Maintaining the correct exposure for your shot composition is critical to creating an aesthetically pleasing image. If your shot is over-exposed, your subject will be "blown out" or indistinguishable from the background. An under-exposed shot will leave your audience struggling to see the object you shot. Press the "Iris" button on the side of the PD170 and use the adjustment wheel to set the exposure.
The shutter is essentially another way to control the amount of light entering your camera. A high shutter speed will reduce the light entering the iris. Likewise, a low shutter speed will keep the shutter open for longer, letting in more light for the sensor in the camera. Besides light control capabilities, the shutter speed can also affect the look of your video. For example, when shooting fast moving objects or scenes, you may want to choose a higher shutter speed so that every detail is captured in the frame. If movement detail is not important for your composition, you may opt for a lower shutter speed to preserve the look to which video viewers are accustomed. Press the "Shutter Speed" button on the camera's side to choose the speed appropriate for your work.
Sony designs PD170 cameras to use only Sony brand DV tapes. The lubricant used on Sony brand tapes is different from other tape manufacturers, and the use of different tapes will cause the tape heads in the camera to "gum up" with different lubricant residue. Dirty tape heads will lead to frame dropping, which severely compromises the integrity of your image, possibly ruining your entire video shoot.
Setting your PD170 to the correct white balance ensures that you and your viewer are seeing the correct light temperature for the scene you are filming. For example, an incorrectly set white balance may make outside scenes appear blue or orange. The PD170 contains a white balance function that will drastically reduce your color correction time in editing. On the side of the camera, you will see a square with triangle on either side. Press this button, and aim the camera at a white board or cloth. The camera will automatically set the white balance.