Video Cameras on Vacation?

[Jeff]

I got a Panasonic PV-GS85 tonight. Its DV and SD card for photos. Its a REALLY basic cam, not the cheapest CC has, but surely not the best of even the DV verity. It was rated 6.6 on C-net by the editor and 9 out of 10 from the 5 customer reviews. It was open box, so I got a really good deal. $200 for the cam, a 2 year accidental warranty, a tripod, DV tapes, a 2g SD card, and a bag for it all. I thought that was pretty damn good seeing as the cam itself was $300 alone. The downside...it takes SHITTY still pictures. That price was with my trade in...my Sony Cybershot I bought last year. So now I really don't have any way to take still photos.

Pros- SD card for pictures...even though they are shitty, built in light, true 16:9 aspect. 32X zoom, really easy to use and simple, I like how large it is I feel like I can hold on to it.

Cons- Poor photo quality, no bling features, night mode is a joke, non-branded lens ("panasonic" lens).


My real questions -
Is there such a thing as a cheaper DV cam that takes good stills...or are video cams just that?

Is this one decent enough for random car videos, family, and homemade porn?