Sony DCR-VX2000E Mini DV Camcorder

Having used the VX1000 for the past three years, I have had a love/hate relationship with the camera. It has great image quality, but it is rather clunky to use, lacks a flip-out screen, and was not convenient for taking stills. So you can be sure that as soon as the VX2000 hit the market, I was standing in line to get one. And I couldn't be more pleased!

This camera has superior imaging quality, improving on that of its predecessor significantly. With three 380K pixel HADTM CCD's, the video looks great, with over 530 lines of resolution. The steady shot makes it great for shooting on and off a tripod, and the flip out screen is a marked improvement. Now when you are doing panning or tracking shots you can follow the action without having to keep your face pressed against the small viewfinder. Also, a key improvement is the option for 16x9 recording for the letter-box look, an option previously unavailable on the VX1000 without an attachment lense. There are additonal video effects that come with this camera as well, if you like that sort of thing...

Another great improvement is the memory stick, which allows you to take and save still photos onto the stick instead of onto the miniDV tape. This is great for quick access, and if you have other Sony products like a VAIO computer, you can quickly swap in and out.

Otherwise this camera is pretty much the same great camera as the VX1000. It is not the world's smallest camera, by any means, and should not be bought for simple home movie shoots. One should only purchase this camera for semi-pro use, like documentary making or short DV film making for the web or other destination venues. It is not cheap, but well worth the investment if you are looking to do serious video work and want the best camera on the market.