Tape Quality for Recording

A

accentphotography

Active member
I see a lot of posts mentioning the use of Pany tapes only in the DVX's. I have heard that some other brands could possibly leave oily residue on the head but is there a list of "stay away" tape brands?

I just purchased a pile of TDK DVC Superior Grade made in Japan. I grew up with TDK and Maxell. Sometimes I even use Sony but these are main brands and not like Chen Tao DVC tapes (I made that name up).

Its hard to pass up a 8-pk for $9.95 from Costco (originally $23.00). Have I just given my DVX a slow death of cyanide?

What about the tape head cleaner that comes with the camera? I have heard that it should not be used (and I have not used it) but what do you do?
 
one rule, just stick with one brand.
Sony, Panny, Maxell and Chen Tao:happy: it doesn't matter what you use.
as long as you stick with one brand it's fine.
I use Sony and Panny tapes and I have each camera for each tape brand and they never had problems.
just don't mix
 
ooops ... well, I have no idea what the guy put in it before me. We just met in a dark corner, I gave him $50.00 and he was gone. Just kidding, it was more like he was going to a bus station, I met him for three minutes, gave him $1100 and he was gone. Kind of the same story but the last one is true.

So how do you fix a snafu like that? Do I send it to Panasonic for a good cleaning and then after that buy a lifetime supply of the next good tape deal I find? In my area, keeping a same stock of tape is like trying to find a girl you saw and liked on a subway in New York again.
 
well I never done this but here is what I heard.
Never use the cleaning tapes...(this is the last option)
so if I were you, I would run a brand new tape (the tape you will be using for life)
then just play for an hour. throw away the tape and just stick with that brand

I've only read it here so you should check the thread.
it should be here some where (search)
 
Sounds like a winner to me. Now if I can get Costco to get another pallet of the tapes. I only bought 80. I plan on going thru at least 18 by the end of May.
 
Sony tapes use a wet lube. Everybody else uses a dry lube. I have used Panasonic, Maxell and Fuji tapes interchangeably in my DVX100B without any problems whatsoever. Conversely, I have a JVC palmcorder that I used those tape brands in without problems but ,once, I was forced to use a (one, single) Sony tape in the camera and I almost immediately got the condensation message and the camera stopped recording. The images on the tape were messed up and full of dropouts. I prefer Fuji tapes, but any good quality dry lube tape should do. Personally, I would advise you to avoid Sony.
 
I honestly believe that my Sony HDV had a lot of Sony run through it only because it was a staple at Sams Club for a while. I needed bulk packs that I could by at the drop of a hat. Sometimes things happen so fast and I cannot pre order or do not have enough money to buy a large inventory. Also with the way things change today, you don't want to be stuck with something (ie Sony) because it could have been wrong or not needed in the future.
 
Paladin,

How do you determine if a tape brand has wet or dry lube? Is there some lingo or term to look for on the package or were you just told by someone that x brand has dry lube and y brand has wet lube?
 
TMY said:
Paladin,

How do you determine if a tape brand has wet or dry lube? Is there some lingo or term to look for on the package or were you just told by someone that x brand has dry lube and y brand has wet lube?
Click to expand...
he just said...

Sony is the only brand that uses wet lube.
 
TMY,

Actually, I had read it in numerous posts here that different brands used different types of lubes, so I Emailed the manufacturers. Sony is the only brand that uses a wet lube. All the rest use dry lubes.
 
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