i've been getting consistent work since i started using the HM100 and i absolutely love the SD card work flow. It suits the work i do perfectly.

i am insanely jealous of the depth of field available to kids using their Canon 5D/7D's and while this would solve the problem of getting great depth of field and lens choices i'm thinking a more solid investment would be a HM700 with the canon lens.

it would also free up my HM100 for doing 2nd camera duties (a HD7 currently fills that role)

it would be significant investment for me but i think i could have it covered in one or two jobs

has anyone else made the jump?

This probably doesn't help, but I went the other way -- I started with the HM700 and ended up buying an HM100 as a second camera. I (quite unexpectedly) *love* the HM100 -- it's so much lighter and easier to do things like attaching to a car than the HM700, and a hell of a lot cheaper if it ends up being damaged in the process -- and I like having the same workflow for both cameras. Will the HM700 solve your problems or work for you? I don't know (depth of field will always be an issue with the 1/3 sensor), but the 700 is a very pleasant-to-use and capable camera, and as a shoulder mount unit, its a lot more ergonomic than an EX1 or EX3 (or the HM100, for that matter). Results at 720P60 are pretty damn good... (although being in PAL land you'll presumably do the 720P50 thing, which I haven't tried).