Best Mini DV Camera?

My little brother wants to buy a Mini DV camcorder for the holidays. We dont want to spend more than ~400 if we can avoid it. I want something that will hook up easily to a computer with a cheap firewire card and non-expensive video software.

Have any ideas? Brands? Specific models?

Also, when is best to buy? How much could we save if we wait till the day after Christmas?

[ruri]

For $400, you're not going to find much in the DV department, but if you can afford $480 look into Panasonic PV-DV102, their lowest priced DV camera.

The unit sports a [list=1]
10X optical zoom
firewire, MMC for built in digital camera
digital image stabilization
USB port
2.5" LCD screen [/list=1]

Not bad for <$500 camera.

[sarah56]

Awesome pictures and great features but could be better.It has many advantages.Mini DV is smaller.It is the world's smallest camera.This is best for you.

[ECA]

Things to look for..

Firewire, on both computer and device, means faster Download and saving. Many of these devices ONLY download from Firewire.. the USB is for pictures ONLY..

DIGITAL storage, rather then TAPE or other formats.
Smaller storage size, smaller machine..AND the NEW HD ram cards will fit in them...which can get you 32gigs of storage..

[mhinez8]

Hi there!
This is Mhinez!
30 yrs.of age.

Im new on this forum!I want to meet some friends!
Keep on posting guys!
Awesome pictures and great features but could be better.It has many advantages.Mini DV is smaller.It is the world's smallest camera.This is best for you.


Thank's!...

[ECA]

there are a few types of DV..
one is a small DISK to record..
the other is DIGITAL ram..