While many cameras today record to tapeless media, recording to MiniDV tape for SD or HDV still provides the best low budget video quality, ease of editing, and, most importantly, instant archivability. But what to do with all these tapes? Most storage systems specifically for MiniDV tapes are very expensive, don't hold very many tapes or are designed to be mounted on walls. The best solution we've found is the Sterilite 7-Drawer Craft Cart. Available at Target and Amazon.com for about $40, each of the unit's 12"x12" transparent drawers holds 76 tapes in the preferred vertical position for a total of 532 tapes for the seven drawers, and each drawer has a removable hinged lid that snaps closed. They sell a cheaper version without the lids, but the drawers don't easily come all the way out, so it's hard to see the tapes in the back without risking spilling them all. We label our tapes on the spine of the actual cassette, starting with the date, so they can be easily organized and located. If you know of a better low budget storage system for lots of MiniDV tapes, let us know.

One of the most important aspects of video is actually audio quality. The sound you record with the onboard mic of a video camera is not even close to the quality people are used to hearing on television and at the movies. To get much closer to this without spending a fortune get the Rode VideoMic for about $150 and attach it to the accessory shoe on top of your camera. If you know of a better low budget shotgun microphone, let us know.

The tripod you use can be even more important for getting quality video than the camera you use. The Bogen/Manfrotto 3001N (chrome) or 3001BN (black) tripod legs with a 3126 Micro Fluid Head is probably the least expensive tripod that can track motion smoothly to get good quality video without the jerkiness associated with nearly all cheaper tripods. The true "fluid head" means there is an oily substance inside and is the most important feature. This tripod sells for about $160, weighs 6.1 lbs., has a folded length of 25.2" and has a height range of 11" to 61.4". It also screws directly into the bottom of your video camera so it doesn't need a release plate. This is good because with a release plate, even though the camera slides on, it usually needs to be secured by tightening a screw anyway, so it can take almost as long to mount or remove your camera as it does to just screw or unscrew it, and if you lose the release plate, the tripod is useless until you buy another release plate. If your video camera loads tapes from the bottom, it is an even greater advantage to not have a release plate, because you would have to remove the release plate just to change tapes. If you know of a better low budget tripod, let us know.

Update: If light weight and maneuverability are important, or for places where tripods are not allowed, for about the same price, you may be better off with the Manfrotto 560B Fluid Video Monopod with 234RC Head, which weighs only 1.5 lbs. (700 g), has a load capacity of 4.4 lbs. (2 kg), expands from 26" (66 cm) to 65.5" (166 cm), has three pivoting, retractable feet for solid footing and a fluid cartridge in its base for smooth panning. The 234RC head adds 9.5 oz (270g) to the weight.

The JVC GR-DF430 sells for about $300, records to MiniDV tapes, is very compact, has good low light capability, a microphone input, audio level display, analog input (analog to digital conversion), a built-in light for shooting in the dark, S-Video input and output, top-loading of tapes (with bottom-loaders if you are using a tripod you have to unmount the camera to change tapes), a mode for stop motion animation and an accessory shoe for mounting an external microphone or other device (although, due to the location of the shoe, accessories with large diameter tightening wheels may not fit). The GR-DF430 came out in Spring of 2005, so it may be increasingly hard to find in the future. The JVC GR-DF450 and GR-DF550 are only about $50 more, look basically the same and have the same features plus the ability to record still photos to a memory stick. The GR-DF550 also has a larger imaging chip (1/4.5-inch CCD with 690,000 effective pixels for video and 1.23 megapixels for stills vs. the 1/6-inch CCD with 680,000 pixels on the DF430 and DF450) which may give a slightly better image. BGM was not compensated in any way for the favorable mention of these products.

On the downside, these video cameras do have some trouble with the auto focus drifting in low light situations. This can be dealt with by zooming in or reframing the subject or by using the manual focus feature.

One other note of caution: there have been some problems with JVC camera's CCDs failing and giving a "lens cap" error when the lens cap is already removed, and this model has also had this problem. We are checking with JVC to learn more about this. But from experience, when these cameras work, they work well. If you know of a better low budget video camera, let us know.

Update: We had a JVC GR-DF430 which developed the lens cap error about after about 6 months of use. The warrantee on these is 3 months for parts and labor and 12 months for parts only, so we called JVC (800-858-6442) to complain. They responded by emailing a "Letter of Accommodation" which extended the warranty and covered both parts and labor to fix the lens cap error problem. A local JVC authorized service center agreed to honor this letter, which allowed them to bill JVC for the repair, and fix the camera at no cost to us.

Update 3/8/07: The discontinued JVC GR-DF430, 450 and 550 are difficult to find, and where they previously could be found for around $300, when they are available, they are now selling for too much. The next best choice for an inexpensive MiniDV camera with a mic input, good low light performance and other desirable features is probably the Canon Elura 100, Camcorderinfo.com's 2006 Camcorder of the Year, which can still be found in the $300-$400 range. But this camera has also been discontinued and will be increasingly hard to buy.

Update 2/2/08: The best low cost video camera that yields near professional results, records to tape (still the best low end format for video quality and storage) and has the features highlighted above is now actually a high definition camcorder (that also shoots in standard DV), the Canon HV20. It is selling for under $700 and may drop lower as its replacement model the Canon Vixia HV30 becomes available this month.

Update 5/24/08: The prediction that the HV20 would be selling for less than the HV30 wasn't true for very long. They are both available for about $770. Get the HV30 because it records in HDV 1080/30p and has an improved LCD fold-out screen.