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Mini DV tapes, best tapes, difference?

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Jakx~
Posts: 653 - Karma: 503
A few years back my dad purchased a Panasonic AG-DVC30. A little out of date I realize, but its the best I've got cause I don't think he wants to go through the pain of selling and buying since he doesn't want to use a camera that size and it isn't worth selling.

So I'm curios if there's a difference in tapes, like how important quality tapes are and what now. We're current;y shooting on Sony Premium DVM60. Do you know anything about it and is there something better we should get.

Sparknotes: Sony Premium DVM60 is this good tape? Do you know of anything better? Or have you had any experience with anything else, and do you have any favorites?
Oct 13 2011 12:18AM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,329
Don't switch tape brands without running a head cleaning tape or whatever. I don't think that there's some tapes that are better than others either, in fact I hear that even the "HD" tapes don't make a difference if you're using an HDV camera. The DVC30 is a pretty sick camera, you should produce some nice stuff from it.
Oct 13 2011 12:51AM
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
I know on skate perception a lot of them have really cheap old dv cameras that they use for putting their footage on the computer. They are all like super paranoid about not playing things back in camera etc.
Oct 13 2011 1:16AM
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andstuff
Posts: 1118 - Karma: 61
Use the same brand of tapes as the camera manufacturer. Panasonic cameras are designed to use Panasonic tapes, so use Panasonic tapes.

Never switch tape brands without running it through a tape cleaner. Even then, switching brands isn't something you really want to do more than once at the most.

I used these for years without any problems. Great stock. (Yes, cheaper some tapes aren't as good as others.)
http://www.tapeandmedia.com/panasonic_mini_dv_tape_63_hdv_mq.asp
Oct 13 2011 1:31AM
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Jakx~
Posts: 653 - Karma: 503
Alright well right now I'm having issues with video quality. I love shooting with the camera, its amazing. but i get terrible rendering quality.

Current set up:
Fire wire to old Windows XP Home Edition.
And it then goes into Windows Movie Maker.
We have two new ZT I5 processor computers with sony vegas HD, but neither of them have FireWire ports.

What suggestions do you have for uploading the video? Are there adapters for FireWire's to USB? I feel like it might be the old computer but i don't exactly know.
Oct 13 2011 9:17PM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,329
Download a better program on your xp computer. Best thing to do right now is just the get Premiere CS5 trial and then look for a serial for it online.
Oct 13 2011 9:41PM
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KarmaInitiative
Posts: 2028 - Karma: 174
bad tapes wont give you bad quality footage, it will just give you corrupted footage
Oct 13 2011 11:21PM
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Jakx~
Posts: 653 - Karma: 503
Alright, do you guys know if there are any adapters for the FireWire??
Oct 14 2011 12:26AM
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