FAQ
Misconceptions
Tapeless format leaves us with no masters
We are all used to working with tapes and any change will always take some time to get our heads around. Sony, Panasonic and all the major manufacturers are going tapeless with their next generation of cameras, because as with the digital stills market it makes sense both in terms of time, cost and flexibility. There are already a number of cost effective back up and archiving solutions available on the market and costs are falling on a daily basis.
The reality is that hard drives rarely fail and even when they do data is usually recoverable. CF Solid state memory is even more reliable and when working in the field far more robust and practical in terms of size than any HD tape format. When working with tape you would rarely be able to easily back up and review your footage with a laptop in the field.