My wife and daughter are heading to Europe for a few weeks. My daughter asked if we could get a camcorder. My wife likes the HV10 but we can't find one locally to check out. Most stores now only carry the HV10.

So... is the HV30 that much better than the HV10? If I were to get an HV10 does anyone have an online source that they trust? One with a decent return policy? I am NOT looking to return it right after the trip. What I am trying to find is one that will sort of allow a 1-2 day test drive. That is why I was looking locally first.

Thanks in Advance!
Vince (in St Louis, MO)

Hi Vince, the HV10 was discontinued long ago and has not been available to buy new for quite some time now. The HV20 is also discontinued, but it has gone away only fairly recently, so there's a chance you can find a dealer that has unsold inventory still in stock. Your best bet in terms of availability is the HV30. As with most camcorders, the current models are usually better and more fully featured than the previous models. The biggest difference between the HV30 / HV20 compared to the HV10 is obviously the form factor and ergonomics, but it's really not that much of an issue considering that the HV10 is no longer available. Hope this helps,

Vince, I would say that an HV20 would do you best. It's far better than the 10 and, frankly, the 30 isn't quite worth the extra $200 or so if you're just using it as a travelcam. And I say this as a happy and proud HV30 user!