Performance

The Hitachi DZ-HS300A comes equipped with a 1/6" CCD with a 680,000 gross pixel count. This is the most common imager size for low-end camcorders, and it's surprising that a model close to $600 would settle for something so low quality. In video mode, the effective pixel count is reduced to approximately 340,000.

The result of this disappointing CCD choice is, you guessed it, a disappointing picture. In fact, this was the worst image we’ve seen from a camcorder in this price range for some time. Sharpness was the biggest problem. Areas of fine detail (even areas of non-so-fine detail) were difficult to make out. The resolution, as you’ll read in the next section, was quite low.

The color performance is highly saturated, more so than most consumer camcorders. Consumers generally prefer a saturated image, where strong colors equal good colors. Unlike the Sony DCR-DVD205, which produced strong blues and weak reds, or the Panasonic VDR-D200, which produced strong reds but weak greens, the Hitachi hit them all hard. This may have been an attempt to mask the low resolution. Whether it was or not, the result is a conspicuous color bleed.

Overall, this is a very difficult camcorder to recommend based on performance.

Video Resolution* (3.25)*

Video resolution is tested by shooting a DSC Labs resolution chart and reading the footage from an HD monitor. The Hitachi performed worse than any camcorder this year (though we are still early in the year). The horizontal resolution measured approximately 325 line widths per picture height (lw/ph), a respectable showing. But the vertical resolution, 200 lw/ph, was very low.

Low Light Performance* (3.58)*

The Hitachi DZ-HS300A did very poorly in low light. At 60 lux, the color information was reduced considerably compared to 3000 lux. The colors were heavily saturated and continued to bleed profusely into each other. It still managed to produce some strong white, however, which salvaged a reasonable score in our sensitivity test. The noise has increased exponentially. Blue and purple specks dance across the screen like spiteful little pixies.

Comparatively, the Sony DCR-DVD205 had a much sharper image. If anything, sharpness is the clearest distinction between the Hitachi and the other camcorders in this class. It simply did a terrible job revealing fine detail. The colors are not significantly different at 60 lux. The Panasonic VDR-D200 told the same story.

At 15 lux, the image had lost most usable information. However, the camcorder struggled valiantly to boost overall luminance. The result is a noisy mess with brighter whites than it really deserves. At this light level, the DZ-HS300 also had a hard time focusing.

The Hitachi was able to achieve 50 IRE (the level at which we determine sensitivity) at 16 lux. The color error, according to Imatest, was 16. The noise registered at 1.22%, with a saturation level of 54.7%.

Stabilization* (4.45)*

The DZ-HS300A is equipped with electronic image stabilization (EIS) to reduce the effects of camcorder shake. EIS systems stabilize the recorded image by digitally buffering the image. Because the buffering process monopolized part of the imager, the recorded resolution is slightly reduced when EIS is set to on. Optical image stabilization (OIS) is typically found on higher-end camcorders, and it achieves the same steadying effect by physically isolating the lens element from the camcorder body. Because OIS does not reduce the effective pixels used to capture video, it does not reduce resolution and is considered the superior method.

We tested the DZ-HS300A's EIS using our camcorder shake emulator, custom built for Camcorderinfo.com. The shake emulator can be adjusted to produce movements at differing intensities and frequencies. At Speed 1, equivalent to the shake produced while holding a camcorder and standing still, the camcorder reduced shake by approximately 63%. At Speed 2, equivalent to the more intense shake of a moving vehicle, the shake reduction was a more modest 50%. We devised these calculations by measuring the motion difference between footage shot with EIS off, and EIS on, and then adjust the score to account for the resolution reduction of EIS.

Wide Angle* (9.8)*

We tested the Hitachi DZ-HS300A wide angle capabilities in 16:9 mode, and its field of view measured 49 degrees.

 

Format

Compression* (4.0)*

The Hitachi DZ-HS300A uses MPEG-2 compression when recording to either HDD or DVD, a codec that allows playback of footage on most home DVD players. Three video quality settings are available: XTRA (3-10 Mbps, variable bit rate), FINE (6 Mbps, fixed bit rate), and STD (3 Mbps, fixed bit rate). The maximum recording time available is tied to bit rate, and it has an inverse relationship to video quality so that at the best-quality XTRA setting, about 110 minutes of video can be stored to the onboard HDD, while about 18 minutes can be stored to DVD. At FINE, the figures are 180 minutes for HDD and 30 minutes for DVD, and at the lowest-quality STD setting, 360 minutes for HDD and 60 minutes for DVD.

The MPEG-2 compression used by the DZ-HS300A to record standard definition video compresses at lower bit rates than DV, and on average, MPEG-2 does not perform as well. The big draw of MPEG-2 is versatility and convenience. It is compatible with numerous media types including HDD, DVD and flash, and discs recorded by the DZ-HS300A (and finalized) will play back immediately on many home DVD players.

Media* (8.0)*

The HS300A deals with numerous forms of recording media. It's an HDD/DVD/SD hybrid camcorder with the ability to record video to the 8GB HDD or a DVD disc, and stills to an SD card. The SD card is not included. Also, stills cannot be recorded to the HDD or DVD. It's certainly structured to back you up when the HDD fills up or a disc has maxed out - simply switch to the next available recording format. And, with the ability to dub straight to DVD from the HDD in-camera, the HS300A saves time.

However, the average DVD disc lasts 14 minutes, the maximum recording time on an 8GB HDD in the highest quality setting is 110 minutes. These are some significant limitations. Just be sure to purchase a lot of DVD discs and have patience--dubbing from the HDD to a DVD takes time. On a DV/HDV camcorder, tapes last a good 60 minutes and can then be swapped out with ease. Even a 30GB HDD camcorder provides an ample amount of recording time. The HS300A is for short home movies that can be thrown onto a DVD and played within a span of 7 minutes.

Editing* (5.0)*

The bad news is that clips recorded to the HS300A’s hard drive show up as .VRO files when dragged and dropped onto the desktop. The following programs possess the capability to open .VRO files: InterVideo WinDVD Platinum, CyberLink PowerDVD, NVIDIA NVDVD, AVS Video Tools, and AuthoringWare DVD Integrator. We were able to import .VRO files directly from the HDD via USB and into CyberLink Power Director Express (a leftover NLE included with almost all JVC Everio camcorders). However, since the program was reading the files directly from the hard drive, the process was slower than a board meeting run by tortoises.

Have no fear—here’s a little trick you can execute to avoid this process: drag and drop your .VOR files to your computer, then rename the file extension to a .MPG or .AVI. Now you can import and edit—without the need to capture—in programs like Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro.

The supplied software, ImageMixer 3, does not provide a whole lot of post options. Its primary focus is to import recorded stills from the HDD onto a computer, and includes a rudimentary, stripped-down editing function that simply prepares the clip for DVD authoring.

Stick with your tried and true NLE.

 

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (3.0)

The Hitachi DZ-HS300A is a classic case of middling performance in Full Auto mode. In practical terms, this means the camcorder displayed the typical weaknesses that are encountered when the driving is left to its electronic brain. Focus worked well only when faced with even lighting and clearly contrasting focal planes near the center of the frame. Unlike some competitors, the DZ-HS300A offers no spot focus option to make up for the fact that it’s calibrated to use the center of the frame as its focal reference. Exposure suffered from the same lack of subtlety, with good exposures only in easy lighting situations. While shooting indoors, a lamp or window near a subject invariably skewed the whole picture towards underexposure.

White balance was another weak point in Full Auto mode, with the picture showing properly balanced colors only in single-source lighting. This issue, as well as problems with focus and exposure are notorious deficiencies of auto mode because camcorders are programmed by manufacturers to "split the difference" in any situation that is remotely challenging. In mixed indoor/outdoor lighting, the DZ-HS300A chooses a compromise white balance that may leave your subject either too blue or too yellow. In high-contrast lighting, the camcorder exposes for what it believes to be the average exposure for the whole frame, but this may leave your subject over or underexposed.

A number of AE presets are available that shift the camcorder’s auto calibration to match a smattering of common lighting situations that pose challenges for Full Auto mode. These include Auto, Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Sand and Snow, and Low Light. Each of these AE modes will deliver improved automatic exposure for each situation. For example, in Sports mode, the shutter speed is raised to reduce blurring of fast-moving subjects, while Low Light drops the shutter speed to increase the imager’s sensitivity. Given the mediocre performance of Full Auto mode on the DZ-HS300A, these AE options should prove valuable to shooters who don’t want to venture into manual image control.

Overall Manual Control (3.0)

The Hitachi DZ-HS300A has what amounts to a standard suite of manual controls for an entry-level camcorder. This includes focus and zoom, exposure control in unspecified EV steps, and white balance but does not include control over shutter speed, gain, color, sharpness, or assists like markers, color bars, or focus assist. While we love choice, and have long appreciated the fact that Panasonic and Canon do include a broader manual control suite on their entry-level models, for most casual shooters they are not necessary.

As noted throughout this review, we strongly dislike the fact that Hitachi has opted to keep the camcorder’s entire menu and manual control interface on the left side of the body, and in the LCD cavity. This arrangement is just plain inconvenient, and every other camcorder maker has migrated the important controls, especially those used while shooting, to a rear-racing arrangement. That said, the DZ-HS300A does keep some of the manual controls that it features quite accessible. In terms of speed, this offers some real benefits over camcorders that bury manual controls deep in the menu by offering one-touch access to focus and exposure control.

The dedicated buttons offer only partial consolation to the flaws of the interface, however. The touch pad (facing left, away from the user) is the only means for making adjustments, and while it’s OK for stepping through exposure settings, it is a very poor focus control. White balance remains in the menu, as do Program AE modes. If the response time of the menu were faster (instant response is not too much to ask), this would be fine – but there is an annoying delay every time you step between options or make a selection in the menu.

The left-facing interface and touch-pad controller are big issues, and this camcorder offers only a basic suite of manual control options. The relatively quick access does offer a benefit over many entry-level camcorders, however, so on balance, the DZ-HS300A shoots par for manual control.

*

Zoom (4.0)*

The zoom slider on the DZ-HS300A is easy to operate and responsive for a zoom control of this design. We prefer rocking zoom levers, such as those found on most camcorders this year from Canon, Sony, and JVC because they are elevated slightly from the body, and allow for subtler zoom control. However, the slider on the Hitachi is better than many of the sliders we’ve encountered, and it allows for adequate speed modulation and start/stop control.

A zoom position bar is displayed onscreen while zooming, and it acts as a rough visual indication of where in the zoom range you are.

Zoom Power Ratio (25.0)

As an entry-level camcorder with a 1/6" sensor, the DZ-HS300A sports the feature that no similar camcorder does without these days: a ridiculously powerful digital zoom option. The optical zoom ranges up to 25x, a magnification level that should be adequate for most of your telephoto needs. We live in the midst of an optical zoom arms race, however, and even 25x pales in comparison to the 40x zooms found on some entry-level Sonys this year. To keep up with the Joneses, Hitachi includes a digital zoom that can be disabled, capped at 100x, or maxed out at 1200x. If you do decide to make use of the digital zoom option, keep in mind that you are magnifying pixels above 25x, so rather than a bigger image, you’re seeing bigger pixels. This digital effect leads to a steep decline in image quality, such that at 1200x, you’re left with a dancing morass of illegible junk. We recommend capping digital zoom at 100x if you must use it at all – or reserving anything over 100x for your psychedelic YouTube shorts.

Focus (4.0)

Manual focus is controlled via the touch pad on the left side of the lens barrel and engaged by pressing the Focus button in the LCD cavity. When the camcorder is in manual focus mode, a Focus indicator appears at the upper left corner of the display, but it disappears in auto focus mode. Pressing on the left or right sides of the touch pad moves through the focal plane. As with joystick-based focus controls, the DZ-HS300A’s touch pad does not allow you to slow down as you approach the focal plane of your subject. Dials and rings do allow you to adjust focus at different speeds and are thus much better suited to fast and accurate manual focus control. A horizontal bar above the Focus indicator on the LCD shows your rough location within the camcorder’s focal range, but it offers no numerical information regarding your distance to the focal plane.

Exposure & Aperture (4.0)

The Hitachi DZ-HS300A includes only a manual "exposure correction" option, which is akin to exposure compensation. This control is easy to engage via a dedicated button in the LCD cavity, but your options are limited to 12 unspecified EV steps (EV steps are an aggregate measure of shutter speed and aperture). That’s as much control over exposure that many novice shooters need, but it makes for a very limited range of manual adjustability over exposure. To put things in perspective, Panasonic camcorders, even at the low end, offer independent control over iris, shutter speed and gain, with over 20 iris settings alone. The absence of more than basic EV control is not unusual on entry-level camcorders, but we take notice of any model that goes beyond the basics.

Shutter Speed (0.0)

The DZ-HS300A offers no manual shutter speed control – something that is common on entry-level camcorders from every manufacturer other than Panasonic. The AE recording modes include Sports mode, which automatically increases shutter speed, and Low Light mode, which allows the shutter speed to drop below 1/60.

White Balance (5.75)

The DZ-HS300A serves up standard platter of white balance presets: Auto, Set (manual), Outdoor, Indoor 1 (incandescent and halogen), and Indoor 2 (fluorescent). To access the white balance settings, press the Menu button, select the White Balance option, and select the desired preset using the touch pad. When the Set option is selected, the menu display is replaced by a live view with a superimposed white balance icon. Pressing the Play/Set button in the center of the touch pad locks in your manual white balance, and pressing the Exit button returns you to recording mode. We found manual white balance to deliver good color balance, and it was generally much more accurate than the presets.

Gain (0.0)

In common with most entry-level camcorder, the Hitachi DZ-HS300A offers no manual control over gain.

Other Manual Controls (0.0)

The DZ-HS300A offers no additional manual controls.

 

 

 

 

Still Features

Still Features* (3.5)*

The Hitachi DZ-HS300 has a dedicated still mode, accessed by rotating the mode dial to "SD," referring to the SD card. Stills can only be saved to SD card and not the HDD. This struck us as a rather absurd revelation, as every other HDD camcorder offers this option. A HDD is not only convenient, in case you forget to pack the SD card, but the capacity is far larger. Oh well. This fact, coupled with the maximum still resolution of 640 x 480 (0.3MP), indicates that this DZ-HS300A is no substitute for a camera.

The menu structure is similar to menu to video mode. The two relevant sub-menus are Camera Functions (including Program AE, white balance, EIS, and digital zoom) and Record Functions (including image quality and self-timer). Image qualities include Fine, Normal, and Eco. The self-timer is approximately 10 seconds.

Still Performance* (8.22)*

The Hitachi’s still performance was determined by shooting a Gretag McBeth Color Checker chart, then running those stills through Imatest imaging software. Unlike many camcorders, the DZ-HS300A performed best in full auto mode, though "best" may not be the most appropriate term. Though the color error was not too bad, the noise percentage was rather high. According to Imatest, the color error was 7.3, the noise was 1.7575, and the saturation measured 102%.

Still Resolution* (4.08)
*The still resolution was measured by shooting an Applied Image ISO 12233 resolution chart and running those stills through Imatest imaging software. At best, we found the Hitachi DZ-HS300A was capable of producing a horizontal resolution of 553.1 line widths per picture height (lw/ph) – with a 4.03% black clipping and 41.1% oversaturation – and a vertical resolution of 323.7 lw/ph – with 4.09% black clipping and 16.5% oversharpening. The high sharpening levels are indicative of a camcorder designed to try to look sharper than it can actually resolve.

Handling and Use

Ease of Use* (5.0)*

The HS300A is easy to use if you like heavy doses of inconvenience on a daily basis. Switching back and forth between the convoluted menu button configuration and LCD or viewfinder wastes time and storage space. In addition, that cheap little patch of image adjustment buttons embedded in the LCD cavity doesn’t even come close to the degree of convenience offered by Panasonic’s rear-mounted joystick or Canon’s LCD joystick design. Unless you memorize each individual button placement, you will constantly be fumbling through these dense clusters of ancillary buttons and controls.

The playback features become a labyrinth for anything more advanced than playing and dubbing. Even deleting clips is difficult. By pressing the disc navigation button in DVD, HDD, or SD mode, you can scroll through thumbnails representing recorded footage or stills for SD. In addition, files can be transferred right to a computer without the need to capture within an editing program. This is fast and convenient, but the quality will still be less than 1/3 of MiniDV. Dubbing footage from the hard drive onto a DVD disc is done by simply pressing the Dubbing button. This is where all those random buttons come in handy, but we wish Hitachi had poured more thought into the configuration and ergonomics of their placement.

Handling* (3.5)*

Hitachis of the past few years have handled on par with other consumer camcorders in some respects. The tall, horizontal design makes for good stability during hand held operation, and the zoom slider and Record/Start/Stop buttons are all functional and comfortable enough. What differentiates the DZ-HS300A’s handling from most other camcorders is that Hitachi continues to place the main menu and manual control interface inside the LCD cavity. Other manufacturers have moved away from this design because buttons in the cavity are simply difficult to access while shooting. Any design that positions important controls facing the shooter – either on the LCD or on the back of the body – offers easier access and operation.

When major controls face sideways, you are forced to operate the controls by touch and memory, making the 90 degree adjustment in your head, or position your head so that you can see both the screen and the controls. To make matters worse, the buttons inside the cavity are not raised from the surface so making selections by touch alone is virtually impossible. This camcorder combines two popular convenience-oriented formats with a control interface that is terribly inconvenient, and the result is a device that takes one step forward and two steps back. It’s also a disservice to offer buyers looking for an easy to use camcorder an awkward design that every other manufacturer on the market left behind two years ago.

Now we’ll step down off the soapbox and acknowledge that a DVD-HDD hybrid does offer a level of flexibility that some buyers will find valuable. This camcorder allows dubbing of footage from the HDD to DVD, and a button on the left hand side above the LCD cavity is dedicated to this purpose. Although the 8GB HDD is smaller than those found on HDD-only camcorders, its capacity is larger than a DVD, thus enabling in-the-field archiving when the drive fills up. Anyone who has been frustrated by the limited capacity of DVDs will find this to be a big perk – as long as they are willing to live with an interface that requires user contortion for operating anything other than basic controls.

Menu* (3.75)*

The Hitachi’s menu structure is intelligently designed, and some key controls are more accessible than on many other consumer camcorders, including manual focus and exposure – both reached via buttons in the LCD cavity. In other words the DZ-HS300A’s menu design is good. The arrangement is also familiar: Press the Menu button, above the LCD cavity on the left side of the body to bring up the main Admin menu screen, then navigate through options using the four-way touch pad. The Select button rests in the center of the touch pad, and the Stop/Exit button just to the left exits your current location within the menu and jumps you to the next level up.

The menu is divided into 5 sections or submenus that appear as options on the main Admin screen, as follows: Camera Functions Setup; Record Functions Setup; Date Setup; LCD/EVF Setup; and Initial Setup. The placement of items in each submenu makes sense – but the straightforward structure is not the end of the story.

We find two faults with the menu’s usability, however. The first is speed. Like too many camcorders, the menu has a slow response time to touch pad actions and selections. From the moment you press the menu button, it takes a full 2 seconds for the main menu to appear, and that delay is multiplied by the number of actions you perform. Switching from one AE mode to another took a full 10 seconds to complete the round trip. Performing three tasks – setting manual white balance, turning EIS off, and setting digital zoom to 40x – entailed a 40 second round trip. That’s far too long, especially when many manufacturers have managed to fashion menus that respond nearly immediately. Not only is a slow menu annoying, it can cause you to miss an important shot.

The other issue is less acute – the fact that the menu interface is on the left side of the camcorder. It’s something you can adjust to, but it is less comfortable to work with than a rear-facing interface. Hitachi is the lone camcorder maker to cling to a left-side control arrangement, and it’s a choice that doesn’t do the camcorder public justice.

Portability* (6.0)*

The HS300A weighs in at 435 grams (just under a pound) without a disk or battery, which is ideal for the tourist who strives to keep their fanny pack light. It measures 61 x 90 x 135mm (2-3/8" x 3-9/16" x 5-5/16") — compact enough to fit in a small bag or purse, but it's definitely not an exclusively "small" camcorder like the Canon HV10, which is light years beyond the HS300A. But that’s another review. The good thing about the HS300A is that it’s sturdy. The hand strap is securely mounted to the body, the top-loading disc hatch locks tightly in place, and the LCD hinge is brawnier than most models in its class.

The HS300A comes with a detachable lens cap, which is arguably preferable over an internal lens cover switch. Remembering to close an internal lens is difficult when you’re running from soccer game to soccer game with a minivan full of brats. Although an external lens cap dangles and clanks around, it functions as an alert, prompting you to cover the lens. As far as looks go, Hitachi designed the HS300A very similarly to its DVD camcorders. It’s tall, thin, and nice to look at. Everything else about this camcorder is another story.

LCD and Viewfinder* (4.5)*

The HS300A comes equipped with a burly 2.7" wide LCD screen, offering 120K pixels. The image is not very exciting, and the color appears washed out. But have no fear—just play with the LCD display brightness and color levels to fix it. This way, you can fool yourself into thinking you are recording a good image. The brightness slider progresses from darkest to lightest in 22 increments, while the color slider moves from almost black and white to saturated, improved color (over the HS300A’s true, lame image) in 20 increments. Both sliders are devoid of standardized, equidistant levels, so use your keen cinematographer’s eye wisely. But again, these controls are only conducive to presenting your final product on the massive 2.7" LCD screen for a crowd of 2 ½ friends. The .2 inch viewfinder cranks out 200K pixels and has its own brightness adjustment in increments of 14 this time. This is probably the best image available on the HS300A. Too bad you are the only audience.

 

Battery Life* (9.4)
*

We tested the life of the HS300A’s DZ-BP07PW battery pack by slipping the camcorder into full auto mode for uninterrupted recording. The EIS was off, the LCD was open, and no manual control or zoom was engaged during the test. In Fine mode, the battery lasted 93 minutes and 58 seconds, which falls short of the reported 105 minutes of typical record time. The HS300A offers three quality modes—Xtra Fine, Fine, and Standard—all with a battery life of 105 minutes using the viewfinder and 95 minutes using the LCD screen.

The DZ-BP07PW battery pack must be removed from the sliding enclosure in order to connect the AC adapter/charger. This means if the battery is fading and you’re in the middle of capturing priceless dogs-on-rollerblades footage, you must power off, grab an extension cord, find the nearest outlet, plug in, and attempt to grasp the leftovers of a monumental cinematic experience. On the bright side, the HS300A’s battery pack is well placed beneath the extendable viewfinder.

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

Audio* (3.0)*

The HS300A records linear PCM Dolby Digital audio via MPEG2 format. While the MPEG2 format is frequently popularized amongst DVD, SD card and HDD camcorders, it does not match the aural crispness of an mp3. Nevertheless, the HS300A’s sound was fairly decent. During playback, there was a minimal amount of white noise accompanying the video. The built-in microphone is conveniently placed at the front of the HS300A, promoting anti-finger muffling audio recording through left and right speaker channels. The camcorder has no mic input and no level controls.

Playback* (2.25)*

The HS300A offers playback in DVD, HDD, and SD modes. Their function menus are virtually identical: camera, record, date, and LCD/EVF setups. DVD and HDD share the same Administrative menus: program AE, white balance, EIS, digital zoom, and mic filter. SD mode encompasses all of those features except the mic filter, as it is not needed for recording stills. Wading through the convoluted architecture of Hitachi’s menu system is vexing, to say the least. The operator is required to fiddle with the left side of the camcorder, wasting time and losing focus. Panasonic’s rear-mounted joystick would be a great subject of study for the engineers at Hitachi.

The structure of the menu is fairly straightforward and playing back recorded footage is not rocket science either. In DVD mode, the Disc Navigation button brings up a screen with individual thumbnails representing recorded scenes. Using the circular menu selector, you can scroll through each scene for playback, much like a DVD menu, only you can delete the ones you don’t want. The HDD playback menu is the same deal, but allows you to dub onto DVD discs in order to free up hard disc space, which is a modest 8GB. You’ll need a lot of backup discs. In SD mode, you’ll see the same menu which allows you to select and delete stills. Playing back recorded footage is simple and Hitachi gets points for implementing a standardized menu across the board for each mode in order to avoid navigational confusion.

Connectivity* (5.0)
*

There’s not much to choose from here. You’ve got your USB terminal in the front alongside the A/V out jack. The SD card slot is located on the bottom of the camcorder and is accessed from the LCD cavity. Good luck snapping a bunch of stills using a tripod, although why would you want to take stills with a maximum resolution of 640 x 480? The battery-shaped DC input fits into the battery chamber and connects to an external battery charger. The only downside is that you can’t charge the battery and use the camcorder at the same time.

Other Features

What’s in the Box?

Hitachi includes a well-rounded list of goods in the HS300A’s box:

• DZ-BP07PW battery pack

• DZ-ACS3 AC adapter/charger

• Power cable

• AV/S-Video output cable

• Shoulder strap

• Lens cap and lens cap string

• Software CD-ROM

• USB 2.0

• Disc cleaning cloth

The supplied AV/S output cable is thicker and more durable than most camcorders’, and the disc cleaning cloth can also function as a lens wipe. The shoulder strap relieves fatigue on long days, but you’ll have to buy a surplus of DVD discs in order to fill the time. A backup battery would also be a good idea, seeing as how the HS300A’s battery will not ante up on long vacations.

Other Features* (2.0)*
HDD/DVD Hybrid Recording Capability - The biggest selling point of the DZ- HS300A is its ability to record video to either DVD or onboard HDD and its ability to dub footage from the hard drive to disc. This is a convenience-oriented model that is a great idea in theory, but the camcorder’s performance and handling flaws outweigh the potential benefits of "hybrid" functionality.

Comparisons / Conclusion

**Comparison
***Hitachi DZ-HS500A
*After reading this review, you’ll probably be asking yourself just what the heck Hitachi was thinking when they designed the HS300A (convenience does count for a lot over performance in the consumer mind). For those of you who happen to be a fan, Hitachi has an upgrade for you: The DZ-HS500A ($799 MSRP). What do you get for an additional $200? A 30GB hard drive, 30x optical zoom, and stealthy gun metal style. Same imager. Identical body. Equivalent disappointment. This is Hitachi’s crème of the crop hybrid.

---

Sony DCR-SR40
The Sony DCR-SR40 ($500 MSRP) is easier to use than most hard drive camcorders of its ilk. Just a quick gander at its barren body will leave you wondering, "Where have all the buttons gone to?" The SR40 gives you 30GB of storage, and that’s about it. Its video quality suffers through its 1/6" CCD with 680 gross pixels, and its manual controls are on the brink of extinction. The HS300A is in the same boat. It has similarly dreadful video quality. The HS300A’s only advantages are its SD card slot, additional manual controls, and on-the-fly dubbing to DVD. But here’s the kicker: The Hitachi DZ-HS300A has a maximum hard drive capacity of 8GB. That’s 110 minutes in Xtra mode—and believe me, you’ll need Xtra mode. Hmm—more recording space or more features? In all honesty, an additional $100 is not that steep for the wealth of features the HS300A provides over the SR40. Just be prepared to bring along an industrial-size satchel filled with back-up DVDs and a small laptop for longer shoot days.

Sony DCR-DVD205
With a bigger 1/5.5" CCD, the Sony DCR-DVD205 ($600 MSRP) produces a better image than Hitachi’s low-end 1/6" imager. However, the DVD205’s 12x optical zoom doesn't quite have the kick of the HS300A’s 20x optical zoom—nothing to get your knickers in a twist, though. The DVD205 is more simplified and easier to use—despite the touch screen menu—than the HS300A (just try navigating though the image control buttons in the LCD cavity while you’re trying to shoot). The HS300A does have a hot shoe and lens thread for lens attachments, though. If you’re gung-ho in your quest for a DVD-only camcorder, then I’d opt for the DVD205. If you’d like more recording options and don’t care as much about video quality, go with an HS300A.

Panasonic VDR-D200
The folks at Panasonic are pros when it comes to ergonomically innovative camcorder design. The VDR-D200 ($599 MSRP) is no exception. Its comfortable rear-mounted joystick allows for full menu navigation while looking into the EVF. That’s great news for your battery. In addition, Panasonic leads the pack in the manual control department. All the essentials are present, (white balance, shutter, exposure, etc.) and more. The HS300A has a clunky design that requires a few additional hoops to leap through, and you might and up hitting your head on a couple. The buttons are placed oddly on the left side and in the LCD cavity, and as a result, navigating through the menu is a royal pain. Both camcorders produce similar video quality and lame 640 x 480 stills. The Hitachi gives you a hard drive and a SD slot as well. It’s down to comfort over features yet again at an even price. I’d seek out a store to try them both before you commit.

Panasonic SDR-S150
We’re jumping a bit out of the HS300A’s price range here to bring you the Panasonic SDR-S150 ($999 MSRP). I know, I know, a $300 leap is quite daunting to the wallet, but let’s talk alternative media here. The S150 has three 1/6" CCDs, each cranking out 800K gross pixels. In the dunce corner sits the HS300A with its lone 1/6" chip, whimpering tears that add up to 680K gross pixels. Although I’m being harsh, the S150’s image is light years ahead of the HS300A’s. In image quality, you usually get what you pay for, but there are a number of camcorders out there with much better image quality at an even cheaper price, like the Canon Elura 100, Camcorderinfo.com’s 2006 Camcorder of the Year. That aside, the S150 is an SD card-only camcorder. It’s tiny, has a 2.8" LCD screen, and still retains Panasonic’s awesome manual control palette. With SDHC cards, the S150 can hold up to 32 GB (or will, when cards that large are available). Now here is the reason we even mentioned the S150: The Hitachi HS300A is a Whitman’s Sampler of mediocrity—it has a lot of features, but all of them are sub-par. Why settle for the middle of the road when you could spring for a compact, convenient, SD card-only camcorder with high-quality video performance? The answer to that can only be dictated by a trio of Benjamins.

Canon DC100
Both the Canon DC100 ($499 MSRP) and the Hitachi DZ-HS300A produce an image that is not exciting, to say the least. This is characteristic of their amateur-grade 1/6" CCD imagers. Their menu navigation and manual controls are about even, although the Hitachi’s controls are pretty annoying to wade through. What can I say? We’re looking at a no-frills DVD camcorder vs. a no-frills hybrid camcorder. For an extra $100, you could find Canon’s DC40 online, which comes equipped with a much bigger 1/2.8" imager and built-in SD card slot, unless you really want that hard drive.

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Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters* *

Throw weak video quality and multiple recording formats into a pot. Stir for a while. Ladle and serve to the nearest point-and-shooter. This is actually a very simple camcorder for this user, but there are better options.

Budget Consumers**

For those looking to mash a DVD, hard drive, and SD card camcorder into one, this will certainly give you a run for your money. Just don’t complain about the video quality and poor handling.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid**

The still photos are a joke on this camcorder with their web-sized 640 x 480 resolution. Most camcorders compared above produce both larger and better still photos.

Gadget Freaks**

Gadget freaks no longer care about DVD camcorders, so the hard drive on the HS300A would be the enticing factor. Too bad the maximum capacity is 8GB when there are 60GB HDD camcorders on the market.

Manual Control Freaks**

You’ve got your basics. It’s difficult to access them. Look at Panasonics instead.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists**

We’ve already grilled the HS300A enough. This is the last group of people we’d want to introduce the camcorder to.

**Conclusion
**

We wanted to like this camcorder because the concept is a very good one: To give consumers who like the convenience of DVDs a way to easily expand their recording time by equipping the DZ-HS300A with a modestly sized HDD. Including an onboard HDD to DVD dubbing option keeps things simple by doing away with the need to purchase a standalone disc burner or deal with camcorder/PC software and connectivity. For many casual shooters who like DVD camcorders but want the flexibility of longer recording times, the DZ-HS300A should be an attractive option. Unfortunately, the performance of this camcorder is bad enough to make its hybrid capabilities a moot point. The resolution was so low, in fact, that we could barely make out the text on our test charts! The problems worsened in low light, and at 15 lux, the image produced by this camcorder was a murky, noisy mess. The other attributes of the DZ-HS300A don’t help its case. The menu responds slowly, the control interface points awkwardly sideways, and the camcorder offers only a basic entry-level feature set. In a nutshell, the DZ-HS300A is high on concept and very low on follow-through.

Specs and Ratings

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