Hitachi Hybrid DZ-BD7HA Blu Ray camcorder

videomaker · #1 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 07:14 PM

With blu ray camcorders in their infancy is it worth it to pay $1500. It is the top of the line but cost should be taken into the equation.

What do you think?

Hitachi Hybrid DZ-BD7HA review

Blu-ray Disc Camcorder Review: Hitachi Hybrid DZ-BD7HA

Marc Peters · #2 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 09:48 PM

Didn't even know they existed

. It's fine and dandy coming up with the latest and greatest recording format, but when we can't easily edit and present our record video, last years technology becomes much more appealing. Although miniDV is now seen as very much yesterday's technology, it's so rediculously easy to edit that it's my only recommendation for anyone considering editing as a hobby.

Untill the software plays catch up, it's really rather a white elephant. The problem is that over the last 3 years we've had miniDV, microDV, miniDVD, AVCHD and now Blu Ray cams. That's fine, but the only easily accessible medium remains miniDV and until that universal acceptance is mirrored in another format, I personally can't recommend any thing else.

Mark W · #3 (**permalink**) 02-16-2008, 01:14 AM

Marc is far more erudite than me....

I wouldnt touch that camera with a barge pole.

Looks like a hook for the gullible to me - everything that is new bunged together to impress the gullible and fat of wallet.

Why on earth do you need a HD AND a blu ray disc ?

And the whole point of blu ray is bandwidth - on a HDV camcorder this is ridiculous as the bit rate of HDV is less than DV - you only need an ordinary dvd for tha data.

High band width dics have thier place (XDCAM) where the quality of the optics ect justifies the use of high bit rates.

It's all very well putting stickers on a camrea that say '1080p' but trust me - you need to spend £2000 ( $4000 ) minimum befor the ability of the optics / block are good enough to allow you to see that resoloution.

If you want to be a film maker spend your £1000 on a s/h PD170 or XM2 or XL2 or PDX 10 even - the results will be as good as the 'hi def' Hitatchi you mention and you will actually be able to easily load it into ALL editors and edit it without a quad core, but it probably wont impress your firends as much !

So is it worth it - NO.

A few years back I read a quote by Lord Litchfield ( famous photographer ) - he said that 2 ( yes two ) mega pixels were enough in a still camera and that after that the lens was far far more important.

videomaker · #4 (**permalink**) 02-20-2008, 03:25 PM

The future can only look better since Blu-Ray has officially won the format war over HDDVD. The cameras will be get better and cheaper.

Marc Peters · #5 (**permalink**) 02-21-2008, 07:44 PM

The cameras may well get cheaper, and I'm sure the twenty zillion pixel CCD will have consumers swooning. But as Mark says, I bet the optics won't match and I'd put money on the software not really being up to scrach for a while yet. Maybe that's what the consumer wants, but it's definately not what the majority of our users wants.

videomaker · #6 (**permalink**) 02-21-2008, 08:42 PM

I guess i will put the money towards software and wait on the camera

Mark W · #7 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 03:25 PM

No get a camera ! Make movies !

Just be advised that you dont need a blu ray 1080p HD CMOS HDV Atuowibble thingy wassisname to make good films.

All you need is a camera, any camera. Ideas and perseverance is what makes a good film.