Vx2000 vs. GL1 vs. GL2
 

Okay, here's my situation...I can afford a VX2000 or a GL2, however I do not want to spend the extra $500 it costs for them, (i'm just putting htis plain and simple). My only thing is I owned a GL1 about a year and a half ago...for about 7 days. I wasn't really into video then...at all and I go ti because it was a steal of a deal on eBay. I compared it to my new TRV18 cam and thought it looked more grainy than it and sold it. I'm trying to decide if it will really in the end be better than a TRV18 (I have a PC100 now) now that I know how to use a camera and such...is the picture really that much better that somebody with a VERY tight budget should spend the extra $500 for it? I won't be doing any productions for TV, I just want to know the money I will be spending is for a camera that will be noticably better than the one I have now...am I asking too much from the GL1? Keep in mind I've cut a deal with somebody for $1050 shipped on it, however I do have the option of a VX2000 for $1499 and a GL2 for $1600. (If i'm going to open up my budget more i'd get the vx over the gl2 for its cheaper price). The only thing that turns me off about the GL2 and the VX is that they are noticably larger and I will be carrying this around and I don't think I want to be using larger camera?

Question: Is there noticable grain with lower light on the GL1...is this bothersome to the overall picture like would you not want this cam because of it?

BTW in case you can't tell...choosing this camera has been stressing me out A LOT over the last week or so!!

Both the GL2 and VX2000 are great cams. You won't go wrong with either.Yes; grain is never good in video, unless you shoot in black and white for those fine deep shadows and.... :)

Thanks for all your advice Frank...even though I think I will go ahead with the GL1 simply because I don't think I would really need the advanced features of the GL2, if I decide I don't like the GL1 I can alwasy re-sell it on eBay for roughly the same price ;). I think I just had to pick one and stop reading every review imaginable on these cameras!!!

Just be careful. One fellow I knew from the boards sold his GL1 to another fellow from the boards, and when the first fellow got the other fellow's money, he kept the cam (and the money). Just be careful on e-bay. There's a lot of spiders there just waiting for their prey. Good luck. :)

Yeah, I know and I am always careful to look what the seller previously sold and look for other things like that. I also have all the person's contact info if something was to go wrong.

I forgot to mention that the GL2 audio is a way better than the GL1's and VX2000's, in my opinion. Also, you don't get the slower manual shutter settings with the GL1. The VX2000 and GL2 have them. I also found the GL2 easier to hold than the GL1 (and VX2000). Keep in mind also that the playback resolution of the GL1 is much lower compared with the GL2 and VX2000. There are other improvements as well in the GL2. Personally, I'd go for a new one, and with a seller I can trust 100%, like zotz---one of our sponsors.

ya I just got ripped of on ebay so be careful personally I will never buy one thing from there again look at zotz and also b&h and onecall.com all authorized dealers. Don't do what I did I should have saw it coming!!

I just completed this weekend a Diwali [Hindu Festival of Light] shoot. The sound on the XM2 was brilliant. Really clean and rich. I back up Frank's comments. I tried to like the feel of the 2000, but the XM2 just feels correct in my hand. - I just wanna a black and white LCD or E/P - yeah?

Grazie

Did you ever get your money back? Or did you fall for one of the scams where you send a money order?

I'd say pony up the extra money for the GL2 or VX2000 if your really concerned about low-light locations. The audio meters on the GL2 are worth the extra money alone! Also, I'm not an E-Bay user but don't they have some independant location where the money is held until the transaction is completed on both ends? If not, seems pretty risky for the buyers.

<<<-- Originally posted by Graham Bernard : I just completed this weekend a Diwali [Hindu Festival of Light] shoot. The sound on the XM2 was brilliant. ....

Grazie -->>>

Glad all went well Grazie, maybe you can let us have a short clip.
My wedding (trial for friends) was not that clever from what I have seen so far. All down to me experimenting different exposures etc under the pressure of time so Ii can get used to my new XM2. The problems with the audio never happened, I used the DM-50 and also a minidisk for the vows, well pleased.

I had both cams and although the GL2 video is an improvement is is not a big one when both cams are in broad daylight shooting. See my webpages:

http://homepage.mac.com/bhardy3/PhotoAlbum8.html

I sold both my GL1 cams but still have the GL2. Sometimes I wish I had just kept the GL1 cams.

The GL1 isn't sold anymore, new. I would say that the GL2 is an improvement in video resolution, though, probably on par with the VX2000.

Definitely watch out for Ebay - I just got ripped off too. I'm not really sure how I could've avoided it though. The seller I bought from on Ebay had an awesome track record, she was a power seller with thousands of positive reviews. In fact, my history teacher got his camera from her just a month earlier....Now look what happened when I ordered: http://www.timeswrsw.com/N1015033.HTM

I would definitely go with an authorized store. Even though I took every precaution possible, I am still $2000 short.