I'm wanting to pick up a decent handheld digital video camera ($500-$800 range) this week to take to Black Mountain. Are there any particular models that shoot better on the trail? I'm not really looking for super-high-def fullscreen goodness, just decent quality and durability. I guess better image stabilization, too.

Help?

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26" Maxxis Bighorns, Highlifter springs, Rubberdown 2" lift kit, Hunterworks 1.5" wheel spacers on the back, Warn 3500, Pre-runner bumper and rock sliders, F&R cv covers, Front swaybars off, Overfender mud flaps, DFR harness.

Yup I have the camera.

It is the VIO POV.1, 720x480 30fps.

This is all digital, meaning no vibration issues.
It is waterproof, dust proof, almost fool proof.

I mount it on my helmet and my roll bar.

I have trashed three Mini-DV tape camcorders trying to capture my rides. The POV is the only one I am convinced will take the outdoor, trail riding, dust eating UTV vibrating abuse I put them through.

Here is a video I made in Quartzite AZ in December.
YouTube - Polaris RZR on Dripping Springs Trail Quartzite AZ

The best place to get one is here. ATVUtah Shopping
He gives you a free carrying case but told me yesterday he was about to discontinue giving them away so I'd order soon. He has the best price around and several accessories. Checkout the Ram mount holder. He has a longer cable which will let you mount the camera up on the front bumper and keep the recording unit in the cockpit.

I have mine mounted on my RZR center console and can see the screen while riding.
In the video above I had the camera head mounted on the cross bar behind the seat. Took it off and put it on a mini-tripod for a few shots to spice it up. All of the Petroglyph shots I simply held it in my hand.

The best part is when I get home I simply copy the files onto my PC. Takes a minute. On my old tape system I had to start it up and stream it in, so if I shot an hour of tape I spent an hour just loading on my PC.

There is a "Loop" mode that lets you record continuously but only save what is interesting. Let say you ride up on an interesting spot and then think "dang I should have recorded that". You push the "tag" button on the remote control and it saves a segment of video, say the last three minutes.

This means I no longer have long boring video segments to wade through when I get home trying to find the interesting parts. I only record the interesting parts. And I can do it after it happened!

BTW, I am rigging a boom system to position the camera about 8 feet away from the RZR. This should give me some cool moving shots from a third person perspective. Sort of a chase car effect.

Should have the parts in a week.

Killer hand held and waterproof!!! Its does it all, shop it at best but online for best deal!
SANYO > Digital Media Camera