Hitachi updates Blu-ray, HDD, DVD camcorders

Just months after the fall release of the first-ever Blu-ray camcorder, Hitachi on Tuesday is updating the camera as well as a slew of more conventional models, beginning with versions for its home country of Japan. The DZ-BD9H doubles the storage of the earlier BD7H by offering a 60GB hard drive along with the Blu-ray recorder. This allows up to nine hours of AVCHD footage at a full 1080 resolution, the company says. As before, owners can record directly to either drive and transfer video stored on the hard disk to a mini BD-R disc for a permanent copy. The new model also has a 10 percent sharper image and a 2.7-inch preview LCD which is 40 percent brighter than for the outgoing model.

The BD9H also records 480p DVD-level video to DVD for as much as 30 minutes and includes an SD card slot for offloading content as well as taking 4.3-megapixel still shots (3.2 in widescreen mode). Hitachi's camera outputs through either HDMI for video or USB for data and ships February 12th to Japan for about $1,691. A US version is certain given the existence of the BD7H in the country but has not been announced.

As an alternative, the DZ-HD90 supplies almost all the features of the BD9H without the Blu-ray recorder. It drops support for standard-definition shooting but gains an external SATA connector for attaching an external Blu-ray or DVD drive for dubbing HD videos from its 60GB hard disk. Hitachi ships the HD90 on March 3rd in Japan for $1,315.

For those only concerned with standard definition shots, the 8GB DZ-HS803 and the 30GB DZ-HS903 are available. Either can record either straight to their respective hard disks or to mini DVDs. Up to 23 hours of video can fit on the HS903's drive while the HS803 can hold as much as six. Shooting still photos at 3 megapixels is common across both models, which are due February 7th in Japan at equivalent prices of $845 for the HS803 and $1,033 for the HS903. [via Impress]

DZ-BD9H

DZ-HD90

DZ-HS803 and DZ-HS903