Saved Reviews for hitachi
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Hitachi had a good idea--put both a hard disk drive and a DVD in a camcorder--but implements it poorly in the DZ-HS300A.
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Using the camera in recording modes is really simple. Navigating the menus and functions for setup and playback isn't as easy as it could be. It takes too many steps and isn't terribly intuitive. Not a deal breaker though.
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One feature I really like is the camcorder's very long 25X optical zoom lens, which worked well and zoomed in quickly. Although the DZHS300A has electronic image stabilization instead of the more robust optical or hardware-based IS, images were still usually steadier with the stabilization on. Overall, the Hitachi DZHS300A is a decent camcorder that unfortunately just isn't an easy-to-use device.
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Used it now for 2+ weeks - first use was low-light stage performance and I used the spotlight setting (one of many Program settings) which worked perfectly - video quality (and sound!) was amazing considering it's not HD. Dubbing all or select scenes is easy. Not too concerned over low quality stills since any serious situation I would want a high res dig camera for - one nice thing is ability to easily create photo stills from any video scene. Only gripe is that program titles (which are tedious to key in one letter at a time on the LCD) are not preserved onto finalized DVD-RW disc (so seem only marginally useful when mini-dvd is played back from Camcorder itself). All in all, a great full-featured cam at the right price.
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In the field of bargain camcorders, the DXHS300A may be worth a look--not so much for its dual media support as for its 25X optical zoom and bright, wide-format LCD.
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The real advantage of the hybrid camcorder is its flexibility, or its ability to dub from HDD to DVD. Scenes recorded to the HDD can be edited (i.e., divide, delete, combine), sorted into playlists and dumped to DVD, all right in the camcorder. This means that you can do a lot of in-camera editing, using the HDD footage as your source and dubbing a "program" to DVD. In the real world, this means making DVD copies for friends and family doesn't require a computer or nearly as much post-production time. The DZHS300A is a refreshing take on consumer video, offering the best in ease of use, plus the flexibility of a hybrid camcorder.
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The DZHS300A’s greatest strengths are its hybrid recording, ease of use and lightning-quick startup time. I like that it fills the needs of both novices that just want to pop a disc in and go and those that want to do full-on editing and disc creation. Plus, with the handful of built-in editing tools and the one-touch dub from HDD to DVD you can give family and friends a quick disc, completely skipping the computer transfer—and without the need for a dock like other units.
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This camcorder is competitive because it can record video to either an internal hard drive or burn directly to DVD, but the confounding menu system and awkward controls are disappointing.
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Finalizing the disk was a snap and other commonly used functions can be put on a quick access menu! The zoom is smooth and more than enough for everyday use. The screen can flip over to provide a little extra light when filming in 'low light' mode. Overall for the $299 that we spent on this, we got way more than we expected. If you are just starting out in DVD Camcorders, consider this one!
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After purchasing this camera, be ready to sit down and read, read, read. You can't get in a hurry with the adjustments. Just take your time. Make all adjustments needed to suit yourself. Once you have the camera set up for use, it's a snap. As far as the battery life is concerned, it has done well. I have only completed finalizing one disk. It turned out well. it is a task, to remeber all the settings, for this camera. You will more than likely need to have the manual handy, for quick reference. As far as the still pictures are concerned, I am going to have to take many more before i can say, I have that part of it's operation mastered. Just don't get in a hurry.
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