What's the best camcorder for professional-like movies?

Need help with finding a camcorder?!?

• Okay, I have took some video classes at my school. I love making mini movies and YouTube videos. So I've been looking around for my ideal camcorder but had no luck... Plus I don't know whats considered a "good" camcorder. Here what I want: - something around the price $100 -$200 - HD -not small but not too big - built in lights (for low light usage) and built in speakers - something that shoots clear videos and clear sound - possiblely a high optical zoom ( like 20x or 40x) - image stabilization - just a good reliable brand Please help :) Thanks!!!!

• Answer:

  Getting a HD camcorder is taking a step backward in Video Quality. HD camcorders Interpolate the video, which means of every 25 frames of video, 4 or 5 frames are taken by the lens assembly, the other frames in between these are filled in by the camcorder inner circuitry, thus giving you not true video. MiniDV tape camcorders give every frame of every shot and usually cost less. http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm Consumer level HD camcorders have 4 problems. 1) Blurry, fuzzy, out of focus areas closely around people in videos taken by consumer level HD camcorders. 2) Any movement, even a wave or lifting an arm, while in front of a recording consumer level HD camcorder, results in screen ghosts and artifacts being left on the video track, following the movement. Makes for bad video, sports videos are unwatchable. 3) These Consumer level HD camcorders all have a habit of the transferred to computer files are something you need to convert, thus losing your HD quality, to work with your editing software. 4) Mandatory maximum record times - 1 hour, 30 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes – four different times advertised as maximum record time for some consumer level HD camcorders. No event I have ever been to is that short. Either take multiple camcorders or pack up with out getting the end of the event on video. MiniDV is currently the most popular format for consumer digital camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are typically more affordable than their HDD and DVD counterparts. Each MiniDV tape will typically hold an hour of footage at normal recording speed and quality. MiniDV tapes are available for purchase at not only electronic and camera stores, but also at drugs stores and grocery stores, making them easy to find while your on vacation. There are literally hundreds of MiniDV camcorders available; both in standard and high-definition. And add the fact that to get a HD camcorder that could produce better video quality footage, one would have to spend in excess of $3500 for that camcorder that could produce higher quality video. http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/camcorders/consumer_camcorders/zr960