Safe to mix Fuji tapes with Panasonic?
 

I think the answer is yes, but I just want to reconfirm:

I've always used Panasonic MiniDV tapes in my gear, but I've come into some Fujifilm "DVCassete" tapes. If I recall correctly, Fuji is the manufacturer for the Panasonic tape anyway (or is it vice versa?), and so mixing Fuji with Panasonic won't gunk up the heads of my camera/deck.

Is that right?

Why would you presume that just because Fuji may manufacture tape for Panasonic, these tapes are the same?

Which Panasonic tape? It all depends is the answer, and there seems to be a lot of confusion over which ones are the same, dry/wet, etc. That's why I don't mess around, I use only the same brand and type, because that seems to be the only way to be 100% sure.

Even mixing tape types among the same manufacturer can cause problems, for example Panasonic MQs and PQs.

The Panasonics I've always used are AY-DVM60EJ ME tapes.

The new Fujis are DVM60A ME tapes.

Robert. I don't know if mixing these will cause gumming/drop-outs. I never mix brands and types because I have seen problems first hand with doing this when I shot for people who have hired me with their cams and tapes. Also, most of the pros I know mostly use Fuji, but some use Pana, some use Sony. The ones that use Fuji say they've had the least amount of drop-outs with this tape. Another thing I've noticed over the years from cam boards is that people are always asking for help with describing a certain problem. Problem: gummed heads (they usually don't know this and just describe what they see---blocky footage etc); and when I ask what tape they are using, most of the time they reply with that they mixing tapes (with a list, of course). Sometimes people get gumming by just using a "cheap brand" of tape, like I did with JVC miniDV a number of years ago.