My old camera was Mini DV (little tapes) and with a budget of about $250 I couldnt afford an all singing all dancing HD camera, just standard quality for me.
I wasn't till I got to the shops that I realized that not many places sell mini dv cameras anymore. John Lewis seems to be one of the only shops in Nottingham who's sales assistances brains haven't been replaced by soggy marrows, so John Lewis it was. The tall bald man told me that Mini DV is becoming obsolete and that Hard Drive is now the way forward. I then told him that I had heard that editing with tape is genrally easier and less hastle especially when formating and importing film. He said the HDD cameras now are getting super advanced and editing is just as easy and you dont have to worry about buying tapes. The only problem with HDD cameas is the softwear it comes with is quite advanced too and so your computer needs to be up to the job.
I have a pretty old MAC and so he said I may have trouble importing footage from the camera to my laptop. John Lewis and most other electrical shops have stopped stocking mini dv camears now, so to jessops it was to get the only SONY mini dv camrea in Nottingham. I think in the long run HDD is the way forward and soon all cameras will be using Hard Drives, but for ease of use you cant beat using tape. It seems to me the standard quality on tape is just as good as on HDD and editing on tape is slightly less flawed, only time will tell.
If anyone else has come across a similar dilemma please feel free to comment.
Jon
