[quote name='Neo Queen Serenity']I'm looking to buy an HD camcorder but don't which one is a good brand or model. Anyone have any recommendation? The main things I want the camcorder to have is good image stabilization and good indoor / and outdoor quality with a little video noise as possible.
I am looking to spend $300 - $400 but would be willing to spend a bit more.
I've searched around and have read that the Panasonic HDC-SD1 is an excellent camcorder. Any one know any camcorders with similar quality for a lesser price or where to find the SD-1 for less than $500 ?[/quote]
I don't know where you're finding the SD-1 for ~$500. The only site I could find was BROADWAY VIDEO, and DO NOT ORDER FROM THESE SCAMMERS! I had a friend get scammed by them. Google "broadway video" and you'll see what I'm talking about. Other than their bogus price, I only see it in the $800 range.
I do a lot of low-budget, freelance video work. My first HD cam was a Sony HDR-HC1 HDV. I would not recommend a tape-based Sony cam, as the tape mechanism wore out after only a year of light use. Googling the error code found lots of others with the same problems, dating back to Sony's Hi8 camcorders.
I then purchased a $1200 Canon HV-20 (to replace the Sony) and a $3500 Canon XH-A1. Both are HDV, tape-based. Canon makes good stuff, and I love them both, but was amazed at how well the HV-20 does in low light.
Is AVCHD (tapeless, Flash/HDD based) a necessity for you? I know it's more convenient than tape-based, but only recently has AVCHD come close to the quality offered by tape-based HDV; the SD1 is an older AVCHD cam, so it exhibits quality probs. Also, are you planning on editing the footage? While most video-editing software now supports AVCHD, it requires a much more powerful computer to edit than HDV. How speedy is your computer?
I'd say your best bet would be the Canon HV-30 (tape-based HDV), which can be had for $600. It scored nearly 100 points higher than the SD1 at camcorderinfo.com. If you still want AVCHD, go with the Canon Vixia HF10 (WOW, it's only $600 too!); it ranks very close with the HV-30.
Hopefully some of this is helpful. I'd also suggest checking out the reviews on camcorderinfo.com. They know their stuff. If you have any other questions, I'll do my best to answer!