Hitachi DZ-BD7HA Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Nov 7, 2007 2:15 AM
|
Advertisement
|
|||||||||||
Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (2.75)
The auto controls on the Hitachi DZ-BD7HA leave a lot to be desired. The shooting experience can only be described as sitting as a passenger in a Porches with a student driver behind the wheel. We know the camcorder has potential (if the $1,600 price tag is any indication), and that Blu-ray compression could be great, but the systems designed by Hitachi to perform the basic responses to changes in light are abysmal.
The problem is multifold. First and foremost, the typical auto exposure response lags, then suddenly leaps into action as if someone has snapped their fingers. The camcorder shows a complete inability to transition smoothly from one setting to another. It’s terribly distracting to watch. If you’re panning across a scene with multiple highlights and shadows, the camcorder leaps jarringly from bright to dark and back.
Second, the DZ-BD7HA seems to have a poor metering method for its auto exposure. For instance, the camcorder overexposes a bright object in a shot, even if that object is taking up 70 percent of the frame. A better camcorder would give you the option to change the Metering mode or understand that if an object is taking up that much space, it’s probably the subject of the shot and should be exposed accordingly.
Auto focus is also an issue. It’s not very good. When shooting objects in Macro, the band of focus is very small, and because there is no aperture adjustment, there’s no great way to correct for it. When shooting objects that are farther away, the camcorder has a hard time finding the proper focus. Typically, the camcorder uses contrast to find the focal point, but when the image is as noisy as this, the contrast can be hard to determine.
Even the auto shutter has problems, which is something we hardly ever notice on camcorders. It appears – and we have no way to verify this – that the auto shutter is permitted to dip as low as 1/30 of a second, rather than the standard 1/60. While many camcorders allow you to engage or disengage a feature like this, the DZ-BD7HA gives you no choice. The shutter speed is completely determined by the camcorder. And as with the exposure, you’ll see a jarring shift between the camcorder using “slow shutter” and “normal shutter” – the entire look and feel of the video changes, often from one second to the next.
The camcorder also includes a few one-touch controls for simple image correction. In the Main menu are four Program AE modes: Portrait, Spotlight, Sand & Snow, and Low Light. A button labeled “BLC” in the LCD cavity activates the Backlight Compensation, which boosts exposure to bring out the detail in subjects that are too strongly backlit.
We could find it in our hearts to forgive the poor auto responses, even a little, if the manual control package was more substantial. Unfortunately, there is very little in that regard, making this camcorder a real turkey.
The mode dial on the rear of the DZ-BD7HA
Overall Manual Control (3.0)
The manual control package on the Hitachi DZ-BD7HA is slim – terrifically slim considering the hefty price tag. By comparison, the nearest in price, the JVC GZ-HD7 ($1,700 MSRP), at least tried to justify itself by offering the most substantial manual control suite of the year.
The DZ-BD7HA offers exposure control, basic manual focus, a few white balance options, and zoom. There is no shutter speed, no aperture, no focus assist tools, no gain, no color correction, and no zebra stripes. There is, however, an option for guidelines on the LCD screen, so it’s not all bad, right?
Our disappointment in the control set would be greater were we not so underwhelmed by everything else regarding the camcorder.
Zoom (5.0)
The zoom toggle on the Hitachi DZ-BD7HA is comfortable and well placed for the index finger. When zooming, a scale appears in the upper left corner to tell you where in the zoom range you are. However, the actual numerical value is not given. Depending on finger pressure, it’s possible to get about four zoom speeds, from a slow crawl to a quick run. This is possibly, and sadly, the best manual control on the camcorder.
Zoom Power Ratio (10.0)
The Hitachi DZ-BD7HA features a 10x optical zoom, which is on par with most HD camcorders currently on the market. The digital zoom, activated in the menu, can be extended to either 40x or 500x. The 40x, while sure to infringe on image quality to some extent, is certainly favorable to 500x, an outlandish feature that holds little real-world use.
Focus (4.0)
The manual focus control is pitiful, considering the price, the fact it’s HD, and that the auto focus is not very good. Manual focus is activated by pushing the focus button in the LCD cavity. Once activated, a small orange icon appears on screen directing you to push the joystick left and right. There is no scale or numerical values to tell you where in the focal range you are. Also, most manufacturers figured out that LCDs are typically too small or too low-res to make the proper adjustment by eye alone, and therefore included helpful focusing tools. Hitachi thought otherwise, and neglected to include anything of the sort.
Exposure & Aperture (5.0)
The only exposure control is a simple exposure compensation tool, activated by pushing the exposure button in the LCD cavity. Once engaged, a small orange scale appears on-screen with a range of +/-6. The actual effects on aperture and shutter speed are unknown. On the whole, the exposure control is simple and effective, but does not offer much range. The darkest setting is not all that dark, nor is the +6 setting completely blown out.
Shutter Speed (0.0)
The Hitachi DZ-BD7HA offers no shutter speed control. All the other DVD and HDD-based HD camcorders have shutter control, except Sony.
White Balance (6.25)
The white balance controls, unlike the other major manual controls, do not merit an external button in the LCD cavity. Rather, they are found in the menu. Options include Auto, Set (Manual), Outdoor, Indoor 1 (incandescent or halogen), and Indoor 2 (fluorescent). Making a manual adjustment is easy – just select the Set option, then push in the joystick. You will be exited from the menu, then asked to push in on the joystick again. The list of presets compares favorably to Panasonic and Sony camcorders, which give you a shorter set of options. Canon’s is better.
Gain (0.0)
There is no gain control. Only Panasonic camcorders offer gain control in the consumer class.
Other Manual Controls (1.0)
Auxiliary Line - In a confusing bit of nomenclature, Hitachi uses the term “Auxiliary Line” to mean a guidelines feature – four thin lines in a grid pattern across the screen to help you set up a shot.
|
Advertisement
|