i looking to buy a camcorder for around £500 max ,i done a lot of filming in the early 90,s as i worked for granada as a tv repair man and had a x-hire camcorder to play with from work ,i want to film some wedding videos for friends and family.i know i cant get the latest kit for £500 i just want a good camcorder semi pro that is reliable .(i like cannon as its good quality equipment)and i have been looking on ebay for some good second hand stuff im not sure if i should be looking at hi8 or not .i like the look of the ex1 but dont know enough about them
hope someone can give me some good advice
(also in going to the usa in january so would i be better buying a new one there if so what should i be looking at)

You'll be hard pressed finding a semi pro camcorder for £500, if you see one on ebay let us know! I would go for a Mini DV camcorder instead (very good picture and sound quality), as you say Canon have some good camcorders out at the moment, but the big guns are out of reach. I wouldn't buy electrical goods in America before finding out if the warranty still works in Europe, more than likely it doesn't. What do you do then if it develops a problem after you've come home? Hi 8 is an old analogue format, forget about it and stick with digital instead.

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