It's a beast, and I don't mean "maybe". An absolute workhorse. We switch to it with the VX-2100 and I'm blown away. Once you get comfortable with the menu system, you can quickly transition to full manual control, and for day-to-day use, the automatic mode is just the answer. Eventually you'll need a heavier tripod - but that's to be expected. I'm not a fan of the included mic as it's "stereo" and I prefer to use pistol mics, but pistol mics don't bite the price anymore. This is NOT a camcorder