I have JVC GR-DVF21U. It is relativelly cheap and doeas good job. Records in NTSC format. 720X480 does look good. Look for camcorder with minimun 520 lines horizontal. Make shure it is NTSC format. Try capture still and see in Vegas full preview how look like. If pixelate- you do not want it. Most digital camcorders are geared toward web video(320X240). It my look ok on tv, but not on computer.
Have a fun

Try the Sony trv38 no complaints there, done family weddings and I can't tell the difference between pro's and consumer. It's pretty cheap right now.

Get one that has controls you feel comfortable with. Pay particular attention to the zoom control, manual focus control (if it has it), and other controls that you need to use during filming (like manual exposure override).

If you have enough money to afford Vegas, then you should have enough money for a 3-chip camcorder. If size is a problem, then look at the Sony TRV-950. If low-light is important, then the considerably more expensive (and larger) Sony VX-2100 is worth looking at. If 24p is important, then Panasonic is the way to go (although I can't remember the model number). We're talking big bucks, however. If the best possible optics are important, then Canon (GL2, XL1, XL1S) are the way to go.

However, if you want 3-chip, size, and not too expensive, then I would recommend the Sony TRV-950 (Panasonic also makes an even less expensive three-chip "hand-held" form-factor camcorder, but I don't know the model number).

You may be thinking about the Panasonic 953, it's a 1/6 3CCD but I dont know what the Sony model is.

Panasonic just came out with the PV-GS120 and PV-GS200 as a follow-on to the PV-GS70, all of which are 3CCD cameras priced between $600-$800. I’m planning to go take a look at them once they hit the local stores. Having a manual focus ring is important to me which the GS200 has but the GS120 does not. So making sure the camcorder has the features you want is extremely important.

If this is your first DV (coming from analog) a word of caution: Assume nothing!
For some reason, camcorder manufactures went brain-dead when consumer digitals came out. They dropped all the features that the analogs had which are “required” for good shooting, like manual focus rings, buttons on the outside of the camera that are easily accessible for white balance, back light/iris, or even optical zooms greater than 10x (my old Panasonic analog had a 24x optical zoom) and buried them deep in the menus where you’ll never find them when you need them. Make sure you get a camera with the features you need in places you need them (i.e., external controls not menu options!)

~jr

B and H has the Panasonic PV-DV953 3-CCD for just under $1000. That's probably the best camera you can do for under 1K.

They used to have the PV-DV852 which is a very good 1 chip camera for under $700, if your budget's more modest. They seem to be sold out of it now. You may still be able to find it online. I believe it was over $1200 when it was introduced. Someone on DVinfo just got one for $630.

www.dvinfo.net is a good source for camera info. Check the forums.

And to answer your question a few months from now after you get a 1 chip camera and aren't satisfied with the lacking picture quality.
Get a GL2 :)

Thanks for the replies Ive checked out a few things and I have some questions.

From these 4 camera specs which one would produce a better picture.

1. 1/4.7" 1070K 3CCD (video 690K)

2. 1/6" 800K 3CCD

3. 1/3" 3310K 1CCD (video 2048K)

4. 1/6" 460K 3CCD


No 1. above is the sony TRV-950 3ccd camera and 3 is the sony DCRPC330
on the spec sheets they mention how many pixels the vide capuring is. No2 and 4 are the panasonic PVGS200 and PVGS120

Is 3CCD more important to have than more video pixels ?
(im still going to end up with 780x480/576 DV right ?)

Should the specs of No.3 above outperform number 4 (in video)?

(As a DV camera newbie Im thinking that a higher resolution capture on a 1CCD cam would be better than a lower resolution capture on a 3ccd cam)

Is 3CCD going to give higher resolution or better color fidelity or both ?

I there a huge gap between low end 3CCD and high end 1CCD video quality ?


Regards
JC

Of course image quality is important, but there are some other things you should look for that are equally and perhaps even more important.

1. Headphone jack
2. External mic input

These make the difference between mediocre and excellent video. I wouldn't consider a camera that didn't have both.

3. Manual control of focus, white balance, iris.
4. Pass-through capability, unless you're planning on purchasing an external means of dealing with this.

5. Side or top loading tape port. Stay away from cameras that load tape from the bottom. You have to take the camera off the tripod and, with some, unscrew the quick release plate, in order to change tapes.

Jack

I agree that you shouldn't place too much importance on published specifications. There are many other important factors such as have been mentioned in this thread. Some others are reliability, ergonomics/form factor, and available accessories.

In the long run, knowing your equipment and how to get the most out of it is generally more important than the make/model of your camera.

There is a recent post on the Audio forum with a similar line of reasoning:

It's not the tool, it's the skill of the user

Good luck with whatever you choose.

JL

I have a Panasonic PV-DV953 and it has great quality for the money spent.

It has audio-in, 3 CCD (though they are only 1/6"), OK built-in microphone (quiet camera), large LCD, nice viewfinder, and better-than-average lens. It also has manual focus, if you want to use it.

Minuses include poor image in low-light situations, limited optical zoom, large LCD tends to eat batteries, and the zoom is really touchy.

I also have a Canon ZR-80 that I use as a backup/second position camera. It's a cheapy, and I wouldn't recommend it for anything but a backup, but it does give an OK picture as a 1 CCD camera. It pales in comparison to the image quality of the Panasonic.

There aren't a lot of accessories from Panasonic for this camera, but it does come with a remote control. Two of them, actually. One is a small multi-function remote, and the other is a small plug-in remote that connects with a 3' cable. The plug-in remote lets you control recording and zooming -- great when it's on a tripod and all you want to do is record and pause.

If you look around, you can find one for $900 or less. Big bang for the buck. This fit into my budget. Hopefully, I can do some gigs this spring and make the 953 my backup camera. I'm an audio guy moving slowly into video and DVD production.

The 953 specs also say it has Zebra too. It will be my next camera soon.

Sony PD170

Thanks Johnmeyer

When you compare cameras, you can't go by the chips alone. The lens quality is also critical to the image you get.