Why not? I shoot with the XL2 with stock lens and VF and love both. I have the 14x manual but the advantages of OIS, the much longer focal range, the realy nice instantly programmable zoom and the nicer DOF on the 20x are why.

As far as needing the FU-1000 VF, I shot with one for all our stuff using the XL1-s and Mini35, but sold it to a freind on this board because I was so pleased with the new color VF on the XL2.

I zoom, pull focus and frame "in time" no problem. Haven't gone back to the studio and found bad focus yet.