Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder with 8 GB Video Storage and 2x Digital Zoom (Black) Immediately

Summary: It's obviously not going to be broadcast quality HD at $200, but the quality and features are a great value to get into HD. If you're uploading to Youtube/Vimeo and want their HD then this is a great choice.

It's straightforward, easy to use, and does a shockingly good job for a camera the size of a cel phone. Even shooting footage at night in a snowstorm on a dim street, no artifacts, no grain. Focus can be dicey if trying to shoot through a window or in really dim light, but not enough that a decent video editor can't compensate for. Indoors, color didn't get too yellow in my tests, either.

The only other catch is getting used to its light weight -- this will take a few days, but as long as you hold it lightly, breathe normally, and move carefully, the shakiness can be compensated for with just getting acquainted to how it behaves. In general, it produces sharp, punchy video with very good quality. I have had this three days, no tripod (which is a wise and cheap investment -- careful with making sure the mount fits properly and be gentle!), and the results have been way more than satisfactory. Even the sound quality is fine.

I'd definitely recommend this for someone wanting to get started with HD video on Youtube, and unsure about investing the $600-odd dollars into a pro-sumer outfit like a Canon HV30.Get more detail about Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder with 8 GB Video Storage and 2x Digital Zoom (Black).