When the VX2000 was new, there were several after market add-on lenses available for it so I imagine they can still be found as used equipment. I bought a Sony tele multiplier and it worked great. It is a large chunk of glass that screws onto the existing lens. This camera does not have a removable lens so add-ons are the only way to go. I think there were also some wide angle add-ons. You can tell if an add-on is telephoto or wide angle by it’s multiplier. If the multiplier is greater than 1, such as 1.5, it is a telephoto lens that multiplies whatever focal length the camera’s lens is zoomed to by, say, 1.5.
If the multiplier is less than 1, such as .8, the add-on is more wide angle.
Note that these add-ons don’t increase the zoom range, they shift it. With the tele multiplier mentioned above, I got a larger image of distant objects (soccer players), but I could not pull back as far when they were close to the camera.
There are three (at least) things to be aware of with add-on lenses:
1 – You probably will get some vignetting at one extreme or the other of the camera’s zoom range.
2 – Some lenses introduce serious image distortion. I have found that the more expensive the lens, the better it is(duh!). My Sony tele add-on cost several hundred dollars and introduces little distortion. I have tried off brand under $100 lenses with poor results.
3 – One good thing is these lenses do not reduce the f stop of the original lens. So, in that sense, you are getting “free” image enhancement.
To save money, I would look for good used add-ons. Since they have no moving parts they never wear out. Just be sure the glass has no chips, scratches, discolorations, mold etc. Also, be sure the mounting threads are perfect or it won’t screw onto the camera.
Good Luck,
Jaimie
.
