Hi--

Is there a big difference in picture quality between BetaSP and DV.

Ummm, yes, and no...;-)

Do a search on "groups" in google for this, reading RG Baker's

posts on it. Also go to

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm, where

last-generation Mini-DV cameras are compared with low-end

BetaSP (see also for comparison of the best of the LG Mini-DV

cameras with the VX2000 [Panasonic DVX100, JVC DV-GY300,

Canon GL2 are now roughly as good...]:

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/sony_dcr-vx2000.htm). Bottom line:

the two media are close enough to mix well, but one is analogue

(with the plusses and minuses that implies), the other is digital

(with the plusses and minuses that implies). All else equal, with

work to avoid the problems of analogue, and with the best lenses,

BetaSP will look a bit better than the best Mini-DV - but at much

greater cost, risk, and weight/size/maintenance-requirements/

operation-skill-needs of the gear...