Sony DCR-VX2000 Mini DV Camcorder

Pros: Great pro camera great picture good in low light 3 chips
Cons: A lot of buttons from front to back , 12x lens (kinda short)

Just used these cameras this week .Very good in low light !!.Good zoom control.Nice sharp lens. Color rendition very good!!!! Nice new lens covering system; a button closes these barn doors around the lens...no more lost lens caps!!!! Cool. It has zebras too . Nice size flip out screen. The color view finder is usable. There is a lot of menus and buttons all over the camera. It gets kinda crazy trying to look for a button when shooting.
The zoom ring and manual focus flip switch are close together and feel the same to touch when not looking. Tapes in LP mode too. Weight distribution is even. This is a very good camera in all aspects. Better than a lot of cameras that are out there that cost more. Made for a professional but a beginner could learn to use it with in a week.
Auto focus works very well . Longer lasting aftermarket batteries should be bought as usual.

Tony Beazley
Director of Photography

UPDATE-
CCD Sensor Problems in Consumer Imaging Products
The camera just went down this week of August 2007

http://www.imaging-resource.com/badccds.html#cause

You have till Oct 2 to get your camera in for free repair.

product met all expectations, but was disappointed by the only 12x optical zoom. video is the best i've seen and I've been video taping to 20 yrs.

I have not had any problems, period. I shoot weddings, and the quality of the picture in low lighting conditions is better than expected. I have the 8-hour battery and can shoot all day long on a single charge. The zoom and focus rings will take some getting used to, however, both give you fine adjustment control once you get the hang of it. I am in the process of buying another one immediately, and another in a few months.

This is a great camera. Once I found the way to get around its audio issues I have been very pleased.

Generally, I use cameras with less bulk, because as nice as it is to have some weight on your shoulder for steadiness, it does seem big when filming in small spaces. But when it came to the VX-2000, everything else great about it pushed that to the back of my mind.

I cannot be happier. The video quality is so remarkable, you find yourself just admiring the quality of the video and not paying attention to what is being displayed! Works real well w/my computer. I,too, wish I had 2. It is hard to decide which less-expensive camcorder to buy to do two-camera production work that will come close to the picture quality of this unit. Also has a feature that can transfer your VHS tapes to digital format. Excellent low-light sensitivity.Zoom ring provides excellent zoom control, once you get used to using it, as opposed to the zoom switch. The switch is a bit touchy, but the ring gives you finer control over zoom.

I shoot documentaries, theatrical and commercials for business. This camera does it all. I got my training on the Sony DSR-500 Betacam, and aside from the electronic zoom function this camera will do everything the 500 will do. I don't use the onboard mic, so I am not aware of the audio problems I hear about. With a full set of accessories, and a professional tripod, I can do all the work I need to do with this camera. It is light, powerful, and easy to use once you learn the menus. It does a lot of stuff, so it takes some education to use it to it's full potential. I particurlarly like the accuracy of the white balance and zebra stripes. I had to bracket a few shots to learn the sweet spot, but once I had it, the camera has performed flawlessly since. I own 4 other Sonys, this is by far my favorite. Because it is so small, by comparison, for what it will do, I can pack an entire set of gear in a single travel bag and I am ready to go anywhere.