[Gamoe]

Hello,

What digital video camera would you recommend under $1000?

[MaxPower2k3]

i have a Canon Optura 10 and love it. Step up to the 20 for a bigger LCD and Battery. there may be better for closer to $1000, though, since even the Optura 20 is only around $620.

[zigzag]

Panasonic has put out the first 3-CCD Mini-DV cam under $1000. It's probably the one I'd go for. Here's a review:

http://www.dvspot.com/reviews/panaso...ew/index.shtml

If you want the most compact camera, I'd go for the Canon Elura 50.

I would not pay any attention to hype re: still photos or low-light performance. You can't realistically expect either from these types of cameras. If you want good still photos, use a still camera.

[Since EBCDIC]

A few years ago I bought a Sony TRC-TRV20. I'm very happy with it. It's pretty lightweight and stable, has pretty good battery life. I've taken it travelling all over the world, brought it to several Burning Man events, and my wife uses it to take pix and video of the kids.

Yesterday I bought a Sony TRC-TRV38 as a new primary DV camera. I read reviews, and it seems pretty good for everything I want to use.

Low-light performance is actually pretty head-turning. I've done some pretty interesting things with it.

And the stills are nowhere near the quality of my 4 MP camera, but it's great having the option when one needs to snap some picture.

[k_munic]

i recommend the sony trv14, which is the winner in a german magazin test "cheap camcorders":

very good picture quality (zeiss), good sound (less humms), very good battery management (stamina), fast on.

ok, it has NO dv-in, because i like to burn my final products on dvd…-

[Since EBCDIC]

I used to scoff at the DVD-inside idea, but what with the cost of DVDs dropping like a rock, and the cost of DV tapes staying high, it looks smarter and smarter. Sigh.

Still, the size of those DVD-in machines is too large for my tastes (and battery life is probably significantly shorter, I suspect (but don't know for sure)).