I did research for 2 weeks for a sub US$1000 camcorder and decided on this model. Placed my order yesterday just before I saw your post, so I though I would suggest that model to you.
The 2 main complaints on this model by reviewers on the internet are poor image stabilization and low-light capability, but all raved about the image quality when there is enough light.
I went to Circuit City to try out the model and the Electronic image stabilization worked well for me. Being a photographer helped a lot, I guess, due to the practice on taking hand-held long exposures. As for low light, being able to shoot in IR mode in total darkness is not important to me, so I don't really care. In the store with indoor lighting, I aimed the camera at dim areas in the store and the image on the LCD looked bright enough for me.
The big retail stores in US sells this model for around US$1000, so it is comparable to the price in Singapore. I ordered mine from
www.crutchfield.com, who is running a sale now and I got a $150 instant rebate from their original price of $899. No tax and shipping is free, plus they give a camcorder bag for free.
If you already have a lot of Sony accessories then it might be a better idea for you to stick with Sony. What kind of accessories do you have? Are they totally not workable with other brands? I would guess items like wide/tele converters and video lights should be pretty much universal as long as the mount diemsions are the same.
Good Luck!
