A joy to use and own! (
User
Rating
:
50 /50 )
I have had the VX2000 for a couple of months now and Ive shot countless hours of footage for a couple of low-to-no budget independent movies (and more in the making) and this camera is fantastic! It can be incredibly easy to use yet quite flexible if you need it to be. No, its not a palm-sized recorder that youll be toting casually to family get-togethers and if thats really your only need for a camcorder, go with something smaller, lighter, and less expensive. However, for those who want to play on the edge of prosumer recorders, this camera is a joy to have. Beyond picture quality theres also sound quality. The VX2000 records STEREO sound unlike most lower end camcorders and I cant imagine using anything else now. For the down-side of things, yes, it is rather hefty though I find the extra weight actually helps with smoother motion and the battery that comes with it is completely inadequate for any lengthy shooting "in the field". The optionally purchased bigger batteries do add to the weight but you wont run out of power in the middle of that important shot if you get the largest one. (I can shoot all weekend and never drain a single one of those big babies and I have two in my kit.) It doesnt come with a camera bag or case and you really need something to protect the investment. (I purchased the hard body aluminum case made for the VX2000 and though its big and bulky, my camera can breeze through on-location shots without fear of injury. Another investment that you will want to consider with this camera is a tripod but when selecting a tripod make sure you take the cameras weight in consideration. And if you want to play further, check out the Sony gun/zoom mike that works great with this camera, the optional hotshoe light for casual shooting, the lens filters, the.... Well, you get the idea. Personally, Ive played with one of the smaller, lighter consumer Sony camcorders and absolutely loved it but I wanted more beef, better quality recordings, and greater flexibility because of my involvement in independent movies. Is this camera overkill for the average consumer? Certainly! Is it great? You betcha! Do I regret investing serious bucks in the VX2000? Heck no! I would gladly recommend this camera TO everyone but not FOR everyone. Judge what you really need and really want before purchasing a VX2000 because, for most people, it IS overkill and the purchase of the camera itself is just the first investment. You can easily double the price of the camera by the time you get done with a case, batteries, charger, filters, special mics, windscreen, camera cover, light, etc., etc. Obviously many of the optional accessories you can do without but once you have the camera it will be that much harder to resist getting that really neat camera stabilizer or that LANC zoom/focus controller or....
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