Digital cameras forum: Camcorder vs dslr camera- its 2012 and dslr equip has come

You mentioned a Panasonic HG3 but I think you really mean the GH3 camera.

I have not seen a head to head review of its camcorder ability against a Panasonic camcorder.
The think you want to compare the sound quality too. Nearly all still camera sound systems are poor when trying to record live music or loud music. The GH3 does have a socket for using an external microphone, which is desirable.

Canon has announced a camera that they claim will be a true DSLR and camcorder combination.
One version is priced over $2,000 and a pro model for over $20,000.

So first off, any recent camera, including the TM90, should be fine. What holds the vast majority of people back now is their light rig and their audio rig (or lack thereof).

Second, 1080/60p is now part of the AVCHD 2.0 standard. Whoever told you it wasn't was giving you outdated information. Also note that the GH3 which you praise so highly shoots 1080/60p AVCHD.

But speaking of the GH3, there are many videographers (myself included) who are upset at the loss of the multiaspect sensor and the lack of focus peaking and zebras. (In fact, so many people were upset about this that Panasonic came out with a statement that focus peaking and zebras could be added in a future firmware update. Although that still leaves the issue of the sensor being 18% smaller which is a hardware issue that can't be fixed in firmware.)

As to why buy a camcorder: a) form factor. You can literally spend thousands of dollars on a rig to shoot video with a still photo camera. BTDT myself. And b) the GH3 most definitely does not surpass, for example, the Sony VG30, much less the VG900. (Although the VG900 is at the top end of your $3,000 price range.) And yes, both Sony camcorders also capture full resolution RAW stills. And since Panasonic (and Olympus) has switched to Sony sensors in their latest m4/3 offerings, I don't see why their image quality would be much different from the Sony products. And c) as far as camcorders being "bulky", once you trick out a still photo camera to shoot video, they are going to be at least as bulky, if not moreso.

And keep in mind I say all of this as someone who owns both a GH1 and GH2 - Mark