Hi guys. I am being offered a free Sony Hi8 CCD VX3 in seemingly good and barely used condition.

I am working on my own television show in Panama, where the broadcast is low quality SD. I am currently using a Canon HFS100, and need an occasional backup camera.

What I'm wondering is with a minimum $200 investment (an elgato device to digitize the footage and I'm thinking Magic Bullet Instant HD) do I stand any chance of being able to intercut short snippets of footage from this camera with my HD from the SF100, considering that the final output will be SD?

Or is this once $3,500 camera basically junk now?

It's free. What have you got to lose? Why not pick up a cheap Digital8 Sony camcorder and use that to digitize the footage. I'm sure you could find one for less than $200

Not that it matters, but I recall the VX3 having a pretty good lens (for it's time).

I have to think you could find a used HDV camcorder for a few hundered bucks, which is about what you're saying the digitizer is going to cost you.

Why not pick up a cheap Digital8 Sony camcorder and use that to digitize the footage. I'm sure you could find one for less than $200
.

You're almost guaranteed to spend at least twice that for a D8 that is backwards compatible with analogue medium.

That being the case, if you end up getting a free or super cheap digitizing device, then maybe you could use the free cam for some backup stuff, (having free functioning gear is a great thing if you can it to use) but if you are already considering spending a few hundred bucks, then that cash might be better spent getting a new or slightly used digicam. Even at the low end, and with proper technique, you are likely to have better quality results.

-Jon