I recorded around 200 hours on Mini DV tape over a ten year period in 30 countries, covering mostly hostile events. I used a Sony Video Camera, HVR-A1P HDV 1080i Mini DV. It was the most reliable piece of gear that I could get; the batteries lasted for ages, and I always had three fully charged with me. The tape was excellent as you could just stop and start as and when needed, which, in my opinion, is the beauty of film. No matter where I used it, whether in humid jungles or in a film about the -0ºC temperatures in northern Afghanistan, the Sony worked in all extremes. It was my go-to video camera.