Everything You Need to Know About 8mm Tapes
Preserving Video8, Hi8 & Digital8 Camcorder Memories
For many families, 8mm tapes hold decades of cherished memories—birthdays, holidays, and moments that matter. But if you’ve recently stumbled upon a box of old camcorder tapes and aren’t sure what to do next, you’re in the right place.
At Video Rescue, we specialise in bringing these memories back to life by converting 8mm tapes—Video8, Hi8, and Digital8—into high-quality digital formats. Here’s what you need to know.
📼 What Are 8mm Tapes?
8mm camcorder tapes first hit the scene in the 1980s as a compact alternative to bulky VHS and Betamax. The smaller size made them perfect for handheld camcorders, and their popularity soared throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
There are three common types:
Video8: The original analog format with decent image quality for its time.
Hi8: A higher-resolution version that became a hit with families and amateur videographers.
Digital8: The final evolution, offering digital-quality video on the same-sized tapes.
🎥 Camcorders That Used 8mm
The iconic Sony Handycam series is synonymous with 8mm video. Models like the CCD-TRV65 (Hi8) and DCR-TRV120 (Digital8) were found in homes across Australia.
Some Digital8 camcorders can play older Video8 and Hi8 tapes, which makes them handy tools for digitisation—if you still have one that works!
🔁 Can You Still Watch 8mm Tapes?
You’ll need the original camcorder or a dedicated 8mm player. Unfortunately, these devices are now hard to find—and even harder to keep running.
Some people search for VHS adapters for 8mm tapes, but these are rare and not always reliable. Your best bet? Digitising the tapes before the equipment (or the tapes) stop working altogether.
🛡️ Tips to Preserve 8mm Tapes
Until you're ready to digitise, keep your tapes safe by:
Storing them upright in a cool, dry space
Keeping them away from magnets or electronics
Rewinding and fast-forwarding them occasionally to avoid sticking or print-through
💾 How to Digitise Your 8mm Tapes
There are a few options:
✅ Use a Digital8 Camcorder: If it’s still working, these can output your tape footage to a computer.
✅ Capture Devices: Products like Elgato Video Capture allow you to connect an analog camcorder to a computer via USB.
✅ Professional Services (like us!): At Video Rescue, we take the hassle out of the process. Just drop off or mail in your tapes, and we’ll transfer them to USB, DVD, or hard drive—ready to watch, share, and back up.
Why Choose Video Rescue?
We’ve been helping families in Brisbane and across Australia preserve their precious memories for over 30 years. Whether you have 1 tape or a whole shoebox full, we can help you bring those moments back in beautiful digital quality.
📍 Drop off at our Ashgrove office
📦 Mail your tapes to us
💻 Receive your digitised videos on USB, DVD, or hard drive
Ready to Rescue Your 8mm Memories?
Don’t let time wear away those special moments.
📞Get in touch today or 🖨️ download our order form to get started.
