Camcorder...the switch to digital???

Does any one know is it possible to play analogue 8mm video on a digital video camera? If so what company or model? Cheers for any help people

I'm currently looking for a digital camcorder myself.

As far as I know you can't play an 8mm ananlog tape in a digital camcorder if that's the question. But if you have something to play the 8mm tape (sounds like you don't) that has a video output there are many digital camcorders with video inputs that can transfer the video.

As far as I know there aren't any digital cameras that will use the analog tapes.

I have a first generation cannon elura camcorder and it's terrific. I have to put in a plug for the cannon models. And you should watch out for JVC. I don't have any specific model information for their current ones, but if you are planning to use the camera with a computer over firewire the JVC ones may not work with all software or computers. A friend has one and it can play into the computer but cannot record the finished product out.

The plus of the cannon is that some of them can record from an analog input as well. My Elura can which means I can go digital from old tapes by just playing them into it.

There is no comparing the quality of the digital picture to any other camcorder. They are fantastic. Downloading to your computer via firewire is also fantastic. (even if you call it iLink or whatever other name it's got now)

SONY (I think it is Sony...) offers the 8mm/digital camcorders. On those you can play and record both digital and 8mm. But they will not play the little DV tapes. The the resolution if not as good as what you get with pure digital as far as I understand. I was really into this eight months ago, but I've forgotten most of what I learned after I bought my Cannon DV.

So the answer is yes and no.

Darell and I both bought the Cannon DV. I have over 100 gig of avi's on my computer now. I really need a DVD burner Darell what was that thread (Darell and I talked about it at great length here)?

at school, i am in "perspecives of literature" it is a la class, and we make movies.

the cam is digital, and we record onto a little tape, don't know the size, but it could be 8mm.

i think it is a sony, the only thing that bothers me is we use macs to edit...and not only that, the program is crap...

my teacher says they cost $1000, but that is probably after the school discount...i would guess that if you wanted one, you would have to pay more.

Brock, I use Virtualdub to compress my AVI's. It took a 3.5mb avi and shrunk it to 530k. A little loss in quality, but if you want the movies emailed or online it helps.

kev1-1,

I think what you are looking for is the Sony Digital 8 format series of camcorders. I have had a model TRV-840 since last April, and love it.

Also had a whole box of older, analog 8mm videos which were taken by our old RCA 8mm camcorder. The new Sony digital 8's will play them just fine. In fact, I think it must do some sort of digital magic to the video before it outputs the signal. The old 8mm videos seem to look MUCH better than I ever remembered them. The Sony uses the same 8mm cartridge. When you record new video, however, it is a true digital video format.

The Sony's will also let you input your old 8mm's into your computer for video editing (need "firewire" connection, though).

Tree, yup, I usually convert them to 2 megabit files, which reduces them by about 5 to 8 times, or if I post them online I got to 256k which is about 40 to 60 times smaller. I am trying to keep the original (uncompressed) until I can burn them to DVD, just a bit crazy I guess.

Or I should do what Darell does and put them back on a DV tape, but I never figured out how to do that.

Thank you for all the help and advice...I'll pass it all along to my uncle who wanted to know!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!