I have some more notes about D8 cameras here . The MiniDV format, now on the market for about 4 years, has greatly improved the quality of video recording available to the consumer. Many DV cameras allow audio insert dubbing on the second stereo pair, if your original recording used the 12-bit audio mode. The image you get on playback depends on both of these. Most MiniDV cameras give a picture quality which is better than most Hi8 cameras, but this may not always be the case.
Image quality tends to follow the price of the camera closely.
The difference may not be obvious under all lighting conditions or on all video displays. My TRV900 page describes that 3-CCD MiniDV camera in detail, and I have links to information on other MiniDV Cameras there as well as some reviews of other cameras. Whatever camera you use, it is worth your while to pay attention to lighting . All video cameras have more grainy images and washed-out color in low light, such as typical indoor lighting at night, as compared with daytime light levels. Even more than the type of camera, I feel it is careful attention to lighting that marks the most obvious difference in image quality between amateur and professional video production.