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Bluefin HC3 Owner’s Manual
For the Sony HDR-HC3 camcorder
www.uwimaging.com
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Welcome Congratulations on your purchase of the Bluefin underwater 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 camcorder’s features, please take time to become familiar with the camcorder before you proceed in this manual.This manual assumes you have a working knowledge of your camcorder and will only cover operational procedures relative to the underwater housing. The term “Push” when reference
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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 Flip Filter Lever Lens Lock Manual Button Self-Locking Rotary Latch Camera Control Knob Easy Button Monitor Bulkhead P-Menu Selector ON/MODE Button 4
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Camera Preparation 1. Install a fully charged Sony NP-FP90 battery. 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 from the camcorder. Close the LCD screen against the c
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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 HC3 uses a window mounted rotary control (P-Menu Selector) that will allow access to the right column of buttons on the camera’s first page of the P-Menu. Light & Motion has designed the control to provide access to Smooth Slow Recording,Tele Macro and One Pus
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(Fig. 5) (Fig. 6) (Fig. 7) (Fig. 8) 7
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Mounting the Camera 1. Remove the rear plate by pushing the Latch Lock in and rotating the latch down and forward of the housing body. (Refer fig. 9) 2. Remove the Camera Tray. A. Push forward on the Camera Tray. B. Press the Camera Tray Release Latch down. (Refer fig. 10) The Camera Tray is spring loaded and will slide out of the housing. 3. Open the rear connector cover on the camera. 4. Position the Camera Tray underneath the camera.The camera’s alignment hole (forward of the camera’s threade
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and that the O-rings seat evenly. Operation Left Smart Grip Controls (Refer fig. 12) Far - Moves focus point further from camcorder. Near - Moves focus point closer to camcorder. Photo - Records still video capture to Memory Stick (in either mode). Light - After initial power up from battery pod, cycles Elite Lights through three output levels. Press and hold for three seconds to turn lights off. For Pro Lights, it turns them on or off. Photo Dis. - Non-operational Right Smart Grip Controls (Ref
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(Fig. 14) (Fig. 15) (Fig. 16) (Fig. 17) Rear Plate (Refer fig. 15) On/Mode - Turns the camcorder on and cycles through modes. Housing Left Side (Refer fig. 16 and 17) Manual - Activates the camera’s manual button. Briefly pushing this button activates manual control of the active function.You can change the active function by pushing and holding the button until the menu of options appears on the display. Camera Control Knob - Adjusts the function activated with the Manual button. Easy - Press o
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Smooth Slow Recording Set up the P-Menu as described in this manual under P-Menu Setup. Before loading the camera into the housing set the mode for the Smooth Slow Recording function to either capture images seen by the camera before or after the Record button is pushed. (See camera manual) Use of Smooth Slow Recording Use the P-Menu Selector to push the P-MENU screen button. Use the P-Menu Selector to push the SMOOTH SLWREC screen button. Press the red REC button on the right handle. If the Sm
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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. Commands 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
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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 swap Smart Grip functions to maintain primary housing operation. This is a total button function swap, not a button-by-button nor a custom configuration. 1) Press either FAR/- and NEAR/+ or TELE and WIDE buttons simultaneously and hold for three seconds. Button functions are now swapped. Button functions wi
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Bluefin Monitor - Bulkhead Installation 1) Remove the Rear Plate. 2) Using a flat head screwdriver or coin, remove the Port Plug. (Refer Fig. 16) 3) On the inside of the Rear Plate, remove the four screws using a 3/32 allen key and remove circuit board. (Refer Fig. 17) 4) Feed Bulk Head cable through Bulk Head port. (Refer Fig. 18) 5) Insert Bulk Head into Rear Plate until it is firmly seated. 6) Tightening bulk head by turning the bulk head itself with a 3/4” wrench. 7) Attach Bulk Head Cable i
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Compact Monitor Operation Power On/Off The monitor will power on and off with the camcorder. Remote Monitor Operation 1) If necessary, activate power to the monitor by switching the power switch on the inside of the Rear Plate to the ON position. 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
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Charging the Remote and Compact Monitor 1) Remove the Charging Port Plug using a coin or large flat head screwdriver. (Refer fig. 20) 2) Plug charger into a 110v outlet. This charger is only rated at this voltage. If you do not have access to a 110v outlet, you must use a converter. 3) Plug charging connector from charger into charging port on Remote Monitor. 4) Charge for 8-14 hours, then remove charging cord. 5) Check O-ring on Charging Port Plug. 6) Replace Charging Port Plug. Failure to re-i
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Bluefin Light Systems - Getting Started Pictured below are the components of the Sunray-S Mini Pro and Sunray-S Mini Elite lighting system. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with each part for later identification and use. Sunray Mini Pro Light System Battery Pods Charger and electrical cord Pod Locker HID light heads Li-ion Batteries Sunray Mini Elite Light System Light Arms Battery Pods Charger and electrical cord Pod Locker Light heads Li-ion Batteries 17
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Charging Batteries It is recommended that you charge your batteries when they are received. It is also recommended to charge batteries just prior to use. 1) The charger can accept an electrical range of 100 - 240v and 50 - 60hz. 2) The charger has two LED lights: Left LED: Orange when charging Li-ion batteries. Green when charging NiMH batteries. Right LED: Orange when fast charging. Green during top-up charge and when charge is complete. 3) To attach charger to battery, align arrow on charger c
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Mounting Battery Pods 1) Remove the rear plate of the housing. 2) Slide the battery pods into housing channels. 3) Insert Pod Locker between the pods and tighten using 1/8” allen key. Do not over-tighten. Connecting Lights to Battery Pods 1) Plug in the cable connectors on the pod. 2) Tighten the locking sleeves by rotating clockwise until tight. 1) Plug in the cable connectors on the Light Head. (Pro Lights only) 2) Tighten the locking sleeves by rotating clockwise until tight. Light Operation
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1) Using an allen key, remove the two screws on the back of the handle. (Refer fig. 25) 2) Remove the Handle Cap from the handle assembly. (Refer fig. 26) 3) Remove old batteries from handle board. 4) Install new 1/3 N batteries into the handle board. (Refer. fig. 27) The +/- position of the batteries is critical. If batteries are installed backwards, they will damage the handle board. 5) Inspect the Handle Cap O-ring or replace with a new O-ring. 6) Press the Handle Cap into the handle assembly
