Best tape stock for A1/G1 HDV Camcorders

Ian Henderson · March 7th, 2007, 07:28 AM

Hey crew - just bought a new A1 to get into small-scale film production with a partner... she's from a photography background, I'm from a music/writing background, so this is a bit of a direction change for both of us, and it's going to be an interesting experience.

Key question - I've read that it's a good idea to stick to one tape brand because the heads get "used" to the chemical make-up or some other atttribute of one brand of tape. Is that valid thinking, or fantasy?

If so, what brand are people recommending - I don't have the choice here that some of you guys have, but certainly Sony and Cannon are no problem.
thanks, Ian

Ryan Schultz · March 7th, 2007, 08:57 AM

Do some searching of just the A1 forum. There have been lots of helpful posts to the tape stock for the A1. I had the same question, and those threads helped me out greatly......
Just to get you started.....

http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic
http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic
http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic
http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic

Steve Wolla · March 7th, 2007, 11:39 PM

I personally use Sony Excellence, due to many years of good experience using Sony. But many use and like the Panansonic tapes too.

Video performance and reliability will be roughly equal, so consider going with which one you have the best access to. That may be important some day when you need to buy two more tapes on a Sunday....sometimes those situations come up.

Carl Mischke · March 8th, 2007, 05:07 AM

I don't know how (and where) you succeeded in sourcing tapes other than the Sony Digital HD Video Tapes (the ones with the maroon colouring --- DVM63). It's virtually impossible to get anything else here in Johannesburg. No-one around seems to have ever heard of the Panasonic tapes other people are raving about here. So I'm basically stuck with these, just to make my life a bit easier in respect of supply!
If you discover a reliable source for Canon or even the Panasonic tapes, please let me know.

Neil McLean · March 17th, 2007, 09:36 AM

I've used a batch of AY-DVM63PQ tapes (about a dozen in all) in a brand new Canon XH-A1 and now wish to switch to AY-DVM63AMQ tapes after reading rave reviews about their performance.

Would it be prudent to run a Panasonic tape head cleaner through my new A1?

Would it be sufficient to run a AY-DVM63AMQ through the A1 prior to filming in HDV mode?

Please note I didn't use the free 'Canon' HDV tape supplied with the camera. The camera has only ever recorded to about a dozen AY-DVM63AMQ tapes.

I'd be interested to hear any thoughts, concerns or issues you may have with me switching from AY-DVM63PQ to AY-DVM63AMQ tapes.

TIA
Neil

Bill Busby · March 17th, 2007, 02:26 PM

I don't think it's going to be a problem if you're staying with a particular manufacturers tape, no matter if it's from Panny's PQ to AMQ.

Also, I've always heard it doesn't matter which manufacturers head cleaner you use as long as you stick to the trusted name brands.

Bill

Neil McLean · March 17th, 2007, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Busby

I don't think it's going to be a problem if you're staying with a particular manufacturers tape, no matter if it's from Panny's PQ to AMQ.

Also, I've always heard it doesn't matter which manufacturers head cleaner you use as long as you stick to the trusted name brands.

Bill

Thanks for that Bill.

What I think I'll do regardless is record 60 minutes or so onto a AY-DVM63AMQ prior to actually filming the event.

Urban Skargren · June 15th, 2007, 07:46 AM

Hi!
Just bought my brand new A1!
Do you guys use any tape brand or are there brands that are better or even damaging to the A1? I've heard generally some tapes can clog the video head (some people always use the same brand as the camera).
What are your experiences?
I found no old thread about this, but if you know one please help me find it.

Gert Kracht · June 15th, 2007, 01:54 PM

Hi Urban,

Congratulations with your new beauty.
I myself use the JVC ProHD63ME and Sony DVM63 and 85 tapes.
Most of the time I use the JVC tape and when I switch I run my cleaning tape for 10 seconds.

This afternoon I send an email to a Dutch Magazine, asking them if they were willing to test all the new DV and HDV tapes and then write about it in the magazine ofcourse.

In the past someone did. He could use a professional lab from Sony to test all the tapes. I'm hoping they are willing to do a real test in the near future and bring some results.

Good luck with your beauty,

Gert

Trish Kerr · June 15th, 2007, 02:08 PM

I use the panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ for HDV/DV and they have been great so far. Not the cheapest however.

Trish

Urban Skargren · June 15th, 2007, 02:23 PM

An electronics repairman once told me never to run a cleaning tape in a camera, because "they work like sandpaper". Instead he recommended to clean the video head with other tools (which I wont' tell, because I'm not sure enough what it was or how to use them). So I'm quite cautious about using cleaning tapes! :) But that was off-topic.

Scooter Wilson · June 15th, 2007, 03:32 PM

Hello Urban,

This post should help you out : http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ighlight=tapes

Especially #12 by Mike, he describes it pretty well.

You should never use "other tools" to clean your camera. The possibility to mess it up is huge. A cleaning tape is made to clean the heads, not mess them up.

Any way check out the above thread, I think you will find the answers to your ?'s.

Scooter

Jon McGuffin · June 15th, 2007, 03:44 PM

Funny how there is so much mis-information out there.

I have two Sony HDR-FX1's and started by using Sony Premium tapes but have since moved to the Panasonic "professional quality" AY-DVM63PQ 63 Minute tapes and can say that the price/quality seems to be the way to go. I've not had any dropouts (never have anyway). I've probably put about 20 hours or so on each camera and have never run the cleaning tape through so now may be the time to do it.

Jon

Bill Pryor · June 15th, 2007, 07:58 PM

Re: cleaning tapes. Sony's service center one time recommended that I use the cleaning tape every 50 hours for 5 seconds just for regular maintenance. I always did that and got the full estimated head life, sometimes more. Overuse of head cleaning tapes is not good, but proper use is.

Re: tapes. I switched to the Panasonic AMQ tapes for the XH A1. Haven't seen a dropout yet. They were recommended to me by a Canon dealer in Portland (who's a sponsor here-Zotz Digital). He's sold lots of Canon HDV cameras to wildlife photographers out there, and said most everybody he sells to is using the AMQ tapes successfully. Two other friends of mine here are using them in their XH A1s and so far no problems.

Dom Stevenson · June 16th, 2007, 06:09 AM

I got JVC M-DV63PROHD tapes after they were reccomended to me by one of the Canon guys at Videoforum 2007. Haven't seen them mentioned much on this forum but they were half the price of the Sony tapes and have served me well so far.

March 7th, 2007, 07:28 AM	#76
Ian Henderson New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 19	What tape brand for A1 Hey crew - just bought a new A1 to get into small-scale film production with a partner... she's from a photography background, I'm from a music/writing background, so this is a bit of a direction change for both of us, and it's going to be an interesting experience. Key question - I've read that it's a good idea to stick to one tape brand because the heads get "used" to the chemical make-up or some other atttribute of one brand of tape. Is that valid thinking, or fantasy? If so, what brand are people recommending - I don't have the choice here that some of you guys have, but certainly Sony and Cannon are no problem. thanks, Ian

March 17th, 2007, 09:36 AM	#80
Neil McLean Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: U.K. Posts: 125	Switching from AY-DVM63PQ to AY-DVM63AMQ I've used a batch of AY-DVM63PQ tapes (about a dozen in all) in a brand new Canon XH-A1 and now wish to switch to AY-DVM63AMQ tapes after reading rave reviews about their performance. Would it be prudent to run a Panasonic tape head cleaner through my new A1? Would it be sufficient to run a AY-DVM63AMQ through the A1 prior to filming in HDV mode? Please note I didn't use the free 'Canon' HDV tape supplied with the camera. The camera has only ever recorded to about a dozen AY-DVM63AMQ tapes. I'd be interested to hear any thoughts, concerns or issues you may have with me switching from AY-DVM63PQ to AY-DVM63AMQ tapes. TIA Neil

June 15th, 2007, 07:46 AM	#83
Urban Skargren Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 225	Tape brands Hi! Just bought my brand new A1! Do you guys use any tape brand or are there brands that are better or even damaging to the A1? I've heard generally some tapes can clog the video head (some people always use the same brand as the camera). What are your experiences? I found no old thread about this, but if you know one please help me find it.

June 15th, 2007, 01:54 PM	#84
Gert Kracht Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ens, The Netherlands Posts: 198	Hi Urban, Congratulations with your new beauty. I myself use the JVC ProHD63ME and Sony DVM63 and 85 tapes. Most of the time I use the JVC tape and when I switch I run my cleaning tape for 10 seconds. This afternoon I send an email to a Dutch Magazine, asking them if they were willing to test all the new DV and HDV tapes and then write about it in the magazine ofcourse. In the past someone did. He could use a professional lab from Sony to test all the tapes. I'm hoping they are willing to do a real test in the near future and bring some results. Good luck with your beauty, Gert __________________ http://www.hdvinfo.nl The Dutch forum and website about HDV & Canon XH-A1

March 7th, 2007, 08:57 AM	#77
Ryan Schultz New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 14	Do some searching of just the A1 forum. There have been lots of helpful posts to the tape stock for the A1. I had the same question, and those threads helped me out greatly...... Just to get you started..... http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...ight=Panasonic

March 7th, 2007, 11:39 PM	#78
Steve Wolla Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 477	I personally use Sony Excellence, due to many years of good experience using Sony. But many use and like the Panansonic tapes too. Video performance and reliability will be roughly equal, so consider going with which one you have the best access to. That may be important some day when you need to buy two more tapes on a Sunday....sometimes those situations come up.

March 8th, 2007, 05:07 AM	#79
Carl Mischke Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Posts: 26	I don't know how (and where) you succeeded in sourcing tapes other than the Sony Digital HD Video Tapes (the ones with the maroon colouring --- DVM63). It's virtually impossible to get anything else here in Johannesburg. No-one around seems to have ever heard of the Panasonic tapes other people are raving about here. So I'm basically stuck with these, just to make my life a bit easier in respect of supply! If you discover a reliable source for Canon or even the Panasonic tapes, please let me know.

March 17th, 2007, 02:26 PM	#81
Bill Busby Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 959	I don't think it's going to be a problem if you're staying with a particular manufacturers tape, no matter if it's from Panny's PQ to AMQ. Also, I've always heard it doesn't matter which manufacturers head cleaner you use as long as you stick to the trusted name brands. Bill

June 15th, 2007, 02:08 PM	#85
Trish Kerr Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 294	I use the panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ for HDV/DV and they have been great so far. Not the cheapest however. Trish

June 15th, 2007, 02:23 PM	#86
Urban Skargren Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 225	An electronics repairman once told me never to run a cleaning tape in a camera, because "they work like sandpaper". Instead he recommended to clean the video head with other tools (which I wont' tell, because I'm not sure enough what it was or how to use them). So I'm quite cautious about using cleaning tapes! :) But that was off-topic.

June 15th, 2007, 03:32 PM	#87
Scooter Wilson Tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: oakland, ca. Posts: 3	Hello Urban, This post should help you out : http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ighlight=tapes Especially #12 by Mike, he describes it pretty well. You should never use "other tools" to clean your camera. The possibility to mess it up is huge. A cleaning tape is made to clean the heads, not mess them up. Any way check out the above thread, I think you will find the answers to your ?'s. Scooter

June 15th, 2007, 03:44 PM	#88
Jon McGuffin Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Carlsbad, CA Posts: 634	Funny how there is so much mis-information out there. I have two Sony HDR-FX1's and started by using Sony Premium tapes but have since moved to the Panasonic "professional quality" AY-DVM63PQ 63 Minute tapes and can say that the price/quality seems to be the way to go. I've not had any dropouts (never have anyway). I've probably put about 20 hours or so on each camera and have never run the cleaning tape through so now may be the time to do it. Jon

June 15th, 2007, 07:58 PM	#89
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: cleaning tapes. Sony's service center one time recommended that I use the cleaning tape every 50 hours for 5 seconds just for regular maintenance. I always did that and got the full estimated head life, sometimes more. Overuse of head cleaning tapes is not good, but proper use is. Re: tapes. I switched to the Panasonic AMQ tapes for the XH A1. Haven't seen a dropout yet. They were recommended to me by a Canon dealer in Portland (who's a sponsor here-Zotz Digital). He's sold lots of Canon HDV cameras to wildlife photographers out there, and said most everybody he sells to is using the AMQ tapes successfully. Two other friends of mine here are using them in their XH A1s and so far no problems.

June 16th, 2007, 06:09 AM	#90
Dom Stevenson Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London UK Posts: 430	I got JVC M-DV63PROHD tapes after they were reccomended to me by one of the Canon guys at Videoforum 2007. Haven't seen them mentioned much on this forum but they were half the price of the Sony tapes and have served me well so far.