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Hitachi VM-D865LA
by bilbobaginz
If you were to pick a type of device which has most closely mimicked the increase in technology of all consumer products since the 1990s, I think it would have to be the Camcorder invention. A revolutionary product at its time of arrival, this video-recording device allowed every-day folk to capture important family events in good ... quality, from a small (relative to the time) user-friendly piece of kit. Nothing had ever come before it which performed a service similar in any way to this, and that made it a very special purchase which leaving friends and family hopelessly jealous. Today, the camcorder is as advanced and as small as ever, but this 'Hitachi VM-D865LA Digital8' is a good example of a recorder from about 10-years back - the big change from then to now is the fact that this kind of technology now fits inside devices as small as phones and MP3 players.
Sony introduced their Digital8 format back in 1999, and that was the trigger for other companies to product their own individual models of camcorder based on this platform. It was a new age of inexpensive digital video for the consumer, and consumers of all societal classes.
Hitachi's model has a 2.5 inch flip-out screen (as was the preferred style of camcorder screen at the end of the 20th century) which is a decent size for both playing back recorded footage and looking through when actually recording. Having a digital screen was such a big advantage over having to bend and look through the original site of the device (still included in this model). The only disadvantage of this is the fact that strong sources of light can glare from the screen making it difficult to see.
The camcorder fits nicely into one hand and the weight of the Hitachi is lesser enough for the strength of one hand to support it well. You could potentially record over an hour of footage and not feel the strain on your right hand. However, if you are left-handed you have a problem because the whole operation and ergonomics of the contraption are suited to right-handed people. There is even a strap to support the back of your right hand, gluing it to the recorder is a secure fashion which promotes use of the device in more interesting ways. By that I mean more inventive angles. Perhaps this is a largely un-explored use of the recorder, but my main use of the Hitachi as a kid was to create short films with it with my mates - and that required a durable hand-held which could cope with the fast paces action scenes of our underrated movies! It is my belief that we gave the camcorder the best crash-test possible - I lost count how many times we dropped the thing, and it never died on us.
The main negative outcome experienced when using the camera for hours on end was the rapidly decreasing battery life it had. The more you use and recharge, the more time you lose - and this time begins to fall quickly once the device reaches a certain age. The explanation? ...batteries were no where near as advanced as they are now back then.
By far the most fun and greatest addition to this model is respect to over digital8 alternatives, is the excellent editing software it has pre-loaded. FireWire allows you to chop and change pre-recorded footage, add some ridiculous (useless) effects which are just funny, and relay audio over the content at different points. Using the software is a little harder than equivalent software today, but once you get to know it it becomes a quick and easy process. And it's a process that can be continued on the computer if the required disk is installed prior to this.
- Some Technical Spec -
Format: Digital8
Lens: 22:1 optical, 500:1 digital
Audio: 16-bit or 12-bit
Digital effects: 5
Inputs: FireWire, S-video, composite, stereo audio, microphone
Outputs: FireWire, S-video, composite, stereo audio
Edit: FireWire
Overall, I think this is a great little camcorder which represents a milestone is consumer recording advancement. The technology may have surpassed this by some distance now, but the Digital8 format, and Hitachi branded camera still holds a place in many of our hearts.
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Sanyo VPC-CS1EX-B Xacti CS1
by firasha
First of all, in my view you should only consider this camcorder if size is quite important to you. Due to the Sanyo Xacti's small size & slim profile (fits into even a small pocket easily), I believe it's unfair to compare the Xacti directly to bigger camcorders that have more room to include better optics etc.
Video ... quality: Quality is good outdoors during the day in fair conditions. If you're going to do most of your shooting in such conditions, you'll be fine with this camcorder. It should be noted that the Xacti has a very small lens compared to proper camcorders and thus won't capture as much light. As a result, in low light and indoors, quality suffers massively and the image is very grainy.
Still photos: I tested the still photos feature indoors in decent light, and unfortunately it's very poor - worse than even a mediocre mobile phone camera without flash. Don't bother using this for stills.
Build quality: Unfortunately the build does feel a bit tacky in places, yet it seems sturdy enough and I wouldn't worry about it breaking even with rough handling. I should note here that the lens cap is a bit dodgy, it can be difficult to get it to click into place sometimes.
Accessories: Considering this is a Full HD camcorder with a mini-HDMI port, I think it was quite poor for Sanyo not to supply a mini-HDMI to full-HDMI cable. People typically don't have such cables lying around (unlike normal full-HDMI cables) and it's the only way to output Full HD video directly to a TV. It wasn't a big deal as such cables are available for a couple of pounds, but this makes the lack of inclusion even less excusable - I didn't even realise this type of cable existed before I read about it in the manual, and I would usually expect such a cable to be included. The component cable supplied can't handle Full HD.
It was a bit difficult to decide whether to give this camcorder 3 stars or 4 stars. If you're comparing it to proper camcorders on image quality, even 3 stars is difficult, but then - as I mentioned at the start of this review - such camcorders are much bigger, heavier and pricier, so I don't think such a comparison would've been fair. Considering its size, I think a comparison to good quality phone video cameras - such as that on the iPhone 4 or latest Nokia models - is fairer, in which case the Xacti generally comes out much better (except possibly in low light!). For the afore-mentioned reasons, and as I think the phone video camera comparison is fairer, I have given this 4 stars.
In conclusion, this is a decent choice if your mobile phone's video camera isn't good enough for your needs, but you don't need a fully-fledged camcorder, and want to retain phone-like portability.
I have also reviewed this on Amazon under the name M. Marikar
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Zoom Q3HD
by Walowiz
Hello everyone,
A very recent purchase of mine in aid of my mother's forays into the musical world of accordion playing was the Zoom Q3. Now, I'm quite a big fan of zoom products in general, and although I already own the Zoom H4N Handy recorder, I was intrigued to find out how the Q3 would compare. Usually, when I make ... video recordings with sound I have to set up my H4N and video camera separately and sync the video and audio afterwards, but thinking the Q3 would eliminate the need for this tedious exercise I recently purchased one off the wonderful wide webs and gave it a try.....
::::: The product :::::
The Zoom Q3 is the first recording device from the zoom range to feature a built in video recording facility. This really appeals to musical hobbyists like me who wish to record there playing and performances to asses at a later date. Unfortunately, due to an ear injury, I've not been able to indulge my accordion playing whims for some time so I have taken to helping my mother improve her playing instead. The Q3 features a small yet powerful microphone located on the top of the device, in a rather futuristic looking design. On top of this, it takes SD cards, has a headphone slot and also boasts a small LCD screen so you can see how much memory the device has left and what you are recording. It also has the capabilities to perform 2X video zoom. Quite a lot in a very small package!
::::: The Effect :::::
Now, my first test of the product was a quick video of one of my mother's daily practice sessions. I sat opposite her on a chair while she squeezed out some delicate tangos. We then watched the video back, and realised I hadn't checked the levels- so make sure you do test before making a full performance video or you could get caught out! On our second attempt, after a very quick fiddle with the settings to alter the input volume, all was successful. I even attempted a zoom while in operation of the camera, however I recommend if you are to do this then you should be aware that the zoom function is not very smooth while recording.
We later watched the video back, and my mother was quite embarrassed to see herself playing for the first time- her rapturous expression while pumping her instrument is really something to behold! Anyway, we were pleased with the video, but it isn't of a very high quality, it is probably comparable to video on small lower end flip camcorders. I would also probably recommend setting the device up on a stable surface rather than holding it, as if you suffer from tense and shaking hands like me then the video can come out very shaky. The real benefit of the Q3 is its immense sound quality, which isn't as good as studio or that of its more powerful brother the H4N, but it comes a close second.
::::: The Price:::::
A quick Google tells me you can now purchase the Q3 from £112 on the web, although when I first bought it I believe I paid closer to £170, so prices have really gone down. I'd say this is quite good value for money, but if you already own a higher end Zoom recorder and a decent video camera you may be better served just taking the time to sync your videos and music manually.
::::: My Opinions :::::
All in all, a great little device. Perfect for the amateur musician, or bands who want to quickly and easily upload their videos to YouTube without being too concerned about picture quality.
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