The digital revolution is entering a new, more mature phase. The early adopters are now on to their second or third generation of digital equipment, prices have come down to a more consumer oriented level, and the general public is becoming more digitally aware.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in digital imaging. Sales of digital still cameras have jumped by more than 200 percent in the past 12 months and digital video cameras are likely to experience similar sort of growth in the coming months.

What once cost $3,000 or more can now be purchased for a third of that, and even novices are finding that digital has many advantages over analog, particularly when it comes to video. Entry level digital video cameras can now be bought for less than $1,000; however, it is worth noting that unlike digital still cameras, which have dropped in price while increasing in quality, manufacturers have sometimes had to compromise on quality to bring digital video cameras down to a consumer price point.

As a result you have digital video cameras that offer similar image quality to VHS, but are still able to provide enhanced features such as low light modes, digital effects, much easier editing and still images.

The latter in particular has been a key selling point as consumers see they can get both a video and a still camera in one. However, there are traps for the unwary, particularly in entry level DV cameras -- the digital still quality is often poor, the editing software can vary greatly, and just because a DV camera offers a USB connection to your PC doesn't mean it will be easy to download your video.

All of these factors have to be taken into consideration so take a look at our detailed performance analysis of seven entry-level digital video cameras.