Small Camera Kit Recommendations
Often a client (or friend or random stranger) will ask me to recommend a half decent, small video camera for simple projects such as recording an interview, getting some footage of an installed product or making a Youtube video. To answer this question I've made you a video showing the small lightweight camera kit I use, as this is what I would recommend most people should buy. This video doesn't really explain why I chose Sanyo over Sony and SD over MiniDV, etc but what other equipment apart from a camera you should also get your hands on.
More Than Just A Camera!
My professional kit (camera, lights, mics, etc.) weighs a ton, fills two large bags and costs many thousands of pounds. This small kit weighs only a few kilos and costs under £500. If it used with a little skill, and a bit of thought, it can achieve surprisingly good results which I hope you can see from the video above. Obviously, you're not going to shoot a feature film using a Sanyo Xacti but this kit is ideal for the smaller projects which make up the majority of videos businesses, schools, artists and individuals want to make.
Below I have included a list of all the items, the approximate price and links so you can buy them. If that still isn't easy enough for you, email me and for a little extra (15% plus postage) I can buy all the items you want, put it all together in a labeled case and deliver the kit to you home or business ready to use. If you want multiple kits (for classroom use, arts or youth projects, or for your business) there would be a discount plus some extra training and advice.
Recommendations in order of appearance in video (Click to buy):
Sanyo HD1010 Camcorder
Compact Lightweight Tripod £20 Maplin
SanDisk 16GB SD Card
Spare Xacti Battery
Hama Pro-Compact Case £15 Camerabox
Sennheiser HD202 Headphones
Mini Tie-Clip Microphone £15 Maplin
Mono Jack extension £3 Maplin
2 Mono to Stereo Jack Adapter £3 Maplin
Condenser Zoom Video Microphone £25 Maplin
Lens cloth £5 Jessops
SD Card reader 
Rucksack
Joby Gorillapod Original
Ex-Pro 5-in-1 Light Reflector 32" 
Clamps £1 Poundland
Black cloth £5 Fabric Shop
Airtight Tub £5 Asda
Pen and pad and clipboard
Comb
Total £495 approx.
Remember, you may not need everything on this list, and there are cheaper and more expensive options for most items, but I think this represents the best value for money.
Some links to make it easier:
Other Recommended Options
Sanyo Xacti HD 2000
Wide angle lens £80 extra Camerabox
Spare 16 Gb SD Card £30 extra Camerabox
I hope this helps. If you have any comments, questions or feedback, or would like me to check out a peice of kit you recomend, email me or use the contact me form on the right.