Hi Everybody, I am thinking about buying this Canon GL2 Camcorder, but what I am wondering about. It already has a mic attached, but do I still need to buy another mic for it to get better audio? Thanks for any feedback.
Oh Yeah, Here is the Link: http://www.onequality.com/canon-gl2-professional-minidv-camcorder-p-166.html
IMO don't buy the GL2. It is only standard def and if you really want to get into filming you need to be HD. You can buy a handy cam or something similar for the price you are probably getting the Gl2 that will be better. It also uses tapes which is very annoying and a pain to deal with. I think there are some better options for you out there so look around a little before pulling the trigger. That is just my opinion.
I currently film with a GL2, and while it puts out some great quality film for what it is, it is out dated. I will be selling mine soon to upgrade I've got quite a few accessories for it if you are interested in getting started in filming.. There are things about the camera that are good.. 20X zoom, manual focus wheel, easy to hook up XLR mic, accepts LANC remote, low light quality is quite good. Its been a great camera for me getting started for the last three years. I've learned a lot, and didn't have to spend a ton of money to get started.
IMO, I would not consider the GL2. It's about 4 to 5 generations behind in technology. Mainly, it's only standard def and nobody wants to watch standard def any more. The tapes are also a huge pain in the butt. Also, it will have no resale value when you decide to upgrade, and you will. You can pick up some pretty good cameras for similar money. You could get a Canon XHA1 for less than $500 on ebay. It is the generation after the GL2, and it's HD. Still tape, but gets you into a professional HD camera for cheap. There's also tons of options for HD handycam type cameras that use SD cards, which makes ingesting the files from the camera much quicker and easier. My suggestion would be to look for an HD camera that uses SD media for recording.
I totally agree with what others have said. If you are brand new to the filming gig just buy an HandyCam type HD camera in the 250-500 range. I'd avoid tapes (even in HD) though, go with something that takes an HD card. You'll be much happier when you want to do something with your footage. My 2 cents...
I have to agree with what's been said. The GL2 was good for it's time, but that time has passed. I used to have a GL1 back in the day. It too was nice at the time. The other big disadvantage to tapes are the noise associated with starting/stoping your filming. That was one of my biggest complaints with it. There are much better options out there, even in the $400 price range that's listed at. Especially, if you look for slightly used gear.
