I've been looking into getting a new camera for myself, something more prosumer. I've been leaning towards the Canon GL2 more, but the Sony DCR-VX2100 is very enticing, considering it is pretty close to the same price.
I've been looking around for some opinions on which one I should get from ppl who have used them both.
Opinions??

I own a DCRVX2100 and I must say it is a great camera. I've also worked with the GL2 on many occasions and given the choice(although I already own one) I'd much rather go with the Sony. With the GL2, its more of an idiot-proof camera that, while good, just doesn't turn out that great a picture. Compared to the DCR, there isn't as much manual control. And the Sony, you can play with the picture and make the image sometimes rival that of big name cameras, like the XL1(though many will disagree with me). Go with the Sony, it's got the better camera.

So the Sony is the better way to go for more options and quality, thanks a bunch, where one can see that the GL2 looks more consumer.
One more question, does anyone possibly know how much or where to find the price of the DCR-VX2100 Canadian?
I've looked all sorts of places and i get mixed prices..
Thanks

THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. Go with the Canon GL2. This is the way I look at it, although sony is good,I find it specializes in way too many things, from tv's to stereo's etc. I have a GL2 and it has never let me down once (It is pretty bad in low light though) As for features, I think the canon has more manual features than the sony (Canon has some cool things like time lapse and audio input level control).

Also, Canon has been making excellent quality lenses for still cameras forever, where sony is newer to the game of optics. Canon does make a lot of other products but they seem to be dominant in the visual type industry. Go Canon!

I sit next to my canon proud...until I can afford a DVX100a

Thanks for the opinions guys, I've just needed a new camera for soo long right now, and for the last 3 1/2 years ive been using a DCR-TRV300, it has only one CCD thats only like .17 of an inch. Where almost anything new will do, I just wanted the best for my money, I like both but I think im leaning more towards the GL2 most just becuase the price, the Sony costs a lil more than i was looking to spend...from the prices ive found...

Don't worry be happy... I was using a Sony DCR-TRV530 before my GL2.

Just counting down the days until my new camera..
I've got a boom-mic, and camera dolly...but a crappy camera..kinda sad, Ive put that lil sony thru more than it should be thru.

quote:

With the GL2, its more of an idiot-proof camera that, while good, just doesn't turn out that great a picture. Compared to the DCR, there isn't as much manual control. And the Sony, you can play with the picture and make the image sometimes rival that of big name cameras, like the XL1(though many will disagree with me). Go with the Sony, it's got the better camera.

This is all conjecture. What manual controls does the GL2 lack compared to the VX2100? Both have manual white balance, aperture, focus, zoom, as well as customizable zebra stripe settings. Built in ND filters - yep, on both. Adjustable preset color/sharpness profiles? Yep. Adjustable gain? Yep. Please explain the magical features that the VX2100 has that the GL2 doesn't.

*Please* tell me you weren't just using the GL2 on 'easy' mode (the green square). It can be anything from a point and shoot camera good for documentary shooting to a very versatile setup for shooting animation or studio work.

As for your last comment, fairly extensive testing on DVinfo revealed that shooting the same scenes with the same lighting, the GL2 and XL1S produced a picture that was nearly indistinguishable under most circumstances.

I don't shoot very much on DV any more, but I've never regretted buying my GL2. A top-notch product that is rightly viewed as the leader in the SD prosumer 3CCD segment.

FWIW, I checked out Sony's HDR-FX1 at the Apple store this weekend. Pretty impressive piece of gear - enormous, well built, with a very cool built in lens hood that has a flip-down cover similar to the DVX-100a. The switches, etc are pretty tactile and the knurled knob for aperture control is cool. I appreciate that it has 'real' focal length marks on the zoom ring, as well as a true manual control; however, the numbers themselves don't mean that much unless converted to 35mm equivalents. The LCD is also large and good quality, although the scenes I was viewing (the store interior) were surprisingly dark even at +3 gain. Possibly the default sensitivity is not as high as the GL2. When I brought the gain up to +!5 dB (the only setting other than 0 or +3) the level of grain was noticeable. I'd be interested to see its performance in better conditions.

i can see how both the sony and the gl2 are almost the same...but i do know that the sony does have a couple more feature...like the sony has 3 1/3" CCD's where the gl2 only have 1/4" ones...the sony is also better in low light with a minimum of 1 lux..the gl2 is a min. of 6.. there are differences, but i think im gonna go with the gl2...mostly because of price and me simply being a canon fan-boy

Honestly, neither are great in low light. You can shoot in basically any situation, but the question is whether the level of grain is acceptable (for my purposes, not usually). That's the same for either the 2100 or the GL2. The VX2100 does have marginally larger CCDs. Neither camera uses the full imaging area of the CCD, so the benefit is somewhat debatable. The VX2100 is also a couple hundred dollars more expensive. Personally, if I were buying a camera now, I'd wait to see the price on quality HDV models fall below $2500 or so rather than invest nearly as much on an SD system.

thanks but honestly..im not really interested in HD right now..not to mention..im only using a one 1/4" CCD right now...so three 1/4" CCD will be great for now until i can get more money flowing.

Shallow depth of field is normally related to the size of the ccd. These pictures came from my GL2, although they were in picture mode and color corrected. The GL2 can produce some pretty good images even if it only has 1/4" chips.