REC / Cameras / Camcorder / Hi8
Camcorder · Hi8 camcorder effect
Hi8
Sharper tape, cleaner color
Noticeably sharper than VHS and cooler in colour. It trades the chroma smear for grain.
Based on Hi8, the high-band version of 8 mm video tape, popular from the late 1980s into the 2000s.
- Frame rate
- 30 fps
- Resolution
- 60%
- Frame
- 4:3
- Sound
- Stereo
A clip developed through Hi8 in REC, with its HUD.
The picture
- More detail than VHS, still visibly tape
- Cool blue cast with more grain and less colour bleed
- Lighter tracking wobble and a smaller head-switch strip
The sound
Stereo, the way Hi8 recorded sound alongside the picture: 60 Hz to 13 kHz with far less hiss than VHS.
- Band
- 60 Hz – 13 kHz
- Hiss
- 13%
- Wow · flutter
- ±4 · ±2 c
The display
A blinking red dot and REC, "Hi8" top right, a three-cell battery and a running tape counter.
Hi8 in REC: questions
How do I get the Hi8 look on iPhone video?
Open REC, pick Hi8 from the camera strip and press record. The look runs live in the viewfinder, so what you frame is what you get. You can also import a video you already shot and develop it through Hi8.
Does the Hi8 camera change the sound?
Yes. Stereo, the way Hi8 recorded sound alongside the picture: 60 Hz to 13 kHz with far less hiss than VHS.
Is Hi8 free in REC?
Every camera, Hi8 included, is in the free download, and your first take is free. Unlimited takes need REC Pro ($9.99 a year or $2.99 a week, US prices).
Guides
VHS vs Hi8 vs MiniDV: what each tape actually looked like How to get a real VHS look on iPhone video The best VHS camcorder apps for iPhone in 2026
