What is the best video camera for me?

What's the best digital still camera for video?

• I have just one small camera for stills and video, and that's all I need. Currently, I have a slim Casio Exilim, which takes excellent video in natural light, but not so great indoors under light bulbs. Also, it doesn't let me zoom while capturing video (well, it allows digital zoom, but that stinks -- makes everything grainy). The audio, importantly, is very good. Reviewers of digital cameras don't seem very interested in the video quality. So I'm stumped. Can you suggest a camera that takes warm, quality stills, but also takes good quality video (preferably in indoor settings and allowing for zooming during video recording?). Thank you so much for your help.

• Answer:

  The best? At present the Nikon D90 ($1,000) and Canon 5D, Mark III ($2,700) are the "best" still cameras that also shoot video. I can see that you are talking about a P&S camera and you cannot expect too much from them. At this time the highest resolution on a P&S camera is only 1280 x 720 pixels or the equivalent to a 0.9 mp sensor although the cameras sensor actually has 12.1 mp's on it. They call this HD on a P&S and when compared to the other P&S cameras it has nearly twice the resolution, but in no ones dream does it have the High Definition that a real video camera like the Red One or Sony Cine Alta Take a look at the Canon SX200 and take a few test shots in the store and then bring them home and view them to see if the meet your criteria