ok heres the deal. i need a camcorder for somewhere around 600 buckaroos. my main concerns are battery life and video quality. big surprise right. id be happy to sacrifice battery life if somehow the quality were to up itself some, but not quality for battery life. a few minor things id like to see on a camcorder but which i dont need are a video light, the ability to take stills, night vision/mode, adjustable viewfinder, a strap for my fat hand, a high zoom count, non clunky, clustered or complicated controls, and/or included editing software. of course quality trumps all of these optional features but if you know of any cameras with good quality and any good features be sure to mention them. all experiences and suggestions are welcomed. i went to cnet and got a few good looks at camcorders but their judgement has been questionable in the past. thanks yahoo folks. keep it real.

you seem to get a sony hdd as it has most of features you need go to pricegrabber.com and compare pricesand specifications

Hi!Go for Sony,Canon. they are best www.sony.comwww.canon.com

hey, I recently bought a JVC model no. GR-D775U for about $500. The quality is... okay... but It's really not that great. If you only have about $600, I would suggest saving up and getting one for about $800 or more. Any less than that and the quality is only exceptional.I would also suggest buying either any Panasonic MiniDV, an affordable Canon, or Sony model DCR-DVD508. JVC is good, but you can do better.The Sony model I stated is for sale on Amazon for about $600, and I would suggest it if you're in a bind and need the camcorder now, or just don't want to save the money, which is highly understandable.The best of luck.

Hi, I work for Clive Anthony's and have worked in the Multimedia Industry for years. I have sampled alot of cameras in my day from Canon to No Namers, HANDS DOWN a Handycam wins every time. I just recently purchased the $2400 HD 120GB Handycam and will never look back. Build Quality, Features and Value for money. Check out the sony site for models in your price range and I will guarantee you won't be disappointed.