When shooting a Wedding over 60 minutes?

[Jeff Carpenter]

Is this DV?

You can buy an 83 minute DV tape.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=240000&is=REG

The tape is a little thinner so they can fit it all in there. You shouldn’t use them as master edit tapes because of that, they may wear out faster over the years than a regular tape.

But I’ve used a ton of them as shoot tapes and I’ve never had a problem. It’s certainly a lot better than shooting in LP mode.

[Ralph Hajik]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the information. That will ework just find. Another solution is to invest in the FirePro so I can record tapeless.

Ralph Hajik
Westmont, IL
Canon GL2

[Tom Maloney]

one of the reason I use a Panasonic DVC200, can shoot up to 3 hours

good luck

Tom

[Doug Graham]

Solutions:

– use 83 minute tapes
– record in LP mode (not recommended. The use of LP can increase the chances the tape will not play in a different deck or camcorder)
– use a Firestore or other disk recorder
– and the cheapest of all: Simply stagger tape changes between your front and back cameras. Make sure the other camera has a good, steady shot for the 30 seconds or so it’ll take you to change tapes. This requires that you have access to your camera, of course…you might not be able to service an unmanned camera on the altar.

Regards,
Doug Graham

[Mark Postma]

One more option may be to use a remote to pause the front camera during times you don’t need the shot. Granted, you can’t track how much record time is left remotely, but you could stagger WHEN you are recording if your remote has a long enough reach.

Postal

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

Can’t believe nobody mentioned this one:
A slick trick is to connect the first (A) camera via FireWire to a second (B) inexpensive home-video-type DV camcorder with a second tape at the ready (B will be in “VTR” mode so it will “see” the video/audio from the A camcorder coming down the FW).
After set-up, power down the B camcorder until just before you need it.

Have a volunteer helper stand-by at the 1-hour point and turn on the B camera and put it into RECORD just before the tape in the A camera runs out (you’ll have an “overlap” for a couple of minutes on both tapes).

I have several inexpensive Dv camcorders that I bought at pawn shops for under $200.
These work great as secondary record “decks” for this kind of location need.

The VIDEO/AUDIO quality on the B camera will be IDENTICAL to the A camera because all you are using of the inexpensive camcorder is the “tape deck” section and not the image section.
It will appear that you simply were able to record for 2 hours on the same camcorder.

(And I’ll chime in again with the “NEVER use LP speed” for anything at any time. It is UN-reliable.)

[Ralph Hajik]

Hi Matt,

If your shooting the event by yourself, I beleive that you would power up the B camcorder and put it on pause until you need it. Trying to capture with a cam in hand and a remote inyour pocket, I guess that will work. Maybe the 83 minute or the Firestore Pro 4 would work just as good.
Guys, Thanks for the options and happy videotaping.

Ralph Hajik
Westmont, IL

[Doug Graham]

Not on pause! The camcorder will shut off automatically after about five minutes to prevent undue wear on the tape.

Regards,
Doug Graham

[Vito Defilippo]

Do weddings where you are last so long? Here in Montreal, I change the tape just before the bride’s entrance to the church, press record, and let it go. Not once in 30 weddings have I had to change the tape before they exit the church. Even with Italian catholic weddings with communion…

I suppose if I had to, I would just change it during the signing, or during the communion. I always cut those short in the editing anyway. Do you really need to chain on another camera, look for volunteers, etc? Great idea to fix the problem, but a bit of overkill IMHO.

I use the Panasonic 63 minute tapes.

[Peter Ralph]

Here in Colorado I have had Catholic weddings extend to 60-75 minutes 3 times. Two of those times I was told the wedding would last for 45 minutes, 60 minutes max! If a wedding is scheduled to go over 45 minutes I run 83 minute tapes. Cheap insurance