Best MiniDV camcorder being offered during black friday?

[50]

Hello, I am looking to spend between 200-250 for a miniDV camcorder. Does anyone know what I should look for in terms of features? I don't know which one is the best out of the ones being offered during black friday (circuit city has 2 and best buy has 2). Here are the ad scans Thanks

 

[RossMAN]

Best Buy
* Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/ 26x Optical Zoom - $249.99 *
* Sony DCR-DVD92 DVD Camcorder - $499.99

CompUSA
* Aiptek Mini Camcorder - $49.99
* Sony DCR-DVD92 DVD Camcorder w/ Free DVD Player - $599.99
* Canon DC10 DVD Camcroder w/ Free DVD Player - $749.99

Radio Shack
* Optimus 5-in-1 Digital Camcorder - $89.99 AR

Sears
* Canon ZR100 MiniDV Camcorder - $249.99
* Hitachi DZ-MV730A DVD Camcorder - $399.99
* JVC GR-D250US Mini-DV Camcorder - $269.99
* Panasonic PV-L354 VHS-C Camcorder - $189.99
* Sony DCR-TRV280 Digital 8 Camcorder - $269.99
* Sony DCR-DVD92 DVD Camcorder - $549.99

Wal-Mart
* JVC GR-D244US MiniDV Digital Camcorder - $248.00 *

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

 

[aplefka]

I :heart: RossMAN!

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Best Buy
* Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/ 26x Optical Zoom - $249.99 *


http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

would you recommend this one?

i was considering picking one up as well

 

[Rubycon]

26x optical zoom?

That's a telescope! Better have arm of steel to hold that!

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Best Buy
* Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/ 26x Optical Zoom - $249.99 *


http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

would you recommend this one?

i was considering picking one up as well

I don't know as I haven't done extensive research on that model.

I think that model offers the best bang for your buck.

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: quakefiend420

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Best Buy
* Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/ 26x Optical Zoom - $249.99 *


http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

would you recommend this one?

i was considering picking one up as well

I don't know as I haven't done extensive research on that model.

I think that model offers the best bang for your buck.

i'll do a little research, then

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: quakefiend420

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Best Buy
* Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/ 26x Optical Zoom - $249.99 *


http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

would you recommend this one?

i was considering picking one up as well

I don't know as I haven't done extensive research on that model.

I think that model offers the best bang for your buck.

i'll do a little research, then

Let us lazy ones know when you are done!

 

[slackerinabox]

Hey,
Get the panasonic... Pardon me as I geek out a bit:
a) you want minidv - it's the standard now, basically.
Sony's low end - over priced, mediocre feature set but not bad.

Canon's low end - over priced but nice cameras. A lot of them have this issue where the focus is a little screwy and motor noise is picked up

JVC's low end - bleh.I've had 2 that gave me cryptic messages like WARNING: ER10! Whatever that means.. Poke around, you'll see a lot of people having issues with failing JVCs

Panasonic - great bang for buck, nice lenses on those cameras, very small size and easy to shoot with. A bit vanilla - no trendy features like night shot.. they just work. I use a low end gs200 as my editing deck and tend to grab it for personal use. It's so tiny and the video is absurdly good for a camera that I spent $400 on (3ccds for that low of a price is amazing).

I own a Canon GL2 and swear by canon's otherwise (shoot with the XL2 very frequently) but in the sub-$500 ball park, go with a panasonic. the next step up from there will cost you $700 or more

 

[Pliablemoose]

Panasonic's current generation of camcorders>*

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
Hey,
Get the panasonic... Pardon me as I geek out a bit:
a) you want minidv - it's the standard now, basically.
Sony's low end - over priced, mediocre feature set but not bad.

Canon's low end - over priced but nice cameras. A lot of them have this issue where the focus is a little screwy and motor noise is picked up

JVC's low end - bleh.I've had 2 that gave me cryptic messages like WARNING: ER10! Whatever that means.. Poke around, you'll see a lot of people having issues with failing JVCs

Panasonic - great bang for buck, nice lenses on those cameras, very small size and easy to shoot with. A bit vanilla - no trendy features like night shot.. they just work. I use a low end gs200 as my editing deck and tend to grab it for personal use. It's so tiny and the video is absurdly good for a camera that I spent $400 on (3ccds for that low of a price is amazing).

I own a Canon GL2 and swear by canon's otherwise (shoot with the XL2 very frequently) but in the sub-$500 ball park, go with a panasonic. the next step up from there will cost you $700 or more

i have the Panasonic GS250, http://reviews.cnet.com/Panasonic_PV_GS250/4505-6500_7-31267070.html, and i think it's the best bang for the buck out there. at that price range, it's a great camera. it is bad in poor lighting but other than that, it's fantastic.

 

[Kaieye]

When I took my Panasonic mini-dv camcorder(about four years old) to Japan this summer, I noticed that it was the largest camcorder carried by anyone at the World's fair or even Japan. I felt poor!

Whatever you buy, get something smaller.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: Kaieye
When I took my Panasonic mini-dv camcorder(about four years old) to Japan this summer, I noticed that it was the largest camcorder carried by anyone at the World's fair or even Japan. I felt poor!

Whatever you buy, get something smaller.

hmmm, because YOU have small camera envy, you think everyone else will?

 

[Rogue 2]

I am the A/V manager at a local college, and we ended up purchasing three "basic" Panasonic PV-GS35's and one "good" PV-GS150 3CCD miniDV camcorders.

Can't go wrong w/ Panasonics. They're easy to use and definitely have the best bang for the buck. And, our students don't have trouble using them.

FWIW...

 

[50]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Best Buy
* Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/ 26x Optical Zoom - $249.99 *
* Sony DCR-DVD92 DVD Camcorder - $499.99

CompUSA
* Aiptek Mini Camcorder - $49.99
* Sony DCR-DVD92 DVD Camcorder w/ Free DVD Player - $599.99
* Canon DC10 DVD Camcroder w/ Free DVD Player - $749.99

Radio Shack
* Optimus 5-in-1 Digital Camcorder - $89.99 AR

Sears
* Canon ZR100 MiniDV Camcorder - $249.99
* Hitachi DZ-MV730A DVD Camcorder - $399.99
* JVC GR-D250US Mini-DV Camcorder - $269.99
* Panasonic PV-L354 VHS-C Camcorder - $189.99
* Sony DCR-TRV280 Digital 8 Camcorder - $269.99
* Sony DCR-DVD92 DVD Camcorder - $549.99

Wal-Mart
* JVC GR-D244US MiniDV Digital Camcorder - $248.00 *

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

Thanks ROSSman...What about the Circuit City ones? I can't tell the model but it is a panasonic 24x for 199 (GS-19). They also have a hitachi mini DVD recorder (are these better than miniDV?) for 399. Also there is a panasonic VHS-C Camcorder for 150. Also a canon for 250(ZR200, this looks good). And a JVC for 399. Also AIPTEK for 59.99. Any ideas anyone?

 

[50]

?

 

better ban him just to be safe