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Owner’s Manual
BLUEFIN HC7
www.uwimaging.com
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Standard Warranty Light & Motion provides a limited warranty to the original purchaser for the Bluefin HC7 housing against all defects in original workmanship and material, under normal use and service, for one year from the date of purchase with the following exceptions: Lamps are warranted for 30 days, batteries are warranted for 90 days, and battery chargers are only warranted for use in the US and Canada. Using a battery charger in conjunction with a voltage converter is NOT considered
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Welcome Congratulations on your purchase of a Bluefin HC7 video housing. Please inspect the packaging of your product to verify that there was no damage during shipping. If you are not familiar with your camera’s features, please take time to become familiar with the camera before you proceed in this manual. This manual assumes you have a working knowledge of your camera and will only cover operational procedures related to the Bluefin HC7 video housing. Periodically refer to the website f
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Table of Contents Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Camera Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 P-Menu Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mounting the Camera in the Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Getting Started Illustrated below are the locations of Bluefin’s features and functions. Take time to familiarize yourself with the housing. Monitor Base Light Arm Base Lens Lock Flip Filter Lever Manual Button Self-Locking Rotary Latch (one on each side) Camera Control Knob Monitor Bulkhead ON/MODE Button Touch Screen Controls
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Camera Preparation 1. Install a fully charged Sony “InfoLithium” H series battery pack (NP-FH100 recommended). 2. Install a HD DVC tape into your camcorder. 3. If still images are desired, install a Memory Stick Duo. Press the Flash button on the right side of the camcorder to disable the camcorder’s built-in flash preventing the flash from reflecting back into the camcorder’s lens. 4. Open the camcorder’s LCD screen. Rotate the LCD screen 180 degrees so the LCD screen is facing away f
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(See P-MENU Matrix on page 13) P-MENU Setup The P-MENU is a customizable menu that allows quick access to commonly used camera features. This is very useful underwater since controls such as White Balance can only be accessed through the camera’s menu system. The Bluefin HC7 uses an improved set of window mounted controls for access to the camera’s touch screen. These controls consist of 3 fixed position buttons (labeled F1, F2, and F3) and a single rotary control. The rotary control
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Sort an item on the P-MENU The instructions below will use the X. V. Color control as an example of how to sort an item on the P-MENU. X. V. COLOR is an emerging standard that expands the color range used during capture and display of moving images. The HDR-HC7 camcorder supports this standard. But, the position of the control that turns it on needs to be moved to allow use of the control with the Bluefin HC7. Take the following steps to move this control. 1, If you have not just done so, re
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Add an item to the P-MENU Some items that are useful during underwater photography are not on the P-MENU in its factory condition. But these items can be moved to the P-MENU to allow access to them in the Bluefin HC7. ZEBRA will be used as an example of how to add an item to the P-MENU. ZEBRA displays diagonal stripes in the image in areas where the brightness is at or above a preset value. The stripes are not recorded. ZEBRA can be useful in understanding if part of the image will be overex
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P-Menu Matrix Sony HC7 Functions usable in On HC7 P-Menu Required Change to P-Menu Bluefin HC7 Video Housing after RESET Position after RESET Scene Select Smth Slw Rec None TeleMacro Fader Exposure** Move to mid or lower P-Menu positions Shutter Speed** AE Shift** Yes WB Shift** None White Bal (except “Outdoor”) X.V. Color Move to mid or lower P-Menu positions Dial Set Beep None Language Focus** Quick Record Auto Slw Shtr Color Slow S Zebra Histogram Self Timer Digital Zoom Steady Shot Conv. Le
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Mounting the Camera 1. Remove the rear plate by pushing the Latch Locks in and rotating the latches down and forward of the housing body (Refer Fig. 8). 2. Remove the Camera Tray. a. Push forward on the Camera Tray. b. Press the Camera Tray Release Latch down (Refer Fig. 9). The Camera Tray is spring loaded and will slide out of the housing. 3. Position the Camera Tray underneath the camera. The camera’s alignment hole (forward of the camera’s threaded hole) should fit over the pin
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Camera Tray Release (Fig. 8) (Fig. 9) Microphone A/V Out (on front of camera) LANC cable (Fig. 10) (Fig. 11) Lights MOM AF Photo Dis. AF/Off Far/+ Tele Photo REC Near/- Wide (Fig. 12) (Fig. 13) 11
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Right Smart Grip Controls (Refer Fig. 14) Tele - Zooms camcorder to telephoto. Wide - Zooms camcorder to wide angle. Rec - Toggles camcorder between record/standby. Mom.Af - Press and hold this button to put the camcorder into “momentary AF”. Camcorder remains in AF as long as the button is pressed. Once released, the camcorder switches to manual focus. This is useful in stopping the camcorder from “seeking” when filming in a low contrast environment. To return the camcorder
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ON/MODE Button (Fig. 14) (Fig. 15) (Fig. 16) (Fig. 17a) (Fig. 17b) 13
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Using the Bluefin in VTR Mode Push the Bluefin’s Mode button until the camcorder enters VTR Mode as listed and illustrated below, the Bluefin’s Smart Grip Controls allow you to controls the camcorder’s VTR functions while the camcorder is still inside the Bluefin. Left Smart Grip Controls (Refer Fig. 18) Far - Frame Back while paused and reverse direction during playback Near - Frame Advance while paused Photo Dis. - Rewind Lights - Not used Photo - Captures still image to Memory Stick Ri
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Lens Installation / Removal To Install Lens 1. Perform O-ring inspection. 2. Align lens to housing details. 3. Press lens into housing. 4. Rotate clockwise until Locking pin engages. To Remove Lens 1. Slide Locking pin outward away from lens. 2. Rotate lens counter clockwise. 3. Pull away from housing. Reversing Smart Grip Button Functions Smart Grips can be programmed to swap left and right button functions. This is useful if a Smart Grip battery becomes exhausted during a dive. You then can s
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Bluefin Monitors - Getting Started Illustrated below are the components of the Compact Monitor and the Remote Monitor. Take time to identify and become familiar with each part. Compact Monitor Remote Monitor Bulkhead Lens Shade Clamp Assembly Monitor Cable Bluefin Monitor - Bulkhead Installation 1. Remove the Rear Plate. 2. Using a flat head screwdriver or coin, remove the Port Plug (Refer Fig. 20). 3. On the inside of the Rear Plate, remove the four screws using a 3/32 Allen key and remove
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Button head cap screws (Fig. 20) (Fig. 21) Bulkhead Port (Fig. 22) Attaching the Remote or Compact Monitor 1. Attach clamp assembly to back of monitor. 2. Attach monitor/clamp assembly to quick connect post by pressing down and rotating until black sleeve locks into position. 3. Adjust monitor by releasing clamp assembly (clockwise to tighten, counter clockwise to loosen). 4. Cable plugs are identical at each end. Attach by aligning the pins and pressing into the bulkhead until the b
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Remote Monitor Operation 1. If necessary, provide power to the monitor by positioning the appropriate bulkhead switch, to the ON position. The switch is located on the inside of the Rear Plate. 2. Connect monitor cable to Bulkhead prior to entering the water. 3. Connect monitor cable to Remote Monitor prior to entering the water. 4. Station the BlueFin housing in the area you are going to shoot. 5. Gently let out the slack in the cable as you move the viewing location. 6. Operation of Contro
