SONY'S NEW PROFESSIONAL DVCAM VIDEOTAPE HELPS INDEPENDENT CINEMATOGRAPHERS TELL THEIR STORIES
Dual Active Magnetic Layer Reduces Dropout & Error Rates Compared to MiniDV
PARK RIDGE, N.J., Dec. 8, 2003 - "With this tape, we don't have to keep re-creating a scene, getting actors to do it the same way repeatedly just to have a `safety' or backup. That really affects how things go on the set."
That's freelance cinematographer Lisa Wiegand talking about her experiences with Sony's new DigitalMaster DVCAM videotape, which is designed for the independent cinema market. DigitalMaster videotape reduces the rate of dropouts by 50 percent or more and causes 90 percent fewer errors compared to MiniDV tape.
This translates to significant benefits in common independent applications, such as using a single camera to discreetly capture a scene or shooting documentaries, where there is no chance for a second take.
"Now, if we shoot a take and get a good performance, we're confident it's still going to be there when it's time to edit," Wiegand said.
Sony's DigitalMaster videotape is able to cut dropout rates in half due to tighter tolerances used during manufacturing. This not only provides directors and directors of photography with peace of mind when capturing critical footage, but also makes the post production process run more smoothly.
"Using higher-quality tape (such as DigitalMaster) results in fewer dropouts, and this allows me and my team to have more choices and more control during the editing process so we will not be constantly dealing with aberrations and technical problems," the Los Angeles-based Wiegand added.
Jerome Bongiorno, cinematographer/editor at Bongiorno Productions in Newark, N.J., agreed. "In documentaries, you've got one shot to get it. If there's a glitch over a talking head, how are you going to fix it? You can't. You can fix the audio, you don't see that. But a video glitch? Wow. That's a hard thing to fix."
Professionals can also rely on DigitalMaster to withstand the rigors of shooting in a range of environmental conditions. Magnetic tape is susceptible to expansion and contraction due to temperature and humidity variations, and excessive "shrinkage" can alter the position of recorded tracks. As a result, playback heads may not be able to accurately read information and tracking can occur. In addition, it impairs machine-to-machine compatibility.
Compared to MiniDV tape, DigitalMaster delivers 50 percent less tape shrinkage for increased physical stability under nearly any conditions. Rob Sweeney, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based freelance cinematographer who attended the recent Sundance Director's Lab, used DigitalMaster tape provided by the Sundance Institute, and was impressed with its flexibility.
"Some exteriors were in hot summer temperatures near 100 degrees and then some were in the mountains at around 35 to 40 degrees," said Sweeney, describing the various locales where he and his crew taped. "The extreme temperatures did not affect the DigitalMaster tape. We were able to shoot, cut and project digitally, and the images held up remarkably well when projected on a large screen."
DigitalMaster's ability to reduce errors by 90 percent, compared to Mini DV tape, is especially important to digital cinematographers shooting in native 16:9, where more information is recorded along the length of the track and there is a greater possibility for errors, or misinterpreted data.
DigitalMaster is manufactured with a dual layer of 100 percent magnetic material—unprecedented in a professional videotape—to deliver a 2 dB, or 20 percent, increase in carrier-to-noise (C/N) ratio, which is the distance between the maximum signal that can be recorded on the tape and the noise floor (or when no signal is present). Within this noise, errors may occur during playback because data may be masked and misinterpreted by the playback head.
DigitalMaster's higher C/N ratio, which equates to greater output and less noise, translates to more signal coming off the tape during playback to reduce the occurrence of errors and misinterpreted data.
The technology behind DigitalMaster further enhances DVCAM's Advanced Metal Evaporated (AME) technology to produce a tape that can withstand the rigorous demands of the professional's daily routine of constant shuttling and shooting in varying environments.
This Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating over the magnetic layer results in a surface 20 times harder than normal oxide tapes. DigitalMaster features 30 percent more DLC coating to provide an even greater level of durability.
Finally, a new package design for DigitalMaster makes it easier for professionals to organize libraries and find the right tape quickly. Available in mini and standard cassette shell sizes, the tape comes in a variety of lengths (32-, 40-, 64-, 124- and 184-minute cassettes), and is protected by an anti-static lid that shields the tape from debris. Cassettes are packaged in a secure locking album case to provide additional physical protection.
Editor's Note: For more detailed product information, your readers can visit www.sony.com/professional. To find the nearest Sony authorized dealer or service location, readers can call 1-800-686-SONY. For additional press information and digital images, please visit Sony Electronics' news and information web site at www.sony.com/news.
