On Wed, 25 Sep 2002 09:21:30 +0200, Bernard Cupic wrote:

>Anybody can explain to me, or point me to any source where I can
>read about, should I go for high resolution CCD camera (800,000 pix
>or higher) for home use. I'd like to buy MiniDV camera, but Im' not
>a professional movie maker. I need single CCD camcorder and I my
>budget is up to 1000 $. I have read all the FAQ I could find on
>the net, but, as far as I can conclude, megapixel CCD is overhead
>for the video resolution. So, my conclusion is that high resolution
>CCD is valid only for the still picture shooting and has no impact
>on the video quality.
>
>Am I wrong?
>
>I already have Fuji Finepix 2600 digital camera and I don't need that
>feature on my camcorder. It's OK if the camcorder has that feature,
>but I'd rather have better optical zoom than high resolution CCD.
>
>Any hint is appreciated.

SMcD's answer is a good one, but the megapixel
CCD models tend also to show a bit better color,
and also noticeably worse artifacting with motion.
As a result, I often recommend Sony's bottom-end
models for their less annoying, if also slightly
less "technically able" images, if the use is
casual recording - these are less limiting in terms
of lighting for a good-looking, pleasant picture...
(See my comments in "Second Hand TRV900 or New TRV740"
thread, above, and
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/vid_pict_characts.htm
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder--comparison.htm).