How do I know what Camcorder for the price to choose?

The best value for money is still MiniDV. If you get an entry level model made by Sony, Canon, JVC or Panasonic you should be OK.

Read the customer reviews on more than one site!! That will almost always tell you what will work and what wont!! My personal favorite brand is Sony. but sony and samsung are made by the same company so that might also help!

Any miniDV camcorder with a CMOS system in the price range you can afford will be fine. Since you are familiar with VHS, you will know what to do with miniDV and how to solve most of the problems (if they happen). A Canon HD camera would be your best choice since they now come with full 1920x1080 high definition resolution, the best customer rated stabilization system, and instant auto focus - the camcorder is always in focus or takes less than a second to find and fix focus. A Sony camcorder would be our next recommendation due to their god stabilization sytems and NightShot capability for low light. Some recommended choices are: Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00114PN1U?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00114PN1U Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MUV6BA?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000MUV6BA Canon HV10 3.1MP High-Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H7MHFC?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000H7MHFC Sony HDR-HC5 4MP MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M3EP4W?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000M3EP4W Sony HDR-HC3 4MP High-Definition Handycam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000DZFSFY?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000DZFSFY MiniDV camcorders allow you to capture your videos from tape to your computer for editing and sending to your friends and family. Your computer already comes with a free video editing program: Windows Movie Maker in MS Windows and iMovie on a Mac. iDVD also comes free on a Mac for making DVDs. Be sure to use DVD-Rs http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YJXMI?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0009YJXMI Unlike miniDVD, hard drive, and flash memory camcorders, miniDV camcorders are guaranteed to work with any computers system and editing program. Current users of the other formats are constantly reporting problems with trying to get their videos to play and work in their computers and when trying to send to the internet or to friends and family. Read the Camcorders section of Yahoo Answers, and you will constantly find people asking how to convert their hard drive, flash memory, and mini DVD videos because their computer can not play them. Be sure to stock up on plenty of miniDV tape. They are the most economical recording media, can be stored for long periods of time without quality loss, work with both SD (miniDV) and HD (HDV) cameras, and can be re-used if necessary. We use Panasonic AYDVM63PQ 63/42 Minute Professional Quality Mini-DV Digital Tape, 10 Pack http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ANCZ50?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000ANCZ50 which is twice the quality and half the price of consumer-level tape at Wal-Mart and other stores. CMOS has excellent color and clarity. CMOS systems are lighter in weight and size than CCD systems. You can also shoot twice as long on CMOS than on CCD with the same battery. CMOS also does not suffer from vertical smear like CCD.