You are kinda correct regarding viewing on an HDTV - just don't expect broadcast HD quality. Personally I prefer the SD picture on my HD TV - I know that sounds weird but there are so many artefacts on the HD picture from most HD consumer camcorders that I find it tedious to watch. It's a toss up between watching fuzzy or watching motion and edge artefacts. Running it through Final Cut Pro on the Mac cleans it up a lot.
You might want to invest in a Blue Ray recorder now they are coming down in price - you can then burn 1 disk with everything on it.
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Of course, artifacts bug some folks more than others. Just like some folks are perfectly happy with a Yamaha Receiver and others have to get $20,000 worth of separates Not to say that I wouldn't want the $20,000 rig or artifact free video.
I was thinking about Final Cut Express I wonder if it will clean artifacts too? Final Cut Pro is too $$$ for what I am going to use it for!
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To be honest, if you don't want to go to FCP then I'd stick with iMovie - that does a pretty good job and of course it's free. I've done a couple of simple videos using iMovie and it rattled them out quickly and easily - it's pretty intuitive and the features are more than sufficient for home and hobby use.
Yesterday I took the plunge ordered the Canon HF100 from Beach Camera ($649). At that price I couldn't see spending 4250-300 on an SD camera and likely regreting it over time.
Of course the HF100 is the new flash based HD camera. After reading reviews and checking it out in the store I knew this is the camera for me. I decided to go with the HF100 over the HF10 as I didn't feel it was worth the extra $200 or so for the built in 16GB flash and the black body. As a matter of fact that black body on the HF10 looks pretty cool, but it shows every finger print scratch etc. I think the silver grey looks fine, besides I am buying it to use it not to look at it!
I have slight miss-givings about the lack of an optical veiwfinder, but I was able to check out the LCD display outside in the bright sun and I don't think it will be a problem.
I am starting out with one 8GB SDHC card (a Sandisk Extreme III, $75 with a $40 rebate, thought it was a good deal). I'll likely add another in the near future.
Can't wait to try out my first editing job. Guess I will give imovie a whirl to see if that will work. If not will likely consider Final Cut Express. This is all contingent on me prying it away from my daughter.
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Not to say that I wouldn't want the $20,000 rig or artifact free video.
