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Hello all

I know nothing about Digial video cameras but need to get one soon for a project that is coming up. So I'm after some advice...

I'm thinking Sony, but Mini DV (tape style) or DVD?

The footage for the project will be edited and incorporated into a DVD by a professional but after that I will use the camera for the typical family memories.

Any advice would be greatly appreicated!

Thanks
Gecko

I had a Sony Digital8 and sold it and brought a Panasonic... It uses Mini DV tapes and has a 3CCD sensor and allows you to plug in an external mic (main reason for buying this model)
http://panasonic.com.au/products/details.cfm?objectID=2558

If you need decent audio DONT use the on board mics! they usually are in the wrong postion to start with, plus pick up camera noise and everything else! Small shotgun mics are pretty cheap otherwise should be pretty easy to get a hire one!

I have only just got the panasonic so I havent had a good play... yet.

also if you get Mini DV, put your tapes in do a full record over the entire length. (just hit record with lens cap still on) this will help for time coding purposes when connected with a computer. And avoid recording to the end of the tape. The cassettes appartenly dont like it.

Then it all come down to budget as well. I picked mine up for just under $1200

And I and others have had a bad run with TDK Mini DV tapes! Sony tape have been fine though!

I'm doing a lot of research for one myself at the moment so I might be able to assist.

I myself am waiting to see what JVC brings out in the HD range, and HD cameras have better than MiniDV quality (which isn't as good as people think) but still records on the MiniDV medium.

The Sony models interest me, but only really because Sony tend to use a lot of JVC technology so I'd like to see what the main technological and price differences are when it is released.

That said, JVC make some excellent models that have mediums like CF cards and hard discs.

The DVD models irritate the hell out of me because more of then not, the DVD's are speciality discs and are overpriced (typical, eh?) and Digital Hi8 is for all intents and purposes dead, and the 3CCD may well be cool, but it's there for improved colour, not so much improved quality so it essentially comes down to this:

3CCD MiniDV or HD MiniDV.

I don't know about you, but I'd take either a 3CCD that records on medium like CF cards or a HD camera that records on MiniDV.

They're really the only options I'm looking at after my research.

Thanks for the advice

Here is where I'm at so far...

I have ruled out a DVD model for the same reasons that Nnnnsic has stated.

Initially the JVC hard drive units looked really great. I like the menu system that removes the need to fast forward and rewind thru a tape to find something.... but these units don't have an external mic input. With my very limited experience of trying to film people outdoor, I have found (just like Jonesy) that I get more of the crows in the background than the person I am interviewing! So the ability to use an external mic will be an important feature and might be enough to strike the JVC HDD models from the shopping list. (I am a bit confused though because I am getting conflicting info about the quality of the HDD units - some say the quality is better than tape, others say it is not).

It looks like a panasonic mini DV will do the job - but I have some learning to do on 3CCD.... Panasonic are also doing a redemption offer at the moment - some tapes and a 2nd larger capacity battery.

Thanks
Gecko