Which camcorder to go for?

[reidy]

I'm about to buy my first camcorder which will mainly be used for filming my soon-to-be-born daughter (so some of the filming will be inside).

My budget is around £250 - £300 and I'd like the camera to have analogue inputs and be able to film in widescreen (although this isn't essential). I've narrowed my list down to the following models:

JVC GR-D290 - although most places seem to be out of stock
JVC GR-DF470 - Can be bought for around £260
Canon MV850i - have played with in Jessops - worried about motor noise
Sony DCR-HC42 - a bit out the price range at £350

My local Jessops only had the Canon MV850i in stock which was a nice camera to hold and had all the features I need but I'm worried about the noise from the motor being picked up by the microphone (according to various reviews and forum posts).

So, does anyone have any recommendations out of the above camcorders or any that I may have overlooked in my search? The JVC GR-DF470 seems to be the closest match to the Canon and is £90 cheaper than the Sony.

Thanks, Ian

[Taz73]

If you have a look on www.pixmania.com they have the JVC in a 540 model for £285. It has a 1.3MP still picture facility.

Hope it helps.

[MarkE19]

If Jessops etc will let you, then try recording with the Canon to Tape. Plug a set of earphones in and see if you can hear the motor noise - do a fair bit of zooming and move around so the cam is refocusing.
Also if possible play the tape back on a TV to see if the motor noise is loud enough to hear. Try recording in a quiet area as this is when the noise will be most noticeable.

My personal choice for a camcorder has always been Sony. They just make great cams with excellent overall quality. The downside is that they do tend to cost a bit more.

Mark.