Hi,
when buying camera (I am talking about the low end... small camcorders to use as a spar camera or so) I never find the following info... Will the camera split a long continuos recording (usually yes.. in 4Gb size files) and.. here is the point.. will these fit back together neatly. Many low end cameras can't do it.. they loose fw frames in audio and/or video when splitting the files they are recording. I use these cameras as backup or, for example during events, to record a wide angle shot of the whole thing. Some of these (not many really) have also audio input so this can be useful to have a safe recording from a tripod of the whole thing...
For example I got the Sony 320E for this.. It had a MIC in .. but it splitter files every 12 minutes or so and I was loosing few frames every time...

I think this feature (seamless joint on long files) should be clearly stated in technical data and in third party reviews of the product... Don't you?

If you use the Sony software (usually included) it will rejoin the files for you. At least it used to.

If you simply drag the files to your PC they will remain split. Any cam that uses the FAT32 file format will have this limitation.

As above, the limitation comes from the camera using the FAT32 file system (which I think a lot do).

In the past I've found stitching the files back together manually is hit or miss depending on the camera (as you said, losing a couple of frames is common). But most manufactures have some sort of PC software that will do it for you. I know Canon does anyway.

There should be NO lost frames or audio glitches in long recordings, even on "consumer cameras". The actual files on the camera SD card are most likely fine; rather, it is the editing software that adds the glitches due to poor handling of the files.

With Adobe Premiere Pro for instance, if you simply import the individual clips direct using File > Import, and then string them together on the timeline, you will get glitches between the clips.

The proper method with PPro is to copy the ENTIRE contents of the SD card to the hard drive. Do not alter, do not run through any utility software. Keep files original and intact. Then in Premiere, use the "Media Browser" to import your media. This will properly recognize and respect the AVCHD file structure and metadata needed to properly re-assemble the video.

If you have a two-hour recording on the card, which is obviously a lot of smaller clips, and you use Media Browser, the Import will appear as ONE LONG CLIP. When placed on the timeline, it is one continuous clip and is free of glitches.

So I don't know which NLE you use, but I'm confident that regardless of the camera used, there should be a method that will allow smooth editing of the files (as long as it is a brand-name camcorder and not some $99 throwaway thingy).

Thank you