I always thought "camera tape" was a type of gaffer tape, albeit easier to tear (so have used it in place of gaffer) - however i was informed they are two different things. What are the differences and what would you use gaffer for?

Never come across camera tape before. Gaffer tape and duct tape look very similar but are very different in price with very good reason. Suffice to say, you want gaffer which is more expensive but doesn't leave residue, is much stronger and all the rest. What do you need it for?

I'm sure there are people that will tell you otherwise, but when I worked on film sets in the early 90's, the two terms were interchangeable.

The thin colored stuff was often called "camera" as opposed to "gaffer", but they were just thin, colored versions of the same tape found on the big, black rolls.

Gaffers tape is great. You should be able to buy it at most music stores. It is regularly used on stages for holding virtually everything together and keep cabling from lifting off the floor and other places.

I have it covering parts of my cameras. Leaves no residue at all. Its great stuff. 3M blue painters tape is good too. However, that will leave a slight residue after about 2 weeks or so.

Camera Tape is a matte black opaque tape used primarily for sealing film mags and cans in motion picture work, or anytime a light tight seal is wanted. Also used to eliminate reflections

Gaffer's Tape is the universal tape used for sticking things down and together by Gaffers(MP industry's handyman) and electricians, and while it looks like duct tape, it's much easier to remove and is grey not silver.

Camera Tape is more like a black masking tape and Gaffer is heavier duty containing a threaded cloth.

Gaffer comes in many different colors from Red, Green, White, Black, Gray ect....

Camera is typically only black but I have seen colors to mark shot and unshot spools of film.

Translating from elsewhere: "if it moves and shouldn't -> gaffer's tape, if it doesn't but should -> WD-40".

Denis K

If you want the "good" stuff that sticks even better and leaves less residue than gaffer tape look for "finishing tape" ... it's very similar to gaffer tape look wise, but will even hold together things like fabric as well (good luck on that with gaffer tape) and it leaves even less residue behind when you're using it on cables, etc and you don't want that sticky goo on your gear.