It is quite natural for everyone to want to be the proud owner of one of the best camcorders available, but not all of them can afford a top-of-the-line model with all its frills. We have to carefully assess our financial position and buy only the camcorders that do not burn a hole in our pockets.

However, if you have saved up for long and now feel prepared to have a go, there are some top quality camcorders that you can purchase for $1,000 or less!

The Panasonic Multicam PV-GS200 is one of the only 3 CCD camcorders in this budget range. Three CCDs, you must have known by now, means top picture quality. The Sony DCR-DVD300 uses DVD media. Normally their prices are sky-high, so you could be picking up a bargain in this case. The Canon Optura 40 has bagged numerous awards for being a great camcorder for under $800. Therefore, it deserves a close look. The Samsung SCD-103 is so user-friendly that even a technophobe will think of buying one. And if you are looking for a big LCD screen, the Sony DCR-H40 mini DV camcorder is there for you. Keep in mind that technology keeps changing all the time, and prices begin to fall, too. The important thing is to keep pace with the times, as many companies like JVC and Canon keep launching new ranges all the time.

If your desire is limited to recording the antics of your new baby, or if you want to purchase a cheap camcorder for your kids, there are many options. You can go for Samsung's SCD103, one of the lowest-priced digital camcorders, for $350.

With the advent of digital camcorders, old analog camcorders are being sold at dirt-cheap prices. Dont succumb to the temptation. It will be foolhardy to shortchange yourself with an analog camcorder when you can acquire a great digital model for an extra hundred dollars.