Introducing the Sony CCD-M8U. The very first Handycam!

[@JustWannaStart.]

Yay more Vintage Camcorders

[@oliviertresson7662]

I love this camcorder, I mount it on a stabiliser on my bike last year for a vintage shooting.

[@jabjab12]

The first handycam is more generous with features than most camcorders today

[@goproymascosas2249]

I ver y happy that you fynally did another vhs camera vídeo

[@craigw.scribner6490]

Thanks for another great video! My very first camcorder, purchased in September 1986, was a Sony CCD-V1, which also uses 8 mm tapes. I shot over 80 tapes with this camcorder and still have it.

[@techtoremember8096]

Oh cool ! I was going to review that one too. They are pretty similar actually Does yours still work ?

[@eriksnel6461]

Those colors are not bad at all! I remember them being worse then that with the v8af

[@Dr.-Smart]

that yellow sports case is not meant for underwater , it makes it only rain proof ..

[@techtoremember8096]

Ah ok ! Thanks for that

[@TorontoJon]

6:36 That yellow Sony Handycam Sports casing reminds me of a yellow Sony Walkman Sports AM/FM portable cassette player I have and much like that Handycam casing, the yellow Sony Walkman Sports model is difficult to open and close. It's unnecessarily complicated just as you demonstrated in your video here.

[@techtoremember8096]

Really wow ? Ok I thought maybe it was something I was doing wrong but it was frustrating !

[@arthur_stve]

I love your videos Sir, i came here because i've do a research about my Grandpa's old Handycam, Sony Handycam CCD F300, unfortunately is dead apparently because of leaky caps, just like you said. But keep up with this video sir, especially the CCD Products, i love 80s stuff...

[@techtoremember8096]

Hey my friend, much appreciated! Yes, the 80s stuff can be addicting! Thanks for the comment. Stay tuned for more older stuff on the way

[@TorontoJon]

Awesome, a new video from Tech to Remember! I love vintage camcorders too and have a small collection that I enjoy (as well as film projectors, vintage stereo equipment, vinyl records, etc.). Keep up the great videos. :)

[@techtoremember8096]

Thank you - it’s a fun hobby but can get expensive !!

[@comochuchaquitoesto]

no way this first handycam has similar/better video quality than the last analog hi8 handycams (ccd trv 118/128/138), yea no image stabilization nor stereo sound in 2004. im pretty sure sony just made them to get rid of old pieces but my parents (and probably thousands of other parents like mine) happened to record their children's first years of life with this camera and theyre just stuck with shaky recordings and with a 200k pixel sensor (sony claims that their first ever videotape camera had a 250k pixel sensor) that only look acceptable on a sony tinitron screen from the 2000s

[@techtoremember8096]

Of course it didnt have better image quality than the later cameras. This was the very first compact 8mm camera so for most of us who had it it was such a thrill to be able to even use a portable video camera at the time! Technology always improves as time marches on. But remember, before this camera you would have to use old film cameras which only recorded 3 minutes of film on a roll, you'd have to send it out to get processed and pay money for that service. With this camera you could record 2 hours on a tape, and get the results right away. It really was a revolution!

[@MattCamp_]

I just need a new battery for this

[@techtoremember8096]

very tough to find!

[@newhaven3736]

Does this camera have a/v outlets?

[@techtoremember8096]

It does not unfortunately

[@DrTavaresChannel]

Interesting! Nice video!

[@techtoremember8096]

Thank you!

[@craigw.scribner6490]

It does! The retaining clip on the battery broke off year ago, but I just used a piece of duct tape across the back of the handle to hold the battery in place. I bought the camcorder at an electronics/appliance chain store called "Silo" in Wichita, KS. I went to the store with permission from my wife to spend up to $1,200.00. It's incredible now to realize that camcorders cost that much in 1986 but, as you know, they did! The camcorder was a "floor model" on a tripod and I got it for $250.00! No zoom lens but our kids (three month-old triplets and a two-year old) weren't that mobile yet, so no problem for a several years. In 1996, literally the day before we left for a Disney World vacation, I upgraded to a Canon ES900 8mm camcorder with a 20X zoom lens. "Hi-8" was the latest format at that time, so that EX900 ("last year's" model) set me back only $650.00. Since then, I've upgraded several times: a Canon GL-1 in 2000, a Canon XHA1S in 2010, a Canon-refurbished GX10 in 2020 and a Canon-refurbished XF605 in 2022. I shoot high school sports and events and corporate videos, which just about pay for my cameras, but not much else!

[@techtoremember8096]

Incredible ! You sound about as addicted as I am haha ! Your lucky to have a wife whose so understanding !!! Thanks for sharing and you’ve got some great gear !

[@KeyFilmation]

The first 8mm video camera was in fact, bizarrely, the Kodak Kodavision 2400. Thanks for your overview. I have one of these too.

[@techtoremember8096]

Yes I know. You’re correct. But that camera was a big fail. I have one of those -Sony launched the format with the Handycam as their first 8mm camera and the rest is history ! Thanks for your comment

[@brandonalldredgeba]

That’s crazy I didn’t know they made the water proof case for this. I’ve seen them made for a lot of other Sony camcorders. I was fortunate enough to get a pretty mint one of these myself. But I didn’t get a power supply or battery with it so I wasn’t able to see if it worked. I also have my own channel where I check out old camcorders and I also made a video on this one. [Review] Sony CCD-M8u From 1985, The Worlds First Handycam kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIG3ZJR8ht6HsJo

[@techtoremember8096]

Oh Hey! You have a cool channel. As a matter of fact I have a few of the cameras I see you reviewed. Was going to do a review on the VX700 and Betamovie line as well. I also have the SVHS version of the Panasonic palmcorder the PV-S62 (and a Quasar which is the exact same thing). I think people are generally nostalgic about all this old gear because modern cameras today all pretty much look and act the same!

[@brandonalldredgeba]

@@techtoremember8096 definitely they just have such a different feel when recording. All the moving parts and old school look to the footage just makes it very fun. After making videos on them I always sell them on eBay for people to buy them selves who watch my channel.

[@CycloneCordVHS]

Late on commenting but very interesting video If I can remember correctly, Sony debuted stereo camcorders in 1988 with the CCD-V220, but stereo wasnt really popularized until 1990 onward

[@techtoremember8096]

Hey, I was wondering what happened to you! You're usually one of my first commentators. Was the 220 stereo? Thats interesting. I do have the 110 but thought it was only mono. Is the 220 an American or PAL version? I think that model is pretty rare.

[@CycloneCordVHS]

​@@techtoremember8096 the 220 does have stereo capabilities, but the 110 is completely mono. the 220 apparently has an option between audio modes where you can switch between the 2 settings(stereo and mono). the pal version for the camera I'm currently mentioning is the CCD-V200.

[@CycloneCordVHS]

@@techtoremember8096 and yes I removed my comment (which was poorly detailed) to type up a new one

[@techtoremember8096]

Thanks for clarifying. The 220 you don’t see many of around. The 110 is more popular

[@Mike-1000]

*🏆 🥇- 1st - 🥇 🏆*

[@techtoremember8096]

awesome!

[@Mike-1000]

@@techtoremember8096 😄

[@luissepulveda706]

Epic video bro, loved it!

[@techtoremember8096]

Thanks man, much appreciated!