Are JVC DV Cams good...? Lowdown on DV formats as well.

[Vamp]

I'm using SVHS-C now and will probably upgrade to DV, I'm using a JVC cam and it's treated me very nicely, should I stick with JVC When I go for DV? At this one House & Home store (Where I got my svhs) I can get a DV cam from around $500 to $700.... JVC...

Should I go for Sony, which I'd imagine to be more expensive?

Also, what are the differences between different formats such as MiniDV and Hi-8? Which is the easiest for getting onto a PC and editing with and which has the better quality? What is Handycam?
Thanks

[Raptor]

Brand isn't as important in deciding on a DV as the specs of the cam. I shoot on a JVC GR-DV70 single CCD cam and the results are quite acceptable for both local news and The Weather Channel for on-air use. 'Handycam' is Sony's name for all it's small ncams, regardless of format. Mini DV will generally yield the best captures, since it runs firewire in, and can also be used to digitize old analog footage for capture with no dropped frames and full DV- AVI resolution. HI-8, 8mm, SVHS etc are all analog formats. Digital 8 is a Sony only digital encoding on Hi-8 tapes. Best bet is to go mini-DV.
Things to look for in no particular order....
1) Low lux rating for shooting in low light.
2) External mic jack ( not on most of the lower end JVC cams)
3) Manual focus, exposure, white balance
4) Manual focus, exposure, white balance ( Yes I think this one IS important!!)
5) Power consumption and spare battery costs