What are some good brands for MiniDV tapes?

niwi7

Golden Member
Feb 21, 2003
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yeah! i had the exact same question and was gunna post


right now im using maxell

i wanna use the best available and dont know what it is

also are there different models from each brand that are better/worse?

maybe a site that reviews them?
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
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My local stores seem to be pushing Panasonic tapes for some reason. They claim they're high quality and relatively inexpensive. So I bought some 60 min Panasonic tapes locally for about US$5.75 each, and they work fine.

There are "pro" grade tapes out there, but I'm not sure how much they'll help you in real life usage.

You can also get tapes with a memory chips which helps in searching the tapes, but the tapes seem to be $$$ around here.
 

InlineFive

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2003
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Originally posted by: Eug
My local stores seem to be pushing Panasonic tapes for some reason. They claim they're high quality and relatively inexpensive. So I bought some 60 min Panasonic tapes locally for about US$5.75 each, and they work fine.

There are "pro" grade tapes out there, but I'm not sure how much they'll help you in real life usage.

You can also get tapes with a memory chips which helps in searching the tapes, but the tapes seem to be $$$ around here.

Eug, the Camcorder Guru helps the needy again! :)

Thanks for the info, I just wanted to know if there is a big difference between brands. And I was wondering about the modules with memory built-in because (surprise!) my Sony userguide strongly recommends Sony MiniDV tapes with memory built in!

-Por
 

Paulson

Elite Member
Feb 27, 2001
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www.ifixidevices.com
We use panasonic at school with our digital video cameras...

They work, but after a while they get corrupted, I don't know if this is common between all miniDV tapes...
 

LED

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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I used quite a variety and found the best price/performance with the TDK's. Keep and mind that DV Tape is not recommended to be rerecorded many times...(3 Times I think)
 

PlantATree

Member
Mar 30, 2001
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I have heard in the past that once you pick a brand of DV tapes you should stick with it and not switch to another brand. It had something to do with the lubricants that are used in the tapes and mixing the different brands can cause problems. Not sure if this is true or some myth that was started. Hope someone can comment on this. Anyway I have always used the Sony tapes and have never had a problem.
 

Night Blade

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
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I've tried both Sony & Panasonic MiniDV tapes, both brands have distortion on playback with 2 year old recordings, one of the Panasonic tapes got eaten, not impressed at all considering the one tape has video of my then 1 year old daughter :|.

Think i'll switch to TDK or Maxell, even though the Maxell tape cleaner I just picked up didn't do much. Camcorder is a Canon ZR10 btw.
 

gsellis

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2003
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On the tape brands, there is one school of thought and an emerging school. The existing school says never mix tapes as the lubricants will mix and cause a buildup on the head that will require a cleaning at a repair place. The emerging school (was it at dv.com?) is that switch brands often and it will not do that, but extended stays at a brand and then switching are what cause it.

Myself, I am still using D8. I use Fuji, but that is because I can gets deals for less than $2 a tape at times.