This might seem like a rather basic question, but can someone please tell me how much better the video from a XL1s will look than from a cheap old 8mm Sony TRV-27, and in what ways the picture will be better?

Also, would it be possible to mix the footage of an 8mm cam with the XL1s for multi-angle shoots or would they be too different?

The XL1s would look maybe a little bit better than the 8mm. Hard to say, though. Maybe the 8mm would look better. :)

Are you referring to Digital8? I am not familiar with the basic Sony camcorder models.

If you are referring to standard 8mm the XL1 is leaps and bounds ahead of it. Mixing it is almost like mixing color footage with black and white footage. Or mixing SDDS 8 channel digital sound with Academy Mono. BIG difference!

If you are comparing D8 to miniDV there is not much difference based on format alone. However, when comparing quality of the video there are tremendous differences.

The XL-1 has better optic, image, and audio control over a D8. However, you could buy a 6-pack of D8s for the cost of ONE XL-1.

You can get lousy video out of an XL-1 too. You can make the video look like something out of home camcorder without any trouble at all. It really helps if you know something about photography to use one of these beasts.

Can you use them together? It would be tough, a lot of trouble and you would have to plan your shots carefully to make it work.

BTW, if you are talking about Hi8 instead of D8 miniDV is leaps and bounds better.

Nathan Gifford

Thanks for your replies.
It was such a stupid question, you thought you had read the question wrong!
I was referring to 8mm, not D8.

Anyway thanks again for your replies, I dont think I will try to mix 8mm and MiniDV, I think I'll save more pennies and buy a GL1 aswell as an XL1s.

Dan -

If you watch 'You've Been Framed' on ITV, you can see the differences. All the bits sent in by views were probably shot using a 8mm, HI8, VHS-C, S-VHS-C consumer camcorder. If you compare that against the bits shot in studio you can see a massive difference.

The XL1 is not a consumer camera, and mixing a consumer tape with a high-end digital camcorder recorded DV tape they will look completely different.

Did you know that Sony are stopping production of all 8mm models?

Ed Smith

I do watch You've Been Framed sometimes, infact a recently sent in a tape shot on my 8mm camcorder, but thats another story :)

I didnt expect the pictures to be anywhere near similar, I was hoping that they werent as I am trying to justify spending £2400 on an XL1s when I already have an 8mm camcorder.