So Confused...please help if you can...

[Rusty Smith]

(I have searched the forum and didn't find anything as detailed as i needed...)

So here is the deal

I am looking at buying a camera, and have been for the past 2 years but keep putting off the decision. Well I have had enough of looking for ‘perfect-cam’ and am ready just to ‘get it over with’.

Right now the major contenders are the GL2 and XV2100. The DVX100a would be awesome for the 24p but it is out of my price range (I like the 24p option…). The pdx10 sounds interesting because of the true 16x9. I don’t want Panasonic or jvc. So right now I am pretty much stuck between the GL2 and VX2100.

I am looking for a sturdy cam which will give me as many options as possible.
I need something very versatile. I will be doing small music videos, short films, documentaries, possibly stop animation, and anything else I can think of.
I will be shooting mostly all my stuff in 16x9 (or boxing it out in Premiere in post). Would the adapters I have heard about, the Century Optics ones for example, be an option for this? While I would like the option of a film-look; The GL2’s “30p” sounds pretty cool but does it actually work? I think that I would like built on XLR’s…but I am not sure…what would be the downside of not having them? Image quality is very important to me, I like good looking video. I also want to have manual control of both the focus and zoom; I want rings, not those strange finger lever things… Like I said, I want lots of options so I am a little interested in the low level capabilities of these cams, I have heard the VX2100 is amazing in this department.

(This is of secondary concern)---> I will be traveling to Europe this summer and would like to bring the cam along so it needs to be within reason.


I have not been able to actually touch these cams so I am kind of shooting in the dark when it comes to hands on…I live in Ohio and to actually find a place around here that carries 3ccd cams would be close to a miracle…I have to travel a few hundred miles to find something of the sorts.

Also, just for the heck of it, where does the PD170 fit into this equation…. (out of my price range I think…)


Hope to hear from you guys soon, thanks in advance!

-Rusty

[Frank Granovski]

I am looking at buying a camera, and have been for the past 2 years but keep putting off the decision. Well I have had enough of looking for ‘perfect-cam’ and am ready just to ‘get it over with’.

That's about right. It took me about 2 years before I picked one. But now almost 5 years later (or is it 4), I wished that I would have waited longer. Hopefully, in another 3 years, everything with be 24P HD. :-))

PS: both the GL2 and VX2100 are good cams.

[Ken Tanaka]

The GL2 and the VX2000 (the 2100's predecessor) are both fine cameras.

It sounds like this is your first camera and you have no 'hard' requirements dictated by specific projects. If this is the case I suggest not getting too hung-up on secondary features. Both cameras offer you roughtly the same "options". Avoid the very common "analysis paralysis".

You won't be satisfied with this response but if you are just starting out in videography it's far more important that you just get a good camera in your hands and start learning how to shoot. Composition, controlled camera movement, exposure, etc. are the critical skills you'll need to develop. The specific camera you use is of far less significance. These cameras have far more in common than in distinction.

To that end either of these cameras will fill the bill very nicely.

[Barry Gilbert]

...but I don't have another to compare it to. It is easy to use and makes a novice look as if he has been shoting pro for years. I learn more about it everytime I use it.

Good luck choosing...I know it's a big step. Good thing about these cameras is if you don't like it, odds are you can get most of your $ back. Go rent one/both. May be worth the time and money.