Panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ DV/HDV tape at DVinfo.net

Christopher Lefchik · April 15th, 2008, 03:45 PM

I see that Panasonic now has an "Advanced Master Quality" tape made for HDV and DV. Link to details (PDF).

List price is $17.95, but B&H has them for $5.99. That's significantly less than the $15-$16 Sony Digital Master tapes.

Any thoughts on the Panasonic Advanced Master Quality tapes? Has anyone used them with a V1/FX7? I just got a V1 and I'm trying to figure out whether I should go with the Panasonic tapes or consider the Sony tapes (ouch).

Leslie Wand · April 15th, 2008, 05:22 PM

i've been using the cheap sony premium tapes since dv/dvcam came out. shoot once, dump to disk, on shelf for archive. many tapes are approx 10 years old and still play happily.

leslie

Don Bloom · April 15th, 2008, 10:07 PM

The AMQ replaced the MQ and I buy them all day long for a hell of a lot less than $15.95 Generally in the $6 per tape range. Use those for HD but use PQs for SD for years (in Sony cameras). Very happy with the tapes and no problems with the cameras (at least nothing attributed to the type of tapes)

Don

D.J. Ammons · April 16th, 2008, 08:34 PM

After doing research and reading a lot of different posts on a lot of different threads on a lot of different forums I decided to use the Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ tapes as they seemed the tape preferred by the majority of HDV users.

They apparently have almost no incidents of dropout which is critical for long GOP formats like HDV and they can be bought online for around $3.50 each all of the time.

This past weekend I found an Amazon Marketplace vendor who had the 10 pack for $27.00 plus postage so I ended up paying about $3.30 each and received them on Monday!

Christopher Lefchik · April 18th, 2008, 09:55 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I'll probably end up with the Panasonic tapes.

Greg Laves · April 22nd, 2008, 10:09 PM

My results have been similar to everyone elses. I have only had my V1U for about 4 months. I have used the AMQ tapes exclusively with no drop outs at all. My only complaint is that I don't care for the boxes. On the other hand, I have a friend who has had a V1U for over a year and he uses the basic Sony Premium (std. mini-dv) tape and he says he has had zero defects. Unfortunately for me, we shot a project together and used 12 of my tapes. It was his project but his tape stock was low. When all was said and done, he wanted to replace my AMQ tapes ($6.00 ea.) with the Sony tapes ($2.29 ea.). I told him to keep the Sony tapes since I would probably never use them.

David Kirshner · May 10th, 2008, 08:41 PM

I bought my first camera (a PD150) second hand from someone that rents out camera equipment for a living. His cameras consequently rack up a lot of hours of usage, so the type of tapes used are critical. He swears by the Panasonic MQs for a reason not mentioned in this thread - the type of lubricant used.

He wasn't completely anti Sony tapes, but did recommend against switching back and forth between the two brands, for the difference in lubricant viscosity caused clogging on the heads.

I can't vouch for any of this, for I am relatively new to video and this is all second hand information. However, I have just purchased my second camera (a V1) this week (excited to finally take it out for a trial run later today), and will be hedge my bets by using the Panasonic tapes.

Greg Laves · May 17th, 2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kirshner

I bought my first camera (a PD150) second hand from someone that rents out camera equipment for a living. His cameras consequently rack up a lot of hours of usage, so the type of tapes used are critical. He swears by the Panasonic MQs for a reason not mentioned in this thread - the type of lubricant used.

He wasn't completely anti Sony tapes, but did recommend against switching back and forth between the two brands, for the difference in lubricant viscosity caused clogging on the heads.

I can't vouch for any of this, for I am relatively new to video and this is all second hand information. However, I have just purchased my second camera (a V1) this week (excited to finally take it out for a trial run later today), and will be hedge my bets by using the Panasonic tapes.

It is my understanding that the really expensive Sony tapes use similar DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating that Panasonic uses. But I can't see spending that much extra for Sony tapes when the Panasonic AMQ tapes seem to be better anyway.

April 15th, 2008, 03:45 PM	#1
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ DV/HDV tape I see that Panasonic now has an "Advanced Master Quality" tape made for HDV and DV. Link to details (PDF). List price is $17.95, but B&H has them for $5.99. That's significantly less than the $15-$16 Sony Digital Master tapes. Any thoughts on the Panasonic Advanced Master Quality tapes? Has anyone used them with a V1/FX7? I just got a V1 and I'm trying to figure out whether I should go with the Panasonic tapes or consider the Sony tapes (ouch). Last edited by Christopher Lefchik; April 15th, 2008 at 06:10 PM.

April 15th, 2008, 05:22 PM	#2
Leslie Wand Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: upper hunter, australia Posts: 1,410	i've been using the cheap sony premium tapes since dv/dvcam came out. shoot once, dump to disk, on shelf for archive. many tapes are approx 10 years old and still play happily. leslie

April 15th, 2008, 10:07 PM	#3
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	The AMQ replaced the MQ and I buy them all day long for a hell of a lot less than $15.95 Generally in the $6 per tape range. Use those for HD but use PQs for SD for years (in Sony cameras). Very happy with the tapes and no problems with the cameras (at least nothing attributed to the type of tapes) Don

April 16th, 2008, 08:34 PM	#4
D.J. Ammons Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 506	After doing research and reading a lot of different posts on a lot of different threads on a lot of different forums I decided to use the Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ tapes as they seemed the tape preferred by the majority of HDV users. They apparently have almost no incidents of dropout which is critical for long GOP formats like HDV and they can be bought online for around $3.50 each all of the time. This past weekend I found an Amazon Marketplace vendor who had the 10 pack for $27.00 plus postage so I ended up paying about $3.30 each and received them on Monday!

April 18th, 2008, 09:55 AM	#5
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Thanks for all the replies. I'll probably end up with the Panasonic tapes.

April 22nd, 2008, 10:09 PM	#6
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	My results have been similar to everyone elses. I have only had my V1U for about 4 months. I have used the AMQ tapes exclusively with no drop outs at all. My only complaint is that I don't care for the boxes. On the other hand, I have a friend who has had a V1U for over a year and he uses the basic Sony Premium (std. mini-dv) tape and he says he has had zero defects. Unfortunately for me, we shot a project together and used 12 of my tapes. It was his project but his tape stock was low. When all was said and done, he wanted to replace my AMQ tapes ($6.00 ea.) with the Sony tapes ($2.29 ea.). I told him to keep the Sony tapes since I would probably never use them.

May 10th, 2008, 08:41 PM	#7
David Kirshner New Boot Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney NSW Australia Posts: 13	I bought my first camera (a PD150) second hand from someone that rents out camera equipment for a living. His cameras consequently rack up a lot of hours of usage, so the type of tapes used are critical. He swears by the Panasonic MQs for a reason not mentioned in this thread - the type of lubricant used. He wasn't completely anti Sony tapes, but did recommend against switching back and forth between the two brands, for the difference in lubricant viscosity caused clogging on the heads. I can't vouch for any of this, for I am relatively new to video and this is all second hand information. However, I have just purchased my second camera (a V1) this week (excited to finally take it out for a trial run later today), and will be hedge my bets by using the Panasonic tapes.