Hitachi's Digital8.(digital camcorder)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)

Hitachi VM-D865LA Digital8 Camcorder

When Sony introduced the Digital8 format in 1999, it opened up a new world of inexpensive digital video for consumers. Now, Hitachi follows suit with its own Digital8 model, the VM-D865LA. Sporting a small (2.5-inch) flip-out color LCD monitor, microphone input, five digital effects and FireWire digital input/output, the VM-D865LA is intended for the average home videographer who prefers ease of use over manual control.

Familiar Look

The look and feel of the VM-D865LA is the tried-and-true, comfortable design popularized by Sony and Canon in the early '90s. Though not particularly compact, the camcorder fits easily in the hand, and offers easy access to the zoom and record controls with the right hand. Placement of other controls on the camcorder is logical and ergonomic -- with the camcorder in the right hand, the left hand is free to manipulate the fader, backlight compensation, digital effects and titler.

In Practice

At first glance, we thought the VM-D865LA had a manual focus ring, due to the heavy machined ring circling the lens. When we tried to turn it, however, we quickly learned that it's for looks only and is not a focusing system. The actual focus system uses a pair of small buttons located on the back of the camera.

When shooting with the 2.5-inch LCD as your viewfinder, it's fairly easy to get in an outdoor situation where the image is difficult to see. We found that the LCD's brightness lacked a bit. Though the brightness adjustment located on the side of the monitor assembly helped somewhat, it was still difficult to make out the images in daylight shooting conditions. This is a common complaint with many LCD displays. Plan to use the eyepiece if you'll be shooting out of doors.