Hi all

As my wife is now in the family way I have come to the conclussion that it
is time to invest in a digital camcorder. I am confussed by all the options
and need some help.

I have a budget (a strick one - so she says!) of £600 and need something to
take stills as well as video - I can the get rid of the last "mistake" I
purchased - a Kodak DX3000 digital camara that never seems to work.

I really would value some advice on what to look for and what features I
will need.

Thanks for all / any advice in advance.

Steve Patrick

In message , Steve
Patrick writes
Hi all

As my wife is now in the family way I have come to the conclussion that it
is time to invest in a digital camcorder. I am confussed by all the options
and need some help.

I have a budget (a strick one - so she says!) of £600 and need something to
take stills as well as video - I can the get rid of the last "mistake" I
purchased - a Kodak DX3000 digital camara that never seems to work.

I really would value some advice on what to look for and what features I
will need.

Thanks for all / any advice in advance.

Though I'm reluctant to recommend any particular camcorder, the Sony
TRV33 seems to be thought well of, both here and elsewhere. I've had a
Sony TRV30 (now superseded) for eighteen months now and I wouldn't
change it.

However, there's some general advice on my website at:
http://www.camcord.info/buying/

And you might also like to read:
http://www.camcord.info/basics/

--
Tony Morgan
Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Keep this in mind,
it may offer a way to make him your friend.
If not, you can kill him without hate - and quickly.

The JVC gr-dv700 has good stills specs. It can take accessories on the hot
shoe such as light extra microphone etc. It has DV in/out And Analogue
in/out.

www.prcdirect.co.uk have it for under £500 - a good price


"Steve Patrick" wrote in message
...
Hi all

As my wife is now in the family way I have come to the conclussion that it
is time to invest in a digital camcorder. I am confussed by all the
options
and need some help.

I have a budget (a strick one - so she says!) of £600 and need something
to
take stills as well as video - I can the get rid of the last "mistake" I
purchased - a Kodak DX3000 digital camara that never seems to work.

I really would value some advice on what to look for and what features I
will need.

Thanks for all / any advice in advance.

Steve Patrick

In message , Steve
Patrick writes
Tony

Thanks very much for your reply - your site is excellent and has been
vey helpfull.

I like the idea of the sony memory stick ( do u know if those of use
without sony machines are able to buy a reader - maybe in USB type
form?)

Yes. There's quite a few about. I use a Sitecom Multi-memory reader
(USB. It reads/writes from/to memory stick, MMC, SD, Smart Media and
Compact Flash. I got the multi-memory reader because I've got both a
digital camera (Smartmedia) and a Jornada PDA (Compact Flash).

There's a review at:
http://www.compulink.co.uk/~davedorn...ge/sitecom.htm

If you're running XP you don't need to install any software/drivers, the
operating system simply "hot-configures" drives for each of the
read/writers when you plug the USB in. Painless....

If you shop around you should be able to buy it for about £40.
--
Tony Morgan
Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Keep this in mind,
it may offer a way to make him your friend.
If not, you can kill him without hate - and quickly.

In article , Steve
Patrick writes

I like the idea of the sony memory stick ( do u know if those of use without
sony machines are able to buy a reader - maybe in USB type form?)


I think various multi-way memory card readers can read memory stick. An
interesting way of doing it is the memory stick mouse, which saves on
clutter by combining the mouse and the card reader! Not sure if you can
still get them though

--
Keith Laws

What's my solution?

.....NOISE POLLUTION

"Martin Imber" wrote in message
...
Yes the TRV33 is pretty good - got a widescreen mode as well!

You can connect via USB to access the Memory Stick so no reader required -
a
USB cable is in the box

14 No MS
19 No MS - DV in
22 MS, DV In, Composite in
33 MS, Megapixel, proper widescreen, DV in, composite in

And you can 33 for the list price of the 19 if you shop around



I have just bought one this weekend and in the little time we have been
playing with it its got some great features. take you time with the manual
its worth it. The widescreen works very well and looks great on a big WS TV
Steve

"The UK SpeedTrap Guide" @ http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk
"The UK Weather Guide" @ http://www.ukstorms.com