Tape vs HDD for Underwater Discussion

[www.freedomfilm.com]

Without getting into FORMATS for recording could anyone help with any consolidated/researched info on HDD recording video cameras for underwater usage, or let me know what your experience had been like, what you are concidering or why...

Opinions on advantages, disadvantages, if the electronics might be more susceptible to corrosion? Salt air condensation issues? vs the complications with tape, moving parts and corrosion, opening the case every hour, etc.... I'm thinking a hi-cap battery and HDD based camera would really simplify things by removing the fact that I have to open the case and risk problems with a seal many more times in a day.

Thoughts?

I also wonder if repairs might be cheaper/easier on these than the ones with tape systems.... Just a thought.. Might help in the long term if there where problems. O it could be a lot more expensive. But that is a bit OT.

Anyhow, heading to Coz in Jan for some filming for a TV project, and Utila in Feb I think. Have been considering multiples of Canon HV30 for the image quality from that line (HV10, HV20 etc.). But I just spent a week training at Apple in the summer and am really liking the AVCHD import and capture process. So, I am thinking of buying several HG21's to hold me out until the Scarlet is available.

 

[Teamcasa]

Tape, I can always rip the tape to disk for backup for electronic transfer or storage.

If a tape fails on a dive trip, I may lose some footage but if a HDD fails, I've lost all of the footage on that drive.

 

[www.freedomfilm.com]

Good point, but the drive can be dumped to a backup just the same as the tape can be downloaded.

 

[Teamcasa]

True, but after each dive I don’t want to hassle dumping the drive, I just switch out tapes and I'm good to go.

Dumping the HDD requires access to a computer. Sometimes that's not practicable or convenient especially on a dive boat.

 

[Video rookie]

I'll stick with tape for the near future. Still too much change in the other media formats occuring.

Tape has a pretty good history, is fast to change out between dives, and does provide an backup to the computer capture.

Also, using tape allows me to travel without having to take along my laptop, since I just wait till I get home and play with it all then. With the latest carryon limits, I don't see how I could add a laptop without checking my housing or camera... and that is something I would rather not do.

 

[NAIBdiver1]

Does the HDD camcorder have a firewire port ?

 

[bfisher]

I'll stick with tape for the near future. Still too much change in the other media formats occuring.

Tape has a pretty good history, is fast to change out between dives, and does provide an backup to the computer capture.

Also, using tape allows me to travel without having to take along my laptop, since I just wait till I get home and play with it all then. With the latest carryon limits, I don't see how I could add a laptop without checking my housing or camera... and that is something I would rather not do.

My thoughts, too. Going on a trip entails carrying enough junk. Adding a laptop is just added junk. That being said, if I took my laptop I'd check that before m camcorder and housing.

Another side to this is that I don't open my housing svera times a day. Maybe once a day. It takes a lot of shooting to use up an hour tape in two to four dives in one day. Especially once you get some experience and start getting more selective about what comes along. And besides, I'd rather change out a tape and battery and get in another dive or a possible night dive instead of spending time on front of a computer.
Lord knows I get enough time on the computer here at home.

 

[www.freedomfilm.com]

You get can now get 15 hours of 24mb/sec AVCHD which can be uncompressed to Apple ProRes HQ or as required? Why would you have to open the housing. That's my point.
You transfer via USB2 which is just as fast as FW, and in this case is appropriate as you are transfering data, not capturing video so no dropped from issues. So, warm weather, hi cap battery, you would get several "tapes" worth in a non i-frame codec before you have to open the housing.

 

[super7]

If I must choose between tape and HDD, I'll probably go for HDD. But, if I can choose from any format, I'd go for flash mem based camcorders like the Sanyo DMX-HD1000.
Less moving parts, less trouble. But then, considering the price drop in SSDs, camcorders will probably have SSD instead of HDDs/tapes in the near future IMO.

 

[bfisher]

You get can now get 15 hours of 24mb/sec AVCHD which can be uncompressed to Apple ProRes HQ or as required? Why would you have to open the housing. That's my point.
You transfer via USB2 which is just as fast as FW, and in this case is appropriate as you are transfering data, not capturing video so no dropped from issues. So, warm weather, hi cap battery, you would get several "tapes" worth in a non i-frame codec before you have to open the housing.

This isn't something I would argue as I know nothing about HDD camcorders. My intent is just to give my view based on limited knowledge and see who says what so I might get more educated.

I guess what battery capacity you can get would be based on what camcorder you are using. Personally I would probably get a Sony as I prefer magnetic.electronic controls over manual, but that's me. Here again, I've never operated a housing with manual controls so can't make an objetive comparison.