[QuadList] RCA Coffin Cam and Friction head-- (was QuadList Digest, Vol 7...

[COURYHOUSE at aol.com]

it is the photo that  was cropped and  appeared  in  that  page I  posted 
on color  tv.
 
who  would have  thought  someone  would have  the  actual photo that 
appeared it  that  handy that  quick!
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 5/3/2014 9:58:22 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
ted at quadvideotapegroup.com writes:



Bob, what is the source of your photo, if I may ask.  Thanks much  for 
posting it.


On May 3, 2014, at 10:59 AM, _mike at bolandcom.com_ 
(mailto:mike at bolandcom.com)  wrote:
 
 
 
 
Does look like a proto. 



Indeed, as Dennis noted. Note that the chrome lettering on the side says  
"Television" not (yet) "Color Television"

 
 
 
This camera is much wider and longer than a TK-41, but with vent  intake 
holes, tally lamps alongside the turret, and the profile of the  tube VF of 
the '41 (but lacking vent louvers?).  Like the early '41s,  the cam shown is 
using three monochrome cam cables (were they 28 or 30  pins?), not the 81 pin 
connector, that cameras (at least at NBC, as an  in-house conversion?) 
later used. 
But fitted with a 3:1 zoom, of all things!  (Varitrol? -anyone  remember?)





That would be the lens with what appears to be a motor on the front and a  
cable dangling from it?


Looking at Bob's picture, it's much easier to see things.



I think they've done as I suspected:  Bolted a bigger plate to the  
standard head, and then run bolts up through the four corners of the plate to  lock 
the camera down.  Counterbalancing would seem to be an interesting  
challenge unless they figured out where the camera's center of gravity was  with 
the lenses and such.

 
 






 
 
 
I hope, like Ted observed, that there were springs in the  head. 



There are: Close up, you see the springs right in the center, and the  
standard friction tilt lock handle on the camera's right side (as viewed from  
the operator's perspective.  Also the RCA serial plate up and to the  right 
of the handle. 





One has to wonder how easy (or not) locking the tilt from the back of the  
camera. Did one ask for assistance?




 
 
Elsewise, tilt very fwd or back and the cam and cameraman would be  doing a 
summersault off the top of that scaffold !!  
(I think I read that the TK-40 itself was really a proto, with perhaps  
only as few as three serial numbers produced) 
(RCA MI-12345?  We used to think that stood for Missing  Item)





I believe it stood for "Master Inventory." Can't remember whether I read  
that in an RCA publication or catalog, heard it from an RCA employee or read  
it in a post somewhere.



 
 
Thanks! 

mike

_mike at bolandcom.com_ (mailto:mike at bolandcom.com) 
_www.bolandcom.com_ (http://www.bolandcom.com/) 
Pacific-Los Angeles Time Zone
+1 (949) 465-9911 Tel
+1 (949) 465-9944  Fax
______________________________________________________________






 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Ted  Langdell
Secretary
Skype:   TedLangdell
e-mail: _ted at quadvideotapegroup.com_ (mailto:ted at quadvideotapegroup.com) 


















 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eighth Annual Quad Videotape  Group Lunch at NAB:  12:30pm on Tuesday, 
April 14, 2015




























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