G'day all.

As we know from the 1950s to the mid 1960s the RCA TK-41 camera was the main colour camera used in colour television studios. However General Electric made their own TK-41 type IO colour cameras, the first one being the PE-15 and the later model the PE-25. A couple of pictures of the PE-15 used at WRGB-TV can be viewed here:
http://www.nolaneveritt.com/broadcasting101.ws/ge5.jpg
http://www.nolaneveritt.com/broadcasting101.ws/gecamera5.jpg

I am very curious about these cameras as I am hard pushed to find any pics and info on them.

I was wondering if any of you know how many of these cameras were made, how many still exist, how many other TV stations used these cameras besides WRGB-TV and which shows used these cameras?

Apparently a PE-15 is reported to have survived according this camera survey http://www.eyesofageneration.com/Survey.php and is in the hands of collector Martin Perry.

Anyways any info on these cameras would be much appreciated.

It does seem strange that GE would have their own camera line when they were affiliated with RCA and shared the same building ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_Building#History

But in the fifties there was little foreign competition so domestic manufacturers had broad product lines.

I just found some Fifties GE metal logos on some boilers in a the basement of a building that was to be demolished. Thought "must save those brand logos from the Art Deco metal covers while I'm here"

Let's also not forget, GE up to the early 1980's owned WRGB. So yes, GE equipment would rule. (I presume PE-27 monochrome and PE-24A/B color film chains in the period up to the mid-'60's, along with PE-250/350/400 studio and PE-240/245 film cameras afterwards, would have also been seen at WRGB's studios in those days.)

(I presume PE-27 monochrome and PE-24A/B color film chains in the period up to the mid-'60's, along with PE-250/350/400 studio and PE-240/245 film cameras afterwards, would have also been seen at WRGB's studios in those days.)

Very little sales for these [resulting in large losses] unless they were merely transmogrified RCA products ?

Reminds me of when RCA, GE, Honeywell took a shot at making computers !

It does seem strange that GE would have their own camera line when they were affiliated with RCA and shared the same building ?

GE was not "affiliated with" RCA. RCA was formed to take on the radio patents from a number of other companies including GE. David Sarnoff and the US government arranged this in such a way that the parent companies no longer had any control over the operation of RCA. This is why there was some irony in GE eventually buying RCA (or parts of it).

This is why there was some irony in GE eventually buying RCA (or parts of it).

An ironic convoluted plot.