Just got a vx21000, what brand of tapes should I use?
 

I just bought a brand new VX2100, since this is a new cam the brand of MiniDV tape I choose now I would have to stick with for the rest of it's life. (I don't want to mix brands).

Im not sure if I should go with Panasonic AY-DVM60EJ or Sony Premium DVM-60PRL. Even though it cost a few cents more Im leaning towards the Sony just because It will be use on a sony cam.

Will any brand do fine?

Thanks in advance for any input,

I have the VX2100 and have always used the Sony Premium DVM-60PRL tapes. I have never had a problem. I've never tried the Panasonic tapes so can't really comment on them, but have heard that they are good tapes.

the story so far;

stick with one brand, doesn't matter which, according to the majority.

in my case, (i'm a hooker, have camera, will shoot), i've used sony, panasonic, tdk, and a few jvc in the same three cameras (1000>150>170), without any problems

leslie

might point out that i don't constantly mix tapes, ie, might shoot 10 of one brand on a job, the next job 20 of another brand (i have client supplied tapes). i do try to avoid alternating tapes on a shoot though.

Do you use a cleaning tape every time you switch to a different brand?

BTW I thik I will stick with Sony Premium DVM-60PRL

never used a cleaning tape in over 30 years in the industry. on sp cameras i have used a swab and freon, but that was a station camera using multiple pass tapes. cheapskates!

i would use one if the need arises - i've always carried one in my grab bag.

my advice, fwiw, is don't mix tapes if possible, don't re-use tapes more than once or twice, (and then only if they've been 'dumped', not rock'n'rolled). don't use your camera as a deck.

leslie

Cleaning tape saved my JVC
 

A cleaning tape saved my JVC camcorder. I had been using my little 1998 JVC camcorder as a DV playback/capture machine and neglected to clean it for the last two years. Several months ago, the unit would go into "E04 Safeguard mode" whenever I inserted a tape. I thought the unit had died, but just before tossing it out, I decided to try cleaning the heads with the cleaning tape. Voila !

That's been my experience too, also with three cams, and adding Fuji to the list of tape brands. In the absense of any evidence to the contrary (and there is absense of evidence to the contrary), common sense dictates that tapes are made to a standard and you should be able to use any brand whenever you want to. That's what I've done, and my experience has not contradicted my common sense.

I like what Fred says - you should be able to use any brand of tape you choose, at any time, and switch between brands willi-nilli.

But why take chances with your new VX2k1 David? Take a guess at what brand of tape the Sony R & D engineers used when they put literally thousands of metres through those prototype DV deck mechanisms back in the late 90s. I'll bet they didn't go out and buy Memorex, Fuji, Maxell, JVC to do their testing.

tom.

i was told by a sony tech that with the bvw series betacams they tried a variety of tapes - though not for anything else other than 'breaking and stretching' with ff / rr / cueing...

as for the pro equipment i used - tape brand was NEVER a consideration - though i never did trust ampex 'gearing' - used to get a lot of slack errors...

then again, there wasn't any wet and dry.....

leslie