It was my son’s Bar Mitzvah (Confirmation) and I was thrilled that my brother-in-law was taking some videos for us.  This was in the middle of the summer and after the ceremony we treated our extended family to a cruise around the Islands of Maine.  What a glorious time and what a wonderful memory these videos would make.  All of my aunts and uncles were getting on in years and this was a great way to preserve our memories of them.

 

What I didn’t know then is that videos are not a reliable way to document anything that you want to preserve.  In fact, it is one of the worst methods you can use for preserving images.  What I have learned is that videos will only last 10 to 15 years before they start to deteriorate.  Pretty frightening isn’t it?  Although I am not an expert on videography, I have studied the preservation of videos and have learned from several experts in the field.  The results are all the same....The best you can hope for before videotapes deteriorate is less than twenty years.

 

Many individuals that own photographs are familiar with photographic deterioration.  Most photographs get either darker or lighter (depending on the photographic process) when they deteriorate.  This does not happen with videos.  Deterioration starts with “static” lines running across the image.....kind of like a video that is not “tracking” properly.  The problem is that you can not correct this problem with your tracking control.  This problem gets worse until it is very difficult to view anything.

 

By now you may be wondering what good is that new video camera that you just asked for as a Christmas gift?  Well, as long as you are aware of their limitations, video cameras are great for short-term viewing.  Videotapes are like movie films but they don’t last as long.  Therefore, one very practical use could be to take some videos of the children as they are growing and send them to the grandparents.  If visits are difficult because of long distances, sending these videos to the grandparents is the next best thing to being there.  Not only can they see the grandchildren, but they can hear them as well.  Videotapes are also very helpful when you transfer your slides or home made movies to them.  This frees you from taking out the slide projector and screen and setting this all up.  It also frees you from having to dig out the movie projector and threading it up.