No engineering logic here, eventvideoguy, but just my opinion based on some perceived logic: I think it has to do with the smaller, thinner tapes, and all the smaller elements inside the camera that work with the tape to get the signal.
On average, I’ve had good luck with my Canons over the years mainly due to the painful learning experience I outlined previously, and now doing pretty much a similar routine as Don points out. My cameras get several hours of work laid on them weekly, so considering that amount of usage compared to the average consumer I guess this represents pretty decent mileage overall.
The tapes, and systems while not nearly as clunky as the older systems, are simply not as robust, and while still pretty sturdy considering the use and abuse they can experience are more susceptible I think to the elements. A microscopic bit of dust on a VHS or High 8 system could be considered a golfball or boulder in the smaller units.
