Reminiscing

[Simon Wyndham]

I have just been having a major clear out here. While doing so I came across one of my old camcorders. A Sony CCD-V800E. I remember that it cost me 400UKP when I first bought it. But it was truly a 'prosumer camera'!

I've just been looking over the features of it. Its form factor is smaller than a DVX100. But it has a fully manual mechanically linked focus ring with full distance markings on the barrel. Fully manual mechanically linked zoom ring complete with macro function. And the bit I love best, a black and white CRT viewfinder that was still pretty bright when I switched it on just now! Oh, and one of those semi transparent frosty white lens caps for white balancing on.

How times have changed! Now if they could put these features on prosumer cams back then, why can't they do it now?

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Simon Wyndham

But it has a fully manual mechanically linked focus ring with full distance markings on the barrel. Fully manual mechanically linked zoom ring complete with macro function. And the bit I love best, a black and white CRT viewfinder that was still pretty bright when I switched it on just now!

How times have changed! Now if they could put these features on prosumer cams back then, why can't they do it now?

Not unlike my vintage early-80's full size Pansonic VHS camcorder sitting in the closet. Same lens features...manual/servo zoom, manual/auto focus (you can actually see the focus ring turn as you aim at different distances), full lens markings and b/w crt vf. I've posted about this before. What used to be standard on a consumer camcorder now costs thousands extra. It's because they figured out that they could charge that much and get away with it.

How times have changed indeed!

-gb-