I posted in the Travel section that I am going to China (leaving 4:00am Jan. 1) and my mom just called and surprised me saying that she thinks it would be important for me to take a video camera for the trip.

This is so last minute and I have NO idea what to look for in a video camera!

Really the only thing I know is that it has to be small because I am very limited on space. Our current camcorder, while fine for what we use it for here, is huge and clunky with a hundred different plug ins and constantly needs to have new tapes.

I really only have tomorrow and Saturday to get something (and I'm not going to get something just to get it because we don't have that kind of money). So can someone point out something they think would be good?

Thanks!

Sheerly for ease of travel, I'd recommend a Flip Camera. They're very point and shoot (literally), so even the least technology savvy members of your party could capably run it.

They also don't have to be charged (they run on AA batteries), so you don't run into problems with country to country electricity conversions.

Mine is something from Sony. Got it at Wal-Mart cheap. So there's that, I guess. Heh.

You can just use a digital camera that also records videos.

sorry if this is too late...

go to a shop and tell them your criteria (i.e. small, good quality picture, going to china, how much access to mains power will you have to charge it, can you get a spare battery if its not normal AA type etc)

i have a nice little casio xilim (sp?) which takes great photos (got some amazing ones of fireworks) and great video. and its small, great all rounder.

also, if you figure out what you want you can figure out what shops are at the airports and possibly buy cheaper there (call ahead!)

good luck and enjoy china, my friend spent a month there and LOVED it. try and fit in seeing pandas and she went to an amazing mask changing show .. and some amazing multi storey markets (longchamp bag that you could take into a shop that sells genuine ones and not be able to tell them apart haha- and an hour long manicure with polish that lasted the whole trip without chipping! for a few dollars/pounds)

i think she went with wendy wu tours

I second the flip. I bought mine for 200cad but I am pretty sure they are going for cheaper now. It is the size of my slide cell phone, the USB is built in, you plug it in to your laptop/computer to charge, and it is HD.

I much prefer this to the one I spent nearly 600 on.