What camera should I buy? I get that question a lot, even though I don’t tend to be “state of the art” with my equipment. But if I were on the market for a digital camcorder I’d get the Canon Elura 100 (no I don’t get paid to endorse). It’s less than $400 and here’s what makes it a decent choice. And an excellent gift (hint):

1. I learned about it in Smart Money’s Sept. 2006 article titled “Home Movies.” Indie film star Edward Burns calls it a “no brainer,” and he reviewed cameras up to $800.
2. This insanely detailed review at CamCorderInfo.com compared it to other brands in the same price range, and it came out well.
3. CNet gave it a “very good” at 7.2, and readers gave it a 7.6.
4. Consumer Report (which is usually a last resort since they’re often way outdated on electronics) gave it a 55- which is in the “good” range but closer to “very good” than “fair.” It marked “very good” on picture quality, but “fair” on audio quality. Consumer Reports gave the Elura 85 a better mark (71) but it’s closer to $500.
5. Epinions (consumer reviews) gave it a 4/5 rating. Watch out for the “hissing” sounds the mike picks up from the tape motion. It’s an issue I’ve seen pop up in many reviews, but it’s primarily an issue when you’re shooting in low sound. I don’t go anywhere where low sound exists.
6. I researched endlessly my Canon Rebel XT still camera and I’m really happy with it. So Canon wins points.

Unfortunately PCMag hasn’t reviewed it yet, which is surprising. I put a lot of weight in their reviews.

I usually got to BestBuy for impulse. But they’re not in stock, and they’re not cheaper. Plus I hate the pressure to buy the warantees. Amazon has it on sale… here’s the link (I do get an affiliate fee for anyone buying it through this link, but in my experience nobody uses affiliate links).

Buy Canon Elura 100 at Amazon