Brand: HITACHI
Category: Camcorder
Document Type: Manual
Language: EN
Manual for VM-E555LE
Uploaded: Aug. 10, 2025, 12:51 a.m.
Your video camera/recorder combines the functions of a video camera and a video tape recorder in one lightweight, easy-to-use instrument. This eliminates interconnecting cables and simplifies operation.
**Record and Playback Capability:** Record directly from the built-in video camera. Playback video/audio played back by the video recorder or fed directly from the camera can be viewed and heard on a TV receiver/monitor by using the audio/video output cable.
**Colour Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Monitor with Speaker:** NTSC Playback (Multi Playback) is possible for NTSC tapes recorded in the SP mode.
**Active Light (for VM-H855LE/VM-H955LE):** Digital Zoom up to × 400 magnifies the image up to 100 times in normal use, 264 times when the zoom mode is switched, and 400 times when instant zoom is used at the same time.
**Digital Effect:** Digitally process the image you are going to record or the playback image. During recording, select among six modes: 16×9, negative/positive, × 400 digital zoom, half-mirror, mosaic, or art. During playback, select among three modes: 16×9, art, or sepia.
**Programme AE (Auto Exposure):** Camera automatically determines shutter speed and aperture according to brightness.
**Electronic Image Stabilizer (EIS):** Corrects slight shaking when zooming in on a distant subject.
**Auto Focus Power Zoom Lens:** 22x autofocus zoom lens uses video auto focus system to maintain focus and zoom.
**Wireless Remote Control is Provided:** Fade-in/Fade-out function for gradual picture appearance/disappearance. Six fade modes available.
**Automatic Title Recording:** Automatically records selected or created title with date for about 10 seconds after recording starts.
**Date Search:** Memorizes start and end positions of recordings for easy location.
Troubleshooting and error codes
| Symptom | Check Point & Correction |
| Cassette holder cannot be opened when you press the EJECT button. | Connect the power source. |
| Cassette cannot be inserted into cassette compartment. | Load cassette in direction indicated by arrow on cassette. The cassette window must be towards the outside. |
| Picture does not appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor. | Slide the CAM/OFF/VIDEO switch to "CAM" position. |
| The camera/recorder cannot go into the recording mode, even when Start/Stop button is pressed. | Check the record-protect tab on the cassette. See page 20 for details. Set the CAM/OFF/VIDEO switch to "CAM" position. |
| PLAY button cannot be engaged. | The "■" indication in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor flashes to indicate battery is discharged. Try another battery or charge the battery. Set the CAM/OFF/VIDEO switch to "VIDEO" position. |
| Interference on playback picture. (The TV is connected to the camera/recorder using the RF converter unit.) | When you see the playback picture on your TV, adjust fine tuning knob on television set to obtain the best picture. |
| Picture is out of focus. Auto-focus does not operate correctly. | Press the FOCUS control buttons simultaneously to erase "FOCUS" in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor. Auto-focus does not operate correctly if a special-effects filter is attached or with the objects shown on page 34. |
| The created title does not appear. | Insert the clock battery, then create a title. Do not remove the clock battery after creating a title. When the stored title (prememo) is displayed in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor, press the PLAY button. |
| Power is interrupted. | If the record pause mode continues for more than 5 minutes, power is shut off automatically. Press the Start/Stop button to restore the power. |
| The LCD screen is black and white. The colour of the LCD screen is not normal. Power is not turned on. | Remove the power source and the clock battery. And after about one minute, the display in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor will be reset. Then set the information again. |
| Power is turned on, but no button operations are accepted. | Have you moved the camera/recorder or cassette from a cold place to a warm place so that its temperature changed abruptly? If the temperature has changed, remove the cassette and set the CAM/OFF/VIDEO switch to OFF, then wait for about one hour. |
| "TAPE" appears in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor. | Remove the cassette and then try to reinsert: remove it several times. If the indication is still shown in the viewfinder or LCD monitor, use a cleaning tape to clean the heads and replace the cassette. |
| The battery level indicator "■" appears differently on the LCD monitor and in the viewfinder. | This does not indicate a fault; it is because the power consumed by the LCD monitor and viewfinder is different. |