I used to have a functional Betamovie 110. Sadly it has since died. I now have a new Beta Hi-Fi and I plan on getting another Betamovie. Debating on the 220 or your model here, the 550
Thanks for your reply. Still have all my Video 8 stuff but moved on to Mini DV via a Canon HV30 a couple of years ago. Dug up some footage from 1993 recently (V8 on to DVD) and was surprised how good it looked.
Great to see some BETA kit working well, I was a big fan of Beta and SUPER Beta, saw ED Beta at a trade show but they never released it in the UK. Shame. I think Sony should have fought VHS-C with MINI Beta (which is a fact they were ready to go) when they elected to go Video 8 instead....still I enjoyed many years of video 8/ Hi8/ Digital 8 instead. Love old SONY stuff, today they make nothing as good and have lost their focus.
@mikeismad61 Very true! Thanks for commenting! I enjoy Video8/Hi8 as well because of the long recording time in such a small tape cartridge. The new MiniDV tapes just don't last long enough for a normal amount of shooting.
@mikeismad61 Totally agree Sony have lost their way. I used to buy Sony as my 1st and only chose. Panasonic and Samsung really have their finger on the tech button these days. Where does your info on mini beta come from? Still have a C9 and F1 portable, kids nowadays have no idea how lucky they are having devices that record 1080p on something that fits in your pocket.
@codemsan Yes! The tonality of this cam is like nothing I've ever seen before. When I look at this footage, it makes me feel like I'm in a dream, where everything is soft and light has a mysterious glow :) It's almost unreal!
Interesting the the date was limited to 2009. Great video camera history with this camera. And you have the background of the camera too. Do you have any film video cameras and projectors?
The quality isn't all too impressive, mainly due to the bad low light sensitivity. The outside recordings looked pretty good, a lot like the pictures my old 1984 JVC GR-C1E VHS-C camcorder records.
Since the Betamax format here in Germany was rather unpopular it is pretty hard to find these camcorders over here.
@DrCassette Yes, now that I can get it to eject after some fiddling around with the button, it works just fine! I have to remember that when I'm using this camera, I should use it either outside or under bright lighting from video lights. I wonder why Betamax was more unpopular in Germany. Could it be because VHS offered longer recording times and there were more tapes and machines?
One of the reasons is that the Germans are less adventurous when it comes to new technology. While video equipment became popular in the US in the late 70s/early 80s, in Germany it became popular in the late 80s, and that was when it already was pretty obvious that VHS would be the winning system. Over here we also had Video2000 wich was the most modern system, it offered a whole 8 hours of recording time since the tapes could be recorded in the other direction as well.
@GanEdenAustralia Thanks. Considering that my collection now includes various analog camcorders, I need a fast and simple way to hook them up for transfer. One thing I'm serious about is variety in storage formats for the preservation memories (in other words, an archive system). I will be presenting a video where I talk about this system as well. It comes from my belief that there is not a single storage medium that is the best.
Comment removed
shesnailie 3 days ago
I have a beta movie but my brother broke it but it still works
mtltaylor53 3 weeks ago
MY MAN. YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE A LONG LIFE FOR HAVING SO MUCH CARE OVER THOSE PRODUCTS THAT ARE LEGENDARY.
TEACHYOUTEEWHY 1 month ago
I have a magnavox video camera form 1989
I like it thanks
rhebstriet 3 months ago
I used to have a functional Betamovie 110. Sadly it has since died. I now have a new Beta Hi-Fi and I plan on getting another Betamovie. Debating on the 220 or your model here, the 550
MissingInActionFilms 3 months ago
that is so cool! that camcorder is older than i am :P i love how it makes everything you tape look like it was made in the '80s!
extremehockeyfan 4 months ago
Thanks for your reply. Still have all my Video 8 stuff but moved on to Mini DV via a Canon HV30 a couple of years ago. Dug up some footage from 1993 recently (V8 on to DVD) and was surprised how good it looked.
mikeismad61 6 months ago
Great to see some BETA kit working well, I was a big fan of Beta and SUPER Beta, saw ED Beta at a trade show but they never released it in the UK. Shame. I think Sony should have fought VHS-C with MINI Beta (which is a fact they were ready to go) when they elected to go Video 8 instead....still I enjoyed many years of video 8/ Hi8/ Digital 8 instead. Love old SONY stuff, today they make nothing as good and have lost their focus.
mikeismad61 6 months ago
@mikeismad61 Very true! Thanks for commenting! I enjoy Video8/Hi8 as well because of the long recording time in such a small tape cartridge. The new MiniDV tapes just don't last long enough for a normal amount of shooting.
CameramanLink 6 months ago
@mikeismad61 Totally agree Sony have lost their way. I used to buy Sony as my 1st and only chose. Panasonic and Samsung really have their finger on the tech button these days. Where does your info on mini beta come from? Still have a C9 and F1 portable, kids nowadays have no idea how lucky they are having devices that record 1080p on something that fits in your pocket.
scrubby1966 1 month ago
@recordjunkie1968 Cool! I've found Beta tapes on eBay, and some of them are unopened, but other places don't sell them. They are all new-old-stock.
CameramanLink 8 months ago
Great to see it working! I could totally see that thing being put to use for vintage style recordings or art :D
codemsan 8 months ago
@codemsan Yes! The tonality of this cam is like nothing I've ever seen before. When I look at this footage, it makes me feel like I'm in a dream, where everything is soft and light has a mysterious glow :) It's almost unreal!
CameramanLink 8 months ago
@CameramanLink Indeed. Makes for some good shots :)
codemsan 8 months ago
Interesting the the date was limited to 2009. Great video camera history with this camera. And you have the background of the camera too. Do you have any film video cameras and projectors?
AllAmericanFiveRadio 8 months ago
Nice to see this camcorder working again :)
The quality isn't all too impressive, mainly due to the bad low light sensitivity. The outside recordings looked pretty good, a lot like the pictures my old 1984 JVC GR-C1E VHS-C camcorder records.
Since the Betamax format here in Germany was rather unpopular it is pretty hard to find these camcorders over here.
DrCassette 8 months ago
@DrCassette Yes, now that I can get it to eject after some fiddling around with the button, it works just fine! I have to remember that when I'm using this camera, I should use it either outside or under bright lighting from video lights. I wonder why Betamax was more unpopular in Germany. Could it be because VHS offered longer recording times and there were more tapes and machines?
CameramanLink 8 months ago
@CameramanLink
One of the reasons is that the Germans are less adventurous when it comes to new technology. While video equipment became popular in the US in the late 70s/early 80s, in Germany it became popular in the late 80s, and that was when it already was pretty obvious that VHS would be the winning system. Over here we also had Video2000 wich was the most modern system, it offered a whole 8 hours of recording time since the tapes could be recorded in the other direction as well.
DrCassette 8 months ago
Nice analogue to digital set up there, very impressive.
GanEdenAustralia 8 months ago
@GanEdenAustralia Thanks. Considering that my collection now includes various analog camcorders, I need a fast and simple way to hook them up for transfer. One thing I'm serious about is variety in storage formats for the preservation memories (in other words, an archive system). I will be presenting a video where I talk about this system as well. It comes from my belief that there is not a single storage medium that is the best.
CameramanLink 8 months ago
Nice to see a Psalm quotation there. :)
GanEdenAustralia 8 months ago
@GanEdenAustralia This was a little stitching project my mom made for me about a decade ago. I thought it looked nice on top of my new VCR.
CameramanLink 8 months ago