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<P>FWIW- I shoot and edit professionally. I have been using a GL-1 to shoot and a zx-20 to capture my video to computer. I've been doing this for almost 3 years without any trouble.</P>
<P>I probably baby the camera and don't shoot anywhere as much as the number of students you have using the cameras. I've stuck exclusively to Sony miniDV tapes.</P>
<P>I usually make a dub of important source tapes by going firwire between the two cameras, but I've never had to revert to the backup.<BR><BR>About a year ago I bought a PD 150 as my personal camera and it also has had no problems. Again, I keep to one brand and type of tape just to avoid the problems.</P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: "Jo C. Ray" <JOCRAY@COX-INTERNET.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: "Macintosh Digital Video List" <MACDV@LISTS.THEMACINTOSHGUY.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>To: "Macintosh Digital Video List" <MACDV@LISTS.THEMACINTOSHGUY.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: [MacDV] Re: Canon XL1 Nightmare
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 06:21:14 -0500
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I teach Tv in a high school. 90 kids are using 3 GL-1s, one XL-1, a couple
<DIV></DIV>>of Panasonic EZ30s and two of the latest panasonic EZ (50"s?). All 3 chip
<DIV></DIV>>mini-dv cameras. I've had pixel and tracking problems since the first year.
<DIV></DIV>>(3 years ago for the canons.) I've sent them back to factory to be
<DIV></DIV>>readjusted, etc. Here are a few things I've discovered:
<DIV></DIV>>(1) Breaking the control track by turning the camera on and off during the
<DIV></DIV>>same shoot causes pixel/tracking problems. Leave the camera on if possible
<DIV></DIV>>for all the same shoot.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>(2) Do NOT take the tape out of the camera until you have captured the
<DIV></DIV>>video to the computer.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>This pretty much eliminates that problem. Trying to replay a tape which has
<DIV></DIV>>been out of the camera for any period of time is RISKY.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>NOW, I will say that I haven't had the problem with the panasonics. (There
<DIV></DIV>>are other things I don't like about them.)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>(3) Can't usually play tapes successfully recorded in one camera and played
<DIV></DIV>>in another.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Canon is always **puzzled** when I call them about theproblem--as if I'm the
<DIV></DIV>>only one in the world to have pixel troubles.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>BOTTOM LINE: Don't try to store anything important on mini-dv tape.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
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