What tape do you use?

[Tim Sargent]

So I have a HD101 and a HD111. Both ive been using Fuji standard DV tapes, and more recently the JVC ProHD me63 HDV tapes for HD work....

JVC tapes are expensive, and seem harder to get hold of here in the UK.

So, anyone else use another brand of HDV tape? Recommendations please :)

Cheers

[Greg Honeycutt]

Panasonic HDVM63AMQ for both my HD200 and HD110U.

I use Firestore DR-HD100 units on both of them so the tape is really only a back-up.
I would not want to use standard DV tapes in my cameras. The HDV tape is better quality.

[Jay Webster]

There have been many posts here regarding different brands of tapes and the JVC cameras. Of particular interest are Tim Dashwoods posts regarding recommended tapes.
I for one now use only the JVC M-DV63ProHD tapes and can only offer that they have dramatically reduced any problems I had using other brands including the lower end JVC tapes.

[Dan Parkes]

Hello Tim of Sunny Shropshire!

We are firmly in the school of "only use one brand" for the sake of the heads, and have only ever used JVC tapes, specifically the JVC MINI DV DVM60ME, and we shoot everything in HD (although tape is mainly for achival backup as we shoot to harddrive and tape simultaneously) and had no issues at all. Have seen no need to use the more expensive ProHD tapes yet. The DVM60ME are fine and you can pick them up for about £1.50 each. However recently one of our suppliers mentioned that JVC are discontinuing tape production, which means we may have to rethink which brand to try next...

But I would certainly recommend regular use of the cleaning tape and sticking to one brand and one brand only, in this case JVC.

Anyway, hope that helps...
Dan.

Originally Posted by Tim Sargent

So I have a HD101 and a HD111. Both ive been using Fuji standard DV tapes, and more recently the JVC ProHD me63 HDV tapes for HD work....

JVC tapes are expensive, and seem harder to get hold of here in the UK.

So, anyone else use another brand of HDV tape? Recommendations please :)

Cheers

[Diogo Athouguia]

JVC, Panasonic or Fujifilm are exactly the same according to a JVC's technician I asked about tapes. Maxwell and Verbatim also look very similar to JVC's tapes, I'm not sure but I believe they are also the same. Anyway, use any tape brand... but NEVER use Sony tapes!!

[Steve Oakley]

Maxell master DV63 is EXACTLY the same as panasonic Pro Grade tapes .... except they cost less. I've gone thru hundreds of them now and have to say they work great. I have in emergencies used fuji consumer tape and it seemed ok. fuij and maxell are different companies and products.

as for sony tape... yah, bad news. DVcam tape especially can really mess up in your machine if its used to maxell/ panasonic / fuji.

[John Mercer]

"Anyway, use any tape brand... but NEVER use Sony tapes!!"

I have put many many hours of Sony DVCam tapes through both my 101E and the BR-HD50 deck, with about 2 to three dropouts. I use Sony tapes because all my systems (DSR570, DSR1500, DSR2000) use it and I didn't want to mix and match. The cases also are quite important to me. I have only had poor dropouts with cheaper Sony tape.

I think the best advice is to stick always to 1 brand and make sure that brand is good and use an identical brand cleaner tape (I have seen bad dropouts induced by using a different brand cleaner to the regularly used tape). The way all videotape is manufactured, as I understand, is in wide rolls from where the professional grade tape is cut from the centre and the consumer grade is cut more from the edges, and so dispersal and uniformity seems to be better with pro-grade. There is little to no difference between say Sony pro DVcam and Sony Pro HDV, except in price. I don't know why that should be, I am convinced it is the same tape.

It also seems to be somewhat of a myth that different tapes have different 'lubricants'. I think this was something that happened early on in MiniDV days.

[Giovanni Chironi]

Hello Everybody,
here are my experience on tapes with JVC HD 201.

JVC ProHD ME63 HDV: every time I put this tape inside my 201, it's an headache... In a box of ten, about 3 (or 4 sometimes) tapes show dropouts. The time code jumps are normal and black or blue screen with no audio occur quite often during playback.

FUJIFILM DVM60 ME: I switched to this kind of tape by chance, and I've to say that, since then, and after dozens and dozens (really MANY dozens...), I never ever had a single problem: not to mention the fact that this FUJI tape cost a fraction of the more expensive JVC ProHDV. It's simply more reliable.
I can recall last year, in Lebanon, (one week, following NATO troops on israelian border), a lot of wind, dust, sand and helicopters: 15 FUJI tapes were OK, but the time I had to switch to a single JVC ProHD ME63 HDV, that was a "reserve tape" on my backpack, I had some problems at beginning and end of the tape.
And I cannot think it was a mere coincidence (but maybe murphy's law ?).

Just my two cents...
Giovanni

[Sareesh Sudhakaran]

for the record...never had a single problem with jvc tapes...been using my 111e for 2 years now. i wouldn't recommend any other brand if possible.

[Corey Williams]

I've been using JVC tapes without any problems. I used sony tapes in the past, but after they clogged my heads up really really bad, I haven't used them since. I occasionally use panasonic tapes because it's getting hard to find JVC tapes in my area. Just don't mix wet and dry tapes in your camera.

[Tim Sargent]

What do you class as a Dry / Wet tape?

Is it a brand issue?

Be useful to know, thanks

[Phil Balsdon]

Sony openly promote that they use a new type of lubricant. I had enormous problems with Sony stock when a client insisted I use the Sony stock he provided, big mistake - fortunately I was dual recording to DR HD100. Neither the client or I have ever used Sony stock again.

The problem occurs apparently when deposits of one type of lubricant left on tape heads and transport system mix with a new incompatible type. The rental house I use insist on use of the stock from the manufacturer of the camera you rent from them as part of the rental agreement.

I now only use JVC PRO stock. I provide it at cost price to the producer and accept full responsibility for drop outs (secure in the fact I'm dual recording to the DR HD100). I have not had a tape issue since sticking to one brand.

The safest way is to always use the same brand of stock, although the type of lubricant is apparently designated by the ME part of the JVC miniDV 63ME, I think Panasonic use ME too.

These days most producers I work with go the tapeless way, much prefering the more efficient workflow.

[Gan Eden]

If Sony tapes have been used in a camera prior to buying it (secondhand), yet I'd want to use JVC tapes, what should I do? Run a JVC head cleaner thru first before switching?