If your looking for a good consumer camera,check out the 3ccd panasonics, most can be found for less than 700 bucks and the pic. quality is excellent for a consumer camera......If going pro-sumer the pd 170 is the best low light model ,but it's pricey, and the lcd screen is not overly big.........if you are self filming look at the panasonic dvx100b it has a large lcd(3.5") and shoots broadcast quality film.