1956, RCA/NBC Portable Camera Research & Development #1

This is the brand new RCA wireless Vidicon camera at the 1956 Republican Convention in San Francisco. This new unit is the first all transistor model and the only tubes used are the viewfinder CRT and RCA’s new Vidicon tube which is the size of a king size cigarette. The 4 pound camera has a detachable electronic viewfinder that can be docked with the camera or slung around the operators neck. The entire unit weighs only 19 pounds and the 15 pound back pack can push a good signal up to a mile. The 4 pound camera is 2 1/2 inches high, 3 inches wide and 8 inches long and has an 8mm lens. As you will see below, RCA/NBC had other portable cameras there, including a Philco model, and was doing a lot of field testing, research and comparisons. Political conventions are a great place to do R&D work as they are truly remote broadcasts, but are also controlled environments that last about a week for the broadcasters. The silver cell batteries used by this camera can hold their charge up to 5 hours as compared to 2 hours with the older versions of RCA’s “Walky Looky” cameras.

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