![]() Soon enough though, the camcorder became a product for the masses, just like the Portapak. Instead, motion picture was still recorded on cassette tapes, used primarily for television broadcasting. When the devices first were made, there were no USB ports or handheld devices. Of course, the camcorders we see today are very different from early models. He received his first patent in 1980, and just a couple of years later it was a reality-one that changed filmmaking forever. Jerome Lemelson invented more than 500 video recording devices in his lifetime, but his most famous is unarguably the camcorder. It was an upward spiral, an impressive and quick-paced progression. And as demand rose, competition increased among the companies to create better and better videos (and therefore better editing). As companies revealed upgrades, demand rose. Over time, these devices became smaller and smaller, greater and greater. And for the first time in history, pretty much anyone interested in videography could give it a shot!Įventually, other manufacturers started producing their own versions of the portapak, in higher quality. Although still heavyweight and bulky, it was much lighter and easier to transport than previous models. Yet, all of these cons were seemingly worth it. Pointing the camera at direct sunlight could burn permanent holes in the tubes. Additionally, if you moved the camera around too quickly, imagery could smear. ![]() It was fairly complicated and easy to make a mistake. ![]() The tape spun off one reel, and then needed to be carefully threaded back around different heads, and onto the pick-up reel. Unlike today’s camcorders and video recorders that use cassettes and cartridges, this portapak’s helical operated with a reel-to-reel. This first Portapak-or “portable” video system-consisted of a large B&W camera and a separate record-only helical VCR unit. In 1967, Sony introduced the DV-2400 Video Rover. Thankfully, tech continued to involve, with the solid intent of giving access to the masses. Meaning, basically, even after production was complete, something could still very easily go wrong. Without a quality projector, the film could rip or melt. After the film was developed, you’d thread the film onto reels from your projector’s gears and pulleys to watch the film. After shooting the brief without sound, you’d have to rewind it inside the camera, replace it with a proof canister, and then send it to be developed. Loading the camera required threading film through, and not exposing it by mistake. But even this smaller and “easier” way of filming was difficult by today’s standards. This makes the earliest successful videographers impressively talented, eh? And it heightens appreciation for the first videos ever made, huh?Īccording to experts, the first home video system was offered by Ampex in 1963, including a TV monitor, special furniture, and an Ampex VR-1500 that weighed about 100 pounds and costed around $30,000.Īs equipment evolved, the 8 mm film camera gained popularity. Of course, this made the film very vulnerable, and if a cut wasn’t made perfectly between electronic frames, the entire video would be destroyed. Before nonlinear systems, videographers would have to cut out video content using razor blades, piecing them back together with scotch tape. If tubes heated too much during a show, saturation and colors would shift significantly.Īnother issue was of course the editing systems. Throughout a shoot, the cameras required constant attention, to ensure the coloring was consistent. With almost every use, tubes would burn out. Tubes required much more light to pour in than chip cameras today, and this caused the equipment to overheat. And because the cameras used electronic tubes to convert light, inconvenience only amplified. Videographers required a truck full of equipment to tape even the shortest reel. ![]() At this time, the recording devices were about the size of a small suitcase, using two-inch thick videotape. Equipment that once made videos was about the size of a refrigerator, and it wasn’t until the 70s that the machinery started to shrink. Not long ago, there was no such thing as mobile video. And it’s certain to get even better from here. Once video is created, the content can easily and immediately be downloaded to a computer for editing, using nonlinear technology. Today’s pocket-sized camcorders provide high quality video, with a wide range of automatic and manual settings and impressive zoom ratios. Like with all technological improvements, it’s just a matter of time before something sleeker, lighter, faster, and cooler comes along. ![]()
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