Narrowed it down
 

Hi guys,
I'm 16 and i've been filming for about 2 years now, and its time to step up. I've been working my butt of, im saving up, and within a month or two I will finally have enough money for something decent. Here is my question(s):

My original plan was to buy a used TRV900 (which can be tweaked to get the same daylight performance in picture as the vx1000, which in prosumer cams I believe can produce the most 'true to life' colors with a rich and beutfull golden tint [outdoor]) and a Century .3x fisheye. I'd also purchase a Bescor 20/40 light kit, and make a handle.

or for around the price I would spend on ALL of that, I could get a used vx2000, and thats it.

I know the VX2000 is a better camera, no doubt, but is it that much better? I mean, after I spend that much on a camera, i'll have to spend $700 on a lens... but if it is worth it, then by all means i'll save up for it. I also hear the daylight picture can be tweaked to match that of the vx1000 during day, with that rich golden tint that we (well skate filmers) all know and love.

All im concerened about is the picture quality, and manual controls. What would you recomend me doing? I'm funding it all by myself, so dont tell me to get a PD170 or anything, because im not asking about that.

TRV-900 or VX2000.

Why not get a vx1000 and some of the accesories you want? Nothing will do a better job at getting the look you want than the actual camera. They go for around 11-1300 these days.

I'm sorry, I should of stated im not getting a vx1.

Why?

Lets see, the camera is liek 8 years old, very prone to breaking, I know the Ribbon cable is a east fix, or I can buy one with a longer/fixed ribon cable but still. Plus I hear that the footage through the viewfinder is about 1 fstop higher than what it looks like when you actually watch it on tv. Its not that big of a deal. I'm just afraid of filming with the VX, its old, if I were to drop it somehow, what now? No warrenty, a shattered camera, nothing to film with. However the Mark 1 Century .3x lens is the only .3x fisheye for it, which are extremely rare to find because they are no longer made, but its slightly wider on the vx1 then on the 2.

The lcd isnt an issue, I only really use it when filming lines (following the skater) review footage with friends, and the menu. Other than that, it just sucks up battery.

Not to mention I film more at night then the day, and a vx2k or vx2100 would better suit my needs, but I dont mind sitting there for 5 minutes tweaking the picture on whatever camera I get to get those perfect colors in the daylight.

...not sure a warranty is gonna help you out when you drop and shatter a vx2100...

Sorry, I meant, if I were to break the vx1000, it would be harder to get fixed, with it being a million years old.

Also, im thinking about doing monthly payments on a vx2100, good idea?

$300 a month for 10 months sound good?

Curtis I don't think you can really go wrong with the vx2100. I have a gl2 and film a lot of skating with it as well, but if your gonna be doing a lot night work you really cant beat the sony. And i would watch out for those payment plans, unless you have a job or a constant source of income they can end up being a major hassle.

I would think for your purposes the used TRV900 might be a better deal if you can find one in good shape. The wide angle adapter would be a lot cheaper than one for a used VX2000; and the smaller size and weight might be better for skateboarding. On the other hand, the VX2000 was the best deal out there for the money. If you can find a good one in your price range, that would obviously give you better quality video. You might be able to find a wide angle adapter used also.
I also would be wary of taking on a big monthly payment, unless you have steady income.
And, forget the VX1000. As you know, it's ancient...plus it's not compatible with a few editing systems. It was a great camera when it was made, but it's been way surpassed by lots of other cameras.

If I were in your shoes, or on your skateboard, so to speak, I believe I would rather have a lesser camera and have the other stuff you mentioned--the wide angle adapter and light kit. People have done some very nice stuff with the TRV900. A bigger chip camera will give you cleaner, sharper video and be better under low light conditions, but you can do good work with the 900. And, for skateboarding video, a camera without a super wide angle adapter isn't worth all that much.