PAUSE record mode?

Alan McCormick · March 9th, 2004, 10:23 AM

Cannot agree more with Chris's comments, I have had the XM2 since Oct 03 and have never had so much fun learning. Yes it is my 1st real Cam and what a learning curve, but an enjoyable one. I can now safely go out and shoot a reasonable video but have fallen over many times (not literally) and will continue to learn over the years to come.

Get out and enjoy!

David Ho · March 10th, 2004, 05:14 PM

The thing I don't really understand is what, then, is the really the best method? It seems like there is are pros and cons to the REC PAUSE and VCR STOP. The rec pause being it's not good to pause long periods of time, but if you want to use VCR stop, there is backspacing involve which will erase 1-2 seconds off of the tape! Aghhhhhh!

Andrew Hogan · March 10th, 2004, 05:46 PM

David,

Just use pause all the time when you are shooting. But if you are going to do a major changes to the scene that are going to take a long while (but you still want to be able to view the compostion while you are setting up the shot) then hit VCR stop and give the moving parts of the camera a rest.

And as for your worry about 2 second rewind, thats easy, just shoot a few seconds of footage hit pause again and then VCR stop.

Jeff Donald · March 10th, 2004, 09:50 PM

David, there is no one best method. Different people have different shooting styles and methods. Try one and see if it works for you. If it does great, if not, then try another method. Eventually you'll find what works best for you.

David Ho · March 11th, 2004, 01:07 AM

Well... I think I'm not into the more which one is "best" or not... I am actually into which one is safer to the camera. I mean, if there is a 1-2 second backspacing.... that would mean, hypothetically speaking, that you're rewinding back ONE or TWO seconds EACH time you use the VCR stop, thus resulting in ... overwriting footage, which would be bad, would it not -- and I am unsure whether this affects timecode or not.

Ken Tanaka · March 11th, 2004, 01:18 AM

It's a DESIGNED feature on all good camera to help prevent interrupted time code, something that could cause trouble during capture. There is NO CAMERA SAFETY ISSUE involved.

David Ho · March 11th, 2004, 03:57 AM

I understand that the PAUSE REC. is there to help prevent, like you said, interrupted time orsomething that cause could trouble during capture, BUT, my question was ... if there was a backspacing of 1-2 seconds each time of VCR stop (in which I frequently use, unfortunately) There would mean an excess of overwriting previous footage, even if its one or two seconds, right? When you stop it, it rewinds, so cutting off a second or two ...now would this be, in this case, bad for the tape or even the heads of the camcorder if its consistent?

Frank Granovski · March 11th, 2004, 04:06 AM

It wouldn't be bad, unless you stop and start every few seconds throughout the whole tape, especially with using cheap VHS tape.

Jeff Donald · March 11th, 2004, 06:35 AM

If the backspacing works correctly you won't loose any frames. The recording doesn't start at the point it backspaces to. Rather, it uses the one or two seconds to roll forward when you start recording again. Most times it will start recording at exactly the point at you left off. Rarely it will record over a frame or two or perhaps start a frame late and leave a TC break. But this is a very rare occurrence. If you are worried about recording over your last scene, record an extra four or five seconds at the end of the take, just like the pros.

David Ho · March 11th, 2004, 11:42 AM

Frank, I meant I was referring to the DV tape on the camcorder through GL2's "VCR Stop" function.

Jeff, what you have mentioned is fowarding, but whenever I see the backspacing, it is usually 1-2 seconds rewinded.

Chris Hurd · March 11th, 2004, 11:56 AM

That's perfectly normal, David, and it is not over-writing any video. When you press "stop," the tape disengages from the recording heads. The big loop of tape that the transport pulls out of the cassette in order to engage the heads, now has to go somewhere while the transport is fully stopped. So, it's rewound back onto the tape inside the cassette. Press "record" again and the tape is threaded back onto the heads, almost always precisely where you left off. If you're worried about that precision, use the "rec search -" button to back up a frame or two into your previous shot, preserving your timecode. And, always let your shots roll a few seconds longer than they need to. Hope this helps,

David Ho · March 11th, 2004, 01:34 PM

Ah.... I see. I forgot that when you press RECORD again, the tape is repositioned therefore if you pressed the VCR stop button, it'll rewind to one second, but it will go back as soon as you press record again?.... That's what you're saying, correct?

What happens if you record, then VCR stop, then eject the tape and put it back in..... it wouldn't get "repositioned" or realigned, would it? Because this is what I normally do. After I am done filming, I would just press VCR stop and then eject it.

Chris Hurd · March 11th, 2004, 06:18 PM

Ejecting the tape throws everything off. When you re-insert the cassette, while in rec-pause mode simply press the "rec search -" button to pick up the last frames from the previous shot and you're good to go.

David Ho · March 12th, 2004, 11:04 AM

Can you ever foward too much a frame while using the "rec search minus/plus" button therefore, breaking the timecode or making the casette realigned/messed up even further?

Chris Hurd · March 12th, 2004, 12:11 PM

Try it and see what happens. The "rec search" keys do not alter cassette alignment. They merely move the tape forward or back frame by frame. You have a GL2; experiment with the "rec search" buttons yourself. The best way to learn is by doing. Pretty soon you'll become an expert at it and we'll come to you with questions!

March 9th, 2004, 10:23 AM	#16
Alan McCormick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Chatham, UK Posts: 282	Cannot agree more with Chris's comments, I have had the XM2 since Oct 03 and have never had so much fun learning. Yes it is my 1st real Cam and what a learning curve, but an enjoyable one. I can now safely go out and shoot a reasonable video but have fallen over many times (not literally) and will continue to learn over the years to come. Get out and enjoy! __________________ Alan McC

March 10th, 2004, 05:14 PM	#17
David Ho Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 354	The thing I don't really understand is what, then, is the really the best method? It seems like there is are pros and cons to the REC PAUSE and VCR STOP. The rec pause being it's not good to pause long periods of time, but if you want to use VCR stop, there is backspacing involve which will erase 1-2 seconds off of the tape! Aghhhhhh! __________________ "Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."

March 10th, 2004, 09:50 PM	#19
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	David, there is no one best method. Different people have different shooting styles and methods. Try one and see if it works for you. If it does great, if not, then try another method. Eventually you'll find what works best for you. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

March 11th, 2004, 01:07 AM	#20
David Ho Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 354	Well... I think I'm not into the more which one is "best" or not... I am actually into which one is safer to the camera. I mean, if there is a 1-2 second backspacing.... that would mean, hypothetically speaking, that you're rewinding back ONE or TWO seconds EACH time you use the VCR stop, thus resulting in ... overwriting footage, which would be bad, would it not -- and I am unsure whether this affects timecode or not. __________________ "Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."

March 11th, 2004, 01:18 AM	#21
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	It's a DESIGNED feature on all good camera to help prevent interrupted time code, something that could cause trouble during capture. There is NO CAMERA SAFETY ISSUE involved. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 10th, 2004, 05:46 PM	#18
Andrew Hogan Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Canberra AUSTRALIA Posts: 169	David, Just use pause all the time when you are shooting. But if you are going to do a major changes to the scene that are going to take a long while (but you still want to be able to view the compostion while you are setting up the shot) then hit VCR stop and give the moving parts of the camera a rest. And as for your worry about 2 second rewind, thats easy, just shoot a few seconds of footage hit pause again and then VCR stop.

March 11th, 2004, 03:57 AM	#22
David Ho Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 354	I understand that the PAUSE REC. is there to help prevent, like you said, interrupted time orsomething that cause could trouble during capture, BUT, my question was ... if there was a backspacing of 1-2 seconds each time of VCR stop (in which I frequently use, unfortunately) There would mean an excess of overwriting previous footage, even if its one or two seconds, right? When you stop it, it rewinds, so cutting off a second or two ...now would this be, in this case, bad for the tape or even the heads of the camcorder if its consistent? __________________ "Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."

March 11th, 2004, 04:06 AM	#23
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	It wouldn't be bad, unless you stop and start every few seconds throughout the whole tape, especially with using cheap VHS tape.

March 11th, 2004, 06:35 AM	#24
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	If the backspacing works correctly you won't loose any frames. The recording doesn't start at the point it backspaces to. Rather, it uses the one or two seconds to roll forward when you start recording again. Most times it will start recording at exactly the point at you left off. Rarely it will record over a frame or two or perhaps start a frame late and leave a TC break. But this is a very rare occurrence. If you are worried about recording over your last scene, record an extra four or five seconds at the end of the take, just like the pros. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

March 11th, 2004, 11:42 AM	#25
David Ho Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 354	Frank, I meant I was referring to the DV tape on the camcorder through GL2's "VCR Stop" function. Jeff, what you have mentioned is fowarding, but whenever I see the backspacing, it is usually 1-2 seconds rewinded. __________________ "Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."

March 11th, 2004, 11:56 AM	#26
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	That's perfectly normal, David, and it is not over-writing any video. When you press "stop," the tape disengages from the recording heads. The big loop of tape that the transport pulls out of the cassette in order to engage the heads, now has to go somewhere while the transport is fully stopped. So, it's rewound back onto the tape inside the cassette. Press "record" again and the tape is threaded back onto the heads, almost always precisely where you left off. If you're worried about that precision, use the "rec search -" button to back up a frame or two into your previous shot, preserving your timecode. And, always let your shots roll a few seconds longer than they need to. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

March 11th, 2004, 01:34 PM	#27
David Ho Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 354	Ah.... I see. I forgot that when you press RECORD again, the tape is repositioned therefore if you pressed the VCR stop button, it'll rewind to one second, but it will go back as soon as you press record again?.... That's what you're saying, correct? What happens if you record, then VCR stop, then eject the tape and put it back in..... it wouldn't get "repositioned" or realigned, would it? Because this is what I normally do. After I am done filming, I would just press VCR stop and then eject it. __________________ "Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."

March 11th, 2004, 06:18 PM	#28
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Ejecting the tape throws everything off. When you re-insert the cassette, while in rec-pause mode simply press the "rec search -" button to pick up the last frames from the previous shot and you're good to go. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

March 12th, 2004, 11:04 AM	#29
David Ho Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 354	Can you ever foward too much a frame while using the "rec search minus/plus" button therefore, breaking the timecode or making the casette realigned/messed up even further? __________________ "Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."

March 12th, 2004, 12:11 PM	#30
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Try it and see what happens. The "rec search" keys do not alter cassette alignment. They merely move the tape forward or back frame by frame. You have a GL2; experiment with the "rec search" buttons yourself. The best way to learn is by doing. Pretty soon you'll become an expert at it and we'll come to you with questions! __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!