Shoot tape or not
 

Hi there

Just a general question.. so far Iam always shooting tape and recording to Nano using HDX900.. when I first got the nano alot of people on this forum advised working this way on paying jobs.. as a peace of mind factor.

But now a few new firmware,s down the line.. would that advise still hold.. or Iam going through the trusting the nano stage..!! :)

So far no problems at all.. except not recording bars in 24p .. which was just a bit of a panic at the time..

Thanks

I'd say keep shooting to tape. The day you stop using tape will be the day the Nano fails on you!

Even if the Nano never fails, there's no harm in having an instant archive copy of your footage on tape.

I've had my Nano for about a year and I stopped running tape about 3 months ago as back-up. I couldn't be happier.

As a professional, my feeling is....I can't afford to take any chances when it comes to my clients. If I'm playing around on my own then that's another story.

Backup ...
 

It's always a good idea to have backup. I'd keep shooting to tape. I keep the SDHC files out of the EX3 as backup and record to nanoflash ... double recording is an important safety ability so that you feel confident that you can get and keep what you shoot.

If it were another card camera I would probably do it,as easy to just wipe that card.. but tapes either I carry the cost,as the client doesn't want tapes in the first place,or endlessly rewind shot tapes.. which Iam not keen to do in camera.... maybe putting dirt on the heads risking tape jobs which are all longer for me..

Or do what Ernie has done and go through the paranoid barrier.. :)

Maybe a half way is bring tapes with you.. so in case of error message.. meltdown etc.. one could ofcourse record and do the job.. and then try to record from camera to nano later.. or some other arrangement..

Iam I right in thinking that basically if the nano is recording with flashing red light and no error messages then all is well.. ie the nano either works.. or doesn't.. I know there can be intermittent signal problems.. but an error message will show on the nano..

On paying jobs, if you (or the client) can't afford $20 for a couple of tapes then there is something wrong with your pricing structure.

If, as you say, the clients don't want to pay for tapes, then make sure you draw their attention to the clause in your service agreement which covers you against equipment failure. That might convince them to cough up a few extra dollars so you can both have some peace of mind.

As for the constant rewinding; well if all goes well hoepfully you'll never need to do that!

Hi John

By rewind I meant re using tapes.. not having to rewind to record to nano.. yes I could just put the tape cost into the day rate.. and sure a couple of tapes here or there is nothing.. but what if its 20 tapes.. or even over a year 150 tapes.. then it adds up..
TBH I guess its more about trusting the Nano .. and if not.. why not.... is it just people of my age who are a bit unsure of images being recorded to this little square card..and who dont feel safe without a back up..

Over a year it can add up... but it can never be more than about $3-5 an hour. If you can't cover that, you're underselling yourself.

Trust it or not, when it's a paid job, you should be able to afford it. And it's better to be safe than sorry.

I always bring tape along as mentioned for a safety backup. But, I've not had to use them in my HDX900. What's the difference between using the Nano or shooting on a P2 camera??? No backup there. I guess, if I get burned using the Nano, then I would go back to double recording. Tape stock is quite a bit more expensive for DVCProHD. And my projects would usually require 15-20 tapes per project.

I just take my time and make sure everything is connected and set correctly. Also, I always spot check shots. (Oh, I do bring along extra power cables for the Nano as I've had one power cable go bad, not the Nano's fault)

Good point Ernie. I forgot that not all tapes are as cheap as miniDV!

You were referring to mini dv tapes..? I think there are some in the Sony museum here.. :)

I have just used my Nano to archive 350 odd Digibeta/SX/SP tapes to SD-IMX format from Sony vtrs. The unit has worked without a hitch. This has given me the confidence to go completely tapeless using EX1 or HDCAM 730 in the new year.

Hi Bruce

Interesting.. yes all down to confidence in the box..

Thanks

Thats the only "shooting insurance" you have. And for free.
I work with the EX-1 and always record on the SxS cards.
rafael