Need to buy a camcorder. Anyone here well-versed on them?

[DigDug]

Best storage format, brand, any models to recommend?

 

[dman]

What pricepoint? Size a factor or do you just want the best video quality?

Canon ZR85 looks pretty good for the price, but certainly not the best quality (maybe mid-pack). Not bad on size either.

 

[DigDug]

I'm going to be using this on a month-lomg trip to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. I'd liek the best video quality I can get, but I'm not looking to shoot the Matrix IV.

I want something that is:

1. Easy for someone like me to just USE. I don't want to have to screw around with it to get good video
2. The cheaper the better, but it seems like $350 to $500 is where its it. I'd consider a touch higher if there was a dramatic performance jump at that level.
3. I was think MiniDV as the format, but if MiniDVD is really the better way to go then let me know.
4. I'd like it small, so I don't have to lug around a brick through these coutnries. I've seen some of these and it seems like all the miniDVs are small....

I was reading about the Canon ZR series, and the Sony HCR series...

Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

 

[dman]

I'm in the middle of researching cams now. While looking tonight I found the following sights which may be helpful:

Videohelp.com (DVDRhelp.com) forums

That led me to:

Camcorderinfo.com which has some good reviews

and

This techie page

I did some high-level reading on the DVDCamcorders and it appears as though the media only records 18mins on HQ mode. My assumption is HQ mode is comparable to DVCamcorders highest setting which is 60Min on a tape. In addition, since DVDcam's are newer, it'll probably be harder to find media in foreign countries/etc... so I think I'd stick to a more popular format.

I'm still not sure which camcorder is best bang for the buck, but, I'm looking for 680K Effective Pixels, good low-light, and 20x Zoom in a small-ish size. I'm willing to give up the zoom first, followed by pixels, but, really want all 3 to be better than my current hi8 recorder. The canon ZR8x models don't meet my rqmts after reading more into it. And the ones that do are probably outof the pricerange I was eyeing -- $500ish.

Good luck.