8mm Camcorder Buyer's Guide
If 1997 is any indication of the 8mm format's popularity in the consumer camcorder marketplace, you can rest assured the format is here to stay--at least for now. Increased optical zoom capabilities, easy-to-use editing functions and prices that are falling faster than you can say "8mm" are keeping consumers perched on the cutting-edge of camcorder technology without having to dive into a digital abyss they might not be quite ready, willing and able to adopt (or afford). Package these developments with long recording times on one tape and a small, compact physique, and you've got a format that clenches its share of the marketplace year after year.
Manufacturers are keeping up with market demand through new additions to the category that sport innovative, easy-to-use features. Take Canon, for example. Continuing their tradition of "firsts" in the consumer electronics market, they introduced the first 8mm camcorders with 16x (the ES270) and 22x (the ES970) optical zoom earlier this year. Among other features, the ES970 packages optical image stabilization with built-in automatic editing functions--and retails for just $799. (last year, Canon's ES100 and ES200 models debuted with the first 15x optical zoom).
This year's big surprise, though, comes from Samsung Electronics, which smashed through the 8mm price barrier with the SCA12--retailing for a mere $399. Samsung also introduced the SCA18 which includes 64x digital zoom with a price tag of $799.
Unfortunately for some camera hounds, these low prices mark a lack of features that are crucial to creative control. Nary a single 8mm camcorder sports manual control of white balance, iris or shutter speed.
In the following pages, take a look at what manufacturers are offering this time around. You just might find an 8mm unit is exactly what you've been searching for.
|
Company |
Model |
Price |
Zoom |
Maximum |
Image |
Manual |
Mike |
Head- |
Program |
Lens |
Editing |
Auto |
Pixels |
Char- |
Digital |
A/V |
View- |
Wireless |
Video |
Stereo |
Built-In |
||
|
Canon |
ES170 |
$549 |
16:1 |
1/1000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 |
f/1.4 |
L |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
B/W |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
||
|
ES270 |
$599 |
16:1 |
1/1000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 |
f/1.4 |
L |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
|||
|
ES870 |
$599 |
20:1 |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
6 |
f/1.6 |
L |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
|||
|
ES970 |
$799 |
22:1 |
1/10000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
6 |
f/1.6 |
L |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
|||
|
Hitachi |
VM-E230A |
$499 |
24:1 |
1/4000 |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
S |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
N |
N |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
||
|
VM-E530A |
$599 |
32:1 |
1/4000 |
E |
Y |
N |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
S |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
N |
N |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
|||
|
VM-E535A |
$699 |
32:1 |
1/4000 |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
S |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
N |
N |
B/W |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
|||
|
VM-E635LA |
$799 |
32:1 |
1/4000 |
E |
Y |
N |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
S |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
N |
N |
B/W |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
Minolta |
8-761C |
$970 |
12:1(24:1) |
1/4000 |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
A |
f/1.6 |
S* |
N |
270,000 |
Y |
3 |
Y |
Color |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
||
|
8-762CS |
$1,217 |
12:1(24:1) |
1/4000 |
E |
Y |
N |
N |
A |
f/1.6 |
S* |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
3 |
Y |
Color |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
RCA |
Pro852 |
$499 |
16:1 |
1/250 |
E |
N |
Y |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
N |
N |
250,000 |
N |
N |
Y |
Color |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
||
|
Pro854 |
$549 |
16:1 |
1/250 |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
N |
N |
250,000 |
N |
N |
Y |
Color |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
ProV600 |
$699 |
16:1 |
1/250 |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
N |
N |
270,000 |
N |
N |
N |
2.5" LCD |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
ProV742 |
$899 |
32:1 |
1/250 |
E |
Y |
Y |
N |
A |
f/1.4 |
N |
N |
270,000 |
N |
N |
N |
3" LCD |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
Samsung |
SCA18 |
$649 |
16:1(64:1) |
1/10000 |
E |
Y |
Y |
N |
5 |
f/1.4 |
N |
Y |
470,000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
||
|
SCA15 |
$499 |
12:1(24:1) |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
5 |
f/1.4 |
N |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
|||
|
SCA12 |
$399 |
12:1(24:1) |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
5 |
f/1.4 |
N |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Color |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
|||
|
Sharp |
VL-E66U |
$749 |
12:1 |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
A |
f/1.8 |
N |
N |
270,000 |
N |
N |
Y |
3" LCD |
N |
N |
N |
N |
||
|
VL-E600U |
$799 |
16:1 |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
A |
f/1.4 |
N |
N |
270,000 |
N |
N |
Y |
3" LCD |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
VL-E620U |
$849 |
16:1 |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
4 |
f/1.4 |
N |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
3" LCD |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
VL-E650 |
$899 |
16:1(32:1) |
1/10000 |
E |
Y |
Y |
Y |
4 |
f/1.4 |
N |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
3" LCD |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
VL-E77U |
$949 |
12:1 |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
A |
f/1.8 |
N |
N |
270,000 |
N |
N |
Y |
4" LCD |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
VL-E700U |
$999 |
16:1 |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
A |
f/1.4 |
N |
N |
270,000 |
N |
N |
Y |
4" LCD |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
VL-E720U |
$1,049 |
16:1 |
1/10000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
4 |
f/1.4 |
N |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
4" LCD |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
VL-E750U |
$1,099 |
16:1(32:1) |
1/10000 |
E |
Y |
Y |
Y |
4 |
f/1.4 |
N |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
4" LCD |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
Sony |
CCD-TR66 |
$599 |
13:1(26:1) |
1/4000 |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
3 |
f/1.4 |
L |
N |
270,000 |
Y |
N |
N |
Color |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
||
|
CCD-TR86 |
$699 |
15:1(30:1) |
1/4000 |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
3 |
f/1.4 |
L |
Y |
270,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
Color |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
|||
|
CCD-TR96 |
$799 |
15:1(30:1) |
1/4000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
3 |
f/1.4 |
L |
Y |
470,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
Color |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
|||
|
CCD-TRV12 |
$799 |
13:1(26:1) |
1/4000 |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
3 |
f/1.4 |
L |
N |
270,000 |
Y |
N |
N |
B/W |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
CCD-TRV22 |
$899 |
13:1(26:1) |
1/4000 |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
3 |
f/1.4 |
L |
N |
470,000 |
Y |
N |
N |
B/W |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
CCD-TRV32 |
$999 |
15:1(30:1) |
1/4000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
3 |
f/1.4 |
L |
Y |
470,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
B/W |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
|||
|
CCD-TRV52 |
$1,099 |
15:1(30:1) |
1/4000 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
3 |
f/1.4 |
L |
Y |
470,000 |
Y |
Y |
N |
B/W |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
|||
Y=Included; N=Not included; *=Optional by remote. Prices are manufacturer's suggested retail price to the nearest dollar. All information is supplied by the respective manufacturers and/or representative agencies and is subject to change without notice.
Explanation of Feature Headings
Zoom Magnification through optical lens. Digital zoom ratios are in parentheses.
Maximum Shutter Speed Denotes highest or fastest setting possible.
Image Stabilization Electronic (E) or optical (O) stabilization of video image to cure minor camera shaking.
Manual Focus Allows manual control of focus.
Mike Input Allows use of an external microphone.
Headphone Jack Allows user to monitor audio through headphones.
Program Mode Number of pre-configured autoexposure settings. A=Automatic; camcorder circuitry automatically controls exposure.
Lens f-stop Ability of a lens to gather light. A smaller value indicates a "faster" lens (one that collects more light).
Editing Protocol L=Control-L. S=Control-S or Synchro Edit.
Auto Fade To black and/or white.
Pixels Gross number of pixels on CCD imager.
Character Generator Superimposes alphanumeric titles over video image.
Digital Effects Indicates number of digital effects included--mirror, strobe, freeze frame, mosaic, etc.
Audio/Video Dub Insert editing capability.
Viewfinder B/W=black and white; Color=color LCD viewfinder; 3"/4" LCD=built-in color LCD monitor.
Wireless Remote Infrared remote control.
Video Light Supplied DC lamp enhances images in low-light situations.
Stereo Ability to record two audio channels with built-in stereo mike.
Common to All Models
Automatic focus, iris and white balance
Automatic audio record level
Automatic date/time recording
Fade to black and/or white
Flying erase head
Rechargeable battery
AC power supply/battery charger
Playback capability on monitor and/or TV
In-camera record review
Threaded tripod socket
In-viewfinder prompts, including record indicator
Audio and video input and/or output jacks
Buyer's guide compiled by Alice Greany, Videomaker's Editorial Assistant.
SIDEBAR
8mm Camcorder Manufacturers
Canon
One Canon Plaza
Lake Success, NY 11042-1113
(800) 828-4040
Hitachi
3890 Steve Reynolds Blvd.
Norcross, GA 30093-3012
(770) 279-5600
Minolta
101 Williams Drive
Ramsey, NJ 07446
201-825-4000
Samsung
105 Challenger Rd.
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
(201) 229-4000
Sharp Electronics
Sharp Plaza
Mahwah, NJ 07660-0511
(800) 237-4277
Sony
One Sony Dr.
Park Ridge, NJ 07656
(800) 222-7669
Thompson Consumer Electronics
RCA
600 North Sherman Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1976
(800) 336-1900
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