1980 - 1983      R

FIRST CCD COLOR VIDEOCAM, SONY XC-1 - 1980.  In 1980, Sony marketed a commercial color videocam using a CCD.  The world's first commercial color video camera to utilize a completely solid state image sensor, a charge-coupled-device, or CCD.  It was also the smallest camera on the market, weighing only 2.8 pounds.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

MAMIYA ZE 35 - 1980.  The ZE 35 was among the last of the 35mm SLR cameras produced by Mamiya. It was the first Japanese SLR to use an electronic coupling system to transmit information between the camera body and its interchangeable lenses. List $365 (about $1020 in 2012 dollars). Many 35mm SLRs such as the one above are readlly available on eBay in near mint condtion and at very low prices. Such cameras can be be jewels of any camera collection.

http://herron.50megs.com/ZE.htm

RICOH A-100 - 1980. The Ricoh A-100 was an automatic, 35mm, SLR camera launched by Ricoh in 1980. The A-100 featured aperture priority AE mode and electronically-controlled focal plane shutter. The camera was equipped with multi-coated XR Rikenon 50mm f/1.4 standard lens made of 7 elements arranged in 6 groups, but it could also use other Rikenon K mount interchangeable lenses. The A-100 was powered by two 1.5V silver oxide batteries (JIS G13, Mallory MS76, or Eveready S76).

http://www.brennanprobst.com/2012/12/spotlight-ricoh-100-super.html
 

IBM PC 5150 - 1981.  The IBM PC ( PC = Personal Computer ) model #5150, was conceived by a team of IBM engineers in Boca Raton, Florida in early 1980.  The IBM PC was introduced on August 12, 1981.  Digital Photography, Mikkel Aaland, 1992, p11.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer

3.5-INCH FLOPPY DISK - 1981.  Sony introduces the floppy that we are all familiar with today - 3.5 inches or 90mm. A variety of disks of various sizes had been produced to take the place of the 5.25-inch disk, but when several companies adopted Sony's 3.5-inch format it became the industry standard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floppy_disk

FUJICA AX-1- 1981. Shutter 1/2 - 1/1000 sec. Lens Fujinon f/3.5-4.5, 43-75 mm zoom. The lens and camera in excellent condition were obtained on eBay with a winning bid of $9.95.

http://www.pentax-manuals.com/fujica/cameras/ax1.htm 

PENTAX ME-F - 1981.  World's first SLR (single lens reflex) camera with TTL (through-the-lens) autofocus capability.  Click on image to see enlarged view.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_ME_F

  POLAROID THE BUTTON - 1981 .    Donated by Tatiya Hwang. One of several Polaroid cameras that used the same film packs as the much more expensive Polaroid SX-70 camera.

http://en.polaroid-passion.com/format-SX-70-cameras.php?id=68

POLAROID 8x10 FILM - 1980.  Polaroid began producing  film in wide varieties, including 8x10 instant transparencies (Type 891) and instant orthochromatic, translucent prints (Type TPX).  To process these products Polaroid marketed a series of film processors which allowed processing their 8x10 products without a darkroom or chemical solutions.  Above are shown a model 81-12 film processor and 81-09 loading tray.  These items are still common on eBay, but the film products may be expensive and out-of-date.

https://filmphotographyproject.com/content/features/2011/12/pack-films-big-brother-polaroid-8x10/

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Polaroid_instant_film

https://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/polaroid/98826

SONY MAVICA ELECTRONIC CAMERA - 1981.  A new era In photography begins.   On August 25, 1981, at a packed conference in Tokyo, Sony unveiled a prototype of the company's first still video camera, the Mavica (Magnetic Video Camera).  It recorded images on two-inch floppy disks and played them back on a TV set or Video monitor.  The Mavica was not a digital camera, but a TV camera capable of writing TV quality stills onto magnetic disks, with a shutter that would allow it to freeze frames within the limits set by twin-field interlace making up the complete frame.  The Mavica was a single lens reflex with interchangeable lenses.  The original Mavica was provided with three bayonet-mounted lenses: a 25mm f/2, a 50mm f/1.4, and 16-65mm f/1.4 zoom.  CCD size was 570 x 490 pixels on a 10mm x 12mm chip.  F/stop was controlled manually according to lighted arrows that appeared in the viewfinder.  Light sensitivity was rated at ISO 200.  The original Mavica had only one shutter speed, 1/60th second.  Each image was recorded in its own single circle on the floppy disk that Sony called the Mavipak.  Up to fifty color photos could be stored on one Mavipak.  Multiple exposure of 2, 4, 8. or 20 images could be selected.  The Mavica was powered by three AA-size batteries.  Images were displayed on a television set and were considered to be equal in quality to the maximum capability of a TV set of that time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t7svq2kXGI

https://www.cameramuseum.ch/en/discover/permanent-exhibition/the-digital-revolution/1981-a-photograph-in-still-video/

Sony Advertisement Announcing the Sony Mavica Electronic Still Video Camera
________________________________________________________________________________

Announcement SONY CORPORATION

Sony Corporation today announced that it has developed a revolutionary video still camera, embodying fully the advantages of advanced electronic technology in magnetic recording, CCD and IC semiconductors.

Called the MAVICA system, the new magnetic video still camera uses no photographic film and therefore does not require developing and printing processes which are indispensable to conventional chemical photography. This new video still camera represents an epoch-making innovation in the history of still photography.

The conventional camera has seen some improvements over the years, such as the change from dry plate to film, the use of electronics in certain parts, and the reduction of size and weight. However, for more than 140 years since the invention by Daguerre of France, there has been no fundamental change in the concept and technology of photography, in which images are recorded on film through chemical reactions of photo-sensitive materials.

Sony's MAVICA system replaces each chemical processes with an electromagnetic system. The MAVICA is no larger than a conventional 35mm single-lens reflex camera. An image that comes through the lens is converted into electronic signals by a solid-state imager called CCD (Charge Coupled Device), previously developed by Sony. The signals are recorded on a very small magnetic disk called MAVIPAK that Sony has developed for the new camera system.

The newly developed memory medium called MAVIPAK can record 50 still color pictures. The recorded pictures can be viewed immediately on the home TV set through a specially designed playback unit called the MAVIPAK Viewer. MAVIPAK pictures require no developing or printing processes such as required in chemical photography. It is expected that hard copies of color pictures can be produced from the MAVIPAK by means of a new color printer now under development by Sony.

____________________________________________________________________________

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

 FLOPPY DISK DRIVE - 1981.  Sony introduces the first 3.5 inch floppy disk drive.

http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/1981/

  https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mavica

FIRST SHUTTLE SPACE PHOTOS - 1981.   The first photos from space taken by Shuttle astronauts occurred in 1981.  Cape Cod shown above, right (NASA).

spaceflight.nasa.gov/.../ linenger-p-042.htm

The article on the right was  posted by the Fairchild ASI Science Team on the University of Calgary physics web site .  Downloaded 8/28/2002 

Photos on the above left and the below aurora image were included in the same article.

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FAIRCHILD ALL-SKY CCD CAMERA - 1981.    In 1981, the University of Calgary Canada ASI (All-Sky Imager) Science Team constructed the first operational digital camera which used a CCD (previous digital versions of the Calgary All-Sky Camera used an imager tube).   The All-Sky camera used the first commercially available CCD, the Fairchild 100 x 100 pixel CCD of 1973 (see 1970s page), thus the name, Fairchild All-Sky Camera.  Unlike other early electronic cameras, the All-Sky Camera provided digital data rather than analog data, thus making it the first documented operational digital camera using a CCD imager.  It was used to photograph auroras.  Shown above left to right: camera exterior, camera interior, camera on location.   Shown below:  Image of an aurora captured by the UC Fairchild All-Sky Camera.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.
http://aurora.phys.ucalgary.ca/index_past.html

https://www.cnet.com/news/photos-the-history-of-the-digital-camera/

https://books.google.com/books?id=C_f6r9u1BscC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=UNIVERSITY+OF+CALGARY+FAIRCHILD+ALL-SKY+CCD+CAMERA+-+1981&source

=bl&ots=e3gdPMpfUz&sig=-ztWU553Rxf-wORJMoMC9wFOdCs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjd0JDdvfPYAhXM61MKHXOxAVMQ6AEIWDAI#v

=onepage&q=UNIVERSITY%20OF%20CALGARY%20FAIRCHILD%20ALL-SKY%20CCD%20CAMERA%20-%201981&f=false

HITACHI VK-C1000 - 1981.   First consumer video camera with solid state (MOS - metal oxide semiconductor, 384 x 485 pixels) image pickup device rather than an image pickup tube.  The viewfinder was a small color CRT rather than an LCD.  The recording device was basically a table-top VTR with a shoulder strap attached.  The battery was very large and was usable for about 45 minutes of recording.  A separate power supply was required to operate the VTR when not on battery power.   Compare with today's palm-sized camcorders.

https://www.shmj.or.jp/english/pdf/pkg/exhibi526E.pdf

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

EIKONIX- 1982.   Eikonix Corporation marketed the first digital filming instrument.  It had a 3000 pixel scanner which moved across 4000 lines to provide a 12MP image.  First images were shades of grey, but later red, blue and green filters were added resulting in the first digital color film.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.cameramuseum.ch/en/N5880/la-revolution-numerique-en.html?M=7588

SONY CDP-101 - 1982.   The CD player prototype Goronta was shown at the Audio Fair in the Fall of 1981 (photo on the left). On 1 October 1982 the Sony CDP-101 was released - the world's first consumer compact disc player.  The Compact Disc was digital, reconstructing sound from a rapid stream of 1's and 0's stored sequentially on the disc. Sony chose 101 as the model number to represent the digital 1's and 0's. Although pundits of the time predicted that it would be at least ten years before CDs made serious inroads into LP sales, and that CD players would never be made for automobiles because they "weren't needed,"  CDs quickly took over the recorded  music market and relegated LPs to the realm of collectors and vinyl diehards.  MSRP: $900.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning these items.

http://www.cedmagic.com/history/sony-cdp-101.html

SCANNER IMAGE TRANSMISSION - 1982.  Kodak demonstrated image transmission using a scanner. Don Sutherland, "Digital Deal," Photo trade News, Chapter 3, August 2000.

Nikon FM2 - 1982-2001.  Sometimes you have you pay more than $10-20 to win and item on eBay, but that's OK if you get more in quality or value. The above purchase is an example of both. The Nikon FM2 had an original price of $364 for the body only. That would be about $873 in 2010 dollars. By 1995 the MSRP had risen to $745 ($1065 in 2010 dollars). The above FM2 along with three lenses, two flash units, a Weston III light meter, three filters, a self timer, a remote, a lens hood, and four lens containers, all in excellent condition, were purchased on eBay for $102.50. The unheard of 1/4000 sec shutter speed was unique to the FM2 at the time of its introduction.

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_FM2

DISC CAMERAS - 1982.  Kodak began marketing disc photography in 1982 with a line of compact cameras built around a rotating disc of film. A variety of disc-based cameras were produced between 1982 and 1990. The Disc 4000 (1982) and the Disc 4100 (1984) are shown above along with a disc cartridge and interior film disc. Shown below are a Minolta and an Ansco version of the disc camera.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_film

ANSCO CADET 100 - 1983.  Another disc film camera, presumably manufactured by Haking for Ansco.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Ansco

Kodak Partytime II Kodamatic Instant Camera - 1982. Camera designed for 'instant' photography. It was produced to be given away free at Tupperware parties. Kodak began to manufacture instant cameras in 1977. Polaroid, who had pioneered instant photography in 1948, took legal action. In 1985, after prolonged litigation, judgment went against Kodak who had to discontinue the production of instant cameras and film.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Instant

Kodak Kodamatic 960 Instant Camera - 1982. Another Kodak instant camera that Kodak was forced to discontinue. Film Size: Kodak HS144 Instant. Shutter: Electronic 1/15 - 1/250. Lens: Fixed 100mm f/12.8. Original List Price: $78.00

www.nwmangum.com/ Kodak/K960-1.html

Kodamatic 980L Instant Camera - 1982. Similar to the 960, but with auto-focus. Kodak's only auto-focus instant camera. Original MSRP: $115.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Instant

SHARP ELECTRONIC STILL VIDEO CAMERA (ESVC) Prototype - 1982.   A photo of this camera has been shown on at least two web sites, however,  we have been unable to find any mention of this camera in a Google search, in photo magazines of that time, or on Sharp's very extensive history site.  This may have been a quickly made mockup to present to the press to in effect say, "Hey, we are working on one of these too!"    At the time of the showing of an actual working still video camera by Sony in August of 1981, the general reaction by other camera manufacturers was stunned silence.  Companies that were not thinking of an electronic camera, or perhaps had such a camera on the back burner, were suddenly stirred into action.  It was immediately obvious that Sony, an electronics company with a great deal of experience in professional quality video camera production,  now had a big jump on many others in the forth-coming electronic still camera market and thus they had better put their own programs into high gear. 

https://www.focus-numerique.com/news/retro-photo-de-1981-a-1984-les-premiers-pas-14801.html

JVC GR-C1 - 1983.  First  VHS single-unit video camcorder.  This camcorder used Compact VHS  tape which JVC introduced in 1982.  This was the same tape as standard VHS and the same recording format, but in a cassette which was only 1/3 the size. This compact cassette could be inserted into in a full-sized VHS adaptor shell so that it could be played back in any VHS machine.  In this way, JVC achieved miniaturization without compromising compatibility with older equipment. Immortalized in the movie 'Back To The Future' (photo above on right), it is the original, definitive camcorder.

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

http://www.totalrewind.org/ 

KODAK PARTYSTAR Kodamatic Instant Camera - 1983. This particular camera was produced for distribution at Tupperware parties.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Instant

MICRON TECHNOLOGY MICRON BULLET - 1983.  A 1984 ad in Robotics Age stated that the MincronEye (purchased as a unit or in kit form) camera had a 128 X 256 element resolution (optical RAM) which could produce a grey  scale photo with a plug-and-go operation.  The images were reportedly of very low quality.  Lens: 16mm f/1.4. (TV).

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Consumer/Archive-Byte-IDX/IDX/80s/82-83/Byte-1983-10-OCR-Page-0319.pdf

http://www.theoldrobots.com/images40/Scorpion61.pdf

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STYLING EXERCISE - 1983.  Designed by Luigi Colanie as a still video camera, one of five camera styling exercises commissioned by Canon in 1983.  Luigi Colani is a German who was born in Berlin in 1928, and is famous for his opinions such as "an egg represents the highest form of packaging since the dawn of time," or "no straight lines in the universe."   His digicam was to use solid-state memory and was characterized by the objective lens and viewfinder being on the same axis.  The flash unit was to fire through the objective lens.  Exhibited in the 1984 Photokina, the 5 System mockups produced a major sensation.     We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://obviousmag.org/en/archives/2008/11/luigi_colanis_cameras.html

CANON NEW SURE SHOT - 1983.  The third in Canon's Sure Shot series, released in 1983, this was known as the (New) Sure Shot in the US, AF35M II in Europe, and Autoboy 2 in Japan. Its specifications are very similar to the original Sure Shot (but with a 4-element, 4-group lens this time) but can be identified by the sloped edge near the shutter release button.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Canon_(New)_Sure_Shot/AF35M_II/Autoboy_2

NIMSLO 3D CAMERA - 1983. Jerry Nims and Alan Lo. One of many 3D 35mm cameras produced by various manufacturers over the years. The Nimslo was a stereoscopic camera that took four photos simultaneously on 35mm film which then provided three-dimensional views. Four fixed focus f5.6, 30mm triplet lenses. Shutter 1/30 to 1/500 second. The Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, England. The company that produced the Nimslo was taken over by another company which followed up with the Nishika N8000 3D camera (photo on the right).

www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/cameras/overview.htm

http://www.stereoscopy.com/cameras/index.html

SONY BMC-100/110 - 1983. The Sony BMC-100 (BMC-110 in USA) Betamax was the first consumer model combined camera and recorder to go on sale.

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

http://www.totalrewind.org/

SANYO VRC 100 - 1983. Other manufacturers produced Beta movie cameras similar to the Sony BMC-100/110 which were then sold under a variety of brand names. Sanyo and Toshiba manufactured store brands for Sears, Marantz, Radio Shack, Rent-A-Beta, Navco, Magnasonic and others. Sony produced units for Zenith and Pioneer. The Sanyo VCR 100 kit came in a nicely fitted aluminum case as well as with a lined vinyl case for the camera itself.

http://www.mrbetamax.com/OtherGuys.htm

FISHER CAM-500 - 1983. A typical video camera of the 1980s. It used a Saticon direct-readout television pickup tube. Saticon Tubes with a Selenium storage layer were considered suitable for acquiring fast moving images. Their typical charateristics were low lag, excellent resolution, and signal uniformity.

http://yello80s.com/technology/cameras-video-recording/

https://www.servicemanuals.net/FISHER/CAM500-CAM-500/592774/detail.aspx

PENTAX NEXA - 1983.  Pentax demonstrates a B&W analog still video camera prototype, the Nexa.  Images were stored on a miniture floppy disk.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.aohc.it/_old/proto4e.html

https://www.focus-numerique.com/news/retro-photo-de-1981-a-1984-les-premiers-pas-14801.html

http://hastalosmegapixeles.com/tag/pentax-nexa/

https://photocountry.wordpress.com/2-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B7%D0%BE%D1%80-%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%85%D0

%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8/pentax/

1980 - 1983