60 minute tape
 

This may be a dumb question but I can't find any other discussion about it. I'm shooting a wedding on the 22nd with my xl1s. I'm worried that the wedding is going to be longer than my tape. Any suggestions?

Buy several tapes and swap them at a non-crucial moment.
Make sure to have your tapes unwrapped and labeled before hand. This will save you time.

If you had 2 cameras running, then swapping a tape wouldn't be an issue.

You can buy 80-minute tapes.. They work OK, even for long weddings and should run from the processional to the exit of most ceremonies - just plan on using them onec to be safe. Check with the venue and officiant to see what the timing will be. If a tape change is indicated, have an audip recorder to meaintain continuous soundtrack, and sure to shoot some out take footage (panthe crowd, swtain-glasss windows, pan of the program, etc.) that you can use to cover the tape change if needed.

Using 83 minute tapes, we've never run out of tape even on full-mass Catholic weddings.

I didn't have that much of a problem even with the 60s. I do all pre-ceremony shots on one tape, then swap tapes just before the ceremony with no problems.

No, I don't like to shoot weddings, but my wife volunteers me now and then.

I wonder if, like in audio, the tape width gets thinner as the running time gets longer.

In cassette world, we would avoid 120min cassettes at all costs because the rate of breakage from the thin and stretching tape was so high.

If so, stick to the 60min and switch just before the new father in law falls drunk face first into the cake. It's a scene stealer.

The 80 min tape is a bit thinner, width is the same. Have not read of folks having problems the way they had with 120 min audio tapes. but still probably best to be conservative and use once. But cost alone is a reason to use 60 mintapes. The 80s are significantlymore costly.

Also, going from 60 to 80 minute tape just might act as a tape brand change as far as deposits go due to the somewhat different mechanical properties. Hos anyone run into thisas a possibel reasonm for dirty head symptons while using the same barnd of tape?