Vivitar ViviCam V15 manual

V15 Freelance Digital Camera Owner’s Manual © 2009 Sakar International, Inc. A ll rights reserved. Windows and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporati on. All other trademarks are the prope rty of their respective companies.[...]

1 Table of Contents Table of Content s ...................................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................... 2 Key Features ............................................................. 2 What your camera includes ...................................... 3 Computer System Requirements fo[...]

2 Introduction Thank you for pu rchasing the V15 Freelance Vivitar Digital Camera. Everything you n eed to take quality digital photos and videos is includ ed with your device. Please read this manual carefully FIRST in order to get the most out of your digital camera. Importan t Notic e: Please do not pl ug the ca mera into the USB p ort of your c[...]

3 What y our camera includes • Digital Camera • PhoTags Expres s, WebCam Express and driver installation CD • USB cable • User’s Manual in CD • Neck strap • Warrant y card • Quick User Guide Computer System Requirements for Windows To be able to do wnload photos and videos to your PC you will need the following minimum configuration[...]

4 A Quick Look at Your Camera[...]

5 Inserting Batteries Open the camera’s batter y compartment cover (if the screw on the compartment has been fixed, please use a small screwdriver to loose the screw , then op en the battery compartment cover) and insert 2 new AAA alkaline batteries according to the polarit y show n. Close the cover and press the Power/Menu button to power on the[...]

6 the camera s oftw are and drivers. In order to install the Software and drivers to do wnload and edit the photos and videos captured using this camera, you need to install the CD installation disk. Insert the installation CD into your CD-ROM d rive. A Menu screen will automatically appear. Warning: DO NO T PL UG YOUR CA MERA INTO THE USB PORT UNT[...]

7 button. Please review the license terms and click the “ I A gree ” button to continue. Let the “PhoTags Express” installer create the folde r where the progra m will be installed to, and then click “Install”.[...]

8 Please wait wh ile the application is being installed on your computer. Once the application has been installed on your computer, click the “Finish” button to let the “PhoTags Express” installer finish the installation program.[...]

9 This will automatically launch the I nstall shield for the camera driver. Click “Next” to cont inue. Follow the Setup screens that appear to install the driver for this camera. Once the program has finished installing y ou will be asked to restart your compute r. Please do so.[...]

10 Congratulations !! Y ou have successfully installed the “PhoTags Express”, “WebCam E xpress” software and the Camera Driv er. Camera Modes Note: In order to dow nload th e pho tos and videos captured w ith this ca mera you need to i nstall t he PhoTags Ex press, WebCa m Express and ca mera specific dri ver for this de vice a s described [...]

11 Press the Power /Menu button to save your choice. Below is an explanation for each of the Submenus on the Main Menu. Camera Subme nu Press the Power/Menu button to e nter the Main Menu. By default the camera icon is automatically selected. Press the Shutter button to t oggle through th e following various options within the camera submenu. Take [...]

12 Press the Power/Menu button to select and save the mode of your choice. The LCD sc reen will show your choice with a symbol in the upper left corner. Self-Timer AVI （ Video ） Continuous Capture[...]

13 Resolution Modification Submenu Press the Power/Menu button to e nter the Main Menu. Press the Up button until the Res olution Modification icon is selected and then press the Shutter button to toggle between the different resolution options. Pr ess the Power/Menu button again to select and save the desired resolution. Options within the Resolut[...]

14 Compression Rate Submenu Press the Power/Menu button to e nter the Main Menu, press the Up button until the Com pression Rate icon is selected and then press the Shutter button t o toggle between the different compression rate options, and then press the Power/Men u button again to select and save the desired compression. Options within the Comp[...]

15 Note: 60Hz is suitable for the U.S. and Japan, and 50Hz for Europe and Asia. Select the correct fre quenc y for the present conditions you find yourself. Delete All Submenu Press the Power/Menu button to e nter the Main Menu, press the Up button until the Delet e All icon is selected and then press the Shutter button to select this submenu. Upon[...]

16 Batter y Capacity Icons : An icon will appear on the top right corner of your LCD screen, showing the amount of batter y power available. Once the battery indicator falls below 35% it is advisable to download the images to your computer as quickly as possible so as not to lose them. Once the batterie s run low and the camera turns off , the imag[...]

17 5%-35% power less than 5% power Capturing Photos TA KING I N DIVIDUA L PHOT OS You can compose your shot using the LCD screen. Hold the camera stead y and press the shutter button. A beep will sound and the red LED indicator on the front of the camera will light up, indicating that the photo has been taken. Do n ot move the camera until you hear[...]

18 If there is not enough batte ry power, two quick beeps will sound, indicating that the photo cannot be taken. If the camera’s memory is full, tw o quick beeps will sound, indicating that photos cannot be taken. In o rder to continue taking photos you will need to downloa d the photos on the camera to the com puter and then d elete them from th[...]

19 TIMER Your camera can be set up with th e timer mode to take a photo after 10 seconds. Select the Timer shot mode from t he camera menu options on the LCD screen. Press the Power/Menu button. To ggle between the camera modes by pressing the Shutter butt on unti l the Timer icon appears in the top left corner. Press the Power/Menu butt on to save[...]

20 You may also delete single photos in the Pla yback mode. Select the present photo you wish to delete. Press the Power/Menu button. A Delete single photo icon will appear on the LCD screen with 2 options. Press the Up button to move between the options, “Yes” to Delete the present ph oto, or “N o” to Cancel. Press the Shutte r button to c[...]

21 press the Power/Menu button . (Manual Pow er-Sav i ng) Press and hold the Power/Menu button for 3 se c onds. After hearing two beeps the camera will go into a sleep mode manually. In sleep mode, energ y consumption is very low and the battery life is prolonged. Your camera can rem ain in sleep mode to save power. To use your camera again just si[...]

22 camera modes by pressing the Shutter butt on unti l the video icon appears in the top left corner. Press the Power /Menu but ton to save your choice. When the video icon appears in the top left corner you can n ow prepare your shot. Once in the Video mode, press th e shutter button f or the camera to start capturing an AVI video. A clock counter[...]

23 To use the WebCam Express software see the “U sing your Camera as a Webcam” section further on in t his guide. Everything you need to get the most from y our phot os The “PhoTags E xpress” software that is installed on your computer all ows you to edit e xisting photos that you have on your computer as well as the photos that you have ca[...]

24 If the Camera is off it will automatically be turned on when the USB cable is properl y connected. Click the “PhoTags Express” icon that appears on your desktop to open the “PhoTags Express” Soft ware. From the Main M enu screen that appears, select the “ Select Phot os ”, “ Enhance P hotos ” o r “ Ad d Captions ” buttons . Y[...]

25 Manage y our photos b y creating countless unique photo collections without duplicating any photos. Burn CD’s of any folders for backu p and storage. Enhance your p hotos ; Auto En hance, Crop, Correct Red Eye, Manually Adjust and add Special Effects. A dd A ctiv e Ca ptio ns - add Text Captions, Frames , Shapes, Keywords… and more that can [...]

26 How to purchase additional “Workshop” projects In addition to the free Calenda rs, two-sided Greeting Cards a nd Postcards Workshop projects, you have the ability to purchase two additional Workshop projects: "A lbums" and "Video CD" online, at anytime. 1. To purchase the “Workshop Project” simply click the one y ou w[...]

27 to y our PC usin g PhoTags Express. Select the “Get Photos” button f rom the top of the PhoTags Expres s Main Menu screen. The Get Photos Wizard opens. Step 1 - Select the “Dual Mode Camera” o ption in the Active Devices window on the left and then select ei ther the “Custom” or “ Express” copy ra dial button in the Copy methods [...]

28 Add Active Captions to your pictures. You can add a date, keywords, categories and m ore. Click “Next” to continue. Step 3 - Cho ose where to place your photos and videos. The default is to place all photos and videos into a folder under the C:My Documents My Pictures folder with the date wh en the photos we re taken as the folder[...]

29 name. Click the “Finish” button to start th e download process. A photos download progress bar appears showing the number of media (videos included) do wnloading from you camera to yo ur computer. All the media – Photos and Videos on your camera are now downloaded to your computer. Open the “Select Photos” mode of Photags Express to vi[...]

30 PhoTags application select the “Show Me How” or the “?” Help Gui de b utton found on th e top right of the screen. Express Cop y Method Select the “Expre ss” copy radial b utton if you want to have all the images transferred to the PC without the option to select which photos you want to transfer. In this mode you will not see a prev[...]

31 Using y o ur Camera as a Webcam Connect your camera to your computer using the USB cable attached. Capturing A VI w ith WebCa m Express Now that you ha ve WebCam Exp ress software installed, you can use it to capture short movies called AVI video files or take JPE G snapshots. The length of time you can record an AVI while the camera is connecte[...]

32 5. Click the “ Capture ” button t o start recording the video. The recording elapse time will appear under the video. 6. Click the “ Pause ” button to hold t he recording. To continue recording click the “ Capture ” butto n again. 7. To finish recording click the “ Stop ” button. 8. The videos will be automatically saved into a d[...]

33 Capturing P hotos: You can also take snapshots with your Webcam. Your Webcam NEEDS to be connected at all times to the computer in order to capture the photos. There are 2 meth ods to capture and save photos taken with your WebCam Exp ress software. Method 1 – Cap ture Mode: 1. Position the Webcam so that it is pointing in the direction of the[...]

34 Method 2 – Pla yback Mode: 1. After capturing an AVI video with your We bcam as explained above, select the “Pla yback” mode button at the top of the application screen. 2. Select the AVI video you wish to view from the view screen on the left. 3. Run the video by pressing the “ Pl ay Video ” button. 4. While the video is running selec[...]

35 folder and select the photos you wish to edit using the software. To learn more on how to capture JPEG snapshots from your Webca m or from you r existing AVI movies, go to the “Take Snapshots” section in the Help Guide in the application. To learn how to c hange the User Settings, go to the “Set User Preferences” section in the Help Guid[...]

36 Sakar Warranty Card This warranty co vers for the original consumer purchaser only a nd is not trans fer able. Products that fail to function properl y UNDER NORM AL USAGE, due to defects in material or work manshi p. Your product w ill be repaired at no ch arge for parts or labor for a period of one year. What Is Not Covered B y Warrant y: Dama[...]

37 Appendix A: Technical Specifications Image Sensor 1.3M Pixels (1280X10 24) SXGA Image Resoluti on 1280x1024, 6 4 0x480, 320x240 Focus f=8.3mm Image Variation 0.5m - Infinity Lens Non-spherical L ens Aperture 1: 3.0 Illumination 100 – 16000 (l ux) File Format JPEG / AVI File Storage 8 MB Resolution Hi Lo (1280 x1024) 15 30 (640x480) 46 70 Stora[...]

38 Appendix B: Troubleshooting Q: I have taken photos, bu t m y computer sa ys "No photos i n came ra." What do I do? First, ensure that you have taken photos with your camera. Press the shutter butto n a few times to take some sample photos and try again. If you still get a no photos error, this indicates that the software was not instal[...]

39 Now reinstall the software. Insert t he CD that came with your camera. It should automatically run the installation. Restart the computer. Once your comp uter is back up, plug the camera into your computer's USB port. Right-click on the "My Computer" i con. Select Properties. Click on hardware and then Device Manager. If the camer[...]

40 loss. Q: If I ha ve a MAC, w ill the de vice w ork? Unfortunatel y, the system requirements for our digital cameras and webcams require a Windows operating s ystem. There is no Mac driver available and no cu rrent pla n to develop. Q: If th e w ebcam does not w ork: Make sure you have connected th e webcam correctly into an available USB port or[...]