Tapes
- Thread starter JoeFowler
- Start date
weismangroup
Active member
Re: Tapes
Without a doubt, Panasonic MQ's. After reading all the posts on this board and others, I ordered 20 MQ's when I bought my camera from EVS a couple of weeks ago. Sure they're about a $1.65 more than Panasonic PQ's or other brands, but a $1.65/hour is peanuts compared to a $3500 camera...
Without a doubt, Panasonic MQ's. After reading all the posts on this board and others, I ordered 20 MQ's when I bought my camera from EVS a couple of weeks ago. Sure they're about a $1.65 more than Panasonic PQ's or other brands, but a $1.65/hour is peanuts compared to a $3500 camera...
Stas_Tagios
Well-known member
Re: Tapes
I was recently talking with a fellow at Professional Video and Tape (they are the pro supplier here in town) and the guy there told me that if you are serious about the best quality tape for a particular project you could use Sony DVCAM mini. We went down the list like this
PQ, Good
MQ, Great
Sony DVCAM mini, The best.
reason being you get a slightly thicker, much stronger tape. Made to be watched and rewound 400 times, (stronger tape) plus a little (he says visibly) better image quality. I have not personally tried them yet (just had the talk a few days ago) but plan to. When I do I'll let you know. Oh yeah, you can get them here....
http://www.tapeandmedia.com/DVCAM_PDVM_N.asp
They are about $13 a piece but that is better than the $17 they go for elsewere. Let me know what you think if you try one out.
I was recently talking with a fellow at Professional Video and Tape (they are the pro supplier here in town) and the guy there told me that if you are serious about the best quality tape for a particular project you could use Sony DVCAM mini. We went down the list like this
PQ, Good
MQ, Great
Sony DVCAM mini, The best.
reason being you get a slightly thicker, much stronger tape. Made to be watched and rewound 400 times, (stronger tape) plus a little (he says visibly) better image quality. I have not personally tried them yet (just had the talk a few days ago) but plan to. When I do I'll let you know. Oh yeah, you can get them here....
http://www.tapeandmedia.com/DVCAM_PDVM_N.asp
They are about $13 a piece but that is better than the $17 they go for elsewere. Let me know what you think if you try one out.
Mike_Donis
Veteran
Re: Tapes
That is true - Sony uses a wet lube that should gunk up the heads. Panasonic reccomends MQs - so use them!
Honestly, you'll be fine. If you absolutely need to have a DVCAM version, get a deck and dub your MiniDV stuff onto the DVCAM through there. But honestly, the MQs are fine enough as they are - in today's day of NLEs tapes aren't played through a million times anyways, so you won't have that much wear on the original MQ tape, regardless.
Besides, PANASONIC RECCOMENDS THEM ;D
That is true - Sony uses a wet lube that should gunk up the heads. Panasonic reccomends MQs - so use them!
Honestly, you'll be fine. If you absolutely need to have a DVCAM version, get a deck and dub your MiniDV stuff onto the DVCAM through there. But honestly, the MQs are fine enough as they are - in today's day of NLEs tapes aren't played through a million times anyways, so you won't have that much wear on the original MQ tape, regardless.
Besides, PANASONIC RECCOMENDS THEM ;D
Control_Lab
Member
Re: Tapes
Mike_Donis said "That is true - Sony uses a wet lube that should gunk up the heads"
WRONG ! That is not true . Using Sony DVcam tapes alone from day one is fine - an excellent choice even if somewhat expensive ! - BUT DON'T THEN GO AND USE MQs/PQs AFTERWARDS - It seems to be the MIXING of dry lube tapes and wetlube tapes that causes problems - either used on their own is fine.
I considered using sony tapes as I frequently get given footage from others, but I decided to stick to the 'newer'(?) drylube PQ/MQs and buy a cheap deck to playout footage from others.
Monkus ! With a given digital recording , unless you are getting dropouts , picture quality is IDENTICAL no matter what tape you use. The only thing that suffers as you change tape types is the abrasive/mechanical effects and lube/gunk/debris buildup on the heads etc. and the fact that lower quality tapes stretch and dropout more with age/use as you quite rightly point out. If your sales guy is telling you he can see a clearer picture using sony tape , then he's pulling some part of your anatomy !!
Also Mike , using sony's DVcam tapes wont give a dvcam recording - you need a dvcam machine to do that. ( sorry you probably didn't mean it like that !)
SO JOE !! - if you've not put any tape through your DVX (unlikely!), you need to choose - wet lube ( traditional ? ) , or dry lube ( newer technology ? ) . However, if you've already had tapes through it then your choice has been made - stick to it.
I suppose after a through cleaning as per Barry's excellent instructions , you could change types ? whad ya think guys ?
Paul ( I've had no dropouts since month two !)
Mike_Donis said "That is true - Sony uses a wet lube that should gunk up the heads"
WRONG ! That is not true . Using Sony DVcam tapes alone from day one is fine - an excellent choice even if somewhat expensive ! - BUT DON'T THEN GO AND USE MQs/PQs AFTERWARDS - It seems to be the MIXING of dry lube tapes and wetlube tapes that causes problems - either used on their own is fine.
I considered using sony tapes as I frequently get given footage from others, but I decided to stick to the 'newer'(?) drylube PQ/MQs and buy a cheap deck to playout footage from others.
Monkus ! With a given digital recording , unless you are getting dropouts , picture quality is IDENTICAL no matter what tape you use. The only thing that suffers as you change tape types is the abrasive/mechanical effects and lube/gunk/debris buildup on the heads etc. and the fact that lower quality tapes stretch and dropout more with age/use as you quite rightly point out. If your sales guy is telling you he can see a clearer picture using sony tape , then he's pulling some part of your anatomy !!
Also Mike , using sony's DVcam tapes wont give a dvcam recording - you need a dvcam machine to do that. ( sorry you probably didn't mean it like that !)
SO JOE !! - if you've not put any tape through your DVX (unlikely!), you need to choose - wet lube ( traditional ? ) , or dry lube ( newer technology ? ) . However, if you've already had tapes through it then your choice has been made - stick to it.
I suppose after a through cleaning as per Barry's excellent instructions , you could change types ? whad ya think guys ?
Paul ( I've had no dropouts since month two !)
Mike_Donis
Veteran
Re: Tapes
I didn't mean that you'd have a DVCAM recording, but that doesn't really matter much. I just don't understand why anyone would use anything other than what Panasonic reccomends...
I didn't mean that you'd have a DVCAM recording, but that doesn't really matter much. I just don't understand why anyone would use anything other than what Panasonic reccomends...
dmitriandsnow
Well-known member
Re: Tapes
Unless you can properly perform Barry's head cleaning procedure which i am about to take on.
Switching from sonys to mqs on my dvx via head cleaning. I will update later on.
Unless you can properly perform Barry's head cleaning procedure which i am about to take on.
Switching from sonys to mqs on my dvx via head cleaning. I will update later on.
Control_Lab
Member
Re: Tapes
Which Sony tapes have you been using, and why are you going to change Warmstepvision? Have you been having probs ? -
Also, if you clean dvx heads and change to MQs, what will you playout your (sony) legacy footage on ? - Paul
Which Sony tapes have you been using, and why are you going to change Warmstepvision? Have you been having probs ? -
Also, if you clean dvx heads and change to MQs, what will you playout your (sony) legacy footage on ? - Paul
Rush
DVXuser Sponsor
Re: Tapes
[quote author=Monkus link=board=Links;num=1093148269;start=0#6 date=08/23/04 at 11:30:03]http://www.tapeandmedia.com/DVCAM_PDVM_N.asp
They are about $13 a piece but that is better than the $17 they go for elsewere. Let me know what you think if you try one out.
[/quote]
Although I don't neccessarily agree with using DVCAM in the DVX, I don't think you're aware of our DVXuser discounts. DVXusers get 50+ prices on MQ, and 10+ prices on DVCAM, at any quantity, even just one tape. That puts you in the $11.95 price for DVCAM 40N tape, 76 cents cheaper.
Here is a link to both:
DVCAM:
http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PDVM40N
MQ:
http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AYDVM63MQ
[quote author=Monkus link=board=Links;num=1093148269;start=0#6 date=08/23/04 at 11:30:03]http://www.tapeandmedia.com/DVCAM_PDVM_N.asp
They are about $13 a piece but that is better than the $17 they go for elsewere. Let me know what you think if you try one out.
[/quote]
Although I don't neccessarily agree with using DVCAM in the DVX, I don't think you're aware of our DVXuser discounts. DVXusers get 50+ prices on MQ, and 10+ prices on DVCAM, at any quantity, even just one tape. That puts you in the $11.95 price for DVCAM 40N tape, 76 cents cheaper.
Here is a link to both:
DVCAM:
http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PDVM40N
MQ:
http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AYDVM63MQ