Sony, Panasonic, or Fuji seem to be the most popular. If it's critical get the highest grade you can afford. I use Sony Master Grade, others use Panasonic MQ/PQ. The biggest thing to tape reliability is choose a brand and stay with it as switching tapes can cause head problems due to different tape lubricants.

Thank you
 

Adrian,

Thank you for the information about tapes. I wouldn't have ocnsidered the problem of using different tapes (with different lubricants) and the problems that would cause.

Thanks again!


Mike

Sticking to one brand of tape is one of the golden rules of DV cameras. If you change tapes you can get problems like drop-outs, banding, poor picture quality just to mention a few.

This is probably the most often posted question on DV Info. A key word search, using the search button in the upper right corner of this window, will reveal many threads on this topic. Happy reading. One thing to keep in mind is that statistically the sampling of opinions in the various posts is too small to be relevant. But almost all users have good experience following Adrian's advice to not switch brands.

For what it's worth, when we had a serious digital break-up problem with our xl1, we called the problem in. The FIRST question the tech asked:

"Are you using Sony tapes?"

As it happened, no... fuji, but the problem was a tape head alignment and was repaired by Canon. So, be advised that Canon Support thinks there MIGHT be a problem with SONY tapes.

Decisions, decisions!
 

Thanks to all who have responded. It seems that sticking with one brand is an absolute requirement. I will avoid Sony until I hear otherwise.

The other day I got my 10-month old XL1s to a Canon service center. In total I probably used my camera about 30 hours, maybe 35. I dropped it off at Canon for general check before starting a big production.
Coming back there a week later they charged me US$600 for replacing the video heads as well as the tape holding mechanism.
They told me that the damage was caused by using Sony tapes. They’re too soft and even the Sony Excellence tapes (the ones I was using) smear the video heads.
They recommended Panasonic tapes and told me that Canon mechanisms are all tested with Panasonic tapes.
Why don't they use their own brand???
A week later another Canon contact advised me not to use Panasonic. He recommended TDK.

Looks to me that nobody really knows what’s the best tape to use in order not to damage your camera. US$600 after 10 months of use?!?! Doesn’t seem right, does it?

Maybe somebody knows more about it or somebody got reliable test results?
Hope to hear from you, great site, wonderful reference, thanks!

I SWEAR I will not make a joke about the smearing of lubricants on heads. :::Sits on hands, bite down on wooden spoon handle:::


That aside.


I use Panasonic AND Sony. I guess I need to stick to one, now.

I just love fuji.......

no probs, good image quality, and colours just fine too.

Canon does not make tape. At one time they were rebranding Panasonic tape with a Canon wrapper, at another time they were packing a Panasonic labeled tape. Not sure what the story is today.

My wife's cousin is a professional photographer and videography, mainly shooting weddings. He also owns a photo shop/studio. He swears by Fuji miniDV for his XL1. So do I.

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

Hi Cristoph.

Something is wrong. After 30/35 hours of camera use they change video heads and the tape holding mechanism? Where you experiencing any problems with the camera? If not, I think you were ripped off.


About tapes, I use Panasonic MQ and PQ and have been a happy customer. And I reuse my tapes, wich is considered a bit of a "sin" in the video community.

Best regards,
Arnaldo

I've been taping at LP on Sony tapes for over 3 years on the XL1. - Never had any problem with the speed. I shoot events and really need the 90 minutes. Once in a while something comes up where I need more time and I've used the panasonic 80's. Apparently a big mistake.

There's an event that runs just under 2 hours every spring, - every May I go to the Canon service center shortly after the tape switch. I never connected the two until reading the messages in this forum. Light bulb time. (By-the-way, they charge me a flat $254.40)

Now, I bring my full size deck to the shoot, - fortunately it's tripod time. Just firewire to the 180 min. deck (sometimes I put in a DVCam tape and get an extra hour), not Firestore, but it works. Still have to capture to Premiere.

Oh yeah, I use my mini DVs 5 times for actual events then use them for set ups and misc. At around 15 recordings I dump them.
No problems so far (Well, except for those times after the tape switch.)

Hey, maybe I won't have to hit the service center this year! Nah, I'll probably do the annual $254. just for peace of mind.

Brad Tyrrell

SP or LP Tape
 

Ok.....

Another can of worms....

I've searched for this and read peoples' posts....but can't find a definitive answer to the question:
What real difference does using LP over SP have when using Mini DV?

I've used both SP and LP...and I really can't see any/much difference whatsoever...!

Aren't we recording digitally anyway, so therefore the information is still the same...?!

Please help....
I really DON'T understand why I should ALWAYS use SP for recording...!!!!

Thanks

I'd like to know too
 

This is not an expert response but I think what you say is more or less right. If everything is working perfectly, there shouldn't be any difference between SP and LP mode.

BUT, given the fact mini DV is so prone to drop outs, artie-facts(sic) and other nasties, why take the risk of making matters even worse by slowing the tape down to get a few extra minutes shooting time on a cassette?

Here's hoping someone who really knows what they're talking about will join this thread.

Nick,
As you suggest, DV is a digital, not an analog, medium. The actual recording to the tape is the same series of 1's and 0's in either mode.

However, in LP mode the tape is moving past the heads much more slowly. This means that the footage is recorded on significantly less area of the tape (on a per time unit basis). Hence, there's less room for error recovery.

LP is also not nearly as device compatible as SP. It's common to hear of people unable to play back an LP tape in cameras or decks different from the original recorder, even when the second device is the same brand and model of the recorder.

Bottom lines: (a) tape is relatively inexpensive, (b) your safest bet is to use SP for anything you consider important.

Mini DV Tape Choice
 

I know there has been much said about tapes on many threads on many forums, but I'm still faced with a decision that I can't answer myself.

Some of the tapes that have been quoted on threads have referred to tapes that are branded in different Countries to the one I am in...(UK)

My choice is this.

I have a new XL1s, and would like to use SP and LP for various shoots and have seen two brands of tape that I would like to use, and stick with for the life of the camera record heads.

The choice is:

Sony DV Premium 60 mins (red labelled box)
or
Panasonic DVC Linear plus (suitable for LP recording)

The sony tape is primarily a SP tape, and the Panasonic says due to the Linear Plus technology (whatever that is) it is suited well for LP recording.

Any ideas on which one is probably the better one to go for...?!

Thanks

Personally, I use the Panasonic Master series (both 63 and 83 minute tapes). It's a step UP from the Linear Plus series.

I also avoid LP mode in the camera. I DO use it sometimes on my deck. There's fewer compatibility issues when you stick with SP mode.

I use Sonys without any problems. The point is to choose a tape brand and stick with it. If you search the posts on this site theres lots about peoples preference for tapes. Some use Panasonic, others Sony, JVC, Maxell, etc....but whatever tape people use, they all agree not to swap to another brand after using one brand for a long time or you can effect the tape heads.

Just search for the topic there's lots of previous posts on this issue. The tapes in the UK are the same, just packaging slightly different, probably for just most to include more languages explanations for euro market, Panasonic DVM60 have EK on end denote european type, if im correct. Most top tape brands in USA I have seen in UK as well. It just depends where you buy them from as to what make they sell. The Panasonics normally are slighlty cheaper in the UK, than Sony's but only difference in couple of pence.

Tape brands
 

The XL1 that I have inherited at my job has always had Sony DVC60 tape used with it. Is it generally not good to switch tape brands once the unit has been used repeatedly with one formulation or brand? What tapes do most of you use and why?

Dave

Hi Dave,

We have an entire forum dedicated to this very topic: see The Long Black Line.

Thanks Chris. Apologies to all for starting an obviously overdone thread.

dave

After you've read about tape, you might want to check this forum too since it is in the same neighborhood:
Direct-to-Disk (Tapeless) Recording

dv tape(film)
 

I just purchased a XL1s and the previous owner said that he only used panasonic pro tapes in this camera. Does that mean I should continue on using this brand?

is there a big difference in pro quality vs. standard dv tapes, I certainly know the price is?

One last question is it advisable to blankout a tape after use or does it sacrifice the picture quality.

Thanks
Rob.

yes, it is advisable you stay with panasonic tapes. lubricants vary from brand to brand, and when you start mixing different lubricants, a goop will start forming on your heads.

striping a standard 60 minute dv tape is not a problem. i'm not sure about the 90 minute ones, as the actual tape is a bit thinner. maybe someone else can speak to that.

let me add it is not advisable to re-use tapes, if i catch your drift. the mini-dv media is delicate, to put it mildly. even the best, most well-cared for tapes will start experiencing dropouts on re-use, and nothing's worse than finding out your footage has dropouts in it when you're transferring the footage to your NLE. hope that helps.

thanks Henry, and yes that what i meant to format the tape and reuse.

which are the best DV tapes?
 

tried doing a search, couldnt find anything. Just wondering which are the best for my XL1s I just purchased. thanks.

What brand came in the box? That usually is the brand used to set the internal settings and should geive best results. At one time Canon based their alignment instructions on using Panasonic MiniDV tape. Not sure what is is now.

If the XL1s was used, do you know what the previous ower use?

Most brand name tapes will work OK, and paying a premium for exotic tapes is not necessary for most people and purposes. Conventional wisdom is to pick a brand and type and stick with it.

I use mainly Panasonic AY-DVM60EJ with satisfactory results.

There is no great difference between brands...and not even between the cheap DV tapes and the expensive pro tapes from the same company. I use JVC Dv tapes and they work fine. The main thing, as Don said, is to pick a brand and stick to it, because some people experience problems when they use different brands of Dv tapes in the same unit.

What Brand of Mini DV tape should I use
 

I just purchased a used XL1S camcorder and I don't know which brand of tape to use...I want to use the best that is available...because I heard that you are suspose to use the same type that had been used in it previously, but I don't know because I can't get a hold of the owner...the camera shop says that Fuji mini DV tapes our popular in the area and he may have used those in it but they don't know for sure....does it really matter if I start using another decent brand??

Just be sure to do a good head cleaning before you change to a differnet brand of tape and you should be OK.

Well known brands of MiniDV tape are about equal in visible image performance, so pick a tape you like and you should be ok. If you favorite tape is hard to find locally, stock up so you never run out. I've been using mainly Panasonic tape.

Tape sold and labled for DVCAM use is usually subject to tighter quality control and will likely have fewer drop-outs, but many users do not notice this. In any case the price is substantially higher.

where can I get the canon DVM-CL head cleaner?
 

DVM-CL is what I should be using to clean the head?? Where can I get one of these??
Dean

For the Canon brand cleaning tape try a Canon camcorder dealer. But any decent MiniDV dry cleaning tape should work OK. I currently am using a Sony DVM12CL purchased from my tape supplier.

thanks for the info..I'm all new to this....and never used Canon digital video before.

From everything I've ever heard/read, and from personal experience, I'd go with Panasonic Pro tapes.

I tried running the Sony Premium tapes but frequently got streaks/banding in the video, and I've heard that the coating that Sony uses comes off on your heads and ends up mucking them up eventually.

Have yet (knocking on the nearest piece of angiosperm) to experience any problems with the Panasonic tapes.

As others have said, though, once you start with a particular brand of tape it's best to stick with it.

Panasonic tapes bad - Sony is Bad...
 

Yeah, it all depends who you talk to. My friend who is a pro videographer shooter told me to completely avoid Panasonic tapes because of an expensive "head job" and the repair shop said to avoid these tapes....now I'm hearing (after ordering 30 of 'em)...that Sony tapes are just as bad (from what a Canon rep told another threader on here)...so what the hell are you suspose to use??!! It only proves that one of these days when prices are affordable, everybody will have a firestore or something to burn the image directly to harddrive and nobody will have to worry about crappy tapes anymore.

The truth is that all tape makers put out occasional bad batches that may cause people problems, and some people may abuse tape (e.g., poor storage habits) and then blame the tape for their problems. Sony sells tape, so one could argue that they have a vested interest in telling people with head problems on Sony gear that Pana tape is bad, and the same could apply to Panasonic. At one time Canon was using/packaign Panasonic tape with their gear and specified panasonic tape in the alignment instructions.

Also, at one time Pana and Sony (the two main classes of tape) used differnt lub, that was in the 1990s. Sony and Pana got together and resolved the differences and that problem went away 5 or so years ago. But the lub question still exists as Internet "wisdom." (Some folks may recall a Sony tape plant "fire" that roughly conicided in time with the resolution of the issue. It has even been rumored that after the fire, Sony bought and spooled Pana tape under their name until they got their plant back on line.

Different brands of tape may have slightly diffent mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness) and that may cause different wear and wear deposit patterns over time. Changing to a differnt type of tape could cause deposit to break free and cause a head clog, thus a continuing reason to stick with one brand of tape and do a head cleaning if changing brand of tape.



.

I use only the Sony Excellence tapes.I figure if i'm using a $6000 camera,why not use top quality tapes.I used Panasonic in my older camera without any problems,but a friend of mine bought a bulk pack and had 3 or 4 faulty tapes in the batch.At the end of the day,theres always room for manufacturing faults no matter what brand.At least by using top quality tapes ,the odds of getting problems can be reduced.What's an extra $10 for a tape when you can lose half a days work and expensive ,time consuming set ups.

I've only used Fujis with my XL1s, no problems with exception to dropouts do to a faulty recorder unit (replaced under warranty). When I upgraded to the XL2, I switched to Panasonic MQ tapes (much more expensive by the way) based on recommendations here + other reputable dealers. This was the first tape brand used in the XL2 and I had drop out problems, blue screens, etc on a factory fresh camera. Switched back to Fuji after a cleaning and 30 tapes later, still no problems. Take it for what it's worth.

Kevin