I am probably having a mental block, but I can't see a difference between Menu and P-Menu. What is it use for?

Thanks,

Menu is for everything BUT the picture profiles.

P-Menu is for the picture profiles only.

Well my first response is read the manual!!! P-menu is to alter the picture parameters (sharpness,gamma etc), the normal menu is just like most camcorders to set the clock, output type, steadyshot etc. One can set the P-menu parameters for different shooting locations/styles, whether its DV or HDV etc and then just select the p-Menu without having to set the parameters individually every time. The Sony defaults are described in the manual.

Ron Evans

Actually that's not what P-Menu is for Ben, you're thinking of the Picture Profile button. P-Menu stands for "Personal Menu" and it provides a way to quickly access your favorite menu items without digging through the heirarchical main menu. See page 83 in the Z1U manual. In a nutshell, push the P-Menu button and scroll all the way down to the bottom of the list using the wheel. Select "P-MENU SETUP" and you can add, delete, sort or reset the items in your personal menu.

Menu is for everything BUT the picture profiles.

P-Menu is for the picture profiles only.

Can you give me an example of how ou would use it.

Apologies, I too meant the Profiles( must learn to read more carefully!!). I have my "real" P-menu items set up for record format( HDV,DV),record mode(in DV SP or LP), gain setup, white balance and zebras. Steady shot is assigned to one of the user buttons so is not on the P-Menu. For Douglas, I switch back and forth between HDV and DV, to do this I just press P-Menu, select record format/mode, then Press Profiles button and either PP1 or PP2 for profiles setup for HDV or DV. This is shorter than looking through the menus everytime since only the menu items I want are there( just five items on the list). IF you add ALL the menu items to the P-Menu it would be the same as the main menu.

Ron Evans

Apologies, I too meant the Profiles( must learn to read more carefully!!). I have my "real" P-menu items set up for record format( HDV,DV),record mode(in DV SP or LP), gain setup, white balance and zebras. Steady shot is assigned to one of the user buttons so is not on the P-Menu. For Douglas, I switch back and forth between HDV and DV, to do this I just press P-Menu, select record format/mode, then Press Profiles button and either PP1 or PP2 for profiles setup for HDV or DV. This is shorter than looking through the menus everytime since only the menu items I want are there( just five items on the list). IF you add ALL the menu items to the P-Menu it would be the same as the main menu.

Ron Evans

I think that I finally got it.

I got confused reading the manual 'cause it say that you can have a maximum of 28 pre set in th P-Menu. What you really want to do is delete the ones that you don't change often. Did I get it now?

Hi Douglas,
Yes the P-Menu is like a short cut menu just has the items that you would change a lot rather than look through the main menu for these. In my case just to change gain settings for the switch positions or record format.

Ron Evans

I used my new P-Menu setting and sure saves time during a run & gun.

Thanks everyone