Manual/autofocus camcorder

[MTHall]

I have a couple of camcorders, the lenses of which, have a passably good manual over-ride. In particular is my Sony CCD TRV64E, manual focus is achieved with a small thumb wheel that is petty good to use. camcorder auto focusing is unpredictable at best, there is no aiming area in the vf screen, so it often focuses on where you DON'T want to capture!! On the Sony, if you select MF it stays selected by default, even after battery change. Most others default back to auto.
I mostly use an SLR camera, I have film and digital, auto and manual everthing, but just recently have taken up the camcorder for red squirrel shooting. Having a large collection of photos, I thought some movies too of these delightful creatures. Having already attempting this on an auto ONLY HD digi-camcorder and achieving only severe frustration, I've blown off the dust from my old Sony and an Old Cannon 8mm, yup, tape! Not the same definition as digital you say? Well HD is NFG if it's focus is elsewhere!! And my pension won't accomodate a new HD Camcorder with manual focus.

I think what I've discovered is, that wild-life shots, still or movie, are better shot with manual, exposure as well as focus.

Have you noticed that auto focus `always' hunts the `wrong' way first, particularly if the shot is a critical one?