Dropouts!!! at DVinfo.net

Denny Gulvas · March 5th, 2010, 03:10 PM

I have only had this camera for less than a week and have noticed a few of the dreaded "dropouts". I have been recording onto a Sony`s HDM-63VG tape and have recorded "over" several segments while testing this camera. I would expect NO dropouts from a brand new camera like this and their top of the line tapes. Is the "recording-over" issue possibly the cause of the dropouts? Has anyone else experienced many during their recordings? I just got rid of a Professional DV camera because of a nagging "headclog" problem and now I`m experincing tape related problems with this camera! Can someone provide any answers or solutions, thank you.....

Don Bloom · March 5th, 2010, 03:25 PM

Recording over a tape can cause the drops or it could be the tape itself. Have you tried another tape to check it? I have found over the years I generally get 1 bad tape out of a couple of hundred unfortunately you never know which tape it's going to be which of course can be a problem, but what can you do.
If it continues, you might run a head cleaner thru it (follow the directions closely) as there might be some gunk on the heads even though it's a brand new camera. Things happen during the manufacturing process, so I guess anything is possible.

Dale Guthormsen · March 5th, 2010, 03:47 PM

The only time I have ever had drop outs on any of my canons or sony's has been on used tapes, even if they are stripped.

If its important I always use new tape!! I have not had a bad tape yet, touch wood, eh?

dale

Adam Gold · March 5th, 2010, 04:00 PM

Also, brand new cams are more prone to dropouts until the heads get "burnished." Should go away after about ten tapes. But I agree with the others -- never re-use tape.

Ron Evans · March 5th, 2010, 04:31 PM

The only problems I have ever had is with Sony expensive tapes. The straight DV tapes have worked flawlessly. Had the same issues with Hi8. Expensive Pro tape had dropouts consumer no dropouts. Should have learned my lesson but tried the 1 expensive HDV tape and had drop outs. Went back to the nice blue DV Premium tapes and have never had a problem !!!!

Dale Guthormsen · March 6th, 2010, 07:58 PM

I only use the blue premium sony dv tapes!!!

they are pretty rock solid.

Gary Janello · March 6th, 2010, 08:31 PM

I just finished a 16 hour filming on my FX1000 Sony using only the blue premium sony tapes. NO recording dropouts, but a couple times during playback capture I noticed a dropout, but when re-recording it, the drop out was gone. Very Happy with this camera!

Lukas Siewior · March 7th, 2010, 01:19 PM

I used my FX1000 for weddings last season and never had any issues with dropouts - and I'm also running on Sony's blue tapes.

Jeff Harper · March 7th, 2010, 08:54 PM

One of cams had dropouts, the other didn't. Still don't know what the issue was.

Denny Gulvas · March 8th, 2010, 07:33 AM

Thanks for all the input. The camera is now at a point where it will NOT even playback at all except for the "bluescreen" unless a headcleaner is run through! Sounds like "headclogs" to me which is exactly why I abandoned my old JVC DV-500... Only a few days old, I can`t and will not take chances, it`s going back for an exchange. From what I can see so far I do like this camera for filming wildlife but am a bit upset with this first experience!

Mark Goodsell · March 12th, 2010, 09:56 PM

Mine produced some intermittent drop-outs on the first couple tapes when it was new. I'd say 10-ish drop outs per tape. I was using JVC tapes, but switched to Panasonic PQ tapes. I never ran a head cleaner to it. I shot several tapes worth of footage last week. Problem seems to be resolved ..at least on the PQ tapes.

Mark G

Rob Morse · March 12th, 2010, 10:44 PM

I've used Panasonic tapes for years without a problem. I used to use the AMQ but switched to the PQ, due to the fact they are now just for archive (I use the MRC1)

Stefanos Lampridis · June 1st, 2010, 03:53 AM

When i shoot weddings i don't really notice drop outs, but when i do concerts drop outs are annoying to say the least...
In a three hour show i have at leas 5 to 10 dropouts.

I use Sony Premium tapes (the orange package with the black and red tape inside) and i have the camera over a year now.
I do clean the heads.

Any solutions / thoughts?

Leslie Wand · June 1st, 2010, 08:25 AM

i shoot on average 60+ tapes between nov and march every year (horse season) using ordinary mini dv sony tapes (premium - orange pack).

you can add another 40 or so the rest of the year.

i probably have had a maximum of maybe 10 drop-outs per 100 tapes shot - most of those probably caused by dust kicked up by the race horses.

my z5 has performed drop out free through maybe 70 tapes. however, i have just started using cf cards as well and using the tape as back up, so can't comment on the last 20 or so tapes...

BTW - ALWAY use NEW tapes. for what they cost you'd have to be pretty hard up not to.....

Stefanos Lampridis · June 1st, 2010, 09:47 AM

maybe it's a good idea to send it for a check then?

March 5th, 2010, 03:10 PM	#1
Denny Gulvas New Boot Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: DuBois, Pa. Posts: 22	Dropouts!!! I have only had this camera for less than a week and have noticed a few of the dreaded "dropouts". I have been recording onto a Sony`s HDM-63VG tape and have recorded "over" several segments while testing this camera. I would expect NO dropouts from a brand new camera like this and their top of the line tapes. Is the "recording-over" issue possibly the cause of the dropouts? Has anyone else experienced many during their recordings? I just got rid of a Professional DV camera because of a nagging "headclog" problem and now I`m experincing tape related problems with this camera! Can someone provide any answers or solutions, thank you.....

March 5th, 2010, 03:25 PM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Recording over a tape can cause the drops or it could be the tape itself. Have you tried another tape to check it? I have found over the years I generally get 1 bad tape out of a couple of hundred unfortunately you never know which tape it's going to be which of course can be a problem, but what can you do. If it continues, you might run a head cleaner thru it (follow the directions closely) as there might be some gunk on the heads even though it's a brand new camera. Things happen during the manufacturing process, so I guess anything is possible. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

March 5th, 2010, 03:47 PM	#3
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	The only time I have ever had drop outs on any of my canons or sony's has been on used tapes, even if they are stripped. If its important I always use new tape!! I have not had a bad tape yet, touch wood, eh? dale __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

March 5th, 2010, 04:00 PM	#4
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Also, brand new cams are more prone to dropouts until the heads get "burnished." Should go away after about ten tapes. But I agree with the others -- never re-use tape. __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

March 5th, 2010, 04:31 PM	#5
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	!! The only problems I have ever had is with Sony expensive tapes. The straight DV tapes have worked flawlessly. Had the same issues with Hi8. Expensive Pro tape had dropouts consumer no dropouts. Should have learned my lesson but tried the 1 expensive HDV tape and had drop outs. Went back to the nice blue DV Premium tapes and have never had a problem !!!!

March 6th, 2010, 07:58 PM	#6
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	I only use the blue premium sony dv tapes!!! they are pretty rock solid. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

March 6th, 2010, 08:31 PM	#7
Gary Janello New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Southern, Illinois Posts: 11	I just finished a 16 hour filming on my FX1000 Sony using only the blue premium sony tapes. NO recording dropouts, but a couple times during playback capture I noticed a dropout, but when re-recording it, the drop out was gone. Very Happy with this camera!

March 7th, 2010, 01:19 PM	#8
Lukas Siewior Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lyndhurst, NJ, USA Posts: 408	I used my FX1000 for weddings last season and never had any issues with dropouts - and I'm also running on Sony's blue tapes.

March 7th, 2010, 08:54 PM	#9
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	One of cams had dropouts, the other didn't. Still don't know what the issue was.

March 8th, 2010, 07:33 AM	#10
Denny Gulvas New Boot Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: DuBois, Pa. Posts: 22	Thanks for all the input. The camera is now at a point where it will NOT even playback at all except for the "bluescreen" unless a headcleaner is run through! Sounds like "headclogs" to me which is exactly why I abandoned my old JVC DV-500... Only a few days old, I can`t and will not take chances, it`s going back for an exchange. From what I can see so far I do like this camera for filming wildlife but am a bit upset with this first experience!

March 12th, 2010, 09:56 PM	#11
Mark Goodsell Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: WI Posts: 367	Mine produced some intermittent drop-outs on the first couple tapes when it was new. I'd say 10-ish drop outs per tape. I was using JVC tapes, but switched to Panasonic PQ tapes. I never ran a head cleaner to it. I shot several tapes worth of footage last week. Problem seems to be resolved ..at least on the PQ tapes. Mark G __________________ Mark Goodsell

March 12th, 2010, 10:44 PM	#12
Rob Morse Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 427	I've used Panasonic tapes for years without a problem. I used to use the AMQ but switched to the PQ, due to the fact they are now just for archive (I use the MRC1)

June 1st, 2010, 03:53 AM	#13
Stefanos Lampridis Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Piraeus Greece Posts: 28	When i shoot weddings i don't really notice drop outs, but when i do concerts drop outs are annoying to say the least... In a three hour show i have at leas 5 to 10 dropouts. I use Sony Premium tapes (the orange package with the black and red tape inside) and i have the camera over a year now. I do clean the heads. Any solutions / thoughts?

June 1st, 2010, 08:25 AM	#14
Leslie Wand Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: upper hunter, australia Posts: 1,410	i shoot on average 60+ tapes between nov and march every year (horse season) using ordinary mini dv sony tapes (premium - orange pack). you can add another 40 or so the rest of the year. i probably have had a maximum of maybe 10 drop-outs per 100 tapes shot - most of those probably caused by dust kicked up by the race horses. my z5 has performed drop out free through maybe 70 tapes. however, i have just started using cf cards as well and using the tape as back up, so can't comment on the last 20 or so tapes... BTW - ALWAY use NEW tapes. for what they cost you'd have to be pretty hard up not to..... Last edited by Leslie Wand; June 1st, 2010 at 07:40 PM. Reason: addendum

June 1st, 2010, 09:47 AM	#15
Stefanos Lampridis Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Piraeus Greece Posts: 28	maybe it's a good idea to send it for a check then?