field recorders

["klem klemmingberg" <klem_klemmingberg@worldnet.att.net>]

All the recent talk of crickets, frogs, and cicadas put me to wondering
what folks use for their field recordings.  I am actually looking currently
for something portable & battery powered for recording ambiences, sound 
efx,
etc., & am unsure of what to get.
I like the sound of a Nagra III, but it's bulky & a bit pricey.
There's one of those little Marantz mono cassette numbers at a
nearby music store, but I don't know much about them.
I'm hesitant about MD because of data compression, but I'd be interested
to hear what MD users think about them.


Thanks
T om