Which tape are we using?
- Thread starter dLAND
- Start date
dusterdoo
Well-known member
Tape ? I dont think my camera takes tape. . ...
PS. If it does, check this out over in TECH...
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=90902
PS. If it does, check this out over in TECH...
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=90902
In a nutshell, if you have a Sony camera, use Sony tapes. If you have a Panasonic, use Panasonic tapes. Here's why...
There are two basic lubrication systems for magnetic tape, it's just a lubricant to keep the abrasion on the camera's recording heads to an absolute minimum. There is what is commonly referred to as the "wet" and "dry" systems. It's not an accurate description of the actual lubricants, but that's the distinction.
Here's where the problem lies. The lubricants are less than compatable. The best way to describe this, although it is a slight exaggeration, is looking at what happens when you mix a dry powder with a wet liquid, you get a mess, right?
As long as the wet lubricant is not contaminated it's easy to clean up. Likewise with the dry lubricant, it's easy to clean up as long as it stays dry.
The camera manufactures have designed and engineered their tape transport systems to work with a particular lubricating system.
You can see why changing from one brand of tape to another and mixing the use of them can be a problem. The small amounts of lubricant residue from one tape that are left on the recording heads, (like it should, that's how the heads are lubricated) end up contaminating the lubricants from another.
Simply use what the camera manufacturer recommends. Call their techs and see what they have to say.
Now about the tape itself. I've used all the main brands that are out there and one thing that I have noticed is that I haven't noticed any difference. Although I have my own personal preferences but these are just based on what I perceive as being better quality tapes. Let me explain.
Since we aren't speaking of analog tape here, it's a matter of recording digital information on magnetic tape. It's 1's and 0's. That's it, the information is recorded or it isn't. There isn't an issue of the degradation of the information on the tape, it's either there or it's not. With analog information you can have more or less info that is recorded, but with digital media, it's yes or no, it's there or it's not. Copy after copy, no degradation in image.
So when it comes to the image that you will be editing the image you see will be the same, regardless of the tape. Unless the quality of the tape is such that the information wasn't recorded, like missing a 1 or a 0.
So there you have it, at least in my opinion. Now to answer your initial question, I like to use Sony and Panasonic tapes. Simply because of their reputation for producing a quality product consistently.
There are two basic lubrication systems for magnetic tape, it's just a lubricant to keep the abrasion on the camera's recording heads to an absolute minimum. There is what is commonly referred to as the "wet" and "dry" systems. It's not an accurate description of the actual lubricants, but that's the distinction.
Here's where the problem lies. The lubricants are less than compatable. The best way to describe this, although it is a slight exaggeration, is looking at what happens when you mix a dry powder with a wet liquid, you get a mess, right?
As long as the wet lubricant is not contaminated it's easy to clean up. Likewise with the dry lubricant, it's easy to clean up as long as it stays dry.
The camera manufactures have designed and engineered their tape transport systems to work with a particular lubricating system.
You can see why changing from one brand of tape to another and mixing the use of them can be a problem. The small amounts of lubricant residue from one tape that are left on the recording heads, (like it should, that's how the heads are lubricated) end up contaminating the lubricants from another.
Simply use what the camera manufacturer recommends. Call their techs and see what they have to say.
Now about the tape itself. I've used all the main brands that are out there and one thing that I have noticed is that I haven't noticed any difference. Although I have my own personal preferences but these are just based on what I perceive as being better quality tapes. Let me explain.
Since we aren't speaking of analog tape here, it's a matter of recording digital information on magnetic tape. It's 1's and 0's. That's it, the information is recorded or it isn't. There isn't an issue of the degradation of the information on the tape, it's either there or it's not. With analog information you can have more or less info that is recorded, but with digital media, it's yes or no, it's there or it's not. Copy after copy, no degradation in image.
So when it comes to the image that you will be editing the image you see will be the same, regardless of the tape. Unless the quality of the tape is such that the information wasn't recorded, like missing a 1 or a 0.
So there you have it, at least in my opinion. Now to answer your initial question, I like to use Sony and Panasonic tapes. Simply because of their reputation for producing a quality product consistently.