteries
Always take the battery out of the camera when you have finished using it. Before removing the battery turn the camera off, hold your hand over the battery to prevent it falling, and press the release which is positioned right above the battery. When inserting the battery make sure that it is pointing downwards.

Your battery will last for up to an hour. This time is shortened by starting and stopping recording, by using the pull-out LCD screen or the motorised zoom, and by low temperatures. The battery level is shown as an icon in the display which will flash when the battery is almost exhausted.

It will take 2 hours to charge the battery. If the Charge Lamp flashes when you insert the battery leave it for a while and charging will begin automatically. When the Charge Lamp on the AC Adapter goes out your battery is fully charged. The cable which plugs into the camera must be removed for the adapter to charge the battery. Use the slider on the battery to show that it is charged (red dot showing for fully charged).

Do not keep the battery in a pocket or bag where there is dust, moisture or metal objects which might touch the contacts. This will ruin the battery and may result in burns.

NEXT PAGE

Intro - Camera - Controls - Zoom - Tripod - Shot Categories - Movements - Sequences - Composition - Audio - Better Sound - The Procedure

HDV Video Production - HDV Video Zone - DV Cameras