[NickE]

At this point in time, I would recommend a camera that uses MiniDV tapes. Although the hard drive and flash memory camcorders may seem nice, they usually record in compressed formats (like AVCHD) which are difficult to edit later. The camcorders that record directly onto mini-dvds are just trouble (especially if you have a mac). They can usually not be read by slot-loading DVD drives (as found on most macs), and even if you can get one into your computer, most editing software cannot handle it. (will not work with iMovie or Final Cut Express)

I have had two Sony MiniDV cameras. (one HD, one SD) and would reccomend both. The sony cameras are high quality and work well. For editing, I use Adobe Premiere Elements 3. It is well-designed and affordable software that I would reccomend.