Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ Professional Quality MiniDV 63min Data Tape Cartridge 5 Packs

I have been using PQ tapes for a few years - both 63 and 83 minute. They are used in my Sony VX2000 to shoot professionally and have been very good until recently. I have had some image tearing on some important shoots and upon close examination of the affected tapes I see edge stretching and/ or diagonal folds or slices across the tapes. I am currently in the process of trying to determine if the issue is with the tape transport on the camera or if Panasonic has been shipping "B" quality stock. Since I haven't yet pinpointed the problem and since it doesn't occur on most of the tapes, but on only some I am still going to rate the tapes high. I have been using them for years with good results.

Haven't had time to try these out yet, but the quality looks ever bit as good as the Canon mini DV that came with my video camera.

Recommended! I've used this tape almost exclusively in one of my camcorders, and have always been satisfied with the tape handling and image quality.

This cautionary review of Panasonic's 83-minute tapes appears here, under the 63-minute tape product offering, because SuperMediaStore (unlike Amazon.com), apparently requires you to buy a product before you can actually write a review about it. That's a dumb policy, if you ask me, especially when, in the case of those 83-minute tapes, I do NOT want to buy them, and I want to warn others to avoid them, also.

Owners of professional level Panasonic camcorders, like the model AG-DVX100, should take note that Panasonic explicitly states in its manual: "Do NOT use 80-minute mini-DV cassettes." (emphasis added)

The main reason that Panasonic advises against this—as I learned recently from talking with their repair center manager and staff—is that the additional tension placed on the heads could cause the heads to clog up or the tape path to get excessively gunky, as well as lead to premature head wear. Any, or all, of these factors will result in your camera requiring an expensive cleaning at a Panasonic service center, or worse, replacement of the heads with a stern warning never to use the 80-minutes again. If you ever need to call Panasonic to complain about getting "Venetian blinds" (blue bands across your viewfinder) due to head clogging, the first question they will likely ask you in their troubleshooting process is whether or not you were using the forbidden 83-minute mini-DV tapes.

Also, why I'm at it, Panasonic camera owners ought be aware there are two different kinds of mini-DV tape formulation, which are referred to as "wet lube" and "dry lube" tapes. Panasonic and several other manufacturers use the "dry" formulation, while Sony uses the "wet" formulation. While each type of tape can produce excellent results, Panasonic recommends against mixing the two types of tapes in the same camera, because the residue of the chemical reaction which occurs when the two different types of tape are run through the same tape path (without that path having been cleaned out, using by a professional repair, not by an abusive tape head cleaner) will leave tiny particles of gunk on the rollers, which can (and often will) find a way to block the very tiny head gaps of your recording and/or playback heads, rendering them useless until you pay for a professional cleaning, or you replace your tape heads altogether, a very expensive proposition.

Again, this information comes straight from the Panasonic repair center, so ignore it at your own peril. I learned all this the hard way, so I'm passing it along as words to the wise. You'll find ample documentation on these subjects if you search the web, or if you call Panasonic and ask for clarification.

In summary:
(1) Do not use 83-minute tapes.
(2) Do not mix tape types. Stick with one brand of tape. (Or at least, stick with type of tape formulation.)
(3) Standardize your tape usage to a high quality tape, like the 63-minute AY-DVM63PQ Panasonic professional tapes offered here, a reliable vendor.