On Sat, 01 Dec 2001 03:46:10 GMT, "WM"
>Here is a user report on by the XL1 Watchdog the new zoom control by
>VariZoom that is in the $199. price range.
>http://www.dvinfo.net/stealth.htm
The VariZoom Lanc controller looks good, especially with
the power switch, MF control, small size and nice design,
and long cable built-in - though it doesn't permit
selectable fixed zoom rates and its price is only
temporarily $199 ($299 later...). The Canon, at $180, or
the Sony Lanc controllers at $75, may still be the better
buys - though the VariZoom is an interesting alternative...
The Sony RM-95 has a long cord, a fixed-speed zoom rocker,
and a count of "11" to go from wide to tele extremes with
the VX2000 (my "count" is a tad slower than seconds - just
checked that, too, so use the "counts" as relative
measures...). The other Sony controllers I have (pistol
grip, and ones off cheap Sony tripods) all have
variable-speed rockers. The Canon also has a rocker for
variable-speed zooming, and "mashed", it zooms in a count
of "2+". It also has selectable fixed zooming speeds - and
at a fixed speed of "1", the count is "16", for the others,
"2" = 13, "3" = "9", "4" = "6+", "5" = "5". BTW, the
Cannon cannot restart the camera if it goes into standby
in camera-record mode (it can only start/stop recording);
the Sony remotes can power up/down the camera, and restart
it from standby, and the RM-95 can also switch between
AF/MF, and control manual focus. The RM-95 is small,
flat, and rectangular (like a small wireless remote, but
with a long cord, and an LCD window showing timecode);
the pistol grip looks like just that; the tripod remotes
off the tripod grip are compact, are "small-banana"
shaped, and show a light when the camera is active
(power, and recording).
The Sony RM-95 is about $75; the Sony grip is no longer
available; the cheap Sony tripods with controlers are
about $75; the Canon Lanc controller is about $180.
Lanc extension cords are not hard to make up from
Radio shack cords and adapters when long cords are
needed...