Previous Image « » Next Image

Buying Videotape

After you've shelled out several hundred dollars for an initial camcorder purchase, what other expenses can you anticipate? A spare battery, a camera bag, a tripod, headphones, maybe a microphone, and, of course, loads of blank videotape. Unless you bought a camcorder that records onto a disc or hard drive, blank tape is the one purchase that you'll have to make over and over again during your camcorder's lifetime.

So, what kind of tape should you get? How can you tell one brand from another? How do you know which tape is best for your needs? Is it really worth it to purchase the more expensive grades of tape, or are they really all just the same?

If you care at all about the kind of videotape you use to record your masterpieces - and we know you do - read on. We'll break it down for you in a few short pages.

But before we look at the specs, here are the three most important things to keep in mind when you are purchasing blank videotape:

• Buy only name-brand tape from reputable vendors.
• Buy the best grade of tape you can afford; the benefits are usually worth the extra cost.
• For best results and long-lasting videos, buy shorter tape lengths; 60 minutes or less is a good rule of thumb. Longer tapes have a tendency to stretch over time, causing faulty playback at the beginning and end of the tape.

If you stick to these three basic rules, you should avoid most of the problems associated with bad videotape. For more specific information on tape grades, tape formulations, tape formats, etc., read on.

Though there are many different manufacturing processes and materials used to make videotape, most brands, formats and grades of tape consist of four basic parts:

• The backing of the tape, which is usually vinyl, and textured so it won't slip as it moves through the tape path in a camcorder or VCR.
• An optional second layer of tape material bonded to the backing to give it additional strength.
• An adhesive of some sort.
• A fine, dust-like layer of magnetic particles, usually consisting of oxidized iron.

The quality of the videotape you find inside the cassette is a function of the quality of these four items, plus the methods used in manufacturing the tape. Note, however, that using high-quality videotape doesn't usually give you better resolution or a more colorful picture; it just gives you a more rugged product that won't break down or succumb to dropouts. (The main exception to this rule is ME tape; look for more on this later.)

Of course, the quality of the cassette itself is also important. Often, with a low-quality cassette, the two reels on which the tape is wound will have a tendency to freeze up and stop rotating, ruining the cassette and all video recorded thereon. Also, the outer shell of the cassette and the tape door need to be constructed of thick, rugged plastic to avoid breakage on those (hopefully rare) occasion when the tape gets dropped or otherwise knocked about.

Finally, the quality of the box or tape case is also an important factor. Some bulk tape providers don't provide a box or case of any kind. Most grocery store-bought T120 VHS tapes come in flimsy cardboard boxes; these are certainly better than nothing, but they do have a tendency to fall apart with repeated use. Other tapes come in plastic cases of varying quality. One of the chief selling points of professional videotape cassettes is the top-quality tough plastic cases they usually offer; this contributes greatly to the life span of the cassette.

Regardless of the videotape format your camcorder uses to record video, you're likely to come across a number of different grades of tape, manufactured by a number of different companies, and offered at a number of different prices. How's a videographer to choose?

As noted above, the tape's quality primarily boils down to the quality of the materials and processes used in its manufacture. Perhaps the most crucial of these is the type of magnetic dust particles affixed to the business side of the tape. Some tapes, for example, including almost all standard-grade 8mm and Hi8 tapes, have the letters "MP" in their name, which stand for Metal Particle. (This is a misnomer of sorts, as all videotapes use some type of metallic particles to store a video signal magnetically.) MP tapes use pure metal particles instead of oxidized metal, which results in a much greater ability to record and hold a signal. Another type of tape you'll commonly see is ME (Metal Evaporated) tape. The main differences between ME tape and MP tape are the quantities of metallic dust deposited on the tape (ME has much more), and the manufacturing technique used to bind the dust to the tape, a process called "vapor depositing." This results in two things that are of importance to the videographer: increased tape performance (even resulting in slightly better resolution), and decreased overall ruggedness and ability to withstand rigorous use.

Because ME manufacturing techniques don't utilize a coat of adhesive to affix the metal particles, these particles have a tendency to flake off, causing dropouts. Some manufacturers have tried to beef up the strength of their ME tapes through various technologies. Sony, for example, offers its "Diamond-Like Coating" to help preserve the integrity of its ME tapes. In general, ME tape is used for shooting (if at all), and MP tape is generally used for linear editing and storage.