Hello all,

I am the new owner of an XL2 that came with the 20X lens. My plans are to make "funny" home movies as well as training videos for work. How important is it to have the 3X lens?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Scott,
I've had the XL2 for a few weeks only. I ordered the 3x lens two days after receiving the camera. I found that, particularly for indoor shooting, the 20x had me continually trying to move through walls to get the subjects in frame.
That said, try shooting some of your typical home movie shots and see if you keep running out of lens on the wide end of the 20x lens. If you are, then you need the 3x or at least a wide angle converter.

A wide angle lens is a comedy lens. Watch anything that Barry Sonnenfeld shot and you'll see what I mean, especially the Coen Brothers' "Raising Arizona," a wide-angle tour de force. If you want to be funny you gotta go wide.

A wide angle lens is a comedy lens. Watch anything that Barry Sonnenfeld shot and you'll see what I mean, especially the Coen Brothers' "Raising Arizona," a wide-angle tour de force. If you want to be funny you gotta go wide.

This from a man that has Soylent Green in his tag line. Didn't know you were such a connoisseur of comedy Chris!

Hello all,

I am the new owner of an XL2 that came with the 20X lens. My plans are to make "funny" home movies as well as training videos for work. How important is it to have the 3X lens?

Thanks in advance.

If you can afford one get it, it is indispensable!

A wide angle lens is a comedy lens...
...If you want to be funny you gotta go wide.

LOL, serious speaking lets go long, hmmm at the telephotoend ;-)

Scott, for indoor shooting the 3x wide lense is almost everytime the preferable lense for me. As Brendon says: "...move through walls to get the subjects in frame".

<OT>: Its a joke here in Norway saying that everything in the United States is much more larger and bigger, so you might consider an ef-adapter and a huge telephotolense to be able to frame any subject in your houses ;-)
</OT>

Thank you all for your help--I'll be getting the 3X!

Its a joke here in Norway saying that everything in the United States is much more larger and bigger, so you might consider an ef-adapter and a huge telephotolense to be able to frame any subject in your housesOkay in Texas maybe it is kind of like that, but, you should visit an apartment in Brooklyn sometime. You'd need a fish-eye lens.

<OT>: Its a joke here in Norway saying that everything in the United States is much more larger and bigger, so you might consider an ef-adapter and a huge telephotolense to be able to frame any subject in your houses ;-)
</OT>When I lived in Europe, some Dutch friends always used this expression about stereotypes of Americans: "Bigger, better, faster, more." Guilty as charged.

I use the 3x only a fraction of the time, but when I need it, I need it. If you're shooting indoors a lot I do agree it will be a worthwhile investment. Searching through DV Info, you'll find a lot of people saying bad things about the lens, but I've been happy with mine and it has allowed me to get many shots I just otherwise wouldn't have been able to frame. And no doubt about the comedic effect of a deliberate wide closeup of some hapless character.

Scott, I just videoed a friends wedding that took place on a small river boat. Never took the 3x off the camcorder. IMHO the 3x is a must have item. Bob

Bob, I was going to say something similar to Scott.

I was shooting on a boat this week; I used the 20x for the shoreline shots and the 3x for the onboard shots.

I won't give up my 3x!! :-)

Bill

You've all been very helpful--I ordered it and even though I'm awaiting delivery of my 3x, I still enjoy hearing all the positive reinforcement for my purchase!