"Charles C. Shyu" <shyu@spine.npa.uiuc.edu> wrote in message

news:xV8hb.6468$Eo2.5683@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...

 

> Sony Press Release:

> http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4079

>

> Camcorderinfo.com commentary:

> http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/sony-dcr-vx2100-editorial-10_07_03.htm

>

> I, for one, am disappointed...

> --

> Charles C. Shyu

> http://home.earthlink.net/~shyuc/shyu.html

 

For once, I agree with Ribin Liss...;-)

The 2100 appears to be a very moderate update (and

some of the minor improvements may prove useful...;-).

A mfgr. can load a camera with flashy features that are

rarely used once their low utility is realized, or try to

introduce a format change too early, in a too-inexpensive

camera for good results, but many of us prefer just solid

NTSC or PAL SD interlaced performance - what we

mostly shoot, watch, and sell, anyway...

The Sony release was just ad-copy, with little "real"

mentioned that was new, but I am a tad scared to see

what increased CCD sensitivity does to the picture

without other changes, though the audio S/N improvement

(not an issue for me with the 2000) is interesting. I trust

the VF has variable brightness (like the VX1000 and

TRV900), so that it is useful for more than framing (the

2000 and all other new Sony cameras have a switch

for the aptly-named "normal-bright" and "bright" (as in

"too bright" and "even brighter" - which are useless

settings for easy visual exposure evaluation...), but with

no selection for "normal". It is not (and should not be)

a PD150/170 (some of us prefer the VX2000, and

its considerably lower price with essentially equal

output quality is also attractive). Once we know more,

we will know if the VX2100 turns out to be the

moderately better mid-run model replacement its

name implies, keeping the model at or near the top

of its specialized field of moderately compact and

inexpensive, but very capable and versatile Mini-DV

camcorders. Expecting more is, well, uh......;-)

(Or, why CAN'T I have a double-70mm film camera

with excellent lenses that weighs less than a small

ham, and costs under $1500?!?! ;-)

--

 David Ruether

 d_ruether@hotmail.com

 http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com