The Last Of A Dying Breed Of Classic Hi-8 Performers???

Author's Rating:

Pros: Easy to use! Suitable for novice and pro alike! Hi quality audio and video! Price!

Cons: Not STEREO. Awkward "Zoom" control. Sony's "Info-Lithium system" is better. Sluggish focus. A/V Mini.

The Bottom Line: 
There are some of us that still believe that "Analog" is a better way to go. The Samsung SCL-906 Hi-8 camcorder makes a powerful argument for such a belief!

Author's Review
Upon entering your favorite camcorder shop these days you will notice that at least 90% of the displayed models are of the Mini-DV format from brands like Panasonic, Sony, Canon and of course...JVC. http://www.epinions.com/content_75551116932 The other 10% is comprised of a few DVD models, a couple of Hi-8 entries and maybe one VHS-C cam. There's no doubt that the Mini-DV format is now the overwhelming champ...at least for the moment as more and more DVD models will more than likely appear in the future. But if one were to return to the past...oh, say about six years ago...Hi-8 and 8mm were definitely at the top!

Obviously the Hi-8 format is increasingly dwindling in popularity these days with basically two manufacturers left standing offering new models...Sony and Samsung. Canon recently dropped out along with Hitachi and RCA.

So, why review such a dying product and who would be interested in such a dated device? Well...I am and there are others! You see, I have a ton of old 8mm and Hi-8 tapes from other cams I formerly owned and I would so much like to be able to view them again along with the fact that I need a good backup cam or two anyway. I film our beloved high school's football games. I have been filming sports in town now for over twelve years. I have owned just about all formats. Hi-8 is one of my favorites! It offers superior picture quality and sound but so does Mini-DV...right? Well...yes but still some Hi-8 enthusiasts windup denouncing the digital format and return to Hi-8.

With a cam like Samsung's SC-L906 it's easy to understand why...especially at its very reasonable asking price!

Specifications And Features:

Warranty:Months
Labor/Parts 3/12
Item Height in Inches 4.1
Item Width in Inches 4
Item Depth in Inches 6.9
Weight 1.8 lbs
Format Hi8™
Image Stabilization Yes
LCD Screen Size 2.5'' Color
Viewfinder Black and white
Built-in Light Yes
Optical Zoom 22x
Digital Zoom 880x
Digital Still Picture Capable No
Max. Digital Still Picture Resolution N/A
Digital Still Picture Storage N/A
Included Memory N/A
Output to Personal Computer No
Analog Output S-Video, AV Mini Adapter
Audio Hi-Fi Monaural
Analog Input N/A
PictBridge-enabled No
Remote Control Yes
Low Light Mode No
Included Battery Lithium ion
Manufacturer's Battery Life Rating Unavailable
Included Software N/A

Included Accessories:
AC adapter, AC cord, battery, lithium cell for clock, A/V cable, shoulder strap, instruction book, remote control with battery
Other Features Worldwide output, Easy-Q, multi-language on-screen display (English, Spanish, French)

More Information:
Record high-quality video and play with the 10 special effects provided by this amazing camcorder.

There are many features to cover with the Samsung SC-L906 Hi-8 Camcorder so in the interest of time and printed space, I will attempt to present only the most important ones here. There is no substitute for hands-on experience so anything not covered here will be left up to your own personal inspection of the unit.

First off, I wanted a reasonably priced "stereo" model but in order to get it I would have to purchase one of Sony's more expensive "Digital 8" models [thus, the reason why I originally gave the unit a four star rating otherwise this is definitely a five star performer]. The lack of stereo is somewhat disappointing to me but at least the monaural sound is of "hi-fi" quality. OK...great!

Secondly, Battery Charging is conveniently performed right on the camera with the supplied SBL-110A Lithium Ion Battery which gives anywhere from 45 minutes to just under two hours of actual usage at a clip depending if you use the built in 2.5" Color LCD Monitor or the B/W Electronic Viewfinder or if you use the built-in Video Light or if you frequently Zoom in and out.

The battery charging remains excellent and you DO have a sort of status monitor via a very bright red LED {located on the bottom rear of the camcorder beneath the sturdily made well-placed battery holder} that can be seen regardless of the amount of daylight entering your room. Blinking once a second indicates a low level of power while twice a second indicates half charged and three times a second is 3/4 charged while a steady red light indicates fully charged. Batteries are typically charged in half their rated time!


While on the subject, the Battery Fuel Gauge Display is not quite the equal to Sony's Info-Li System which gives you instant nicely displayed up-to-the-minute battery info. It does its job adequately nonetheless. Two other Lithium Ion batteries SBL-160 and SBL-320 are available at very reasonable cost and increased capacity. They are widely available. Lenmar makes wonderful batteries for this Samsung at really low prices! See my review http://www.epinions.com/content_148613467780

Powering the camcorder is simple via a small three-way selector beneath the camera's big red "Record Button". The middle position is "Off" while the up position is "Record On" and the lower position is "Playback". Charging is performed while only in the middle "OFF" position.

The Camera's Main Lens is superb with a wonderful 1/6 CCD...charged coupled device!! "Field Of Depth" is much better than average if not excellent! The Auto Focus is only fair on high action shots during certain lighting situations reacting quickly to changes on most but slowly on others.

Various inexpensive attachments like polarized and uv filters plus wide angle and telephoto lenses are easily mounted via the provided threads. There is also a Digital Signal Processor on board and the camera's controls are well laid out! This equipment operates so smoothly and silently that one barely is aware that a tape is running at all! Bravo, Samsung!!!! Yet, the Tape Loading Mechanism is strong and sure-fire.

The cam's 22x Optical/ 880x Digital Zoom proves effective but is performed by a tiny Spring-loaded Wheel that operates left to right or vis versa located on the upper right hand side during shooting and can prove both tricky and cumbersome to some folks. One reviewer actually hated it! It is not unlike the old RCA Pro-8 Zooms of yesteryear and one's index finger could slip while performing the task rendering an unstable un-professional looking scene. I have no problem with it even though my index finger is rather large. It definitely is not the equal to the older Sony's rocker type and you will have to decide for yourself if you want to deal with the somewhat awkward device.

If you adjust the hand strap too tightly you will find that the control is difficult to use. However, if you adjust the strap so that it is just slightly loose but still snug around your hand then the zoom will be quite operable under any condition. The newer Sony CCD TRV-128 uses a similar spring loaded zoom control. See my review. http://www.epinions.com/content_150728773252

Although not on par with the rocker type, I found it to be easy to get used to and the control does incorporate two speeds. However, this type of control is not ideal and also reinforced my original thinking when rating the Samsung with four stars instead of five. Cold weather numbness may prove frustrating here!

For Low-Light Shooting the built-in Video Light works well for most situations although some picture noise and grain might be detected. This is not uncommon amongst great low-lux rated units and the equivalent Sony is just as guilty. My former Sony CCDTRV-66 http://www.epinions.com/content_103452413572 often rendered the same effect at night but the light does help. One reviewer on another site even went so far to state that his seemed to be off-centered causing strange effects. My personal feeling is that he must have dropped the cam and jarred the light at some point causing the misalignment or maybe it occurred at the factory but who knows for sure...I don't!

Aside from what I just stated...be it known that in my opinion...the camcorder does a fine job in low-light situations overall. Its built-in light is absolutely a tremendous plus in most circumstances. I think sometimes people expect way too much of camcorders here ...especially Hi-8 and Mini-DV types.

It is true that VHS models will sometimes seem to retain truer color in low light by comparison but the extra resolution of Hi-8 is also going to reveal some minor grain that would just be covered up by lower resolution VHS models! If your shooting in an abnormally large dark room...forget it...it just ain't gonna happen without the aid of professional lighting. But when shooting in fairly lit small auditoriums, your child's graduation or school play will look just great...even without the aid of the built-in light!

Incidentally, the Samsung does not incorporate the "Nightshot" feature.

Normal Daylight Shooting {whether sunny or overcast} proves to be outstanding to say the least and those football jerseys will show the team's true colors for sure!
There are more than several Special Effects that can be used including Canon's famed mind-blowing "Mirror Image" http://www.epinions.com/content_77402640004 and Basic Fading is accomplished easily with the touch of a button. Widescreen is also an option and the Cinema mode is one of my favorites with its "letter-box" look {black bars on top and bottom}. Sepia, black and white and strobe are also included. There is also a Snapshot Feature which gives the video a six second still image and can be quite useful for special effect.

This brings me to another point. Many of the cam's functions can be nicely tailored to your liking via the Customized Settings but for the first time user or the rest of us lazy folk [I mean this in a nice way...really!] a large "Easy Q" Button is located on the left and automatically adjusts the camcorder's settings for quick easy usage! Great!!

The pros may wish to adjust White Balance and other items using the Customized Settings option for rendering best results. Flexibility is definitely this camera's forte along with its outstanding video quality.

Adjusting the WB manually is limited to three settings. To be quite honest with you I have found in practical usage that the Auto-WB works wonderfully with no appreciable color washout even from distances beyond 50 feet. In this regard it outperforms my former Sony CCD-TRV66.

The cam's Image Stabilization works well and separates the Samsung from the competing Sony 128 model which is similarly priced but lacks this important feature.

The cam's 2.5" Color LCD Monitor is excellent but may be ineffective under too much direct sunlight. In this case, you'll need to rely on the viewfinder. There are adjustments for both items!

The built in Microphone is wonderful sounding with really wide range and Samsung has supplied an External Mic mini jack should you dare to purchase a more professional boom/zoom model to your liking and particular needs.

The cam has a solid "feel" and should prove to be a wonderful low cost industry workhorse for years! However having said this...I do have a nasty habit of accidentally hitting the "Eject" button while filming and that only serves to stop the tape and eject it. It is a bit of a pain as it also upsets the "Tape Counter" which automatically returns to ZERO at this point!

Young couples on a budget experiencing their first born will no doubt find the Samsung SC-L906 Hi-8 Camcorder an answer to a prayer while old codgers such as myself will appreciate its professional performance level at such a low cost!

Connection to a tv or vcr for Playback is easy via the S-Video Terminal or suplied AV Mini type Adapter. The Samsung SC-L906 Hi-8 Camcorder also gives you the wonderful bonus of being able to play back your old 8MM tapes so long as they are in good condition.

Also, I have found that with the use of the supplied a/v mini-plug adapter that very good picture performance is obtainable with this chord on newer tv sets [purchased within the past 5 years] while rendering poor to fair results on older models. For some reason the plug is susceptible to noise and interference. When using it make sure your connection is clean and tight! Wonderful results are rendered through my 20" Toshiba flat tube set using the mini plug a/v cord!

My feeling is that this may very well be the reason why some reviewers have given the cam poor to fair marks in the "picture performance" department. I have never before seen such a drastic difference on any other camcorder like this from one set to another!

However, if you use the S-Video Patch Cord [not supplied] and have this type of connection on your tv set [old or new] you should receive superior performance although I have not been able to confirm this as of yet!
The performance when viewing through the LCD is much better than average and I am becoming more and more impressed with it everyday.


The small Remote Control features basic functions and is relatively easy to use. Buttons are sizable and kept to a minimum.

The 72-page Owner's Manual is well written and should prove to be an invaluable source of information to the user.

Make sure you purchase an inexpensive UV Filter/Lens Protector that easily attaches to the cam's Main Lens. It is amazing what this small investment can do! Please see the following reviews.
http://www.epinions.com/content_150772551300?alert_type=0&comments=1&ratings=1&submit=Submit

...http://www.epinions.com/content_178649009796

Also follow the manufacturer's instructions on Video Head Cleaning. These two suggestions will go a longer way toward protecting your investment than any "Extended Service Plan".

Use high quality Hi-8 recording tape . Samsung makes great Hi-8 media that can be purchased on-line at an exceptionally low price...under $3.00 a tape including UPS Ground shipping...http://tapestockonline.com/samsungmp120.html. TapeStockOnLine is a superb vendor for this product!...www.tapestockonline.com

Barring dealer closeouts of older models, the Samsung SC-L906 Hi-8 Camcorder has the distinction of being the lowest priced model currently available at $229. It would simply be a gross misjudgment to think that the performance level is equally low. I purchased mine at the local Radio Shack along with an HCCCV145-BLU Camcorder bag that is likewise superb! http://www.epinions.com/content_149951319684

You may also purchase the Samsung at www.radioshack.com on line if you so desire. The RS people are wonderful!!! In your search for that special camcorder DO NOT overlook this shining little gem!