Recommendations for cheap HD camcorder

[berneslai]

Hi,

I'm looking at purchasing a cheap (preferably HD, if possible) camcorder. The pre-requisites are that it has to be very small (probably flash memory storage) and cheap. I will be filming mainly in the backstreets of South America (!) so I need to be able to conceal it easily and not be too distraught in the event of it going missing.

I've been looking at the Aiptek HD range which seem perfect (I realise these aren't a patch on higher-end cameras) but the lack of image stabilisation is putting me off. The Sanyo Xacti HD700 is probably the next port of call but beginning to get a little pricy.

Are there any small camcorders that have reasonable image quality and features that fit in the £200 to £300 price range? I realise I'm asking a lot.

[redsox_mark]

Yes, that is a tall order. A good flash memory cam under £300, even Standard Def, is a tall order. A High Def cam under £300 is a tall order...both is very tall...

The footage I've seen from the Aiptek does seem amazing for what it costs. I thought they also had a newer model with image stab?

Other than that, it is the Sanyo or new Samsung... but both will push your budget.

Do you want flash memory because of size? You can get a good DV camcorder (e.g. Panasonic GS230), which isn't much bigger than the flash/HD Panny SD5. Will you have something to upload the footage to whilst travelling, or are you planning to take a whole bunch of memory cards?

[berneslai]

Thanks for your help.

I'll be taking a laptop with me but that will be safely stored away. I'll rethink the DV angle although I've never seen a thin pocket(ish) sized DV cam.

[redsox_mark]

You are right, you won't find one as small/thin as the Aiptek.
Between the "barrel" shaped flash models and the DV models there is less difference than you may expect.

For small standard def flash memory there is also the Panasonic SDR-S10.

[Br3nt]

Berneslai, this may seem like a strange question but when are you travelling?

With the electronics market moving so quickly, it will have quite a bearing on what to expect to pay when.

Regards,

B