Hi I am wondering what tapes are good to use with the sony hdr-hc3. In my area I can buy
regular sony mini dv 9.00
maxell mini dv tapes 5.00
or mail order the sony high definition mini dv tapes.

Are the maxell tapes fine?

Any DV tape is fine.

HC3 will record HDV or DV on it just fine.

Most important thing is, do NOT mix brands.

Once selected, stay with the brand and tape model you selected.

I understand you are far away, but you can mail order them for around $2 a piece+shipping.

I found an 8 pack of Sony Premium DV tapes at Costco for under $20

Most important thing is, do NOT mix brands.

Once selected, stay with the brand and tape model you selected.

Why exactly should we do this? I used a JVC tape for my first tape, but have subsequently gone to Panasonic tapes?

What is the concern? Thanks

supposedly some tapes are "wet" and some are "dry" and when you change brands without cleaning the heads it may mess something up?? I dont really know the technical details.

supposedly some tapes are "wet" and some are "dry" and when you change brands without cleaning the heads it may mess something up?? I dont really know the technical details.

Sony uses wet, Panny uses dry.

Don't mix them.

You've been warned.

are maxell tapes wet or dry?

dunno bud. Google is your friend.

The most important thing is to stick with the brand regardless of the lubricant it uses.

When I got my HC1 I used some JVC tapes I already had but noticed that after a while they weren't recording well. It was like they stuck. So I did some research and found out about the "wet" versus "dry" lubricant and have stuck with Sony tapes ever since with no problem.

I have always use fujifilm with exellent results. Not only dv tapes, but cd-r, etc. they seem to be pretty good with blank media, at leat that has been my experience