Pros: excellent image quality, Easy TV Connectivity, Easy Computer Connectivity, Accurate, Vivid Colors, durable, easy to use
Cons: Short battery life, Uncomfortable to hold
I purchased this camera a little over 3 years ago and I must say it has kept up with the abuse I've given it.
Although, a bit pricey by today's standards, you still can't beat the plethora of features this camcorder has. Interchangeable lens? 24p, 60i, and 30p recording modes? Full XLR mic support? It definitely gives you your money's worth.
The quality of the images captured by this camera are hands down some of the most true to life a camcorder in its price range can get. Adding to that, Canon has enabled 3 user presets so if you don't like the stock look, you can adjust your knees, highs, reds, greens, etc all independently for that look you want!
The low-light performance isn't as good as other cam's out there, but it's not the worst either. The XL2 performs best with a well lit scenario, but if you have a tripod, you can get creative with the shutter speeds and gain. It's all about the user I think.
The camera's feel is a bit on the bulky side, but not too bad. After a while of handheld use, the user can get easily fatigued (especially if you're just starting to use this camera), but as times goes on, you learn holding and breathing techniques to help. The camera is indeed front heavy due to the large size of lens, but if you want quality, this is a small price to pay.
A counterbalance weight to the rear would've been a nice feature to add, but not entirely necessary.
Overall, I highly recommend this cam, but even more so, I'd go with the hi-def version if at all possible!