Rca Tk-41

[Dave A]

My dim memory reminds me that NBC never bought any TK-42's. They kept the old beasts until the 44's came along.

I was behind a 42 one day and the talent in front of the lens started moving so I panned with him...I thought. It was the complete horizontal in the camera drifting to the side of the frame. The talent was not moving but started leaning to the side when he saw me pan. Just about the the time he was ready to fall over, we figured it out and quit for the day.

[julianburke]

Originally Posted by Dave A

My dim memory reminds me that NBC never bought any TK-42's. They kept the old beasts until the 44's came along.

I was behind a 42 one day and the talent in front of the lens started moving so I panned with him...I thought. It was the complete horizontal in the camera drifting to the side of the frame. The talent was not moving but started leaning to the side when he saw me pan. Just about the the time he was ready to fall over, we figured it out and quit for the day.

Tee hee hee, I rest my case, yes they did some strange things and time didn't help them either. Since NBC and RCA were together, I sometimes wonder if it was a known problem (early on) regarding TK42's and NBC wouldn't touch them? It is well documented that they waited until the TK44 Plumbicon cameras were a worthy replacement. After all, these are production cameras, were used pretty much 24/7 and down time costs thousands. It was in the later '60's when NBC used their colorful station ID's and I especially like my favorite-the one where it states "THIS HAS BEEN A COLOR PRODUCTION OF THE NBC TELEVISION NETWORK" and a cameraman in the background wearing a red shirt dollying a TK41 through the NBC "snake" in the foreground. This ID ran for a long time too! The "New Look" equipment had long been in production when this ID was made. It still impresses me how a true "hands on" piece of equipment like a '41 could be used day in and day out for nearly 20 years and work sucessfully and perfectly that is all tubes! Remember, this is 55+ year old technology that we can't even claim today! What a masterpiece!

Check this out and watch carefully: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e2xb...eature=related

-Julian

[dtuomi]

We have Sony DXC-3000 cameras in our studio that were installed in 1989. They're still plugging away. I'm not sure its unusual to have television equipment for a long time. Its not the same as consumer equipment. In fact I think the only reason there's been a big wave of replacement of studio equipment is due to HD coming in. Otherwise a lot of places would still be using their mid 90's (or earlier) vintage cameras.

David