Camcorders for beginners....

[nisi29]

I need some expert advice from the fam here,and please don't laugh at me...

I'm in the market for a digital camera/camcorder, but I have no idea which one(s) to get. I've heard that you can get one piece of equipment that is both a digital camera and a camcorder, if that's true are they still wayyyy expensive? If you still have to buy two separate pieces of equipment, or something gets lost in the translation when you buy the camcorder/camera combo (i.e. bad quality pictures, hard to operate,etc) my 1st choice is an easy to use, carry,and good quality digital camera. Then maybe later I'll bump up to a camcorder. Considering I have a camcorder, I just have to rest it on my shoulder when I use it and it kinda makes me look like I'm filming a silent movie!!!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Remember though, I'm still very new to this so please don't go throwing a lot of techno-jargon my way without definitions. That's how they treat me in stores like Circut City,for once I'd like to go and purchase a big ticket item and not be intimidated...

[saraphen]

I can't give any advice on this one. But I've been looking too. The prices for the digital camcorders start waaaaaay lower than the old camcorders.