VG30 cheap B-camthat works

[Steven Digges]

Hey Guys,

This old dog is learning new tricks. First, I used to say I would NEVER buy a used camera. Second, I thought I would never own a Handycam. Both changed.

About a year ago I bought a Black Bird stabilizer. I don’t really need one, I just wanted to be able to throw those shots in if I wanted too. The EA50 is obviously too heavy for me to fly handheld and I never got around to a buying vest so the stabilizer just sat around not getting used. Recently I picked up a VG30 off of e-bay instead of buying a vest. The VG30 was the only option for me because it matches the EA50. With a second Metabones adapter I can use my good Canon glass on it. It is small and lite enough to fly. It can also serve as a B-cam.

I hate mismatched cameras but I took a chance and this is what I got. I do use the EA50 kit lens at times so I got a VG30 with the same kit lens (standard lens for both cams). I knew the VG30 has the same sensor but do they match? YES they match, very well as a matter of fact. Not only is the sensor the same but the processors must be very similar too. This becomes evident not only because of the match but because of what both cameras do in auto mode. Even though I do most of my shooting in manual I tested both cameras in all auto and semi auto modes. I was shocked to see that in auto both cameras pick almost the exact same settings almost every time. With the two kit lenses it is a matched pair of cameras. Obviously I lose the match when I go Canon on one and Sony glass on the other. I have not had time yet to see if I can tweak a profile on the EA50 to match the Sony lens but I will get to that.

I would never pay retail for a VG30, you might as well get another EA50. On E-bay VG30s are dirt cheap. Body only they run $600.00 to $900.00 - with lens they are $1,300.00 to $1,700.00

The one I got was listed as a Best Buy Open Box item. So I rolled the bones and wondered if I was going to get a beat up demo, a returned used camera, or whatever, even though it was listed as “new other”??? The guy was true to his word. The accessories were factory packaged and the camera did not even have a finger print on it. It had never been powered up. It is brand stinking new! I got it for a thousand dollars less than retail at B&H. So for $1,600.00 I have a B-cam with a matched lens and I can get the Black Bird out and start training with it. I also need another Metabones now but it will be worth it because they match and I have a full set of Canon “L” series lenses. I said I like the kit lens for some things but when I compared my Canon 70-200 f2.8 L to the Sony kit lens the difference in sharpness was obvious next to each other. But hey, it should be, the Canon lens probably cost me as much as the whole VG30 rig. So a cheap b-cam that matches your EA50 is out there guys. This cheap set up will cover me for now. I have my eye on the new PXW-FX7 and the PMW300 for future upgrades to good cameras.

Steve