We Have Cameras

May 10, 2011 7:50 AM

Eyes of a Generation is a "virtual museum of television cameras, and the broadcast history they captured," curated by actor and radio DJ Bobby F. Ellerbee. The site has hundreds of photos of cameras and of television sets backstage. It also includes vintage articles and a neat look at how the moon backdrop on the Conan set works.

Mr. Ellerbee collects vintage television cameras, some dating back to the 1940's. (YouTube link)

posted by zarq (5 comments total)

Related:

Barry Mishkind, who edits the Broadcaster's Desktop Resource, also maintains the "RCA TV Equipment Section of The Broadcast Archive" which was linked in Ellerbee's site.
posted by zarq at 7:50 AM on May 10, 2011

Oh, and if you have to ask, a full TV camera rig costs more than your house. I'm seriously not kidding.

This is also amusing for the tiny bits of GRAR mixed in, pining for the good old days of television. The broadcast industry is chock full of these folks. At times, it can be a very old-fashioned industry.

The bit about the moon is awesome, because it involves a very clever bit of purpose-built stagecraft and engineering, which you simply don't see much of these days, especially in the world of pre-recorded television. Christ. Now I'm doing it too.
posted by schmod at 8:24 AM on May 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

This is very cool. Thanks for the post, zarq.
posted by doctornemo at 10:59 AM on May 10, 2011

You're welcome! :)
posted by zarq at 11:56 AM on May 10, 2011

Oh, hi!
posted by NortonDC at 6:44 PM on May 10, 2011