What is the best camcorder out there at the moment?

Question

I am looking for a model that will have a good price to quality ratio.

I'll be using it for vacation and leisure so no need for any super sophisticated features. One that's easy to work with.

Also, would it be cheaper to buy it in the USA or in Japan? ( I have the option to do both)

Answer 1

What is your budget and what will you be taping?

In general, any miniDV tape based camcorder from Canon, Sony or Panasonic.

DO NOT BUY A DVD BASED CAMCORDER. They compress too much so the video transferred to computer is terrible - editing is a pain.

Canon HV20, HV30, Sony HDR-HC7 or HC9.