1st off, do not EVER use digital zoom. ignore it when researching camcorders, its useless
the pana has a longer zoom then the sony, and the pana has optical stabilization as well. this will be very useful. the imaging chips are the same, you wont notice much difference in the quality of the picture
i was in the same boat as you, and i chose the pana and glad i did
I am wanting to record a rowing "regatta" - and when they are racing it is quite a distance from the banks of the lake. I have looked at the Panasonic SDR-S26K with a 70x optical, 3500 digital and the Sony DCR-SR47 with a 60x optical and 2000 digital, They are in the price range that I can spend.
At a distance in the store, the Panasonic seemed a little sharper/clear than the Sony, but wondered about outside on open water/sunlight. I plan to use a tripod to help stabilize the camcorder. Also, in general use, not using the extreme zooms, which has a better quality of picture for everyday use, low-light, etc? Which company has fewer service problems (I read a thread about Sony's and blank screens, but those are a different model, I believe.) THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE!

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