Need a Camcorder
 

My old Sony is getting old. Need something cool, small and lightweight to film family moments, sports games and late night stuff with the wife.

Any suggestions? Budget is around $199 to $400 based off what I have seen so far.

I have a Sony camcorder that I've been taking great vids of Mrs. Marty with for years.

get a gopro, they're waterproof
http://gopro.com/

Yeah, she mentioned about something with more clarity for you since you like the moneyshot soo much.

How are they for the casual "Dad in the stands" filming sports?

Go pro makes Action cameras, very small and able to get a super wide angle of view, best for mounting to person or vehicle. They're cool because they're lightweight and good quality for the price, plus they come standard with a waterproof case. However you have to pay extra for LCD backpack if you want to see what you're shooting. Also, no zooming involved.

Another way to go would be to get an SLR that supports video. It's how a lot of independent film makers have gone in the past couple years.

This video was shot with a $600 SLR.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xWF0q6zCslE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For your intended use, a dedicated camcorder sounds like a better choice. We picked up a Canon HD camcorder in 2009 before our daughter was born, and it's been great. Quick start-up, good in low light, and small and light enough to stick in a coat pocket (or wife's purse) without it being a nuisance.

What was close to $1k then will likely fall within your budget now.

The only minor complaint about the Canon was the relatively short life of battery that came with the camera. We picked up an extended-life battery for normal use, and just keep the original in the case for a backup.

need to shoot some POV videos?