Has anyone used a telephoto lens on these cameras, I'm assuming the only ones you can get are the ones Sony makes for them. Is it any good? Pros and cons? Thanks.

I use the Sony High Grade 2x telephoto on my PDX-10 which also has 37mm filter threads. I don't know how well it holds up at HD resolution, but I've been really impressed with it for SD.

This looks like the lens, but mine is silver:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=396838&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

I wonder if they changed to black to match the new HDV camcorders?

Thanks Boyd, but do you know if that can be used on the HC1? It doesn't say anything on the website

Doesn't the HC1 have 37mm threads? If so then "it can be used," but you'd have to decide whether the quality is good enough for your purposes.

Hi Hayk
VCL-HG2037Y is absolutely good for the HC1. In fact it's really been made by Sony FOR the HC1 and A1. Quality is excellent, - only read very good reports from people. No real significant chromatic or spherical aberration.

You will need to use it on a tripod as it'll give you something around the order of 1000mm focal-length (35mm equivalent) and so unless the camera is steady the image will wobble all over the place. But it's a great piece of glass, as well as it's wide-angle 'brother' VCL-HG0737Y.

Slightly off topic, but can someone tell me the difference between the Sony 0.7x wide-angle Y and X lens? Is it just the color?

Mine is the VCL-HG2037X and it's silver. Mine doesn't have front filter threads either.

The X version is silver as BOyd said, and is quite a bit smaller than the Y version. X version wighs 320gms, Y version weighs 380 grams.
Y version has a slightly flatter front element, and like the X version doesn't have front filter-threads.

i've seen a performance test of these 2 lenses and there was really no discernible difference. Both are 37mm threads. I know people using both of these on HDV cams and they're all happy chaps. Only hassle is they don't come with lens hoods (ok hoods are less useful on wideangle lenses than tele;s) and the lenses tend to flare quite a bit in direct sunlight. Keep front element immacualtely clean or the camera can and will focus on the front element if there's dirt and dust on it that it can focus on.

X version is think is about 99dollars on, ahh, well-known USA photo sites.
Y version i think is about 150dollars but apparently is quite hard to get hold of at the moment.

Hi Hayk
VCL-HG2037Y is absolutely good for the HC1. In fact it's really been made by Sony FOR the HC1 and A1. Quality is excellent, - only read very good reports from people. No real significant chromatic or spherical aberration

The Sony VCL-HG2037Y is the only one of the telextenders of this size that is listed with an HD rating on the Sony website. So, I would assume it has the resolution-potential to be adequate with these HDV models. The lack of the HD rating with the "X" model may or may not signify any lesser optical quality. The VCL-HG0737Y wide-angle lens is apparently in this same HD-capable class. With a 30-37mm step-ring, you could use them on an HC3. Personally, I'd prefer the larger, HD-rated 37mm add-on "Y" lenses to the 30mm versions, for an HC3.