Sony VX-2000

[Forever Endeavor]

I just bought one on ebay to take with me to CA. I paid $1250 for it. Seems like a good price. I'll post my review when I get back (or from the road).

[osbornes5]

The VX-2000 is the predecessor to the vaunted VX-2100 and cousin to the PD-170. It followed the VX-1000 which was a groundbreaking rig and widely used by pros everywhere. The VX-2000 suposedly had better low-light capability than the 1000 by a bit. The 2100 again improved upon the low-light capability though some say the difference was negligible or even completely unnoticeable. If that is the case then the 2000 is a great low-light performer (and is is reported to be so) because the 2100 is un-matched. So I recommend the VX-2100/PD-170 but if you want to save a couple of hundred on eBay then look for the 2000. The only way you can go wrong is if the cam is worn out or broken.

[damian]

Through my reading, the seperation between the 2000 and the 2100 wasn't that significant at all.  There was indeed low light improvement from what I've read, but only at the very extreme.  Check this side by side comparison of the same scene using both camera's.

Note:  click through the advertisement that'll come up.  Up towards the top, it states "go directly to page"

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/sony-dcr-vx2100-vs-dcr-vx2000-low-light.htm#

[HankCastello]

I would like to caution those who may be considering buying a used vx2000 camera to start a wedding videography business that this model was released over eight years ago.  All electronic products have a lifespan.  Two lifespans, actually - one related to hours of use and the other just related to time (capacitors, etc. go bad quicker when not used!).

How many electronic products do you still have, products that get used heavily, that are over eight years old?  Ten years?  Twelve?

These cameras don't have much life left.  They are in their "sunset years".  I once had a dead Canon L2's capacitors replaced (all of them!) for just $500.  Camera worked fine for about three months (the warranty term!), then dead again.  Stone dead.  I sold it for parts and got $100.  A whopping "profit" of -$400.  (It's even worse when you consider I'd purchased it off eBay as a camera in "good condition"!

[osbornes5]

Hank makes excellent points about the 2000. I recently purchased one though and am pretty pleased with it. Very pleased actually. However, I got a great deal on it from e-bay. If it lasts me two years I am going to be very happy. If it lasts me a year I am going to be a bit miffed. Six months and I am ticked. If I turn it on tomorrow and it's kaput...meltdown. The electronics are certainly a consideration though.

It is a great cam just like the 2100. The 2100 was a definate improvement though. The improvements were small to be sure but noticeable. I will sit down and do a side by side comparison post one of these days. One thing that I miss the most is the "record" button on the top of the handle. By the way, I like the "feel" of the handle on the 2100 better.