Probably should have tagged onto the earlier thread about tapes, but it was maybe veering off performance issues. I have followed Tape Topic posts over the years (although not recently until today) and would most agree in final practical analysis a fair summary could be: all "reputable" Mini DV tape brands (Panasonic, Fuji, Sony, etc) performed essentially the same in terms of tape quality for reliable and accurate image capture, tape transport mechanism and so forth?

The only real differentiation I saw was Sony using a so called "wet" lubricant and others using "dry" lubricant. That led to "theory" that use of Sony tapes required more frequent cleaning. I would also not be surprised to find threads saying there are only a few manufacturers of Mini DV tapes and these are sold under many different brands?

This is all based on threads in this forum as I am just a hobbyist and do not put professional type hours of use on my VX 2000.
I used Sony tapes with my old TRV-9 with no problems and have been using Fuji tapes with VX 2000 only because knowledgable person recommended them. As I buy tapes primariliy on spur of the moment (just in time to stripe and use) I am thinking of switching to Sony just because Fuji is not readily available in St.Paul, MN retail stores.

Dennis,
Yes, it turns out that there are relatively few actual tape manufacturers.

But, in practical terms:
1. Buy the best grade of tape you can afford in your chosen brand.
2. Try to stick with a single brand of tape (no pun intended).
2. Use a cleaning tape (any brand) before switching brands.

We were using Panasonic tape and had to constantly clean the camera and deck heads...switched to SONY...haven't had to clean a head yet after over a year of use...gave away over 200 Panasonic tapes...life is beautiful!

RB