Good DV Tape for XL1S

I just bought a new XL1S and am using a Canon DVM-E80.
It is not easy to find a Canon tape locally.
I know I can buy 80 min tape from zgc.com.

Do you recommend any other brand's 60 min DV tape with same quality as Canon tape? Where to buy?

I heard I need to clean the head with a head cleaning tape
before I switch to the different brand to clean the lubricant from
the previous DV tape.

Canon tape is Panasonic tape in a canon wrapper, thanks for your dv200 reply to my dv capture question.

Jerry

Panasonic MQ Masters are great tapes -- they use a dry lube.

I'd avoid 80 minute tapes like the plague!

Vic

I've used Panasonic and Fuji tapes for years with no trouble. I've also used the 80 min Panasonic tapes (SP mode only) with no trouble. (Vic, what do you know that I should know? Plague is a really bad thing.).


There are several reputable online sites that sell tape. Here are a couple that I've used:

www.tapeonline.com
www.tapeguys.com

Ha! Maybe just a tiny plauge!

I've had an 80 min cassette get wound up in the mechanism before. It's a little thinner than the 60. Might have just been a coincidence, but it made me "goosey".

Taperesources.com is also a good place for tapes (even though it's not one of Chris' sponsors!)

I'm going to try one of the Firestore boxes to attempt to go "tapeless". Much longer record time.

Vic

I, too, am antsy to try a tape-less session. But I just have this cold-sweat vision of stopping the cam after shooting some irreplaceable footage only to turn around to see some nasty, flashing error light on my otherwise cold recorder.

Until Chris put me onto the Firestore, I was ready to spring for a DSR-11 so I could do l-o-n-g DVCAM tapes. I'm still considering it.

I share your concerns, but these days I get the same cold chill waiting to see what kind of disaster is residing on the internal tape (banding, drops, etc.) Shooting theater, I almost always shoot 2 performances to make sure I get useable footage.

Vic

The Sony "Excellence" are the best tape you can buy.

B&H will tell you the same.

I am using Canon DV tape.
If I switch to Panasonic or Sony tape,
do I have to clean the head with a head cleaning tape
to avoid the mixing lubricants from two different tapes?

You'll get an amazing variety of opinions on this, and there have been several discussions on DV-L, etc.

The consensus seems to be that you should stick with one tape manufacturer. There have been various reports of mixing tapes causing problems, but I'm not sure that's the case anymore. I've heard that wet lubes, such as Sony, don't mix well with dry lubes, such as Panasonic (Canon). There's enough emperical evidence, though, that I don't mix tapes.

Bottom line, I'd find one you like and stick with it.

Vic

Can anyone tell me the best tape stock to use for the canon XL1? I am shooting a feature and would like to know your experiences. I have used Canon and the Panasonic pro tapes.

I use sony's only. I have found that with dv it is best to find one brand that you like and stick with it as switcing between tpae brands can cause head clogs.

I believe that Canon's tape -is- actually Panasonic, simply rebranded. I use the Panasonic brand myself. With respect to Aaron's remark concerning head clogs from mixing brands, this is largely anecdotal observation but seems to be valid. Panasonic uses a dry lubricant in their cassettes whereas I believe that Sony uses some type of light fluid. When switching brands it's generally recommended to use a cleaning cassette before inserting the 2nd brand of tape into the camera.

The way i see it- Canon has probably logged alot of time into testing various DV tapes and rebadges Panasonic tapes as their own...I'd say using any of the better Panasonic tapes would be the best and safest bet.

I've been using the Panasonic DVM60E tapes and have had ZERO problems.

Good luck.

Good to know. I do like the Panasonic Pro's. I was not aware Canon re-labeled panasonic as their own. Is there any specific cleaning cassette recommended?

Ditto, Steven, I just stick to the Panasonic tapes. No problems ever.

I hardly record to tape in miniDV, but I've been doing ok with Maxell. Just the basic two or three packs for about $8/tape.

I use D8 via firewire to Maxell straight 8mm tapes and have had really good luck. ( I think it's the format [tape speed, width, track pitch] that helps, but since I've had such incredible luck [like, 3 cleanings over 200 hours] which makes me want to stay with the Maxells)

If I ever shoot enough IN the cam, I'll post my results.

PS. It makes me wonder if the "lubed" tapes might save head life? Then again, if the lube rubs off, forcing abrasive head cleanings, perhaps the opposite is true?

All tapes are indeed lubed, except some use a dry formula and some use a wet formula and therefore you should not mix different brands. My advice is to pick either Sony or Panasonic and stick with one or the other. as for myself, I use Panasonic. It's true that Canon's tapes are actually Panasonic (Canon doesn't make tape, they just repackage it).

I use Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ ( Just under $5.00 ea.), and have since day 1. In a recent article (I'm not sure if it was DV magazine or Computer Videomaker). They said much the same thing. Different tapes use different lubrications. To mix and match will cause the heads and rollers to gum up.
However, they also added another possible drawback- Different tapes will have different thicknesses, posibly causing the heads and rollers to wear wrong.
Keith

There's been alot of discussion about sticking to one type of tape with the XL1. What about if you do but have to go back and use the XL1 to edit old tapes of different types? Should a cleaning be done before each tape change?

I just bough a few cases of the PANASONIC AY-DVM63MQ. I paid only $7.99 ea / Canadian. It's a very good price here in Canada for a high grade mini DV tape. I love them from the tape quality to their quality case. Puchased at The Tape House in Burnaby (for those who live around here).

I think the people who switch brands, clean after every switch, to avoid cross lubricant contamination of the heads and tape path. I would recommend if you switch alot get a professional cleaning more often because the cleaning tapes don't do a great job on the tape path.

Jeff

Thanks for the tip Jeff!

I plan to stick with my new Panasonic tapes from now on but I have to finish some editing with my previous Fuji tapes.
There's been a few glitches with them but I never seemed to have problems with Panasonic. I'll use that head cleaner inbetween.

What about the Canon brand DV tape? Anyone have any pros/cons on that?

Thanks!
Jason

Canon does not make their own tapes. They are probably made my Panasonic or Fuji. At one time, Fuji made most of the Pro Panasonic tape. I don't know if they still do or not.

Jeff

Well I did a production with my new Panasonic tapes and all the footage looked great! I found no glitches inbetween pauses!
I'm really happy with the Panasonic AY-DVM63MQ! (and of course the price)

DV cassettes in the Canon wrapper are indeed made by Panasonic.

Hey all!

Any thoughts on the Sony pr60 tapes? I have heard good things about them?

Thanks!
-SL

Nothing wrong with Sony PR (premium). Any Sony or Panasonic tape should work just fine, just don't switch between the two and try to stay away from the cheapest consumer grades within each brand. Lots of folks use Sony PR.

I just called BH Photo and was told that one can create real problems with the XL-1 if one uses different tape brands. Is this true? I have been using TDK, Sony, and JVC and not had any difficulty yet. I don't want to throw out all my TDK tapes - about 5 are brand new.

Also is this problem also likely to show up with the Sony DSR-11 Video cassette recorder?

The general advice is not to switch brands, but stick with one brand of tape.

This is basically true. Use the Search facility here and you'll find miles of lengthy threads on this topic.

Go here and also read its links:

http://www.dvfreak.com/tape.htm

I started with 6 Sony tapes, I then purchased 20 Panasonic MQ63 tapes (highly recommended by many DVi users)and don't plan on changing ever again.

I stay with Sony,,,

I've just picked up my new XL1S and the fellow threw in two boxes of Sony DV Excellence (DVM60EX2) tapes with it.

on the box it says "Ideal for LP" and I have no intention of ever shooting anything in LP speed.

What's the best tape out there in your opinon?

Thanks in advance!

You are going to find a very wide array of answers on this topic. I personally use Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ. The decision was based on STRONG positive comments from here. I do not know much about the Sony tapes you were given.

I use the same tape above. I have used Sony w/o problems too.

The important thing is to stick to one brand. Switching brands can cause tracking problems unless you run a pass of the head cleaning tape.

I used Fuji

I use Panasonic, because Paul Sedillo paid me for a gig, and his company only uses Panasonics, and I paid to have my camera cleaned, and I don't want to that again. Also, those blue and white tapes are just so pretty!

I use Sony DVCAM minitapes as I master to DVCAM and like to stick with one type of type throughout production.

I have NEVER had a drop out, the mechanism is more robust, the quality control higher and the cases are more robust too.

Regards.

Panasonic here too. And whilst it's best to stick to one brand don't be to worried if you have to use another every now and then. What is worst I belive is to keep switching between brands all the time. Over the years I've used mainly Panasonic with a few Sony tapes here and there, and even a low grade TDK, don't ask.

Can you use DVCAM with a Canon XL1s? I thought you couldn't.

Yeah, you can use DVCAM tapes. It still records in miniDV format though.

DVCAM tape is the same physical size and cassette as MiniDV. The main differences are quality control, and in some cases slight differences in formulation. You can use DVCAM tape if you want to pay the extra price. Soem folks shoot DVCAM mode on standard MiniDV tape. Tape wise, 40 min DVCAM = 60 min MiniDV.

The worst probably scenario is to use one brand of tape for a long period and then switch. The different tape may cause the characteristic deposits left by one brand to shift or break free causing a head clog.

I use Panasonic DVM60EJ for the most part in my camcorders. Works for me and the price is right.

<<<-- Originally posted by Josh Bass : I use Panasonic, because Paul Sedillo paid me for a gig, and his company only uses Panasonics, and I paid to have my camera cleaned, and I don't want to that again. Also, those blue and white tapes are just so pretty! -->>>

And look at you now Mr. Bass, a venerable babe magnet! All thanks to a simple tape switch.

I shoot nothing but Fuji.

Went through dozens of tapes without a problem. So far. Knock on wood.

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions

I use panasonic in my Xl1 sony excellence or dvcam in my pd100a/pd150 (pd150 when they loan it to me) so far no problems, the biggest thing seems to be find one and stick with it...

michel

I use Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ's for shoots in my XL1S and I keep my History Reel on a Panasonic AY-DVM63MQ.

However, I have now, for the second time experienced a problem. When I went to a pro post-production facility to record v/o and do the final mix, they only had Sony DVCAM VTR's (didn't get the model #). So my edit was recorded onto my MQ in a Sony deck. Plays back fine in the Sony deck but when I try to play it back from my camera (don't have my own VTR) there is no audio and the picture does like a strobe effect. (I'll have to try to find the right forum for this problem).

The first time I had a similar problem, they made me a copy on a Sony tape and it played back fine through my XL1S.

Guess that throws a spanner in the works. Still, the PQ's (shot about 15 hours on them) work great.

I only use FUJI ME. Been using it for over two years and never a problem. I used it from cold temps. to the Amazon. Low humidity to 100% humidity. Never had a problem or a jam. Bob Safay

I too use Fuji. Here's a bit about miniDV tape.

http://www.dvfreak.com/tape.htm