••How evil are Sony tapes?••

Coco Bermudez

Coco Bermudez

Well-known member
Hey gang....

So I've been using Sony tapes my whole life....but then again all my cameras have been Sony...PD-150,DSR300,DSR500,DSR130. Two years ago I bought a DVC-80 and still used Sony tapes. Never gave me one bit of trouble.

I am a little puzzled though cause I've read in some threads that Sony is not a good choice of tape. I just bought a DVX100 and I am wondering if Sony tapes are that evil.

Just in case I just put an order for Panasonic PQ tapes....not before inserting a Sony tape in the DVX and filming a couple of minutes to test it...eek!

Any thoughts?
 
I don't think it's really an issue of using Sony tapes or Panasonics, but using both. They each have different lubes and what not. Once you use one particular brand you should stick with that brand.
 
I use Sony tapes on my new DVX100B.

I use a DVX at work, and we've been using Sony tapes in it from the get go (over 250 hours / 2+ years).
No problems.

I've edited projects for friends that were shot on Panasonic tapes, and have seen many issues with dropouts.

#1 Rule is: don't mix brands.

You've already used Sony in your DVX...stick with Sony.

My 2¢...

-BillP
 
The general opinion here is that all things Panasonic are good, and that everything else is crap.

There is also a great deal of blindness here.

Sony is good.
 
The general concensus is exactly as Noct and BillP have mentioned--don't mix tapes because of the wet lube of the Sony's and dry lube of the Panny's. I've never seen anything negative about the Sony's.
 
Jim Kilgour said:
The general opinion here is that all things Panasonic are good, and that everything else is crap.

There is also a great deal of blindness here.

Sony is good.
Click to expand...
The problem is not the tape.. The problem is the particles that the tape leaves behind after traveling through the tape path, from the very begining when DV first came out it was made clear that if you switched tapes without cleaning the heads there would be problems. When the particles from 2 different brands mixed they create a glue like situation causing drop out in video and audio as well. On my DVCpro deck when you switch between Sony DV and Panasonic DVCpro tapes they recommend a head cleaning prior to switching. Stay with one brand, either one is fine.
 
we use Sony (in the blue wrapper) at work, no problems. But for my DVX I will only use Panasonic brand. As was said, pick a brand and stay with it you will be fine
 
Doesn't matter if you use Panasonic or Sony. Just don't mix, or switch, brands. Because one is a wet media, and the other is dry, so if you switch, you will leave particle deposits on the heads. Try and use mastering, or high quality, whenever possible.
 
Winston Vargas said:
The problem is not the tape.. The problem is the particles that the tape leaves behind after traveling through the tape path, from the very begining when DV first came out it was made clear that if you switched tapes without cleaning the heads there would be problems. When the particles from 2 different brands mixed they create a glue like situation causing drop out in video and audio as well. On my DVCpro deck when you switch between Sony DV and Panasonic DVCpro tapes they recommend a head cleaning prior to switching. Stay with one brand, either one is fine.
Click to expand...

Ooops, I've just used Sony tapes as my dealer didn't have the Panasonic tapes I've been using.
What is this dry and wet media stuff?
Do I have to clean the heads now ????? (I'm back to Panasonic after 5 Sony's).
 
Cleaning is good.

And we probably shouldn't really say "dry" and "wet". Maybe "wet" and "wetter". Or "dry" and "not quite as dry".

It's not really a difference between, say, oil and graphite. As far as I have been able to determine, anyway. It's just different lubes may react badly together.
 
I've used the sony tapes and i've found nothing wrong with them. Just as everyone else as said that you want to stick with one brand and if you have to switch make sure you get the heads cleaned first. The prices of both the sonys and Panny Mq's are pretty much the same price. It would really come down to which is more convienient for you. I know for me I don't really have a retailer near me that sells the Panny tapes ,but most stores like Ritz Camera sell the sony's. If you don't have problem with ordering online or you have a store like EVS near you then I would definitely go with the panasonic if nothing else because they are the same brand. I have actually called sony and was informed that the premium tapes are actually dry lube. I called them back the next day to make sure and spoke with a different rep who stated the same thing. I was also told by an employee of Ritz Camera. Now if you are going to be buying the AMQ's then those are better than the normal sony's and Mq panny's.
 
GenJerDan said:
Cleaning is good.

And we probably shouldn't really say "dry" and "wet". Maybe "wet" and "wetter". Or "dry" and "not quite as dry".

It's not really a difference between, say, oil and graphite. As far as I have been able to determine, anyway. It's just different lubes may react badly together.
Click to expand...
Hi GenJerDan,
do you mean cleaning the way it's described in the forum or "roughing it" with the head cleansing tape?
And - as the "lube" bit is new to me - what exactly is lubricated in the tapes, with what sort of fluids? Just to make sure I understand this right.:confused:
Thank you!
 
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