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Sony DCR-VX2100 3CCD MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom
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| Price: | $3,599.95 |
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by Wall Street Photo
13 new or used available from $531.00
Average customer review:
(21 customer reviews)
Product Description
MiniDV RecordingOffers up to 530 lines of horizontal resolution, 3X color bandwidth (vs. VHS) and significantly higher S/N ratio, to provide stunning video performance.3âCCD Imaging SystemEach 1/3" CCD has 380,000 pixels for brilliant digital picture-quality.530 Lines of Horizontal Video ResolutionAdvanced HADâs for emailing, printing, or sharing with other compatible Memory Stick(R) devices.Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #9757 in Camera & Photo
- Color: Black
- Brand: Sony
- Model: DCRVX2001
- Dimensions: 15.50" h x 6.50" w x 4.75" l, 3.50 pounds
- Display size: 2.5
Features
- Digital MiniDV Handycam camcorder with a 58mm aspherical lens and 380,000-pixel CCD
- 12x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 48x) with Super SteadyShot image stabilizer
- 2.5-inch rotating LCD and color viewfinder
- Manual controls for shutter and exposure, Stamina Power Management, and intelligent accessory shoe
- NP-F330 InfoLithium Rechargeable Battery
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews69 of 74 people found the following review helpful.
The Sony!By A Customer
I don't know how this hasn't been reviewed yet - this is simply the "prosumer" camcorder to have. After reading up on this camera, the Canons (GL2, XL1s), and the "Panny" (aka, the DVX100a), it seems this manages to, put simply:
- Beat the GL2
- Tie with the XL1s
- Beat the DVX100a
To go more in depth, let's start with the GL2. While this is one heck of an affordable, broadcast-quality machine, it mainly loses to the VX2100 in terms of low-light conditions. This is really where the Sony shines - low-light shooting. A popular breakdown of the VX2100 vs. the GL2 is that the VX2100 works better in low light, and the GL2 has a more powerful zoom. That pretty much is what it comes down to. The GL2 has a "frame mode," in which you get 30 frames/second non-interlaced video. The idea behind this is to equate to the popular, on-demand 24p, to get that "film look." Such a look is only important if you plan on doing actual movies, and unfortunately, the GL2's frame mode simply isn't that great. Aside from that, when you later edit your shots, there's tons of programs and plug-ins which will do the same thing - but better.
Now, the XL1s. I know I've used the word "simply" a lot in this review, and that's primarily because I want to make the comparisons simple. When one goes to taste a Coke and a Pepsi, it would be useless to make a pro and con list to decide which tastes better... to you. Instead, you just pick the one you like, and continue drinking - and you probably wouldn't mind the other brand next time (ok, maybe not all of you). Anyways, the point being all of these cameras will give you an excellent picture, and they'll all do a bunch of extra things. If you're a serious, professional videographer, then it is recommended you compare long specifications lists to see which better meet your needs. On the other hand, if you're like me and just want something that will shoot family and non-planned out footage, these will all do great. And when you go to shoot a movie, wedding, documentary or whatever it is you're doing professionally, these cameras will continue to impress you.
Ok, about that XL1s. This camera has been used in movies - 28 Days Later, TV shows - pretty much the entire MTV line-up, commercials - that Jerry Seinfeld American Express one, etc. Needless to say, this is a very impressive camera. Not only is it significantly larger than the others, but its most sought after feature is the fact that the lenses are interchangeable. What's not frequently mentioned is the fact that these lenses cost upwards of $600/pop. Of course, the XL1s has some more professional features to justify the price jump from the GL2 - those of which you can read about on those spec sheets I mentioned earlier.
And finally, onto the "Panny," or the Panasonic DVX100a. This camera has a whole several-thousand member online discussion forum for it. That should tell you how much people love this camcorder. I think it's nice, myself. Don't know how much I love it. I know what everyone loves about it is the fact that it does 24p perfectly - that's the aforementioned "film effect" feature. The problem is, when you compare its other features to the VX2100, the Sony is the better camcorder. And don't forget you can still get a "film effect" when you go to edit your video.
So, all in all, these are the camcorders which are all in somewhat of a similar price range. I know I've considered all four of these, which is why I wanted to share what I found for that other guy who wants to know the same thing. You probably still want to check out some other places for reviews, which is highly recommended. Like I said, I spent 4 weeks doing what you're doing now, and I ended up with the VX2100. Take that for what it's worth.
See ya in the funny pages!
38 of 40 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent camera geared towards the action sports/ adventure filmmakerBy Dan Callahan
This camera has been in my eye for roughly 3 years now and now that it is finally in my possession, I could not be more pleased. As the previous owner of a Canon Optura 300, I had been craving a more professional camera for a very long time. My Canon, while being possibly one of the best 1-chip camera I have ever used, was far too small for what I needed to accomplish with it. I craved for more manual control, an easier layout, a more stable camera, and full and in-depth control over white balance and focus. The VX2100 fulfilled all these requirements spectacularly. I use this camera primarily for filming skateboarding and snowboarding videos and short films and it is seemingly tailor made to suit the needs of those who documents these sports. Here is a short synopsis of what makes each of the features on this camera so fantastic.
Layout: This camera has a great layout. From the zoom and focusing ring near the front of the camera to the record button and zoom rocker on the handle, to the dedicated Audio and White Balance buttons on the back, everything is easy to find, well labeled, and intuitive in its placement.
Manual Control: This camera has some of the most indepth manual features of nearly any prosumer camera on the market today. As I stated before, this camera is mostly button instead of menu driven, it saves so much time when you're at a spot and you only have about 5 minutes to get the shot, you just hit the dedicated white balance button and !voila!, vibrant and accurate color reproduction at the touch of a button. The focus and zoom both give the right amount of resistance when turning, making it easy to get the exact focus and zoom that you want. The color shift feature is also very useful, allowing you to change the camera's settings so the CCDs pick up all the colors perfectly (the VX2100 is notorious for having a colder, more bluish picture compared to the VX1000). The integrated Neutral Density filter is quite useful on those really bright days when glare is overwhelmingly present and distracting. Overall, this camera is incredibly in depth in the sheer choices you can make to tweak the picture just right.
Maneuverability: This camera is just the right size when it comes to handheld filming. Most of the weight of the camera is towards the front, but is perfectly balanced from the top handle. The camera is also not too long, allowing you to get closer to the subject when using a fisheye and allowing you to manipulate the camera in tight quarters.
Overall, this prosumer camcorder is another winner for Sony and should be seriously considered by anyone who is either an aspiring filmmaker, or is looking to buy a top class camcorder. An excellent buy!
33 of 41 people found the following review helpful.
A Good Piece of Equipment with a few quirksBy John A Lee III
This camera is easy to use and makes a good quality recording. Since it is an upper end product, it does have a longer learning curve than more simple models but the effort is worth it for the added features. There are, however, a few quirks which could have been fixed to make this a much more usable piece of equipment.
The provided microphone jack is an 1/8" stereo. In my camera, at least, it is not mounted very securely. When I have an external mike connected, I had to be very careful to make sure that nothing touched it, otherwise, the sound would drop off. A friend with some tools and expertise fixed this problem but it should never have happened.
The master switch moves from off to VCR mode (up one), record to tape mode (down one) or record to stick mode (down two). It is intuitive but very easy to overshoot the mark. This can be frustrating and I cannot help but believe there is a better design that could be used.
The "VCR" controls are located on the top surface of the camera. They are intuitive and employ commonly used symbols. They are also backlit and impossible to discern in sunshine. You can see the symbols but there is no way to tell which, if any, of the functions are selected. It is still usable but it is a pain in the backside.
There are a multitude of things that could be done to make the interface on this camera easier to use but it is usable as it is now.
See all 21 customer reviews...
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