HISTORY OF THIS VIDEO CAMERA
My professional and private background is all about electronics, audio and 'The Arts' but NOT really video, film or photography!
Over the years, I seem to have gathered together a bunch of strange camera's (some are odd looking) and it is now time for someone else to PERHAPS make use of this camera for immediate use (*** See the description below***) OR servicing/spare parts.
I am not a domestic video or photography enthusiast so this Hi8 Handycam is offered as-is (described and tested as best I can with my limited resources)
Actually I have a number of camera's and accessories I am sorting out and testing (if I am able to) ... look for more camera's HERE on my website.
I offer the description below as best I can but this video camera DOES have a fault ... please read below about my testing
I am not even sure anyone is interested in old VHS-C video camera's and probably only of use as a museum piece!
But I am very 'big' on sustainability and if this fits into someone's museum of antiquated video equipment or even as a spare parts 'farm' for other PANASONIC video camera's this would please me greatly.
PLEASE read the description completely and decide if this video camera could be of interest to you.
There are no returns or refunds offered, this equipment is second hand and offered 'as-is"
PANASONIC VIDEO CAMERA - Movie Camera (Palmcorder)
Technology: Analog helical scan, FM tape write, Mono audio
Format: VHS-C (Compact)
Model: NV-RX10A
Maximum recording time: 120 minutes (using an EC-60 tape)
Made in Japan
Release to the domestic market in the late 1990's (Yes, this is 'stone age' in the world of video technology)
The NV-RX10A camera comes with the following:
Hand strap
Carry strap
Original User Operating Instruction manual (55 pages)
2x VHS-C tapes (used with content unknown)
FUJI Type: EC-45 (installed in the camera)
PANASONIC SHG EC-60 (in the plastic protective case)
NOT SUPPLIED:
NO carry case
NO main battery is supplied, although I do have a battery which I used for testing of this video camera. That battery (P-V212) is supplied with the AC charger system HERE
DIMENSIONS:
80mm wide x 260mm front to back and 140mm high
This is described by PANASONIC as their Slim Palmcorder! How times have changed ...
Weight: 750g (without battery)
COSMETIC CONDITION:
CLEAN
NO camera body physical damage at all, but there are some "normal usage" marks, scratches but nothing serious. Both the hand and carry straps are in good condition, not broken although the PANASONIC brand name on the hand strap is a bit worn.
NO issues noticed with the 'user controls', all switches (not that there are many) are undamaged and work.
Ports for video out, audio out and headphones all look to be clean and undamaged
Battery contacts (both within the lower central area of the battery compartment) look to be in good condition. I did notice some light "Blue/Copper" oxidising so I have cleaned this away - no damage to the spring contact(s) has resulted.
The viewfinder eyepiece swivels up and down freely and locks into place, as it should.
The lens cover is secure and is a simple "squeeze and release" of the lens cover.
Inside the viewfinder is clean.
I took a very close look "inside" the front lens and I cannot see any signs of mould growth.
TESTING:
Ok, so the first thing that struck me with this camera is that it is uncomplicated, a very basic video camera. No fancy bells and whistle's, unlike the more advanced Hi-8 camera's I have recently been looking at.
Using the PANASONIC battery that I was lucky to find AND able to fully charge, I turned on the video camera.
Battery insert and eject lever is working fine.
I can select PLAYBACK or RECORD but only for a few seconds and then the indicating light on the top goes to the RED LED and flashes. Hmmm, that's not good.
The tiny screen within the viewfinder is working fine (Mono picture only) and when the RED LED is flashing, the screen shows F02 - this means the video camera has a transport issue. In other words it cannot successfully load a tape.
Pushing another button on the top allows for the side loading tape to be ejected, this works great too.
I had a quick look inside the transport area that can be viewed without taking the camera apart and it looks very clean but my! so many gears and cogs in such a small area, many of the gears are nylon too. I was not about to "go inside" and left the transport alone, but I did not notice any "foreign objects" inside like spider webs, bird's nests etc!
I noticed that even though the tape will not load correctly, I can see "through the lens" at the viewfinder. The picture is focused and the Wide angle control works nicely, not a sound from the lens system when this is operating - I even had to look inside the lens from the front to make sure they were moving!
At this point I ceased any further testing, not much point when I cannot run a tape in either Playback or Record mode.
In summary, although my "testing" is basic, I believe that the issue here is the tape transport and I am sure that over the years (even in my storage) any rubber components such as belts or pulleys will fail - I do not know if this camera uses rubber wheels, belts etc but this is a common problem with the old mechanical equipment I have worked on in the past e.g audio cassette machines
This PANASONC NV-RX10A is offered completely "AS-IS" and as described above
Since checking out this video camera, I have now sealed it, along with the tape(s) and user manual in a plastic package, to maintain the current condition and safely protect it from dust/dirt and airborne contaminants.
