Video Equipment Reviews (page 4)

The LCD viewfinder on the 8-862 offers good color and fair resolution. The viewfinder also allows for color, brightness and tint adjustments. Making adjustments is easy--the three controls are on the LCD handle itself; you adjust them with a small screwdriver.

A built-in character generator allows you to create titles with up to 32 characters (two lines of 16 characters per line). In addition, the 8-862 offers auto date and title recording options. With these features, the camcorder will automatically record the title or date once a day for 10 seconds when you first start shooting.

Another neat feature that the 8-862 offers is the ability to power the camcorder with AA-size alkaline batteries. You simply insert 6 AA batteries into the power supply attachment holder for up to 35 minutes of shooting time. While the NiCd battery pack is recharging, you can use the AA-size batteries as a back-up power supply.

A three-way digital fader offers professional-looking scene transitions. The fades include a white, wipe and zoom fade. I was impressed with how easily I could control these functions with my left hand while recording. At the same time, I was able to activate the 16x9 recording mode from which I could create a cinema-like wide screen movie effect. Nice touch, Minolta.

Editing with the Minolta Master 8-862 requires an optional AV dub/synchro edit cable. It's not included with the unit, though it should be. The unit does offer audio and video outputs for connection to your VCR or television. Although the built-in microphone is mono, audio quality was good. Unfortunately, the 8-862 offers no headphone jack nor external microphone jack. These key features should not have been ignored.

Overall, the Minolta 8-862 is a good camcorder. I liked the 12x optical power zoom coupled with the digital 1.5x instant zoom feature. However, I can't help but feel that the price of this camcorder is a bit high for a standard 8mm unit with these features.

Minolta Master 8-862 8mm Camcorder

• Format
  8mm
• Lens
  12:1 optical zoom, 4-48mm focal length, f/1.6, inner focus, macro
• Image sensor
  1/4-inch CCD, 250,000 pixels
• Viewfinder
  0.7-inch color LCD
• Focus
  TTL digital autofocus, power manual focus
• Maximum shutter speed
  1/4,000th of a second
• Exposure
  Auto
• White balance
  Continuous auto
• Digital effects
  None
• Audio
  Mono AFM
• Inputs
  Composite video, audio
• Outputs
  Composite video, audio
• Edit interface
  Synchro edit (requires optional cable)
• Other features
  1.5x instant zoom, instant review, electronic image stabilization, infrared remote control, character generator, 3-way fader (white, wipe, zoom fade)
• Dimensions
  3.7 (width) by 4.75 (height) by 9 (depth) inches
• Weight
  1.9 pounds (sans tape and battery)
• Video Performance (approx.)
  • Horizontal resolution (camera)
    300 lines
  • Horizontal resolution (playback)
    240 lines
• Performance Times
  • Pause to record
    0.5 second
    
  • Power up to record
    1.5 seconds
    
  • Fast forward/rewind
    (30 min. tape) 1 minute, 40 seconds

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