QUOTE(bobbybans @ Apr 11 2008, 06:21 AM)

picture quality is best on dvd cameras
I believe it depends on the definition of "picture quality." I have tried from low to high ends of DVD Camcorders and found they all have video noise. Video noise is when capturing light is not bright enough and produce random color pixels--especially around darker areas. This is always the issue with lower quality of CMOS or CCD. To deliver recordings to miniDVD format the manufactures of camcorders have substituted high quality lens and sensors. To me, this is not a best "picture quality."
It is agreed that having miniDV takes longer to transfer onto a DVD disk. But still this format delivers uncompressed highest picture quality. miniDVD still requires to be compressed to MPEG-2 where miniDV is uncompressed AVI format. The miniDV camcorders are bulky but it allows to be assembled with higher quality lens and sensors. And manufactures can place more emphasis on lens and sensors.
If video editing is an issue that determines the quality of a camcorder, I believe that is an unfair statement. A consumer can spend a mere $200 on a camcorder to capture the birth of a baby, and to have it transferred to a DVD with few steps is well worth the effort. But if a consumer is trying to edit a documentary, the emphasis is not at a camcorder but on an editing abilities.
I rather have a professional video lens attached to Hi8 video camcorder than a factory lens attached to high-end DVD camcorder. Because the professional video lens will give me better control of lighting than the factory.
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