After a lot of on-line research I settled on this one to take on trekking holidays abroad, and this one came out tops. It's the first one I've ever used and so easy I haven't needed to read the instructions yet, although I probably ought to to make best use of it. The picture quality is great, even in poor light indoors. The zoom is also good, and the focal range up close is amazing. It's very neat, compact and lightweight, almost small enough to stuff into your jacket pocket, but still has the benefit of hard drive memory.
Criticisms? Like nearly all digicams, the monitor is poor in bright daylight so framing shots can sometimes be a bit hit and miss. (I mourn the loss of viewfinders for the sake of weight reduction.) The case is far too big for stuffing in backpacks, but after much searching I still haven't found a smaller one that fits.
The battery is recharged by plugging the whole camcorder into the mains, which will be a problem in remote areas when giving the lodge owner the batteries to recharge behind the counter (I'd trust them with a charger, but not the whole camera!) I'm looking into a stand alone charger, but this will be another additional cost. I will also be looking into a bigger battery, but these add to the bulk and weight.
Finally, DO NOT BUY THE MEMORY CARD RECOMMENDED ON THIS SITE in the "people who bought this also bought...." to go with this camera. IT DOESN'T FIT, which we only found out after unwrapping it and trying to put it in. It is therefore a complete waste of £10.99! The correct memory card (a pro duo memory stick I think) is about £45.00, but if you're on a long trip, worth the extra peace of mind.