Hitachi DZBD7HAF Review, Compare, Prices, Discounts
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Product: Hitachi DZBD7HAF Amazon Price: Too low to display Availability: In Stock |
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Ok, mediate that I paid about $300 for mine, it's my #3 high-def camcorder, and I know what I'm doing... this is not a model for beginners. But I don't consider a beginner should be using any of the AVCHD models yet.. the format is too novel.
This was not really the case with HDV, simply because MPEG-2 was a done deal long before HDV came along.. so the first cameras that came out were magnificent obliging, and where improvements were made, it was in the general HD status, not the encoding format so distinguished. AVC (also called MPEG-4 fraction 10, also called H.264) is generally heralded as the successor to MPEG-2, but it's scheme more complex. Encoding on a PC or other dedicated hardware looks expansive, but you're probably spending 3-6 hours per hour of HD video to do that encoding. Crunching this down to a itsy-bitsy battery-powered camcorder and maintaining that quality is a work-in-progress.
THE BAD
Yeah, BD-R and BD-RE in 8cm size are expensive. But if you believe of the BD-RE as a replacement for an SD card (they own about 7.5GB), they accomplish a slight more sense... you recount on it, copy the video off to another design, then erase it, impartial as a flash card. Eventually, BD-R will be cheap enough to compare to tape, but that's a ways off.
Quality-wise, it's mixed. This one is heavenly poor on low-light shooting. It's a given that virtually every HD camcorder is going to be worse in crude light than a similar SD model... they're only starting to convey a few with decent low-light performance in the prosumer effect ranges (fresh Canon and Pannys, about $1300) . But this one's oddly worse than you'd quiz, given the decent performance in beneficial light, and the stout enough single sensor.
THE CONFUSING (for some)
If you're not already doing Blu-Ray, this may be a injure. Windows don't natively understand the Blu-Ray file format (it's a unique version of the UDF file system weak on DVD), so you need to install the Hitachi software. Hitachi, like most CE companies, is clueless about software back, but in truth, editing video isn't their job. If, like me, you already have Blu-Ray wait on in dwelling in your video toolchain, dealing with this format is a no-brainer.
THE GOOD
Tapeless rocks, when you're in a urge. However, AVCHD on DVD is a substandard thought -- it's nowhere come enough storage... you'll gather about 20 minutes. Blu-Ray is the true respond for tapeless HD using a 8cm disc. I'm using this one mainly for hasty stuff... to offload my device more expensive cameras when quality isn't THAT famous.
As for quality... it's a mixed bag. In the sunlight, this camera delivers a decent enough HD image. Like any first-generation AVCHD camcorder, you're not going to match HDV quality on fact motion -- there will be more artifacts. Given this is an older model, of course, factor that in on what you're paying.
I didn't mind the user interface at all.. it's fairly simplistic, as you'd query on a consumer model. The one quirk, if your archaic to tape, is the control for selecting clips to play assist... it's a very non-obvious button. I missed it, first time out... guess I should have RTFMed, but hey, where's the fun in that.
Another plus... this model will shoot SD on DVD-R or DVD-RAM, which is rather usual these days; most AVCHD/tapeless models are HD-only. You don't earn the choice... it's HD on BD, SD on DVD.
The body and styling is kind of nice.. a bit unique, but it grows on you. It has a covered, full-sized frosty shoe, and works substantial with an external mic like an Azden SMX-10. You could obviously consume any 3.5mm trudge mono or stereo mic (far as no, there's no plug-in power, you'll need a self-powered mic), but a larger mic could be visible in the shot, if conventional on-camera. I never recommend shooting with any built-in camera audio, so I can't really disclose you if it's any trustworthy or not.
So, my bottom line: at the new $1300 or so, this was a terrible camera, no expect, largely based on the indecent light performance. Today, you can gather 3rd generation AVCHD models, which do a distinguished better job at encoding without artifacts... some of these inaugurate at around $500-$600. Unless disc is a astronomical advantage, skip this and go with a Canon HF-200 (about $600) or a Panny HDC-SD9 (about $500) or a Sony HDR-CX7 or CX12 rather than pay the prices in the $700s or $800s for this I've seen around. But for the tag of an SD camcorder, $300 or so, it's not a poor unit.
Hitachi has a current model BD camcorder, which is supposedly mighty improved, and also records to SDHC flash cards as an alternate. If you're looking for a better unit, that should be seeing the same kind of technology improvements as the other 3rd generation AVCHD models.
Like any bit of technology, you need to do your homework. AVCHD is modern enough some video editors tranquil don't assist it. Even when they do, it's very CPU intensive, so don't be surprised when your dual-core CPU is driven to its knees. Using an intermediate video format, like CineForm, Sony MXF (or other high bitrate MPEG-2 variations), isn't a dreadful plan if you have a complex project. Blu-Ray media is aloof expensive, though it's been falling.. you're not being a wise consumer if you don't bother to note consumables of any kind before buying the plot that consumes them.
There is virtually no aid from Hitachi on this product. You are totally on your gain. There is no documentation for the software so you must be savvy enough to figure it out for yourself. The interface is extremely cumbersome and time inspiring. Also, I should have looked at the label of the discs before buying this product. $25 for a one hour disc??? I wish I had never wasted my money on this camera.
