Looking for my 1st HDD Camcorder

[ghinzani]

Posted the below on UK Hot Deals but have'nt had any response so I thought I'd ask the experts! Not looking to become the next Fredrico Fellini, just document babys first year easily and in a format thats easy to save onto PC & DVD. Have got a DVDR on the PC and a standalone recordable DVD Hard Drive thing, which I find very reliable hence the HDD option, altho there are some SD Card ones under £200 that look nice but I guess they are limited by what can be fitted onto a 1 or 2gig card (all I have). Anyhow heres my original request:

First child due in a couple weeks and I've come to the conclusion my cheapo Mustek DV4000 doesnt have the quality I need to get films of the little one (its not got the resolution, and is a bit old and knackered after one too many tapings to my crash helemet!). Anyway would like to get a HDD or decent SD card camcorder, prefer HDD as I know you cant fit a lot onto SD cards, although Id like it to be able to take SD as I have a lot of them and its good for getting things off etc. Only one thats caught my eye so far is this at Argos http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5632363.htm everything I have seen on Which has either been too expensive or out of stock.

Not really intersested in mini-dv or DVD, was not impressed by a friends DVD one I used last year, seemed slow to react despite being an expensive one.

Anybody got any recomendations? Would prefer not to spend over £300 if poss but if everything belows crap then I will have to. Thanks

[redsox_mark]

That link doesn't work so I'm not sure what you are looking at.

HDD cams for £300 or under aren't that good; quality will not match that of a good DV cam in the same price range.

[ghinzani]

Thanks for the reply, Ive posted the link again and the spec below. The reason Im not keen on DV is its another format to add to the collection I guess, are the sub 300 HDD really that bad? this one was originally retail at over £300.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5632363.htm

JVC GZ-MG21 HDD Camcorder. This item is excluded from the 30 day money back guarantee. See the Additional Information panel for full details.
Was £399.99 5632363


279
£ .99See the Additional Information panel for the pricing footnote.

* Focus: Auto.

* Exposure modes: Sports, Snow, Twilight, Sepia.

* 32 x optical zoom.

* 800 x digital zoom.

* 2.5in colour LCD screen.

* Camcorder takes digital still images.

* SD Card compatibility.

* Features:

* 20Gb hard disk.

* USB 2.0.

* 6 x high speed transfer.

* 3D Noise reduction.

* Webcam function.

* Data battery.

* 1 year manufacturers guarantee.

* Weight 320g.

* Size (H)7.0, (W)6.8, (D)10.9cm.


* Accessories included in box:

* Battery.

* Charger.

* Mains supply.

* Software.

* AV leads.

* Instruction manual.


Price printed in our Spring/Summer 2007 catalogue £329.99

[redsox_mark]

The JVC MG21 is certainly better than your Mustek, and itsn't terrible (especially in good light); but it’s probably the worst quality camcorder you can get for £300, and not as good as a DV model.

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by redsox_mark

The JVC MG21 is certainly better than your Mustek, and itsn't terrible (especially in good light); but it’s probably the worst quality camcorder you can get for £300, and not as good as a DV model.

Ok thanks for that, any other suggestions for £300 then please?

[redsox_mark]

My suggestion would be for a DV model - £300 will get you a 3 CCD Panasonic GS230.

Or, if you really want HDD, spend more and get a Sony SR190.