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Best HD and SD Tapes for Canon HV30?
I’m an assistant producer. Lot’s of experience hiring, scheduling meetings and writing, but not much behind the camera. I’m trying to change that. To that end, I just bought myself a Canon HV30. Anyway, now it’s time for me to buy tapes and start experimenting and I find myself with 3 questions . . .
1. I’ve been told that once you buy a specific brand/type of tape, you should stick to it and not put any other tapes in a given camera.
2. Since the HV30 shoots in HD or SD it seems like I’ll have to use at least two different types of tapes if I want to shoot in the 2 different formats?
3. Can anyone recommend some good HD mini DV tapes? Do they need to be lubed or dry lubed . . . ? (as you can see I have no idea what I’m doing here).
Thanks very much.
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1 Reply
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[James Smith] “1. I’ve been told that once you buy a specific brand/type of tape, you should stick to it”
Some people swear by that theory (claming different types of lube turn into gunk), others say that it’s an old wives’ tale that you shouldn’t swap brands (that the different lubes theory is a thing of the past). Who knows? The safest thing would be to always buy the same thing, but if you have to use something different it’s not gonna kill ya.
[James Smith] “…seems like I’ll have to use at least two different types of tapes…”
No, not at all, you can use the same tape. I’d choose and settle on a brand of HDV tape, and use that for everything… SD and HD.
[James Smith] “Can anyone recommend some good HD mini DV tapes?”
Tape brand loyalty is a little like car brand loyalty… there are people who drive a Ford or a Chevy just because that’s what they’ve always driven, and wouldn’t consider the other. So, you’ll find hardcore Sony or Panasonic tape fans, etc. But really, it’s all workable stuff… just check out the selection available from wherever you buy tape (for example, we use Tape Resources in Virginia Beach), see what they have, and pick what you think will be best for you. I wouldn’t worry about the kind of lube in them… any will work.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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