Can anyone recommend a decent mini DV?

I'm looking for something light and small, preferably without moving parts that can at least see something interesting at night with AND without using the night vision mode (but could see clearly enough with a decent flashlight) and also could take nice still pictures in the daytime. I don't want to spend much as this camera will follow me on night hikes up steep hills and also up rocky and difficult paths during my vacations trip (hint: where I'm going, they have you register before leaving). I wouldn't want to feel like I just threw 1000$ down a cliff, but also want decent enough vacation pictures.

MiniDV is a video format/tape format. Are you asking for a video camera?

If you don't want moving parts, then a MiniDV is out of the question. The only type of video camera that would come close to this would be one with a solid state drive and/or flash memory.

I saw a small DV - I think it was Panasonic with 30x Optical zoom and 800x digital zoom at Big Lots for ... :thinking: around $130 I believe. I haven't looked into these at all so I don't know if that's a good price but it sounded reasonable. I'm not sure if this was tape or miniDV disc. Either way it's got moving parts as others mentioned so if you want no moving you want to look at something that uses flash ram. Fortunately flash ram is still getting cheaper and you can get many gigs of storage for very reasonable prices.

Canon makes some great flash memory camcorders. To buy one that has great low light capabilities will cost some bucks(around $800).

Here is a decent Camcorder

This site above is very detailed and a good source of information. Good LucK!

Camcorders generally do not take great stills, and compact cameras generally do not take great videos. Such is the compromise.

Canon's 5DMk2 takes unbelievable stills, and amazing video - and yet still has compromises (not least being the equally amazing price tag.)

For $800, try the Canon HF100. High def helps and low light performance is decently good. Pack a bright flashlight though.