On 29 Jul 2001 17:27:16 GMT, rlamm4@aol.com (RLamm4) wrote:

>looking to buy one or the other, just basic small time doc/eng work. I have
>wireless, lights etc already now i have to decide. I have xl1 myself, but have
>used pd150s,100s out of my work both have some great things but does anyone
>think the low light capabilities of the new xl1 will be comparable to sony. I
>wish i could have both but I need to choose one or the other. Primary uses
>will be broll, interviews, and elements for stories. Advice and thoughts would
>be appreciated.....(one thing I might add my local shop will be selling the
>xl1s for 3850 so price difference isnt to bad)

Both (well, the original XL-1, and the VX-2000 form of the PD150...) are critically reviewed at:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm
Gosh, on one side we have a camcorder with a great picture,
excellent low-light ability, very good sound, XLRs built-in,
excellent B&W finder (plus very good color fold-out panel),
superior power solution (long run-time with camera-mount
compact, light, and cheap high-capacity batteries),
excellent AF/AE and zoom controls, and relatively low
size/weight/price, at a moderate price fully-equipped. On
the other side we have a camcorder that costs considerably
more fully-equipped, with an OK picture (though one that
shows less detail, and more artifacts like oversharpened
edges, too-warm color, etc.), adequate-but-not-outstanding
low-light ability, excellent sound (but no XLRs), relatively
poor VF (and no panel - and the alternative B&W finder is
VERY expensive), inadequate battery solution (and the
alternative is VERY expensive, heavy, and awkward), poor AF
and AE, so-so zoom and MF controls, and awkward weight and
handling characteristics. The interchangeable lens
capability would appear to offer an advantage, but with all
you lose the stabilizer, and add considerably (again) to the
price. Adding WA converters to the standard zoom produces
very compromised results (unlike with the PD150, which fits
several converters that virtually maintain the high quality
of the fitted lens). The "s" version adds higher gain
availability to the XL-1 - with, one assumes, the attendent
coarsening of the picture quality... The XL-1 also offers
a "frame" mode, if one should want to simulate the poor
motion-handling of film...
Gosh, I think I would take the better and cheaper (FAR
cheaper, if one tries to correct the VF, power, and lens
problems of the XL-1...) and easier-to-handle/control
PD150...