Color cameras

[Telecolor 3007]

"R.C.A." was the only producer of tv cameras in the '50's?

[Sandy G]

Sez here that the RCA TK-41 from '55 was about the best there was at the time-its only serious competitor was a very similar camera offered by General Electric. -Sandy G.

[Telecolor 3007]

And the "Genaral-Elect (G.E.)" camera was ever used? I'll put the same question, this time for b & w cameras?

[Sandy G]

I dunno about that. All I know is that when I was a kid, anytime they showed a TV station on TV, there were ALWAYS a bunch of TK-41s milling around like dinosaurs. They have a very distinctive shape, a sort of humpback look to them, have "Color Television" written on the side in VERY 1950s looking script.I remember on one "Star Trek" episode, they were on a planet where Rome never fell, had evolved into a modern society complete w/television & TK-41s in the studio,& w/guys in white shirts & skinny ties runnin' them...<grin>-Sandy G.

[colortrakker]

Tough to miss a TK-41. The curved housing for the viewfinder, "Color Television" script on the sides (in metal!) and HUGE!! There's a certain beauty to it. See?

[Sandy G]

I always wanted one of th' dam' theengs. Have absolutely no use for it, nowhere to put it, but just think it would be kewl as hell to have one. Supposedly there are a couple at Maryville college that are looking for a home, but I never have checked it out. I'm afraid if I did, I'd fall in love & have to bring 'em home...And I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY don't need 'em..but I sure would like to have one & luv it & shine it up 'n' pet it 'n' play wif it 'n' call it "George".....-Sandy G.

[Steve D.]

Along with RCA & GE, Dumont produced B&W cameras in the 40's & early '50's. As for TK-40 & TK-41 color cameras, UCLA TV & Radio Archives has 3 of them. And TV camera collector Chuck Pharis has several of all types of 40's, 50's & 60's era cameras. http://pharis-video.com/index.htm

I also know of at least 2 other early RCA color cameras in private collections. A picture of me standing behind a collector's TK-40 can be seen (last item) on my web page.

-Steve D.

[Aussie Bloke]

In regards of colour cameras, during the 50s in USA the RCA TK-40 and TK-41s were THE colour cameras of the 50s and 60s and even 70s because they produced bloody good pictures !!! The other competitor of cameras during the 50s as one of you's said is the General Electric PE-15A which obviously is based off the TK-40/41 design. Also in the early 50s CBS had their own colour cameras for their colour wheel system and they also have converted some B&W IO cameras to colour using a colour wheel in front of the camera IO tube. In UK when BBC was experimenting with colour in the 50s they Marconi made colour cameras which were also based off the TK-41 design.

As for B&W cameras, well quite a lot of brands: Marconi, RCA, Dage, Dumont, PYE, EMI and many more, check Chuck's camera brands page http://www.pharis-video.com/p1930.htm .

I too wish I owned a TK-41 camera myself, would be bloody awsome especially if it were working as it would be so interesting to get first hand experience of what living colour was like in the 50s. If Chuck gets a few of TK-41s going and is willing to sell any and I happen to get rich I will buy one of his working 41s and get it shipped to Australia and use it wherever I go shooting anything in living colour 50s style ! Though I'd need an OB van as well.

What would be real cool is when Chuck one day gets his TK-40/41s going is have them featured on the news or doco which they can compare the picture of a TK-40/41 to a picture of a modern CCD studio camera which the host/news man would say "this is how living colour looked back in 1954" while being shot on a TK-40/41. Don't know how Chuck's going with his restoration on his TK-40 lately but hopefully he'll get it working sometime soon. I'm real stoked he's got 3 of his old TK-30 cameras from 1947 up and working http://www.pharis-video.com/p4984.htm , bloody awsome !!!

Cheers
Troy

[yagosaga]

Originally Posted by Aussie Bloke

I too wish I owned a TK-41 camera myself, ...

For me, it is enough if I can get a DVD recording of an actual TK-41 recording of today. Is it possible?

[Aussie Bloke]

yagosaga wrote:

For me, it is enough if I can get a DVD recording of an actual TK-41 recording of today. Is it possible?

Yes when Chuck Pharis gets his TK-40 and 41 cameras up and going which may be a few years away though and I guess you'd have to try and make some sort of deal with him for a copy. I know I will be emailing him in a flash for a DVD or VHS copy of his TK-40 or 41 in action if he gets them going and willing to pay a fair whack of money too.

Cheers
Troy

[yagosaga]

I have emailed Kris Trexler who has a RCA TK-41 too, to ask him for a dvd recording with the TK-41 as the video input source.
http://www.ev1.pair.com/colorTV/myTK41_2.html

[Aussie Bloke]

The answer will be yes that you can output video from really old cameras to a modern recording medium, one thing to remember too is studio cameras are generally hooked up to rack CCU equipment and the composite video output would come out from the CCU equipment I assume. The video sockets would probably be of some old format along the lines of UHF correct me if I'm wrong?

Anyhow Chuck's mate in the UK whom collects old broadcast cameras too has kindly dubbed me a VHS copy of his 1963 EMI B&W image orthicon camera in action which he pointed the camera around in his house and also pointed it to the CCU which he demonstrated the adjustments on the camera.

So I assume it all boils down to composite video signal output which in the case of studio cameras it would come from the CCU.

Cheers
Troy

[yagosaga]

Hi, the connections seems not the real problem. If the camera is working there will be a way to output the video signal. ;-) The major problem is to get such an old camera into working condition inclusive warm ups and waitings till the colors are reliable and so on.
On ebay is a RCA TK-46, see "1970's RCA TK-46 Color TV Station Camera ITE Tripod NRs, Item number: 7513503215.
Cheers
Eckhard

[yagosaga]

Kris Trexler answered: "Thanks for your message. Unfortunately my camera is not in working condition and it never will be." But for getting an impression of the picture quality of a RCA TK-41 he recommended to buy a DVD copy of the Ford Show in color which are available on
http://www.ernieford.com/TVSet.htm
The later 1959 shows are in color and most of the 1960 and 1961 shows. I think, this is an interesting alternative.

[colortrakker]

Another idea would be to order the DVDs of the Dean Martin Show from the infomercials. The first few years of the show were done with TK-41s.