[Solved] Need Recommendations for Camcorder (using it on world trip)

First of all, I am VERY new to camcorders, and have no background in film.

Now, I am looking for a camera to take on a world tour in a year or so (I want to get it now so I can get fully comfortable with all its settings, editing, etc.).


Here's what I am looking for (and what I'll be using it for):

Budget:
$1,000-ish I dont really want to spend more, and I would even like to spend less. But I am mostly concerned with quality. I want to be able to film and have the clearest picture, sharpest edges, and most accurate colors.

What will I be filming:
- I will be doing quite a bit of nature filming. I am taking it to Nepal (Mt. Everest base camp), the rain forest, and even underwater for some footage of the great barrier reef (meaning I need to be able to purchase an underwater case for it as well)
- I will also be doing a bit of shooting in the cities, and will be doing quite a bit during both the day time and night time
What this means: I want fantastic color reproduction (no dull or harsh colors), and I need it to be very well made. Traveling this much might take a little bit of a toll on it, so I really need something durable.

Sound:
I want to capture the sounds of the places I go. When I am in Tokyo, I want the bustle of the city to shine, and when I am in the jungle, I want the chirping, squawking, etc. to be as clear as possible. -- I would prefer to not have to buy a separate mic for the camera, but I will if necessary. Mostly, I just don't want wind sound, dull voices, etc.

Size and Storage:
The smaller the better. I do not want any sort of film camera. I want it to be digital. Also, I will be shooting everything in the highest quality the camera allows, so I need quite a bit of storage space. I would like a big HD if possible... but I have plenty of SD cards if I need to use them. I basically just don't want to run out of space while I am shooting.

Software:
I do not want finicky software on the camera. If it's touchscreen, it better be responsive and accurate. If it's controlled by buttons, I want good buttons, not something that will break off after a month.
Also, the menu system needs to make sense. I hate bad software.

Although, I am not film savvy, I am computer savvy. So if I am not really concerned with video format. I can get the tools I need to convert from one format to another.



Well, thats all I can think of right now... Please let me know what you think is a good direction to go, and why.


Thank you so much!

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey