On Tue, 15 Oct 2002 23:12:23 -0400, Stacey wrote:

[...]
>I guess my question boils down to: How important is having a 3CCD
>camera in this end of the spectrum? My feeling is having better image
>stabilization and control layout might produce better end results than
>a 3CCD camera that doesn't have this? At this price is the 3CCD just a
>selling thing, like three tiny sensors instead of one big one with
>very little performance gain?

You may find a comparison of imaging types within the Sony
line interesting in that you can see what more pixels and
3-CCDs get you (not all "plusses" in the first case, though)
in terms of image resolution, color quality, and tonality.
This is at:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder--comparison.htm
BTW, do not assume that optical stabilization is a "single"
quantity, or that the best digital stabilization systems
are not the equal of good optical systems... Poorly
implemented digital stabilization is worthless, but when
well done (as in all of the Sony one-CCD models), it can
be excellent...

>The other thing that is leaning me towards the cannon is local
>support for it, known quality of the brand as far as optics and image
>stabilization experience and it's smaller size. Am I missing other
>things I should be looking at? Or a camera I missed in the under $1500
>price range?

Several...;-) Also possibly worth looking at are good
used 3-CCD models (some older models are covered at:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm).
For reference examples of good and poor video performance,
see: www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/vid_pict_characts.htm
(after the page has loaded, click on the "key" to see
what camcorders shot what examples). BTW, the EZ50U
you mentioned does look interesting at the $1200 B&H
price level but for its poor low-light range (and
the Panasonic low-end 3-CCD cameras are quite light
and small - I liked my EZ30U for this, but sold
it for other reasons [see the review at the URL,
above...]).

>Sorry to be so long winded but I don't want to make a bad choice and
>be stuck with something I'll hate using.

Good plan..., though many of the popular models
above the bottom end are good enough, if you are
not too critical, for many uses...;-)