I’m shopping around for my XL-2 and of course have come across the Brooklyn scam sites with the low-low package price. I’m trying to price the minimum accessories needed along with the camera at B+H and EVS.

For the independent film maker what would be the minimum must have items? An example would be a tripod, also keep in mind anything XL-2 specific.

Don't overlook Tapeworks Texas as a supplier. They are the most outstanding people I have ever dealt with.

The XL2 alone should yield great results - I spent four hours shooting today in a remote area with limited accessories and the footage turned out great. I had used the standard mic that comes with the camera, a Davis & Sanford Tripod w/ a fluid head (supporting up to approximately 30lbs), a B&W circular polarizer, a 5-in-1 reflector, a warm card for white balancing, and a couple of backup batteries and DVC tapes, and I was set. I only used the tripod for a total of 2 shots; the camera's optical image stabilizer worked great! Most of my shots were handheld, but without a good eye for it, it's very hard to tell that they were in fact freehand.

In all honesty, all you need is the standard XL2 package with basic accessories, MiniDV tapes, and of course, a few spare batteries will serve you well. The camera along with the stock lens work great! A tripod with a fluid head will always be useful, even if there are days like mine where I hardly used it. You won't regret it. If you're shooting indoors, a lighting kit will be necessary, and if you're outdoors, a reflector kit, polarizer, and possibly a video light can come in handy.

The sky is the limit. Buy what you need as you need it; the XL2 alone is sufficient.

a set of filters. The wide angle lens is not essential but we use ours constantly. In addition, we have a good shoulder brace for handheld work that's made the job a lot easier.

Film Tools in Burbank has Sony Premium mini-dv tapes for 2.50 a piece approximately. If you buy more than 100, you get another price break.

I bought a light kit recently from Adorama in New York. Their prices are lower than B&H and they were quite good to deal with. If you're in the market for a light kit as well, check out the various Lowel DV creator kits.

I think this would be a good thing to have:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=cart&A=details&Q=&sku=241312&is=REG
It is a glidecam 400 pro with body pod and monitor kit.