OT-Sony cams and sports

Spot|DSE wrote on 2/19/2008, 10:21 PM
This
is where it all started for Sony in sport parachuting back in the early 70's, using reel to reel systems weighing in around 60 lbs, worn on the chest.
in this pic:
you can see several helmets, and 3 of them have CX7s or HC 5's on them. My personal production helmet carries an EX1, 40D Canon still camera, and 580EX flash.
All of it weighs less than half of what the original Sony 16mm tape-based reel to reel systems weighed.
If you're around the PHX area next month, the world national VRW competitions are being shot, and those are done with HC camcorders set to 1/120 shutter speeds. Some of the new camera flyers are wearing CX7s, which are ideal for judging, as there is no rewind time, no tape logging time, nothing. Just drop off the card and go.
Sony's sure come a long ways in nearly 50 years...B/W camera kits shooting on reels, with weight enough that a truck was practically needed to haul it around, terrible quality. Pretty proud of what we can do with the little AVCHD and HDV camcorders for this sort of work.

Comments

farss wrote on 2/20/2008, 12:27 AM
We've got one of those old R2R VCRs kicking around that I'm told still works.
You think you had it tough, it was as easy as falling out of a plane. Spare a thought for a mate of mine who lugged one of those things up and down zillions of stairs to shoot inside the monestaries on the Greek Isles.

Bob.
Spot|DSE wrote on 2/20/2008, 2:23 PM
Bob,
If your deck still works, any chance it's a 16mm? I've got some old tape reels that I'd love to copy to dig.
farss wrote on 2/20/2008, 2:43 PM
I'll find out the model number.
I know / work with a couple of guys who throw out nothing, keeping some of them going is a challenge but we're coping so far.
One problem though, all of the stuff we have is PAL.

Bob.