Canon DV tape and Panasonic PQ
 

Hi, can you help me guys in selecting dv tape for my GL2? i've read from the other thread that they recommend panasonic PQ for GL2s, also on the other thread, they said that canon dv tapes are made by panasonic which is a 63PQ, can anyone attest this? if so, i may go with either of the two tapes if it is of the same feather. Thanks in advance for your advise.

I use the MQ series and use both the 63 minute and 83 minute lengths.

Leonardo, I use Panasonic 63min PQ's and have been happy; MQs are supposed to have a higher magnetic flux capacity and therefore less prone to drop-outs and better for longer-term archiving.

But the general opinion is that it doesn't matter so much which brand or even level of tape you use, as it does to NOT change brands because of incompatibilities in the lubricant residues that could clog camera heads. If a change in brand IS needed, then make sure to do a good head cleaning in between.

Ed, one thing to be aware of is that Panasonic tape lengths longer than 63 minutes are physically thinner tape...at least in theory, more chance of tape stretch or damage or drop-out.

Hmmm, never thought about this before, but I wonder which would be the greater risk of drop-out: shorter, thicker 63-minute tape using LP mode or the longer but thinner 83-minute tape in SP? Probably no objective answer available for that, but worth wondering about. Not often a concern for me, but sometimes folks need more than an hour of continuous recording to tape.

Uh oh, tape talk...

I use Fuji's in my GL2 and VX2100, I had some wierd issues when I first started with them in the GL2, the previous owner used Panasonic's, so I blame that on the old panny's, now all is fine.

I have used Fuji's in the VX since new, and never had a dropout, and never been prompted to clean the heads, for whatever that is worth...

The Fuji's only come in one consumerish package and format, and are one of the cheapest in my neck of the woods.