Sony Handycam DCR-HC32 Mini DV, Flash Media Camcorder

I bought this particular model after much research and many phone calls as well as on-line research. I wanted a basic camcorder to capture the moments of my firstborn. This really fits the bill all around. Easy-to-use with all function keys within reach during filming. Photos are also easy to capture, though I can't say the quality is superb. Zooming is great. Night-shot plus films very well in the dark, though the result is only black/white, which interrupts the basic flow of the video. I haven't yet figured out how to download the photos... there aren't really many helpful guides in regards to that. Battery life is not too long, though according to the manual, it'd be longer if the viewfinder is used, as opposed to the LCD. I find it somewhat inconvenient to use that, so we end up charging the battery every so often. Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with my purchase. It is everything we need it to be for good quality filming and basic photographs. (We know it's a hassle to shlep camcorder and camera on outings, so wanted one that fits both, with least $. Perhaps it would be worth spending another $100 and get a camera with 3 mp quality so photos can actually be used for enlargement, sharing, etc.). Good luck.