[1] The Digital8 format is a combination of the earlier analog Hi8 tape transport with the digital DV codec.

Digital8 remained largely a consumer or amateur product (Among the exceptions was the 2001 film Hall of Mirrors.)

This is likely a reflection of Sony's design and market objectives for Digital8 format: to serve as a lower cost upgrade path for current customers (from analog 8 mm), by leveraging existing manufacturing infrastructure of 8 mm video equipment, and offering a familiar media format but with digital capabilities.

Furthermore, Digital8 was released some time after MiniDV, giving the rival DV format a lead in the professional market.

By 2004 Sony, the format's original backer, was the only company still producing Digital8 equipment, and had no plans to develop new Digital 8 cameras.

This is most likely because the larger, bulkier Digital8 cassette was perceived as an inferior technology, even though the Digital8 and DV formats offer indistinguishable A/V performance.

In the early years after Digital8's introduction, Sony sold a product line with coverage from entry level to high-end consumer.

All models with analog playback can play Video8/Hi8 recordings made at either SP or LP speed.

Although the 1/4" CCD models are fully capable of taking a still photo, that is a secondary function and they lack the Sony Memory Stick feature to off-load the JPEG images.

Most of the entry level and later models focused on features such as better quality still pictures (see below), off-loading the same via Sony Memory Sticks, and more programming selections.

The 1999 TRV-310, for instance, has the 1/4" CCD, a 3.5" LCD screen, an f1.4 lens, variable shutter speed settings, manual focus, and other professional controls.

The Sony DCR-TRV730/828/830 (and the later DCR-TRV740/840), were the only Digital8 camcorders to be built with a 1/4.7-inch (4.5 mm) with advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD.