My wife and I are traveling to Germany and Italy next month. (Our six kids are staying home with Grandma and Grandpa.) I would very much enjoy my first trip to Europe through the viewfinder of my XH A1. However, I'm not sure about carrying it around everywhere I go. Should I pack my HV20 instead and leave the XH A1 at home?

Well, that depends what you're worried about, doesn't it?

If you're worried about having it stolen, then it's a matter of keeping an eye on it and staying away from areas that are known to be bad. Losing the HV20 might be preferable to losing the A1. As long as you use your head you should be fine, though.

If you're worried about weight and convenience, well, that's your call. Can you live with the extra weight of the A1?

Also, keep in mind that using a US camera in Europe can lead to flickering if you're using it under fluorescent light. 24f or p are your friends.

My feeling is that if I'm being paid for a travelogue shoot, I'd take the XH A1. For a vacation, I'd take the HV20.

Back years ago when I did a lot of still photography my wife and I took a summer trip to Colorado. I took along the Nikon package with all my excellent lenses, light meters, etc. She took her Minolta with a zoom lens. After the first day I stashed the Nikon case in the trunk and shot everything with her camera.

I've done the same with video. I don't have an HV20 (yet) but have taken a little TRV900 for personal trips. Set it on auto and go. That's what it's for.

The nice thing about a little camera like an HV20 is that it is HDV and it's 16:9 and it's 24p, so the footage would probably be perfectly acceptable to intercut with better quality stuff from bigger cameras, should the need arise. The problems with little consumer cameras comes when you try to use them beyond their capabilities. As a touristcam, it's excellent, in my opinion.

I travel extensively with my wife and my experience is that you want to be able to be spontaneous and available to the sites you are visiting. Travel light my friend. Bring the H20 and why not a Rode Videomic, so you can record comments and brief interviews with the friends you will met and get some quality footage and sound.

I like your advise and will take the HV20. An XH A1 would produce amazing video but would also make me a difficult traveling companion. That big lens in someone's face would be intimidating, too.

Thank you, Even, for the information on fluorescent lights in Europe.

I've been looking at the Videomics for my HV20 but I'm not sure if the stereo mic from Rode would also be a good choice. I do a fair amount of recording with music. The Vidiomic would be a better all-around mic, though. I've never been good at following the KISS principle.

Doug, you should also consider a Wide Angle. You will see plenty of amazing architecture as well as very narrow sreets and sites.