Four Generations Of The Experimental RCA Color Cameras…

The 1st generation of RCA’s simultaneous color television system cameras (shown above), is generally referred to as the Wardman Park cameras. They were in NBC’s Wardman Park Hotel studio in Washington DC, but just recently, we have learned that RCA’s called these “The Princeton Cameras” as that is were they were built and developed.

RCA began live camera development there as early as 1946-47, and at least three finished studio cameras of this type were built by the Television Research Group of RCA Laboratories, and two were installed there. The third one may have been kept in Camden, and later used in mobile trials.

The cameras were used for the demonstrations of the RCA Dot-Sequential Color Television System to the F.C.C. during the color television hearings in 1949 through 1950.

After the FCC rejection of the RCA Dot Sequential Color System, further color camera development responsibility was transferred from RCA Laboratories, to the RCA Engineering Products Department (Broadcast Equipment Group) in Camden. Studio development activity was moved from Washington to the RCA building in New York City. The Wardman cameras went to Camden.

The 2nd generation of RCA color cameras were installed in NBC Studio 3H at 30 Rock, and are generally referred to as the “Coffin Cameras”. The joke was, they were so big, you could bury someone in one of these. They were the first to have the rounded viewfinder. The 3H cameras were in use for about two years, until The Colonial Theater came on line in late 1952.

Even after camera testing left 3H, color component testing continued there, because quality color monitors were a must.

The 3rd generation of cameras came with the opeining of The Colonial. These were the RCA TK40 prototype cameras. Remote testing with the Coffin Cameras had taught them the the dark umber color in the sun was not a good idea, and these TK40 prototypes came in a cooler silver color to reflect the sun’s heat.

Speaking of heat, these TK40 prototypes did not have vented viewfinder covers, but by the time the TK40 went into production in 1954, they were beginning to figure this out.

The 4th generation, was the RCA TK40 which began being delivered in April of 1954. Only 25 TK40s were built, and they all had the unvented viewfinder cover, like the prototypes, but vented covers were sent to TK40 customers once the RCA TK41 began production later in 1954.

The TK40s had also been shipped with panheads that were either friction or single wide cradle types. Once the TK41 began shipping, the new double wide cradle head was included and shipped to TK40 owners too.

The RCA TK41 also had four generations, the TK41, TK41A, TK41B and TK41C. There is more on the photos. -Bobby Ellerbee

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