What is a good budget camcoder to make videos?

Has anyone had experience editing video from the Sanyo VPC-CA65?
The Sanyo VPC-HD2 has complaints on other forums about inability to open or edit video except with the Sanyo software. I am interested in knowing if that is a limitation of it being HD or if that is a Sanyo proprietary componant that will carry over to the Sanyo VPC-CA65.
Thanks

The Sanyo has new model coming this month. I think it called VPC-HD700.
How does this new camera compare to the old model?

Need VPC-CG65 Demo Video, anyone can help?

The Victor-JVC GZ-MG575 HDD Camcorder may be another selection for you. You may check them out!

It doesn't matter whether you are indoors or outdoors when you zoom; you still receive the same results. Usually, keeping the lens at its widest point (no zoom) is where the least shaking is apparent. The more you zoom in the more shaking will be apparent.

Thanks for the replies. Sorry - I didn't write my question correctly. Apart from zoom, I wanted to compare indoors video quality between the two. I will be a new user, and do not yet know how to set white balance etc. I'm not sure if the Panasonic user manual will tell me how to set it. Is it tricky? Or it's just like focussing on a white paper for some time for the white balance to get set?

Sony HC48 costs $100 more, and has 680K effective pixels compared to 340K for these two. Is there a noticable difference in video quality? Or is the price difference merely for it's additional features - still and web camera capability, apart from a higher zoom and battery? If the video quality is not noticable, then I could go for either of the above two models - depending on indoor video quality and color.

Take a look at http://www.camcorderinfo.com

Here they specialize in detailed reviews and your questions will be answered from reading the reviews on the camcorders you are looking at.

Bottom line: You get what you pay for.

Thanks for all the answers. Official reviews are not yet out on these two models I have already gone through all user reviews here, camcorderinfo.com, amazon.com, circuitcity. The Panasonic users have not commented on Sony and vice versa, at least for these two models. How do these two compare in video quality indoors?

I am a first time user. Is setting white balance difficult?

You just need to be able to find it through the menus.

Simple steps:
1) Find a white area or white sheet of paper.
2) Fill the frame as much as possible.
3) Select "Ok" or "Yes" to set the white balance. You should see a difference in color.

The reason why custom white balance is a nice addition is because it gives the user a more custom toned picture. Sometimes the presets (daylight, incandescent, etc.) are not exactly right for your situations.

use a tripod or other stabilization device. The other oster is correct - when yu are fully zoomed - any movement is magnified - hand-held will not be steady on any camera - and whatever camera you get, turn digital zoom off. It is useless.

A comment on the JVC camcorder - I'm sure it is a fine machine - if you are planning any editing, be aware that JVC uses a proprietary .mod extension on its hard drive video files so there is a file from JVC you need to translate the captured video so your editors can use them...

Learn to use the white balance feature... and the lighting presets... all cameras have these items.

Hello,
I purchased the Panasonic GS85 ($250) and did some testing indoors - below a tube-light and outdoors in the evening time (an hour and a half before sunset). Then connected output to a 25" CRT TV. The colors are quite heavy on the reds and yellows. Even the faces have a reddish color. The same was the case in the evening outdoors.
I had adjusted the white balance using 3 modes (that's 3 different videos) - Auto, Manual with AWB, and Manual with focussing on a sheet of white paper.

Can the red color be reduced using any manual settings? Or, can it be edited in Tape to reduce the red color? Of course, the video indoors was not very bright, but indoors that is what I expected. Are external lights any good? - it has a cold shoe.

Moreover, when outdoors, the edges were not smooth - say of a building / doors / windows / cars etc. They had lots of disturbance - those slight zig-zag lines moving around. The resolution seemed low too - the grass with red colored chips for plants looked like ink slightly blotted (ex. on tissue paper). I guess the Pana 230 and the US model - Pana 320 ($400) are similar - 340 Effective pixels on each of 3CCD. Pana GS85 has a single CCD 340K effective pixels. I guess that will not improve the resolution - only the color? This is major concern - the video looks very disturbing with the movement on all edges.

Please, any suggestions?

I shot vidoes with a Canon digicam Powershot A550($150) at 30fps - and viewed output on a laptop. Video is 640*480 (i.e. not full screen), but the results actually seemed better than this camcorder's.

I will test oudoors in bright light today - the sun is finally showing.

Outdoors in sunlight, when shooting from my car, the road surrounded by trees and sky - colors looked pale - if I use a warm white balance card, the red will increase further - this camcorder is already too heavy on the reds and yellows. Which color card to use to reduce reddishness and increase blues and greens?

Indoors, I just want to reduce the reddishness.

Shooting with Canon Powershot A550 digicam gave better results (though of course on PC - and not full screen).

Funny - all reviews said Pana favours greens - not the reds. The brownish color that was seen on the LCD is also present in actual recording on tape when viewed on TV.

I have till Monday - else I am returning this cam (will lose on the 10% restocking fee), but no use as of now.