Hi--

Thank you for you help on cameras.

I have heard that to make a 1 chip camera take better still pictures they

put on bigger chips,

Not bigger, but higher pixel-count...

but these bigger chips don't make a better video

image.

The motion-video image with these tends to be sharper, with better color

(more info available for both) and finer low-light "grain", but with more

motion-artifacting and less low-light range...

See www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder--comparison.htm for comparison images...

For example would the Sony TRV 50 take a better video image than the

Sony TRV27? So would the TRV27 be pretty an example of a top 1 chip video

image from Sony or is there a model with a better video image?

As I've tried to point out, it is not "better", but the best group of

trade-offs for your purposes... Sony makes three different-looking

1-CCD sets of camcorders the inoffensive but unspectacular TRV18 level;

the sharper/more-color/a-bit-annoying-with-motion TRV27 level;

the very-sharp/very-annoying-with-motion TRV30/TRV70 level... All suffer

the common 1-CCD faults...

If you are asking, "Is there a really-really good 1-CCD camera - one that is

as good as a good 3-chipper?", the answer is no - but with careful control

of lighting and shooting technique, it may not matter (with a "good"

1-chipper...).