Reusing Tapes at DVinfo.net

Paul Gallagher · May 23rd, 2007, 02:44 PM

I never re-use mini dv tapes accept to back up an event that they were used to film.

I now own a sony dvcam camera and it uses £20 184 min tapes. They are not cheap and I still use the mini dv camera as a second so I can still back up the event with these but I wanted to ask is it alright to re-use the bigger tapes and if yes how many times?

Thanks
Paul

Victor Kellar · May 23rd, 2007, 03:24 PM

I usually feel pretty comfortable doing a second pass on a full sized DVCam tape. Can't recall that I've ever had any significant probs with drop outs, etc.

Colby Knight · May 23rd, 2007, 03:28 PM

I'll put 2 passes max on my MiniDV tapes. In the last 100 or so tapes, I've had ONE dropout that lasted all of 3 seconds.

Mark Ganglfinger · May 25th, 2007, 10:08 AM

I stopped re-using tapes in my XL1s and GL1 years ago due to problems, but the problems persisted.
Posts on other boards have me convinced it has been the cameras all along, not the tapes. One poster claimed you could reuse a tape 100 times, I haven't had time to test this theory out yet, but it SHOULD be true! I have 20 year old VHS tapes that still work, but tons of Mini-DV tapes only used once or twice that are useless.

Mark

Jim Bucciferro · May 25th, 2007, 01:07 PM

Tapes can be bought cheap enough to not reuse them. I would worry about timecode problems. it's better just to have a fresh tape for each shoot.

Stelios Christofides · May 25th, 2007, 01:18 PM

When you buy new DV tapes do you use them straight away? I mean do you record the whole tape with the lens cap on and then use it or is it OK to just put it in the camera and shoot.
and another thing, how often do you guys clean the heads of your camcorder with cleaning tapes?

Stelios

Paul Gallagher · May 26th, 2007, 12:17 AM

The mini dv tapes can be bought cheap enough to not have to use again but the full sized sony DVCam tapes all run in the region of £16-£20, for that sort of money you would like to get 5 uses out of them with out any problems don't you think and use the second cameras mini dv tapes to back up the whole days event.

Rick Steele · May 26th, 2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Bucciferro

Tapes can be bought cheap enough to not reuse them. I would worry about timecode problems. it's better just to have a fresh tape for each shoot.

That's a pretty blanket statement. I'd say, when resuing a tape over again you know it's free from any manufacturer defects.

I use mine twice.

Mark Ganglfinger · May 27th, 2007, 06:08 PM

This is not the first place I have heard people advocate recording the tape from beginning to end before using it, and it makes perfect sense because when I use a camera as camera #2 or 3 during a ceremony and just let it roll, I hardly ever get a problem. It's when I do start and stop reception footage that I see problems.
The reason I have not put this theory into practice is that I am concerned it will wear the camera out prematurely, as I will now have twice the amount of wear for every tape I record.
Personally, I am just about ready to plunk down $700 for a firestore.

Mark

Ian Broadbent · May 27th, 2007, 06:29 PM

Paul

When I first started using S-VHS tapes, way back when, I never re used tapes. I figured that I charged the going rate and included the price of a 3 hour tape (about £10 per SVHS tape back then) in the price of the job. My own feeling is that the customer has paid for the tape stock so he/she deserves new tape.

I bought a firestore before my first wedding this year (Restarting after an absence) I still intend to use tape as a backup because I dont fully trust the firestore. but each wedding will get fresh tape stock because I budgeted for it in my pricing. I plan to shoot 3 or 4 hours of footage on each wedding.

I know its a bit on the preaching side but the customer deserves the best we can give, and if that means new tape stock then so be it Sorry if its a Utopian view lol

Ian

Paul Gallagher · May 28th, 2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Broadbent

Paul

When I first started using S-VHS tapes, way back when, I never re used tapes. I figured that I charged the going rate and included the price of a 3 hour tape (about £10 per SVHS tape back then) in the price of the job. My own feeling is that the customer has paid for the tape stock so he/she deserves new tape.

I bought a firestore before my first wedding this year (Restarting after an absence) I still intend to use tape as a backup because I dont fully trust the firestore. but each wedding will get fresh tape stock because I budgeted for it in my pricing. I plan to shoot 3 or 4 hours of footage on each wedding.

I know its a bit on the preaching side but the customer deserves the best we can give, and if that means new tape stock then so be it Sorry if its a Utopian view lol

Ian

I fully agree Ian with what your saying, but every wedding event is different.

I shot one on Saturday past with 2 cams, a catholic ceremony that included the brides house. The speeches lasted an hour and the ceremony 1hour 20 mins, I used 1 x 184 min dvcam tape and 2 x 64 min dvcam full sized tapes along with 5 mini dv tapes for the 2nd cam.

Its a lot of footage and I wil end up with 2 dvds with about 1 hour 45mins on each and I will back it all up onto the mini dv tapes but I would like to be able to use the dvcam tapes again as they are quite expensive, £50 worth in 4 dvcam tapes and £15 in mini dv tapes. Maybe I am just paying too much for the dvcam tapes, were is the keenest place to buy them apart from ebay?

Travis Cossel · May 28th, 2007, 05:39 PM

I only use tapes once. I don't blank-record them either. When I capture a tape I just capture the entire tape and edit in my NLE software, rather than capturing bits and pieces off of the tapes. Seems faster in the long run.

Jarrod Whaley · May 29th, 2007, 11:29 PM

I reuse tapes pretty frequently, I guess, and I can't say that I've ever had any problems. I've had a few nasty drop-outs on brand-new stock, though. I kind of have to agree with Rick.

Vito DeFilippo · May 30th, 2007, 12:10 PM

I reuse tapes all the time. Never noticed any difference between a new one and a used one. Just to be safe, though, after two or three passes the tape gets retired...

Jack D. Hubbard · May 30th, 2007, 09:01 PM

I don't re-use tapes. First because I archive everything I shoot under single subjects or sequences (so I can find it easily later on). HDV tapes are now under $10 and it is worth it to me to shoot on a tape once. It is something that I can also legitimately bill back to the client.

May 23rd, 2007, 02:44 PM	#1
Paul Gallagher Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Omagh Posts: 306	re-using tapes I never re-use mini dv tapes accept to back up an event that they were used to film. I now own a sony dvcam camera and it uses £20 184 min tapes. They are not cheap and I still use the mini dv camera as a second so I can still back up the event with these but I wanted to ask is it alright to re-use the bigger tapes and if yes how many times? Thanks Paul

May 25th, 2007, 01:07 PM	#5
Jim Bucciferro Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Shelton, CT USA Posts: 125	Tapes Tapes can be bought cheap enough to not reuse them. I would worry about timecode problems. it's better just to have a fresh tape for each shoot.

May 25th, 2007, 01:18 PM	#6
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	When you buy new DV tapes do you use them straight away? I mean do you record the whole tape with the lens cap on and then use it or is it OK to just put it in the camera and shoot. and another thing, how often do you guys clean the heads of your camcorder with cleaning tapes? Stelios __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

May 28th, 2007, 05:39 PM	#12
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I only use tapes once. I don't blank-record them either. When I capture a tape I just capture the entire tape and edit in my NLE software, rather than capturing bits and pieces off of the tapes. Seems faster in the long run. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

May 29th, 2007, 11:29 PM	#13
Jarrod Whaley Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: chattanooga, tn Posts: 721	I reuse tapes pretty frequently, I guess, and I can't say that I've ever had any problems. I've had a few nasty drop-outs on brand-new stock, though. I kind of have to agree with Rick. __________________ -->jarrod whaley. www.oakstreetfilms.com

May 23rd, 2007, 03:24 PM	#2
Victor Kellar Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Ontario Canada Posts: 239	I usually feel pretty comfortable doing a second pass on a full sized DVCam tape. Can't recall that I've ever had any significant probs with drop outs, etc.

May 23rd, 2007, 03:28 PM	#3
Colby Knight Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Huntsville, Alabama Posts: 111	I'll put 2 passes max on my MiniDV tapes. In the last 100 or so tapes, I've had ONE dropout that lasted all of 3 seconds.

May 25th, 2007, 10:08 AM	#4
Mark Ganglfinger Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hermon Maine USA Posts: 138	I stopped re-using tapes in my XL1s and GL1 years ago due to problems, but the problems persisted. Posts on other boards have me convinced it has been the cameras all along, not the tapes. One poster claimed you could reuse a tape 100 times, I haven't had time to test this theory out yet, but it SHOULD be true! I have 20 year old VHS tapes that still work, but tons of Mini-DV tapes only used once or twice that are useless. Mark

May 26th, 2007, 12:17 AM	#7
Paul Gallagher Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Omagh Posts: 306	The mini dv tapes can be bought cheap enough to not have to use again but the full sized sony DVCam tapes all run in the region of £16-£20, for that sort of money you would like to get 5 uses out of them with out any problems don't you think and use the second cameras mini dv tapes to back up the whole days event.

May 27th, 2007, 06:08 PM	#9
Mark Ganglfinger Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hermon Maine USA Posts: 138	This is not the first place I have heard people advocate recording the tape from beginning to end before using it, and it makes perfect sense because when I use a camera as camera #2 or 3 during a ceremony and just let it roll, I hardly ever get a problem. It's when I do start and stop reception footage that I see problems. The reason I have not put this theory into practice is that I am concerned it will wear the camera out prematurely, as I will now have twice the amount of wear for every tape I record. Personally, I am just about ready to plunk down $700 for a firestore. Mark

May 27th, 2007, 06:29 PM	#10
Ian Broadbent Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Fleetwood UK Posts: 69	Paul When I first started using S-VHS tapes, way back when, I never re used tapes. I figured that I charged the going rate and included the price of a 3 hour tape (about £10 per SVHS tape back then) in the price of the job. My own feeling is that the customer has paid for the tape stock so he/she deserves new tape. I bought a firestore before my first wedding this year (Restarting after an absence) I still intend to use tape as a backup because I dont fully trust the firestore. but each wedding will get fresh tape stock because I budgeted for it in my pricing. I plan to shoot 3 or 4 hours of footage on each wedding. I know its a bit on the preaching side but the customer deserves the best we can give, and if that means new tape stock then so be it Sorry if its a Utopian view lol Ian

May 30th, 2007, 12:10 PM	#14
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	I reuse tapes all the time. Never noticed any difference between a new one and a used one. Just to be safe, though, after two or three passes the tape gets retired... __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

May 30th, 2007, 09:01 PM	#15
Jack D. Hubbard Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Menlo Park, CA Posts: 342	Used tapes I don't re-use tapes. First because I archive everything I shoot under single subjects or sequences (so I can find it easily later on). HDV tapes are now under $10 and it is worth it to me to shoot on a tape once. It is something that I can also legitimately bill back to the client.