Sony vs Panasonic Tapes

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I've seen a post some time ago in this regards but can't find it.

I've always used Sony Tapes. Lately I bought some Panasonic Tapes and now I have nothing but problems with heads fouling up. From what I understood on the other post, that there seems to be a compatibility issue with different tapes. Anybody experiencing the same thing?

Edius also will not capture these tapes without fragmenting it into a thousand clips. I only use these tapes in one of my cameras. I'm wondering if it is the camera or the tapes. I have not tried going back to Sony tape with this camera. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Ted

[SoundFreak]

Manufactures claim you can mix tapes with no issues, you have just proved them wrong.

[biopic]

It used to be said that there was a difference in the lubricant used on different brands of tape - so you should always use the same brand and never mix them. However, popular hearsay also has it that this problem has not existed for a few years now. Clearly, as Edius is fragmenting your captures something is wrong. I think you need to clean your heads with a proprietary cleaning cassette, and do some more tests to track down the exact problem.

[Ron Evans]

This is a know issue for a very long time, what ever the manufacturers say especially Sony with anyone else. Run a cleaning tape through the affected camera a few times and keep to Sony in the future if that is what most of your tapes are. I have an older Sony camera that I had cleaned and then dedicated to non-Sony tape so I don't have to mix tape brands. It has no problem playing back all sorts of tapes with no problems . The issue was Sony used different lubricant to the others. I learned the problem the hard way in that I had to send my Sony DHR1000 back to Sony to get a Panasonic tape out of it as it locked the deck up solid!!! Also did the same thing with my Sony PC10 too. That was back a few years but the memory stays!!!

Ron Evans

[GrassValley_BH]

The stated cases as I recall were...
OK - Always use the same tape brand
OK - Alternate tapes brands regularly
BAD - Use the same tape brand for a long time, then switch to a different brand

[PaulTV]

Sony has "wet" lubricant and all others have dry, mixing tape types produces "sludge" which bungs up heads and guides - clean and stick with one tape type.

Paul

[GrassValley_BH]

Yeah... not sure why mixing works, but a reasonable number of people said they were OK with alterntaive. Perhaps it just distributes the "sludge" and keeps it from building up?

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Thank you all. I will stick with the proven. Sony tapes aways work for me an my invetory is mostly sony.

Thank's again
Ted

[AJL14]

Just an added word, guys. On the higher grade Sony Tapes (like Excellance), the HDV tapes are stripped from the MIDDLE of the 2" wide master tape, and not the edges. This adds to better conformity of the tape, without curling - and the middle of the tapes, for some reason, always have the purest particle distribution when compared to the edges. Occassional cleaning is OK for the heads - but beware of over-cleaning (a well-hidden Sony note) for there IS some head-wear to the slightly abrasive cleaning tapes over the old "wet cleaners" we used to see.
Cheers,
Alan

[redgum]

Having worked for a "branded" tape manufacturer in Singapore I support Alan's statement except the tape roles are 2 metres wide, not 2" and quality does come from the centre. There are primarily two types of tape, wet and dry, with Sony using the wet stock and most if not all others using dry.
It's reasonably safe to mix "dry" tapes as their level of abrasiveness is similar and these are probably preferred with DV/DVCAM stock because they're more readily available world wide. (If you travel).
Sony is more prevalent in the professional area because production houses buy stock differently to the consumer.
Tapes are rated (and costed) by the position they come from (centre of roll) which makes sense when you use HD or Digibeta stock or any of the 1" or 1/2" formats.
Mixing wet and dry tapes is a disaster but can be remedied with a professional clean. This problem is more noticeable on "first" run tapes.
A good tape is generally judged by its lack of dropouts but lack of maintenance can also confuse the issue with head clogs etc.

[swsw1550]

Hi John, (old mate) I thought the Sony tapes glogged up the heads because they are a wet tape? I am usings the Panasonic DVM63AMQ Pro 63min MiniDV Tapes and have never had a problem with them, I am using them in the
Sony HVR-Z7P HDV, Great tapes!

Cheers
Steve

[John Lewis]

Also using the Panasonic DVM63PQ tapes in FX1 and V1 Sony Cameras
no problems to date

[AJL14]

Does go to prove the adage, doesn't it guys! Stick with one brand if it's making good pictures for you. Mixing is the scene of possible disaster. And John, thanks for correcting me from the 2" to 2 metres. I stand corrected - and it all started in 1st grade when - over here - we thought a metre was only on the natural gas line coming into the house!
Cheers,
Alan