Exhausted already - camcorder search

[MarineMom]

I really want to get my son a camcorder for Christmas since he is going on deployment to Japan for 8 months, but I've read reviews and pros and cons for days and hours on end and I'm no closer to a decision. EVERY MODEL (expensive and cheap) has drawbacks and I can't figure out which drawbacks are not such a big deal and which ones are. I know NADA about camcorders.

I REALLY need some help!

I just realized that if I wanted to get a high def hard drive camcorder that you better have a high def DVD player. My son has a relatively new laptop, but I can't tell you if it plays high def, and where he is going to be - at least in his barrack - there most likely aren't going to any high def DVD players and maybe not any high def TVs either - although I have both, which is why I wanted to get him a newer and better model rather than "standard".

I lean toward hard drive simply because he doesn't need to have any further equipment. BUT CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT "HYBRID" MEANS? Does it mean he can have info on the hard drive AND a memory stick???? That may be the better way to go, I don't know. Then this way he could send me the stick and he can keep the info on the camcorder to put into his computer.

I have more questions but I'll stick to this for now.

Thanks!

[Krispy Kritter]

Any cam can be hooked up to a TV for playback using the cam. A DVD player doesn't come into the picture until you have burned your video on DVD (and for HD that would mean HD-DVD or Blu-Ray which aren't widely available or cost effective yet). But HD would still be a good format to record in for future use.

The first thing to consider is the recording format (ie: where the video is stored). While HDD (hard disc drives) cams are nice, when they are full you have to transfer that data/video off of the cam before you can continue. You get the benefit of having longer recording times but the downside is stopping to move the video from the camera. As opposed to cams which record onto tape or DVD-RW which typically have shorter recording times, but you can quickly change media.

The same general rules apply to cam corders as they do to digital cameras. 1) Size and weight. The bigger cameras usually have more options/features, but at the cost of size and weight. So you need to take into account how the camera will be used. 2) Lens type, it is always better to pay more for optical zoom (controlled by the lens) as opposed to digital zoom (controlled via software). Most cameras use both, but focus on the optical capabilities. 3) Battery type. Again, this boils down to how the camera is used. Many cameras use proprietary rechargeable batteries. These are often fine, just watch average usage times and it is always nice to have a spare battery. Some cameras use standard battery sizes (AA or AAA for example). Battery life is sometimes shorter than rechargables, but you can buy them pretty much anywhere.

[diablo2003]

Comparing the output of an HD to a standard camcorder will quickly convience you to buy the HD camcorder.
You stated that you have a HDTV, so I assume you are well aware of the quality of HD video. Stay with the HD camcorder. It can be played back on a standard television set.

I chose the Canon HG10 High def camcorder. I can record the video onto the 30g hard drive, and use my usb port to quickly transfer the files to my desktop computer. I have converted the videos into standard dvd's and HD-DVD format on a DVD disc (which play great on my HD-DVD player).

Do not sacrafice the quality of the recording, go HI-DEF. Technology will catch up to his budget, and you will be thankful for your choice.