Customer Reviews

Sony DCRVX2000 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Memory Stick & BuiltIn Digital Still Mode

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before buying this camera, think carefully about what you'll be using it for, and when. I also recommend playing with one at a store, to feel its size and weight. (Even if, like me, you'll ultimately buy it at Amazon.)

I've owned the VX-2000 for over a year now, and I'm very happy with the results. Arguably, the picture quality is better than the Canon XL-1 (and the vx2000 is significantly -- thankfully -- smaller), it's rugged and reliable, and it's somewhat portable. I carry mine in a backpack that has a padded pocket designed for laptop computers. It was the best solution as most smaller camera bags don't fit this beast. Those that do aren't useful for toting other things as well.

Anyway, I know a handful of other people with this camera. Some of them are *filmmakers* and these people use their VX-2000's to document events that they'd later like to make movies of. The filmmakers, as a whole, LOVE this camera. I also have a friend who does casting for television ads. Often, for his boss, he walks around with a VX2000 and shoots people on the street, later bringing the tape to the boss for evaluation.

The other people I know own the VX-2000 because they *like electronics*. They *Like To Own The Best* and they like to play with gadgets. I advise, if you're one of these people, and really, I KNOW YOU ARE, get a different camera. Something smaller... granted the quality will be slightly less, but you're more likely to have it when you witness your kid's first words (or your best friend's wife in a rendevouz with a neighbor. you get the point) Furthermore, this camera is somewhat lacking in toy features. No night vision, no silly effects (save for a few wipes, swipes, fades, and sepia, etc.), no bluetooth transmitter, etc. It's just good, strong, somewhat rugged, and takes a great shot.

I give this camera a 5 for quality (sharp, beautiful, accuracte colors, good in medium/low light, backlight compensation remarkable, optical steadyshot rad). Just keep in mind what you want... this camera is neither professional nor amateur, and therefore I believe it serves best a select, picky subset of the population.

Last, if you do buy it, go for (1) a bigger battery, well worth the cost, and (2) a wide angle lens. Both are cool.

You can take one of two attitudes about the VX2000. Many folks (including Sony) prefer to believe this is the ultimate consumer camera, with professional features finally offered at a consumer price. Sure, it's the extreme high-end of consumer pricing, but rich technophiles ought to be able to afford it. In this view, this camcorder combines the best of both worlds... high quality video in an easy to use regular-joe/jane product. Truly a renaissance cam, if there ever was such a thing.

The other attitude is this camera is an awkward fit into either environment. Pros (i.e. people who get paid to deliver quality video) will probably object to the noisy audio. There's lots of discussion on other webpages, so I won't delve into it here. Yes, the noise is present. No, it probably won't bother consumers shooting their vacation in Hawaii. Yes, it stands a reasonable chance of annoying a client who paid for a corporate training video. No, it probably won't annoy a client who paid for a wedding or funeral video. So take either view, depending how much you enjoy living on the high-end.

If you want to make commercials or big dramatic productions, just pay the extra cash for truly professional gear that won't leave you shopping for a better camera after a few projects. Yes, there's a special case for documentary work. Don't take $5000 cameras into volcanoes, jungles, or skydiving. Use cheaper gear that'll still do the job, like this cam. Also, there's a reasonable case to be made for interviewing people with smaller, less intimidating, consumer cameras. So those particular applications might prefer the 'best darn consumer camera around'.

My best advice is to decide what you really want to do with a camcorder. If you want to take home vids of your kids AND brag to your neighbor (who last year outdid your VHS-C camera by getting a Digital 8), this is probably right up your alley. Get it and bask in the pure pleasure of it.

If you want to simply capture your personal world on tape, get something (much) cheaper and smaller. Cheaper and smaller means you're more likely to take it along. Remember, there are good shots and ok shots, but the only bad shots are the ones you missed cuz you left the camera at home. Don't let price and bulk mess with your creativity. That'd be a crying shame.

UPDATE: After receiving some email from readers, I thought I'd clarify my opinion. Yes, the VX2000 is a good camera. But does the average non-professional need one? I'm skeptical.

A home video enthusiast can do just as well with an $800 model, perhaps even better, since it's easier to carry a smaller consumer camera around. Web-movies to be shrunk by 75% and then MPEG compressed don't need a 3-CCD camera. And an independant filmmaker will probably find it cheaper to rent better gear on the shooting days.

Buy this camera if you are highly confident that you can get massive enjoyment or a monetary return on your investment. Don't get it if it's just going to sit inside its case.

The VX 2000 is a good all round camera, it is easy to use and has many features which would encourage someone to use it. From the outside we see that the camera has a focusing ring and a zoom ring, both accesible at the same time unlike with other camera models. The focus ring is fairly easy to use although it takes a little bit of time to become fully proficient. The zoom can be controled by servo or manually at different speeds, when the zoom is controlled manually though the motor is taking feedback from your fingers for speed rather than being applied directly to the lens.

With the lens we find incorporated two neutral density filters giving us a choice between three options, first one is without filter letting all light fo through the lens to the three chips, second setting is a neutral density filter to take away some contrast. We then arrive at ND2 which is a stronger neutral density filter which is normaly used during full daylight. In order to control exposure there is a button on the left which needs to be pressed in order to go into manual iris, there is a wheel below where the aperture can be controlled.

There are three chips to capture the light information rather than a single chip thus improving the look of the image. If we find that we are in a dark room then we can boost the gain if we want but if someone does not want to use the gain then it is possible to take the shutter from 1/10 000 of a second to 1/3rd of a second . The shutter speed is controled from the back of the camera via pressing the shutter speed button on the back and turning the wheel below for the correct speed. This greatly increases the light coming into the lens. As an illustration I have shot scenes with light far too low for cameras such as the Canon XL-1 to cope with and the most spectacular part is how little noise shows up on screen afterwards.

For sound we have an onboard mic which is good for ambiance sound and it is possible to plug in a mic with a 3.5mm plug. We have two settings for the microphone, either as microphone (plug in power) or as line in. Once the microphone is selected we can check the sound levels through preswsing the audio level at the back which will display the sound. Through the menu it is possible to choose between automatic or manual. By selecting manual the level may be adjusted with the db meter in camera showing -30 -20 -12 -8 -4 0 etc. so that the sound engineer may get the correct level for recording.

Additional comments

The centre of gravity is well placed on the tripod so that it lies at the same place as the mounting plate making it easier to use on a tripod. The tape compartment is accesible at all times closing in two stages, firstly getting the mechanical part in place, tape winded and ready to shoot followed by shutting the door to avoid dust coming in. With there being two record buttons, one close tothe front right of the camera and the other in the normal position there is a greater variety of shots possible.

An interesting feature with this camera is the possibility of creating an edit decision list within the camera so that it can behave as an edit controler to dub scenes onto a second device. It is dv enabled thereby allowing to copy material from one dv tape to an other. Included with this is the possibility to play from any device directly into the camera for copying tapes etc. onto a dv tape.

I have had the VX2000 for a couple of months now and I've shot countless hours of footage for a couple of low-to-no budget independent movies (and more in the making) and this camera is fantastic! It can be incredibly easy to use yet quite flexible if you need it to be. No, it's not a palm-sized recorder that you'll be toting casually to family get-togethers and if that's really your only need for a camcorder, go with something smaller, lighter, and less expensive. However, for those who want to play on the edge of prosumer recorders, this camera is a joy to have. Beyond picture quality there's also sound quality. The VX2000 records STEREO sound unlike most lower end camcorders and I can't imagine using anything else now. For the down-side of things, yes, it is rather hefty though I find the extra weight actually helps with smoother motion and the battery that comes with it is completely inadequate for any lengthy shooting "in the field". The optionally purchased bigger batteries do add to the weight but you won't run out of power in the middle of that important shot if you get the largest one. (I can shoot all weekend and never drain a single one of those big babies and I have two in my kit.) It doesn't come with a camera bag or case and you really need something to protect the investment. (I purchased the hard body aluminum case made for the VX2000 and though it's big and bulky, my camera can breeze through on-location shots without fear of injury. Another investment that you will want to consider with this camera is a tripod but when selecting a tripod make sure you take the camera's weight in consideration. And if you want to play further, check out the Sony gun/zoom mike that works great with this camera, the optional hotshoe light for casual shooting, the lens filters, the.... Well, you get the idea. Personally, I've played with one of the smaller, lighter consumer Sony camcorders and absolutely loved it but I wanted more beef, better quality recordings, and greater flexibility because of my involvement in independent movies. Is this camera overkill for the average consumer? Certainly! Is it great? You betcha'! Do I regret investing serious bucks in the VX2000? Heck no! I would gladly recommend this camera TO everyone but not FOR everyone. Judge what you really need and really want before purchasing a VX2000 because, for most people, it IS overkill and the purchase of the camera itself is just the first investment. You can easily double the price of the camera by the time you get done with a case, batteries, charger, filters, special mics, windscreen, camera cover, light, etc., etc. Obviously many of the optional accessories you can do without but once you have the camera it will be that much harder to resist getting that really neat camera stabilizer or that LANC zoom/focus controller or....

Another reviewer here with his facts mixed up about this cam's preformance , said the Blair Witch was shot with the VX1000(almost same ability as vx2000)and that it has edge bleeding problems. Blair Witch was shot with a Hi-8 camcorder (with some 16mm shots). Not with the Sony vx1000 or with any DV camera.

Some claim the VX2000 is dated (like sales people and others inexperienced types). While that may be partially true
for videographers, this is far from the truth for filmmakers. I own the newer Sony PDX10, the best widescreen resolution than any other cam under 10 grand. But the VX2000 is Fantastic for low-light shooting(2lux!)

while the new trv950 and pdx10 have over 1 megapixel per chip (3 times more than the VX), VX2000's color performandce is virtually the same.

The PDX10 and TRV950 are great for outdoor and well-lit shots. But neither come even close to the VX2000 for "low-light performance", which is the most important feature for moody, cinematography-style lighting. It get's down to VX's larger 1/3 chips.

For serious indoor filmmaking and if you're set on using a 3ccd cam, then only consider a Canon XL1 or a VX2000 and nothing else. And forget the dvx100 in my opinion. It doesnt shoot widescreen at all. The DVX shoots in 24p for going out to film but with 25% less resolution than xl1 or vx2k because it does not pick up any extra pixels in widescreen mode.

If you need an interchangeable lens unit, go with the XL1. But if not, you'll save $$$ with the vx2000. The VX2000 is still the best DV filmmaking prosumer machine out of the box.

For fans of electronics, particularly bleeding-edge, technologically packed gadgets, nothing is sadder than knowing your particularly product is past its prime.

Such is the case with Sony's DCR-VX2000.

This is not to say that Sony's 3-CCD "prosumer" Mini-DV digital camcorder isn't a good product. For those familiar with "The Blair Witch Project", that film was shot with the VX1000, the predecessor to this model. The VX2000 outdoes that previous model by adding digital snapshots that can be stored on Sony Memory Sticks, along with a 2.5" foldout LCD viewscreen. This is not your average consumer camcorder.

Having three CCD imaging chips, each one dedicated to red, green, or blue light, puts this in a league with cameras that you'll see in TV studios. You'll find other pro features such as digital image stabilization, built-in digital effects, titling capability, timers, zebra, shutter speed choices, built-in manual and automatic mic leveling, focus locks, auto and manual focus on the 48x zoom, color viewfinder, neutral density filters, spotlighting and backlighting controls, fade in and out - the list goes on and on.

Once you've captured the video, you have several ways of transferring it to other media via one of several ports: RCA, FireWire (IEEE 1394), and S-Video. Playback is via the unit and it sports a full complement of VCR-like controls. The unit also comes with a very powerful remote that can control virtually every capability of the camera in both playback and recording modes. It takes Mini-DV tapes in 60 minute lengths, but can record 90 minutes when selecting tape speeds. Tests have shown virtually no image degradation and only a slight loss in sound quality when recording at the slower 90 minutes speed.

Few camcorders can touch the battery life (an astonishing 9 hours on a single charge with the optional NP-F960 battery) or the actual image on tape. I've never seen a consumer camera with such beautiful color rendition or sharpness. Everyone who sees recordings made by this camera is amazed.

But as I mentioned before, while state of the art in 2001, changes in digital video technology are rendering the VX2000 old news. This unit cannot record video that takes advantage of HDTV as its resolution is not high enough for that new standard. JVC has recently released a model ...that has similar capability to the VX2000, but adds HDTV. Panasonic is also changing the game by eliminating the achilles heels of the VX2000 and all other camcorders: the tape transport mechanism. They've announced a completely solid state camera that records onto a series of compact memory media similar to the Memory Stick in the VX2000. (The Memory Stick on the VX2000 is only for snapshots, not video.) Since the most likely parts of any electronic device to fail are the mechanical ones, having no transport mechanism means a far more reliable unit. Such a system also does away with tapes, another weakness.

With this in mind, the ideal customer for the VX2000 has a dilemma: with new technology on the market, but priced a bit higher for now, is it wise to buy the VX2000?

There are other issues, too. The vast majority of people will be satisfied with the capability of single-CCD units. Some of Sony's single-CCD units are mind-blowingly tiny, far smaller than the very bulky VX2000. They also take higher resolution snapshots than the VX2000, something to keep in mind if you want a digital camera and a digital camcorder in one unit.

Do I recommend the VX2000? Absolutely. It is a stunningly powerful and capable camcorder. However, it is getting long in the tooth and no longer is the unit of choice for consumers who want the cream of the crop and the latest technology.

I know this camera is a favorite of most people out there, but I have used this camera and was not super impressed. It is a pretty damn good camera, don't get me wrong, and for the price, it is very competitive. Price aside, I would recommend either the Canon XL1 or the Panasonic DVX-100 over this camera. I have been on set with all three cameras many times and have found that the DVX has produced the most pleasing results and has the most amount of useful features for true cinematography.

On the up side, this is the camera that has been used for some movies released that are a little lower budget. This camera has been around long enough now that it is beginning to become noticeably outdated, so unless the price is right, try something else.

I've had a Sony TRV-27 for about a year and a half now. It a good general purpose miniDV camera; however, low-light performance is not its forte (even with a video light). I shoot mostly home (family) video - much of it indoors and often after the sun goes down. By most accounts, the VX-2000 has very good low light capabilities; however, I was on the fence for quite some time because of the size and weight of the unit (roughly twice the size and weight of my TRV-27). After owning my VX-2000 for a couple of months now, I can only say I wish I'd bought one sooner. Yes it is heavier and bulkier than the TRV-27 but I don't find it unmanageable. As I generally try to keep video clips under 5 minutes, I have not had any problems. If I plan to shoot anything longer, I generally use a tripod anyway (same goes for the TRV-27). The picture quality is outstanding - even my wife who was VERY skeptical about this purchase was blown away when she saw some video taken indoors with very dim lighting. For the record, the VX-2000 also takes great video outdoors and in good lighting conditions. Overkill for home videos? Maybe - but it's tough to put a price on precious family memories. With the VX-2100 now available (which offers very, very little in the way of additional performance/capability), now might be the time to pickup a VX-2000 while you still can. Highly recommended.

I got my Sony VX2000 in 2000, when it was introduced. Before I switched to high definition in 2007, I was very satisfied with it picture quality. As a matter of fact, it is the best standard definition camcorder I have owned, especially in low-light conditions. This camera has professional design, performance and features, suitable for event videography and other serious applications, which is what I mostly used it for. In addition to its performance, it is a great looking and solid camera. I like its form factor, ergonomics and large lens.

Before the VX2000, I bought the Sony TRV900 the year before. The TRV900 was one of the first mini-DV camcorders that permitted line-in recordings from other video sources, such as a VCR, so you can archive old analog video recordings to a more robust digital format. That ability took a few years to appear on a mini-DV camcorder, but was long sought after by many videophiles, such as myself, in the early years of the DV format. I mention this because the VX2000 also permits line-in recordings, but unlike the TRV900, it doesn't require the special A/V cable, which integrates the video and audio into a miniature plug on one end and RCA audio and video male plugs on the other end (which can plug into a VCR). In other words, the only line inputs on the TRV900 and similar camcorders of its small size are one S-Video input and one miniature A/V jack that accepts composite video and audio together.

However, the VX2000 has both an RCA (composite) jack or an S-Video jack for video and separate RCA jacks (L and R) for audio. So, if you just have conventional (RCA male) audio and video cables, but you want to connect an old VHS VCR to the VX2000, it will accept it. Not only do these more traditional inputs/outputs permit more convenient connectivity, they are more rugged than the more fragile A/V jack found on small (Sony) digital-8 or mini-DV camcorders. This might seem quaint today, but bear in mind, back in 1999-2000, affordable DVD recorders did not exist yet. It is still a very useful capability even today, because the VX2000 has "pass through" analog to digital conversion capability, which digitizes analog video for import straight to a computer without even needing to record to its tape drive. If your computer has a firewire (IEEE 1394) port, you can use the VX2000 in place of a video capture card.

The VX2000 is a great camera, but since switching to HD shooting in 2007, I haven't used it as much since then, because I grew accustomed to HD. However, for standard definition, it is excellent. The recently discontinued Sony VX2100 is virtually the same camera, but with slightly improved low-light sensitivity. To my knowledge, that is the only real difference. Otherwise, they are essentially the same camera with the same three 1/3 inch CCD sensors and lens.

I was an absolute novice when I was introduced to this camcorder at my job as Tech Teacher in a K-8 school. The last time I had filmed anything was with a super 8mm recorder back in the 70's!

You know what I hear from my colleagues and parents? "Wow, those are great videos!" ""The quality is amazing." "I wish I could have my videos turn out like yours."

Trust me, folks. It's not me. It's this camcorder. The quality of the image, the steadycam compensation for the less than steady hand, the prompts to turn on a light filter in glaring outdoor lighting environments, and the richness and depth of color, even (and especially) under low light conditions is nothing short of beautiful.

I imagine that I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what this camcorder can do. With my use of digital editing software, I probably won't use many of the camcorders built-in editing features like titling and fades/dissolves. I am resolved to try out it's time-lapse feature soon, however.

The transfer to/from a computer via firewire is effortless with common video editing programs like Pinnacle Studio or Adobe Premiere. Having a second hard disk devoted solely to video editing and storage is recommended.

The built-in mic is more than adequate for most situations, and the Intelligent Accessory Shoe allows other mics to be used. Be aware, though, that because this unit is "old" by the blurred time standard of modern technology, some newer Sony mics aren't compatible with this cams Intelligent Accessory Shoe.

This camcorder is not mini or lightweight. It may not be for you if you want to travel lightly. I learned the hard way when I filmed about 40 mins of a basketball game without a tripod. I could barely use my arm the following day! Buy a tripod already!

With that in mind, if you really want rich memories preserved during that 3 candle birthday party, or just about any ligting situation, you must have this camcorder.