Hitachi's world first hybrid DVD/HDD camcorder

After inventing the DVD camcorder in 1999, Hitachi have another world first under their belt with the release of their hybrid DVD/HDD camcorders. Their catch cry is "Shoot for hours, edit in minutes, share in seconds" and unlike some Franken-gadgets that tack on functionality without rhyme or reason, the multiple storage mediums included here make infinite sense - utilising the upsides, and negating the downsides of devices that use one or the other.

After inventing the DVD camcorder in 1999, Hitachi have another world first under their belt with the release of their hybrid DVD/HDD camcorders. Their catch cry is "Shoot for hours, edit in minutes, share in seconds" and unlike some Franken-gadgets that tack on functionality without rhyme or reason, the multiple storage mediums included here make infinite sense - utilising the upsides, and negating the downsides of devices that use one or the other.

DVD & HDD camcorders have their own inherent advantages and limitations. A hard disk allows on board editing capabilities, but once you've filled it, you're not shooting any more footage until you can get to a computer - and having to lug around a laptop isn't an attractive solution. DVD means no editing, but the discs are inexpensive and readily available, .

The 1.3 Megapixel DZ-HS301E (AU$1449) and the 3.3 Megapixel DZ-HS303E (AU$1649) have an 8 gigabyte hard disk, which is enough room for 110 minutes of video at full resolution. Unlike other devices, once you've filled this, you can easily export the entire/desired contents to DVD - without the need for a computer.

The one second Quickstart, which Hitachi claims to be the fastest out there, means that anyone missing out on that once-in-a-lifetime footage can only blame themselves, and all the functionality here has been squeezed into a surprisingly compact and lightweight package that is very comfortable to hold - and would presumably remain so for periods of extended use.

The only potential downside we see here is that the included battery will provide a fairly uninspiring maximum shooting time of 90 minutes, however an optional larger battery will supply up to three and a half hours of recording, which should satisfy all but the most snap-happy.

The DZ-HS301E and DZ-HS303E are now available worldwide, for more information visit Hitachi's website.