RCA TK-30/31 cameras in Australia

[W.B.]

Certainly, the cameras in those pictures would've been TK-31's, as that model had the metal handles on each end which were used for carrying the big lugs.

[XDCAM]

Hi . I am a Broadcast Camera Collector too ,and saw on one of the TV sites that you are looking for a Broadcast Cameras .Have you heard of ATV Station in Sydney (Television Gladesville).I know that the Guys have Good contacts with the Broadcasters & they might have a contact for you .Be quick as there a lot of Dumping going on right now, as everybody gone mad over Digital and this will be our last chance to save this Gear .

[Aussie Bloke]

I've just found out that station QTQ-9 Brisbane, Queensland also used TK-30/31 cameras. Here is a photo of 3 TK-30/31s in the QTQ-9 studios provided to me by my broadcast collector friend James Paterson http://www.oldtvgear.com/ .

[W.B.]

Shouldn't these be called TK-11/31's? TK-30 was the field (outside broadcast) version of TK-10, and both these early cameras were discontinued by the time Australian TV began.

[Aussie Bloke]

Originally Posted by W.B.

Shouldn't these be called TK-11/31's? TK-30 was the field (outside broadcast) version of TK-10, and both these early cameras were discontinued by the time Australian TV began.

Ahh yes, silly me, I forgot to realise TK-11/31 cameras have those rails on them like you mentioned in a previous post and the TK-10/31s don't. So yeah definitely TK-11/31.

Anyways was going through more early Aussie TV pictures sent to me by James Paterson a few years ago and found a nice colour picture of a QTQ-9 RCA TK-31 with a zoom lense and from TNT-9 Launceston, Tasmania a vidicon tube RCA TK-15, see attached images.

Will be interesting to find out if any of this gear has survived and been stored somewhere.

[Aussie Bloke]

Done some further searching for more photos of the TK-31 type cameras used in Australia and I came across on the State Library Of Victoria picture search a photo from 1953 of famous Aussie magician Will Alma being shot with a Marconi MK1 camera (Marconi's version of RCA TK-30) (see attached photo) used by Herald Sun Television at Melbourne Showgrounds. This would definitely have been a closed circuit TV demonstration as TV broadcasts didn't begin until late 1956. Anyways this camera whilst having the Marconi badge on it also has the "Television" badge on it down bottom which is standard on RCA TK-30/31 cameras which is interesting as it cannot be seen on the MK1 http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/marconi/mk1/mkip1.htm and neither the vents nor the beer tap handle can be seen either. Anyways worth noting in this thread.

[BrianSummers]

Hi

The Marconi with the focus Knob is a Mk1 and with the "beer Handle" a MkIB,
My camera is a MkIB. The later, but similar MkII has metal "feet" and may have a ventilation grille in the side or sometimes a box with an addtional? fan in it. There were some incremental production changes as experience and customer feedback was obtained.

The Trim and Logos were another variable.

Interesting picture. PM me with where you found it.

Brian S