Need advice on digital video cameras
 

I know a little bit about digital cameras and absolutely nil about digital video cameras. Is there a decent digital video camera out there in the $500 range? Any recommendations? Any warnings or advice? Where is a good place to learn about this stuff? I usually check dpreview for digital cameras, is there something similar that covers the digital video cameras?

TIA

In that price range you can get a decent unit.

Advice from others is good and familiarizing yourself with the terminology is all good but the best thing that you can do is go to a large retailer like Best Buy and "try on" the ones that you are considering.

At the end of the day if it's not comfortable for you to use you will not use it.

Had a Sony TVR series which is a great camera, it was just slightly larger than I was comfortable carrying around so I always resisted taking it along.

Just bought the Panasonic PV-GS15, same size as my digital still, small and really lightweight.

The Sony has better color saturation and is superior in low light situations and also has a great Carl-Zeiss lens. The Panasonic has better image stabilization and a true 24x optical zoom and is easier to point and shoot.

End of the day Mini DV is the way to go. Most if not all have Firewire.

Forget all of the in cam editing features, you'll never use them.

Seriously go and look at them, the Panasonic was not my first choice but when I put it in my hand the first time my mind changed instantly.

Good Luck

edit: go here http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

They have reviews for all the new stuff.

I originally wanted the JVC GR series but when I looked at them I was turned off by two things, the battery ends up being under your palm so there is no option for a larger/higher capacity battery. Also the screen swings up and out and feels really cheap and fragile.