Good value for the money

I bought this camera recently and here are some observations. First, it is not a 3 chip camera. It is about 20 percent poorer quality than a GL1, and is not as good as the GL1 in low light conditions. I use it for weddings. The image quality is less, but then the price is much less.

It is comparable to my AG456 cameras, with noticably better and more accurate colour. The nicest feature, a feature that pays for the camera, in my opinion, is the colour viewfinder.

With the 456, it was always a guess if you got the right colours, and every wedding had 2-3 problem areas due to poor white balance. No more!

The white balance (and iris) controls are somewhat confusing, as you have to press several buttons/menus rather than a single button like before. Setting the white balance was also about 20 percent more accurate than the auto setting in tests. However, as a second major improvement, it allows you several white balance presets-outdoor, indoor, etc. that proves invaluable. As well, the colour viewfinder makes accuracy a breeze.

Another fly in the ointment is the fact that the viewfinder does not fold or swing away for storage. This means that you need to get an oversized camera bag about 12 inches wide-hard to find, as most are 9 inches.

It is also hard to determine if the shot is in focus, as the viewfinder is not very precise. In tests, the focus (as seen in a monitor) was very accurate in both manual and auto, so I'll just have to get used to it.

The video heads are also easily clogged, so you need to have the supplied TAPE CLEANER handy. The head screwed up at the first wedding I tried. Brand new tape, yet the heads got clogged the first time out. At least it tells you. Naturally, I didn't have the supplied cleaner, as I NEVER had that kind of problem with my 456s. I don't know if all miniDVs are like this, but my stress level sure went up at the groom's house!

Another nice thing is that it is shoulder mounted, so it LOOKS professional, and I can hold it much better than GL2s. The zoom control is more refined than the GL1. It has audio meters in the viewfinder, timecode in viewfinder, and is FAST to set up and shoot, especially compared to the 456s. Easily 2X as fast.

It is lightweight, accurate in colour and focus, and in general a good price point-I couldn't find anything in its price range that was shoulder mounted. I would recommend it to anyone who wants the same quality as the AG 456 but in a much faster, lighter, more professional looking, but economical package.