HDV 63 min Video Cassettes

Anthony J C wrote on 9/13/2010, 10:32 AM
Here in the UK I am shopping for HD Video Cassettes for my Canon XL1HS VidCam. Canon tapes are around $34 EACH, Sony are $48 for FIVE, Panasonic are $28 for FIVE, these are Amazon prices. According to their blurb 76% buy the Panasonic. Be grateful for your experiences with tapes, it would of course be cynical to think the tapes are all manufatured by one maker and just repackaged, but why the price hike for the Canon tapes?

Comments

Steve Mann wrote on 9/13/2010, 5:03 PM
Never switch tape brands. The anecdotal evidence is that you invite dropout problems when you do. There are exceptions, so for those few who switch tape brands all the time without issue, save your flames.

I have no idea why Canon tapes would be so expensive unless someone hasn't gotten the message yet that tape is dead. I've seen Sony tapes for as low as $2.50 each but $3- to $4 is about right.
PeterDuke wrote on 9/13/2010, 5:38 PM
Maybe the shop got it wrong, and the price should be for a pack of 3 or 5. Check the small print. Is it each tape or each pack?
vegemite wrote on 9/13/2010, 6:47 PM
Anthony

Here in Australia, I have been using Panasonic "Professional" tapes in my Canon XH-A1 HD for around five years (since it was released, anyway) with absolutely no dropouts. In fact, the only tapes I have ever had problems with are on the rare occasions when I have had to use Sony. Prior to that, I used Fuji tapes since 1999 again with no problems.

The Panasonic tapes cost around $AU5, depending on the currency rate.

Canon tapes are around $AU 30, and Sony "Master tapes have been quoted at up to $AU 50!! I think that's because they have "HD" printed on the box.

The Panasonic tapes have the designation : AY-DVM63PQ.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 9/13/2010, 7:01 PM
I buy my tapes from TapesOnline.com or B&H Photo depending on who has the cheaper price. I get the Sony HDM63VG HDV tapes for $5.89 USD. No dropouts or any problems with my Sony HVR-Z1U or HVR-A1U.

~jr
Opampman wrote on 9/13/2010, 7:50 PM
Dittos Johnny
ushere wrote on 9/13/2010, 9:48 PM
i've been shooting sony's 'premium' (cheapo) tapes since vx1000. i haven't ever experience a drop-out on a new tape - used is another matter entirely.

i now shoot to cf, but of the three clients i work with who demand tape (1 national broadcaster), none have ever complained of drop outs, nor did they ever specify a tape in the first place.

Anthony J C wrote on 9/14/2010, 1:59 AM
Thank you all for your replies, the Canon price is each and have confirmed through a Canon dealer. Using SD for many years, JVC tapes were always ok. So I will go with the Panasonic. The tape is dead argument never goes away, in fact broadcast companies are archiving to tape, new systems such as FOR-A are now being announced at the IBC. Apart from that, cannot throw kit away, tape lives!
TheHappyFriar wrote on 9/14/2010, 5:35 AM
I have no idea why Canon tapes would be so expensive unless someone hasn't gotten the message yet that tape is dead

except, it's not dead. VHS's & floppy's are still sold. To many advantages with tape to ditch them.

A forum member sent me these because he went tapeless: Sony PDVM-40N. Well, the N's are discontinued, you can get the E's now...

$17 each but they're the BEST tapes I've ever used with the exception of Panasonic DVCPro's. Some of these tapes I've taped over a dozen times in HDV & have had no drop outs at all. If they're as good as the DVCPro's I'd expect them to die after ~100 uses. :D

A $2.50 tape that is only good 1 time for HDV costs $30 for 12 of them. Still a better deal with one high quality tape.
farss wrote on 9/14/2010, 6:10 AM
The "don't mix tape brands" thing is just an urban myth. I work for a rental company. We have no control over what tapes clients use in our cameras. We have no more problems with head clogs than people using the same brand of tape all the time. Panasonic did debunk the whole "wet lube, dry lube" thing some time ago. Amazing this myth still persists but then again....

Bob.
rs170a wrote on 9/14/2010, 6:15 AM
...but why the price hike for the Canon tapes?

Odds are that these are the "chip" tapes although what the purpose of the chip is I've long forgotten.

Mike
daryl wrote on 9/14/2010, 6:40 AM
the Canon tapes are $18 at BH, don't think I'd spend $34 for one. Maybe the more expensive one ARE the "chip" tapes as rs170a mentions, the ones I have do not have the chip.
Wonder what it was for?
farss wrote on 9/14/2010, 6:55 AM
"Wonder what it was for?"
Straining the brain here a bit, I think they stored metadata such as take/no take. Only of use on cameras that supported this. I also think only Sony cameras supported this anyway so I cannot see canon offering such tapes.
Funny thing is a while back we had a few boxes of the DVCAM tapes with the chips we'd bought cheaper than the one without the chip as the supplier could not sell them.

I suspect the Canon tapes are similar if not in fact rebadged Sony "HDV" tape. As JR says, that tape is better but at quite a price. We sell it at quite a discount as Sony down here just couldn't move it at the retail price they were asking. I use the 85min "HDV" tapes which I pay AUD 25 for. Great for concerts, for anything else the regular Sony 63min tapes have yet to let me down and at AUD30/box of 5 they're good value, even get a free cleaning tape. Anyone need a cleaning tape, I got lots.

Really you cannot go wrong with either Panasonic or Sony tapes. Had issue with all the other brands, never even seen a Canon tape so they're probably OK as well, just the TDK etc ones I'm very nervous about handling.

Bob.
Anthony J C wrote on 9/14/2010, 7:21 AM
Thanks again for the replies, the Canon tape is "Digital Master" and not chipped. Anyway, have ordered the Panasonic so should be good.
daryl wrote on 9/14/2010, 7:22 AM
i have a a lot of the Canon tapes. They are reliable and can be written over many times without a problem. They have a great protective box.