PAUSE record mode/rewinding during VCR stop?
 

Ok. I guess I didn't read the manual right, but my question now is that is the GL2 programmed to be on the PAUSE record mode all times? Wouldn't this hurt the head ware? I mean.... before I got the GL2, my old Hi8 camera just had STOP & RECORD. Now I also notice that the GL2 has a 5-minute auto-shut off in the PAUSE record mode. Is there anyway to make the GL2 just "stop and record" rather than "record pause, then record?" What is your guys approach to this? I got a GL2 a few weeks ago and now just started messing around with it and noticed the PAUSE record mode and auto-shut off.

In Pause mode you can start recording quicker then if the mechanism is stoped. If you are paused for too long it'll go to sleep or VCR stop mode and therefore preserving the tape and needless wear. If you need to setup your shot for a while then use the custom keys to go to VCR stop mode and that'll save wear and tear but just takes a little bit longer between you shouting: "Rolling" and "Action!"

I think pausing = more wear than anything? How do you make it so it just has VCR stop mode and record instead of the pause record + record?

You can only set the GL2 to go into full power-down or VCR shutdown. You cannot control the timing of either event.

But, honestly, I would not become anxious about this. I believe there are actually 2 stages to "Rec Pause". In the first seconds the tape remains threaded and in contact with the record drum. In the second the tape is actually unthreaded and relieved. This explains why restarting RECORD after only a few seconds on PAUSE is an immediate action. Conversely, pressing RECORD after a minute or two requires a couple of seconds while the tape is rethreaded.

Bottom line: fuggettaboutit. Just shoot and have fun with the darn thing!

Here's the thing. I'm new to this whole filmmaking aspect, so basically I have the camera rolling.

1. And when I shoot a scene, and someone messes up, I will just stop the record... Now should I just continue to record allowing continous recording or just press record button again making it stop? Which one would be the better of the two in terms of less head ware and such?

2. When I am in between a scene, I will just press the record button so it pauses, but when I am actually filming a scene, I will tend to wait and talk over with the actors and get things right until it's done....so the pause will be there, but now the PAUSE, if after 5 mins, will just either VCR shutdown or auto power off. And if I decide to actually manually put it on VCR stop (with the custom preset key), the tape rewinds like 2 seconds backwards...

Now I think this means I would have to plan my shoots 2-3+ seconds before AND after each scene or each take, right?

David,
Geez, you're greatly over-thinking this whole matter. Just press the red Record button to start and stop recording. Stop between takes. No, you don't have to plan the timing of takes. Just forget about it! Really.

<<<Now I think this means I would have to plan my shoots 2-3+ seconds before AND after each scene or each take, right?-->>>

Of course you should. Always allow more at beginning and end of shots. You'll be glad of the extra material in editing some day.
The same with pans. Allow about six seconds before and after pan. Then, if you don't want tbe pan later, you've got the two shots either side anyway!

Robin.

I mean... the thing is was when I was shooting, I was ultra confused. Usually, on my old camcorders the mechanism would be STOP and RECORD rather than pause or anything. And I noticed from recent threads that pausing is not good for the tape and the wear of the camera. Now, my GL2 is brand new (got it a few weeks ago) and I'm still figuring out things and trying to see it works. I've using the DVM63MQs for the best in quality and efficiency. It's just that when the tape is at the "VCR Stop" ... the clip tends to rewind or possibly foward itself a few seconds (noticable 2 or 3 seconds) which I then question because then I would really never know if I should just have it on continous recording at all times or not...

I guess it's just that I was use to the old ways of recording, but this pause record works -- I am just confused when I shoot because sometimes I just have to press my preset key to stop it so it won't auto shut-off.... Now would you say for *LONG* periods of time, have it on pause record or just VCR stop, and if so....how should I approach the 2-3 second rewind/foward that the VCR stops actually does?

Also, its neat that the GL2 remembers the timecode of the tape in how many it has been fowarded or rewinded up to a point. This helps tremendously so incase I am done recording and put the tape away, and come back to it, I know if the tape has been re-aligned so possibly causing a one or two second rewind/foward too..... :/

This is true. That's why cams shut down after 2 minutes or so, and that's why one should learn to operate the cam more quickly (get familar with it), and develop the ability or skill to know when to press pause and when to shut it off. One just learns to live with this shut-down saftey feature. Cams work just like VCRs: if there is no such safety feature, well, could you imagine how busy cam and VCR repair shops would be? :-))

When would it best to VCR stop instead of the pause record?

I just am wondering how should I approach the tape with the timecode cause everytime I eject the tape and put back the tape back in for .... the tape will never be in the EXACT same position, so that means I will have maybe (?) a 1 or 2 second either rewinded or fowarded position...right?

I don't use the time code, but maybe you need to, I don't know. I've never had problems with turning off the cam and then turning it back on to continue where I left off. I've shot videos like this and have never seen any gaps between segments. Sometimes I even rewind a bit, before shooting the next segment. It's not difficult, nor should it be troublesome.

Well, what I did was .... it was PAUSE record on say... 0:00:08 (8 seconds)...

then I click the VCR stop on the preset key, and I believe it rewinded itself to 0:00:06 or 7 seconds... I'm not sure, but when you click stop, you can hear the tape mechanism doing something ...

I just rechecked and I noticed that whenever I clicked VCR stop, the tape mechanism sound begins and then the timecode counter rewinds one second backwards.... is this normal?

Yes, it's normal, it's called back spacing.

Try not to sweat these things too much, David. The main thing is that you should shoot with the camera. That's really the best way, to learn by doing. All of the expert advice you'll find on our boards is completely secondary to just going out and using the GL2. If you're doing a carefully scripted project, always allow yourself some extra seconds at the beginning and end of each shot so that you can trim them down to just the right length when you're editing. The act of "editing in the camera" by making the shot length just right while shooting, can be an excellent excersize but I don't think you're quite ready for that. My advice is to follow the leads you've been given here, get away from the computer and go out and have fun with the camcorder. Forget about the how's and why's and just go roll tape and have fun while learning the GL2. Hope this helps,