Taking Advantage of Your Video
Home video ushered in a revolution in the way families stored memories; instead of passing photo albums, everyone gathered around the TV. One popular format was 8 mm videotape.
Are All Formats the Same?
One thing you should be aware of is that there are different formats that use the same 8 mm videotapes. Most camcorders are backwards compatible, so a Samsung Hi8 camcorder should play a Video8 tape without difficulty, though it cannot play one recorded in Digital8 format even if the word Hi-8 is marked clearly on the case. The three 8 mm camcorder formats are:
- Video8: The original 8 mm format, Video8 provides about the same level of picture quality as VHS. These tapes do support playback in a Hi8 camcorder, but Video8 cameras cannot do the same with Hi8 tape.
- Hi8: This later format upped the resolution to approximately 400 lines, giving it the same video quality as S-VHS. It represents the high-water mark for analog video.
- Digital8: This format used the same tapes but is completely incompatible with its predecessors otherwise. The camera can still playback analog tapes, but the digital recording format uses tape at twice the rate.
What About Camcorders?
Choosing a Hi8 camcorder is often a matter of balancing different needs against each other, consider two models from Samsung's line of cameras:
- SC-L810: This entry level camcorder features easy to use controls and 22x optical zoom. It also features an 880x digital zoom, but that's not really usable in most situations. One thing that is usable in many situations is the video light which allows for low light videography. Imaging comes through a 270,000-pixel sensor. One useful function is the "Easy" button, which turns everything to automatic so all you have to do is press record.
- SC-L850: This camcorder features a larger sensor with 470,000 pixels, as well as 22x optical and 440x digital zoom capabilities. It even includes basic edit and preview functions right in the camera. The 3-inch screen is great for previewing video, while the monochrome viewfinder lets you get a crisp focus. There's even S-Video out.
Capturing Video
Using a video camera involves more than just filling up tapes with images. You want to use your video to tell a story. Take the time to frame your shots and use all the features you need. Stick with optical zoom where possible as it gives you a much better result than the digital alternative since it uses the lens for magnification rather than cropping the image at the sensor level. An external microphone offers better sound, but when possible look for a camera with a headphone jack so you can monitor the sound while taping.
Content provided for informational purposes only. eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by Samsung.