MiniDV tape?

[JitCam]

I was just wondering if any old miniDV tape is good for using with the hvx.. On the manual it states to stick to a certain model.. Is there really much difference?

[Dick Campbell]

better quality tapes mean less dropouts or possible defects. it never hurts to stay with the OEM recommendation. whatever brand you pick, stay with it, do not mix different brands in the same camera. something to do with the lubricants, so I'm told.

[Take_1]

whatever brand you pick, stay with it, do not mix different brands in the same camera. something to do with the lubricants, so I'm told.

Exactly right. Use quality tape. Panasonic or Sony it doesn't matter. But DON'T mix them. If you have no choice, run a cleaning tape through the camera each time you switch, but I wouldn't be too excited to do that very often as it will shorten the life of your heads.

[THoff]

Also, don't use extended length (> 60/63 minute) tapes. They use thinner media that the tape mechanism in the HVX isn't designed for.

[JitCam]

ok, thanx!

[zerobytes]

Does the same lubricant problem exist for the DVX?

[Ernest_Acosta]

Yes, to be honest I only used Panasonic master tape in my dvx. Now that I have the HVX, I use the same tape if I'm not shooting HD.

[Take_1]

Does the same lubricant problem exist for the DVX?

The lubricant issue is not an issue that exists as a camera problem. It is strictly an issue that is inherent to the manufacturing formula of the tape itself. Each company that manufactures its own unique tape formula, will not play nicely with another manufactures' unique formulation of tape. Sony, Panasonic, Fugi etc.

Unique chemicals (and materials) of every brand of tape, over time, are slowly left behind on the heads and rollers of your camera/deck. When you change brands of tape (new chemicals and materials), without first cleaning the heads from the proceeding brand... mix. The interaction of the two chemical/material formulas can create a gooey substance. This can give you dropouts, continuous visible and or audible noise and in the worst of cases ruin your original field tape or camera/deck.

If you use multiple brands of tape you must clean the heads before switching brands (removal of the unique chemicals and materials). This applies to cameras AND to decks. DV , BetaCam SP etc.

Choose a brand of tape in which you are confident of its performance and stick with it. Your choice should also consider that your brand is easy to access on the weekend when nearly everyone is closed when you realize that you forgot to get enough during the week. (it happens)

[milo]

i bought and used about an HOUR of Fuji film tape from walgreens before reading the warnings on this forum about tape. i bought some panasonic PQ's. SO, can anyone confirm if switching from Fuji tape to PQ's is safe without a pro cleaning? thank you so much for your help, i need to shoot in 2 days and am stressing over the answer!

[THoff]

Pretty much the only thing you can't mix and match is Sony tapes. Sony uses wet lubricants, everyone else uses dry lubricants. Get them together, and you get a nice sticky paste...