Digital video camera?

[Andrew Longman]

Looking for advice on buying a digital video camera. I know nothing.

It should be appropriate for a 14 year old who wants to record mostly trains and racing. ;)

Not too expensive

Rugged

Easy to use

With appropriate memory (whatever that is)

Able to also take stills (if that is even possible)

Thanks in advance:)

[Indy]

Make sure you consider the video capabilities of some of the still cameras. My $250 Nikon S50 fits in a shirt pocket and takes very good video with sound (with zooming capabilities during video) up to the capacity of the memory card. I got the 2G card for $50.

My kid loves it.

Canon makes a really neat video/still combo, but be aware that you compromise heavily on the quality of both, the price is much higher, and the unit is larger and harder to use.

If you go the "camcorder" route, just be aware that the stills are not up to the quality of any decent digital camera. I just did this shopping before buying the Nikon, and it looks to me that we are a few years away from a truly functional, compact, inexpensive combo.

[cameraman]

Just about anything in the Canon camcorder line would be fine. They are all nice to great.

If he is shooting trains get him a tripod. It is far less expensive than dramamine...

[Indy]

Oh, yeah, something else. Optical image stabilization, like Canon's "IS," is absolutely the way to go. I am not sure about video cams, but with digital cams, other manufacturers claim to be stabilized but they do it with digital tricks instead of the lens, and that is nothing but a marketing gimmick.