: I'm using a Nikon D300s SLR in video mode. I've considered getting
: a HD video camera which might give me some better capabilities,
: but I have yet to justify the additional expense.

The D300 is a heck of a camera for stills. As a bonus it takes beautiful 720 video. It's a handy combination. I'm in a similar boat (so to speak). I have a Canon T1i. It's a 12mp still camera but also takes great 1080p HD video. Like it's professional siblings the D5 or D7, it doesn't have constant auto-focus capabilities. It's a bit maddening having to constantly correct the focus. For day-to-day activities, like chasing the kids at Storyland, it's nice having to only carry one camera. And you get all the lenses to boot!

You are right though. You do lose something by using an SLR for video. The whole SLR concept was never designed for video.