I needed a third camcorder with NightShot for my paranormal research and since I have two mini DVs I wanted a Hi8 because they record much longer (tape length). I also have a lot of Hi8 videos I made when I was in the army and I want to transfer them to DVD so after much research I settled on the CCD-TRV308. usually with zero light. The camera is solid and very large compared to my mini DV camcorders and most cameras available today. Like most Sony camcorders, NightShot only works in a very limited mode. I always use it with the SIMA infrared flashlight, which due to its size fits this camera perfectly. A note: the built-in NightShot on this camera is at least twice as bright as the NightShot on my two new Mini DV models. I still use an external IR light but this one works pretty well compared to others. I've posted a video on YouTube showing some of NightShot's features in case anyone is interested. If you need a quality camcorder for any of the reasons above, I recommend the CCD-TRV308. If you plan on using it for a long period of time, you'll likely find it bulky and heavy by today's standards.