EDTECH 537- Image Entry
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| The Sony VX1000 by actionsportsmusictv.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0 |
In 1992, I graduated high school and decided to go to community college and play tennis for the team. City College of San Francisco was also known for its Video Production courses. I was taking video production classes and began working on independent projects. I was learning all of my production skills from an older classmate named Cedric. Cedric owned a camera and other production gear. He was the cool guy who knew how to set up lighting and operate every single piece of production gear. I was amazed and he would teach me everything I wanted to know about filmmaking. He told me about a new technology that was being developed called DV, which stood for digital video. At the time, the technology seemed to be so innovative but probably too expensive for consumers to own.
Fast forward a few years to 1995, when Sony introduced the VX-1000. It didn't look like your regular consumer camcorder. It was beautiful, elegant and futuristic. The VX made waves in production houses, news agencies and especially with the prosumer customers. The cost of the camera was $3500 USD, which at the time, was less expensive than professional cameras but way more than a camera that you could buy from Circuit City. The camera quickly became infamous for its compact footprint and professional quality video. Documentary filmmakers would soon embrace the camera and it became a common piece of gear on independent productions around the world.
If you ever run into a filmmaker who starting producing video in the 90's, ask them about the Sony VX1000. I'm sure they'll get nostalgic and tell you a story or two.
This brought back memories of my first "professional" photography camera-the Pentax K1000. I loved that camera! (I still have it tucked away.) It was a big investment for my family at the time although not anywhere near the Sony VX. Thank for sharing and triggering my nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteHi Geri. I bet you have a good collection. I actually kept this camera because it has so much sentimental value. I used it for my first documentary and went through hell and back with it. My wife hates me for keeping all my junk. But I'm a collector.
DeleteThanks for sharing some background on yourself and the camera. We actually have one of these as part of our suite of video equipment at my middle school. I believe it was passed down from one of the high school programs.
ReplyDeleteYou have a collectors item for sure. It was a revolutionary camera and helped push the industry to be smaller and lighter. Please let me know if you ever fire it up and shoot with it. I hope to hear more about your video program at your middle school.
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