Video Camcorder ???

[5.0Trunk]

I have an older Hi8 video camcorder that I am looking to upgrade. I am looking at the type that take the mini DVDs and the ones with the hard drives built in.
What I want is to be able to have the video on DVD or on my computer which I can then burn to DVD. Can someone who is a video buff let me know what the pro's and con's are for the 2 types that I am looking at and if they can recommend to me something in the $400 to $450. range.

Thanks

 

[binky]

If you look at CamcorderInfo.com it's Canon all the way. FWIW. They have such thorough reviews that you can just pick out what you want for your own priorities. Their listings of "reviews by manufacturer" are messed up, though. Those pages only show older models not more recent ones. Strange quirk, but for the most part the website is a great resource.

I recently recommended a Canon HV20 to someone (they found it for around $400-something) and the report from them is they love it. That one's MiniDV tape based.

The field changes amazingly fast, so the HV20 which they purchased last year has had 2 model changes since.

One comment I would like to make regarding the change from Hi-8 -- Beware of the low light sensitivity. When I switched to digital (years ago) the camera was really only good outdoors. I hope things have gotten better. It was a horrible step backward from some great points of the older analog Hi-8.

 

[greenlight]

I prefer miniDV for unompressed video. It still has advantages over other media.