I use a cheapy Sony MiniDV camcorder strictly for rewinding and capture, and as such, my more expensive cameras have little or no playback hours on them.
after a lifetime in tv / video, i'm still spooling my archive tapes at least one a year, as i did in the old days.
has tape changed that much? am i wasting my time?
i have had on occasions to pull shots from 10 year old dv tapes (always use / used the cheapest sony 'premium') - shot dv, and then dvcam when i got my original 150. and never had so much as a drop out....
With ME tape and digital video/audio not necessary as far as I can see. The old procedure was to wind tape at constant tension head out if it was being stored for archiving.