Refurb PV-DV952 for $800
 

I realize not from a sponsor and don't know much about this reseller, but interesting price nonetheless:

Refurb Depot

Thanks, but the newer AG-DV50U was selling for just under $900 US not too long ago.

What's the DV-50U?

Maybe I have the model wrong. Let's see..., AG-something 50U. Oh, I think it's the AG-EZ50U (sorry). It's the pro version of the PV-DV951/MX2000 or MX2500. I seem to recall the chips are 1/6" with 410K video effective pixels---something like that. It's a bit better with lower light, though I don't think it's as good a cam as the $1100 US PV-DV953. One member uses this AG-EZ50U for interviews for broadcast---somewhere in the US. Seems like a good cam, but it ain't no DVX100! :-))

The 952 is the NTSC of the MX350 that I am using. Unfortunately the comparison is not apple to apple because the MX350 has 1/4" chips and the 952 has 1/6" chips. My onw experience with 1/6" chips is less sensitivity in low light (high gain needed, hance noisy video) and also smaller angle of view (I believe that the lens for both are the same).

Ergonomics is pretty good for 2 handed shooting, but the tape release is at teh bottom, VERY inconvenient for tripod or steadycam mount.

Other topic: I was shooting a wedding 3 weeks ago, and I needed to change tape. At a convenient point, I stopped the camera, quick-released the tripod, unscrewed the quick-release plate, opened the tape door and waited for the tape eject, changed the tape, closed the door, rescrew the quick-release plate while recording again (the first few seconds can go to waste, for all I care) and mounted back onto the tripod. All that in less than 20 seconds, and fast beating heart! If I am using a top loader, it'll be that 12 seconds for the tape change alone.