Hybrid Hitachi camcorders use both DVD, hard disk
updated 12:40 pm EST, Wed January 10, 2007
Hitachi DVD+HDD camcorders
New camcorders from Hitachi combine DVD drives and hard disks in the same camera, the company has announced. The DZHS300A and DZH500A hybrid camcorders have 8GB and 30GB hard disks, respectively, and when they finish recording, can burn the video to DVD with a single button. Supported DVD formats include DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM and DVD+RW. The S300A has an SD card slot and 25x optical zoom; aside from having a larger hard drive, the 500A boosts zoom to 30x. Both models also have drop protection, ensuring that when a fall is detected, reading and writing is stopped, and the hard disk is secured for impact. The S300A is available now for $600, and the 500A will ship in April for $800.
