Since DVD camcorders tend to be aimed at point-and-shoot enthusiasts looking for ease of control, it doesn't bode well that Hitachi's flagship DZ-GX3300A is so awkward to operate. In all respects, we expected better from a top-of-the-line unit.

The DZ-GX3300A certainly features a competent optical set-up and plenty of recording options. The 10X optical/500X digital zoom functions and digital image stabilization work smoothly, and the unit's large 1/3-inch, 3.3-megapixel CCD delivers 2.18 effective megapixels in 4:3 standard mode and 1.64 effective megapixels in 16:9 widescreen mode. Unfortunately, in optimal shooting conditions, the resulting video images captured tend to lack detail and exhibit oversaturated colors.

The DZ-GX3300A performs better in terms of disc compatibility and digital stills quality. The unit can record to DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW and DVD+RW, and it has an SD memory card slot. Stills can be saved to disc or memory card only at a resolution of 2,016X1,512, and the camcorder has a flash for low-light shots. The DZ-GX3300A also has some handy features such as a video-to-photo frame-grab tool and a hibernation mode. The former allows you to select individual frames from video recordings on disc and transfer them to the memory card as digital stills. The hibernation mode conserves battery power, and the unit can be ready to record again within 1 second of pressing a button.

The real disappointment of the DZ-GX3300A lies in the overall handling. The menu is lengthy and confusing, and many controls are difficult to access. Manual control enthusiasts won't appreciate this camera either, as there is no manual shutter speed control, and the controls for aperture, focus and white balance are awkward to access. Next to DVD camcorders from competing brands, the Hitachi DZ-GX3300A compares poorly in terms of performance and ease of use.

Pros: Multiformat DVD compatibility, built-in flash
Cons: Low-quality construction, unresponsive handling with hard-to-operate menu system

Warranty
90 days labor, 1 year parts