I am looking to buy digital video camera. Price is not really an issue but I don't really have a need for getting anything outrageously expensive with tons of options that I will never use. I just want a beautiful clear picture. Anybody have any idea which one I should buy?

 

Oh yeah, j/w, are there any digi cameras out there that can take action shots clearly like Kodak action film? Unlike the blur of a hand in a digi picture because of last second movement.

 

Two different cameras here.

DV cameras, if you want good picture quality, get a 3-CCD model. They cost more, but they are available for less than a grand. When I went to a 3-CCD camera, I was shocked. But then I went from a Sony TRV-315 to a Canon GL-1.

For still cameras, make sure you get one that has shutter priority at the very least. That way you can set the shutter speed to grab and freeze action shots while the camera adjusts the f-stop. The camera will tell you if the shot is possible or not. If you think that is worthless, you need to test the scenery lighting before doing your shoot. When I had to do some sports shots for the college newspaper in the basketball gym (on ISO 1600 film) I was shocked at what the camera's meter was reporting to me. I had just barely enough light for that fast film, and not enough to freeze the action.