[Grey Man]

Hi there

I'm in the market for a new camera. My current model is a JVC Mini-DV Model a GR-DVP3 [from memory] that is starting to show its age, with some tapes that are unplayable, on the camera, though they play back fine in a friends camera.

I'd like to go down the High Definition route and I feel that I favour the Hard Disk Drive method of capture over other formats.

Due to previous experience I'm leaning towards the JVC stable, but there seems to be dozens of cameras from JVC alone and I'm having trouble distinguishing one from the other, particularly as many seem to have the same model name with additional differing letters at the end.

Tyical use would be the annual family holiday, indoors and out, Christmas mostly inside, evening parties in low light or disco light conditions as well as day trips to legoland, and general playing in the garden with the kids etc.
The whole gamut of conditions :-)

Previously I hooked the old JVC up to my DVD HDD recorder and copied content over, and used rudimentary editing on the DVD machine itself before writing to DVD.

Am keen however to do some video editing, transitions, captions using the computer as well, and I have a capture card in the PC already, the software is from Pinnacle, though its quite old now.

My TV already has a HDMI port, but the DVD recorder has only firewire [great for the old camera] or scart/phono inputs.

Anyway, like most people I don't want to spend the earth. I'd rather work out the required features and spend the least amount required to meet them rather than spend up to a budget and get more than I need.

I tend to favour the more automatic operation rather than having lots of twiddly bits to get to grips with, not being an expert operator or photograoher. Although I really valued the viewfinder on my old camera in bright sunlight and the hot shoe on top which took an extra light for low light conditions.

Still imaging performance is handy, though not essential as I probably won't do away with my 7MP Optio pocket compact camera.

If anyone has any advice on the current JVC HD models I should focus on or indeed any good suggestions why I should look at Sony, Cannon, et al then I'd be very pleased to hear it.

Thanks

[chewoot]

Hi there, what sort of budget have you set aside for your upgrade?

[Grey Man]

Yes, would have helped to put that it in wouldn't it.

I would like to keep below £500 if at all possible