Too many canons - cannot decide on the perfect one :(

Hi guys, sorry to be back with yet another newbie question. I've done a lot of research into camcorders that record at 24p and it seems that there is a fault with every one of them!

I was considering the HG10 but I no longer want an HDD based camera due to the lack of backup and the AVCHD compatability issues.

I then had a look at the HV20 but everyone complains about its poor performance in low light... though it does have the minidv option (but is not as cheap as the HG10)

Then the HF200 has ergonomic issues with its zoom buttons...

And then there is the HFR16 which does not have many reviews but seems more geared to family vacation shooting with its portability etc.

All I want is a good reliable miniDV/SD Card based camcorder with good performance in low light (I'm intending o shooting at night) that has a good 24p mode and no AVCHD problems and with no ergonomic issues - does this camera exist or am I being overly picky - it's jus that I don't want to waste a load of money and time investing in a first camera that will not fulfill my needs.

ANY info would be appreciated as I would like to buy the camera within the week and move on!

Thanks a lot guys, sorry to ramble on...
 
You're being overly picky, particularly with sub-$1000 cameras.

Frankly, when your budget is that low, you should isolate the things that really matter from aesthetic preferences. Why is AVCHD an issue? Most decent editing software that you'll actually use can handle it, so I'm assuming the computer you're going to edit on isn't that great. If this is the case, then you're going to have issues editing HD regardless of the format its recorded in. Also, most camcorders in this range are going to have poor low light performance, because they all use small CCDs or CMOS sensors. You're going to have to compensate for this by learning how to light scenes, even at night.

If you're deadset on recording to either miniDV or to SD cards, then the HV30/40 or the HF200 are going to be your best bet for around your budget. Personally I'm going with the HG20, because I have a 2 TB external to fill, and because screw buying miniDVs.
 
I, too, think you're being overly picky.

"Low light" doesn't mean you will get a good image
shooting at night. And all those small cameras have
ergonomic issues. Putting the camera on a tripod will
help alleviate some of those issues.

You might not be able to get the very best of the best
in your price range. You might have to deal with a few
issues as you build your skills, knowledge and talent.
Or you can wait, and keep researching until Canon
develops a camera that meets all your needs. That doesn't
seem like something you really want to do, so it looks
like you're going to have the pick the lesser of the problems.
What can you learn to live without?

Can you add some light to your night scenes to make the
image look better?
Can you take the time to convert AVCHD?
Can you not use the zoom so much that it ends up hurting?
 
There are two ways to get acceptable "low light" shots with these, or any video camera.

1. Lock the exposure and gain settings so the image does get filled with noise from excess gain (yes, it will be dark, it's "low light" what do you expect?)
2. Add more light and eliminate the low light aspect of it.


Why are people still trying to shoot in the dark? This never, nor do I expect it ever will make sense to me.
 
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