The first Sony Walkman goes on sale - Jul 01, 1979 - HISTORY.com The first Sony Walkman goes on sale Share this: The first Sony Walkman goes on sale Author The first Sony Walkman goes on sale URL Publisher A+E Networks The transistor radio was a technological marvel that put music literally into consumers’ hands in the mid-1950s. It was cheap, it was reliable and it was portable, but it could never even approximate the sound quality of a record being played on a home stereo. It was, however, the only technology available to on-the-go music lovers until the Sony Corporation sparked a revolution in personal electronics with the introduction of the first personal stereo cassette player. A device as astonishing on first encounter as the cellular phone or digital camera would later be, the Sony Walkman went on sale for the very first time on July 1, 1979. The Sony Walkman didn’t represent a breakthrough in technology so much as it did a breakthrough in imagination. Every element of the Walkman was already in production or testing as part of some other device when Sony’s legendary chairman, Masaru Ibuka, made a special request in early 1979.

Ibuka was a music lover who traveled frequently, and he was already in the habit of carrying one of his company’s “portable” stereo tape recorders with him on international flights. But the Sony TC-D5 was a heavy device that was in no way portable by modern standards, so Ibuka asked his then-deputy Norio Ohga if he could cobble together something better. Working with the company’s existing Pressman product—a portable, monaural tape recorder that was popular with journalists—Ohga had a playback-only stereo device rigged up in time for Ibuka’s next trans-Pacific flight. Even though this proto-Walkman required large, earmuff-like headphones and custom-made batteries (which, of course, ran out on Ibuka midway through his flight), it impressed the Sony chairman tremendously with its sound quality and portability. Many objections were raised internally when Ibuka began his push to create a marketable version of the device, the biggest of which was conceptual: Would anyone actually buy a cassette device that was not for recording but only for playback?

Ibuka’s simple response—”Don’t you think a stereo cassette player that you can listen to while walking around is a good idea?”—proved to be one of the great understatements in business history. After a breakneck development phase of only four months, Sony engineers had a reliable product ready for market at 30,000 Yen (approximately US$150 in 1979 dollars) and available before the start of summer vacation for Japanese students—both critical targets established at the outset of development. The initial production run of 30,000 units looked to be too ambitious after one month of lackluster sales (only 3,000 were sold in July 1979). But after an innovative consumer-marketing campaign in which Sony representatives simply approached pedestrians on the streets of Tokyo and gave them a chance to listen to the Walkman, the product took off, selling out available stocks before the end of August and signaling the beginning of one of Sony’s greatest success stories.

Related Videos It all began with a failed rice cooker - a glimpse at Sony�s history - GSMArena blog Sony It's a well known fact that Sony, a multinational conglomerate head-quartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the leading brands in the consumer as well as professional electronics market today. However, what is not widely known is how it all began. In this article, weï¿½ll take a brief look at the company's history - itï¿½s journey from the beginning to where it is today, as well as some its milestone products. The Beginning Around 70 years ago, in the year 1945, defense contractor Masaru Ibuka established a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kenkyujo"(Totsuken), or Tokyo Telecommunications Research Institute. This was the time when the World War II had just ended. Ibukaï¿½s firm operated from the third floor of the damaged Shirokiya Department Store (shown below) in Tokyo. Although the company mainly focused on radio repairs, it also came up with its own product: an electric rice cooker.

Made by interlocking aluminum electrodes connected to the bottom of a wooden tub, the product lacked innovation, and mostly produced either overcooked or undercooked rice - the result depended on the type of rice as well as the quantity of water used. Overall, it was a failed attempt, and the cooker never hit the market. Tape recorders and transistors In May 1946, Ibuka joined hands with former naval lieutenant Akio Morita to launch a new business called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation), also known as Totsuko. Based in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, the firm was started with an initial investment of 190,000 yen (around $1,500 today), and also incorporated Ibukaï¿½s radio repair business along with its entire staff. Totsuko focused on research and manufacture of telecommunications and measuring equipment. The companyï¿½s first creation was a 'Power megaphone' that went on sale in October 1947. Three years later, the firm launched Japanï¿½s first magnetite-coated, paper-based recording tape, dubbed Soni-Tape.

A few months later, the countryï¿½s first magnetic tape recorder, the G-Type was also launched. Interestingly, the device was viewed as a product for government use, hence the G in G Type. The product didnï¿½t sell well initially, primarily because people knew little about tape recorders and how they can be useful. This led to Ibuka and Morita personally visiting places like government agencies, schools, and universities to market the product, and convince people that they need one. Eventually, their efforts bore fruit, and the product sales picked up. The very next year, Totsuko launched the P-Type portable tape recorder, which was not only smaller and lighter than G-Type, but was also less expensive. It was also commercially successful. In 1952, Ibuka and Morita learned about transistor (developed by Bell Laboratories) on their trip to the US. They wasted no time in applying for its license, which they obtained in 1953.

Given the fact that transistors were a smaller, durable, and less expensive alternative to vacuum tubes (which were used in Totsukoï¿½s products till now), the company started working on a small radio that could be carried in hand or pocket. Meanwhile, with an aim to go global, both Ibuka and Morita decided to have a short brand name that could be easily remembered - they zeroed down on SONY, a mix of the Latin word "Sonus" (which meant sound) and "Sonny", an American name for boys mostly used in 1950s. This happened in the year 1955, when the company finally released TR-55 , the countryï¿½s first transistor radio. Measuring in at just 14 x 8.9 x 3.4cm, the device was an instant hit. The Sony brand became immensely popular, so much so that the company changed its own name to Sony Corporation in 1958. A couple of years later the company launched a transistorized television, and also established trade offices in the US and Switzerland.

The early 1960s saw the company developing transistor based products including the TC-777 amp tape recorder, worldï¿½s smallest and lightest TV dubbed TV5-303 , countryï¿½s first stereo amplifier, the TA-1120 , as well as the TC-357, a tape recorder featuring automatic recording adjustment. In the second half of the decade, Sony launched products like its first cassette tape recorder, the Magazine-matic 100 TC-100, world's first IC radio, the ICR-100 , as well as a Chromatron-type 19-inch color TV, 19C-70, and Trinitron color TV dubbed KV-1310 (shown below). This was also the decade when the Japanese company entered into a 50-50 joint venture with Americaï¿½s CBS Inc. The entity would become Sony Music Entertainment in a few decades. VCR, Betamax, and Walkman The next decade brought along the cassette age.

In 1971, Sony launched a 3/4-inch u-matic color video cassette player dubbed VP-1100 , and in the following year, a u-matic color video cassette recorder dubbed VO-1700 (shown below) was launched. The year 1973 saw the company getting an Emmy award for developing the Trinitron color TV system - this was the first Emmy ever awarded to a Japanese company. Meanwhile, the company was expanding globally - German, Spanish, and French subsidiaries were set up in the first few years of the decade. In 1975, Sony launched a 1/2-inch ï¿½Betamaxï¿½ VCR dubbed SL-6300 . While the VO-1700 catered to a limited audience such as television stations, the SL-6300 was aimed directly at the consumer market. Unsurprisingly, the Japanese company was sued by leading US movie studios over piracy concerns. However, the final judgement was in favor of Sony.

Although Betamax video format was successful, Sony failed to establish it as an industry standard, allowing competitors to develop the VHS (video home system) format, which was in-fact technically superior to Betamax. Gradually, VHS not only overtook Betamax in popularity, but also rendered it obsolete. Soon after Sony launched its first tape recorder in 1950, the company hired Norio Ohga - an opera student at the Academy of Art in Tokyo - who had suggested several improvements in the product. In the late 1970ï¿½s, on co-founder Masaru Ibukaï¿½s desire to listen to music on a device more portable than the companyï¿½s existing TC-D5 cassette players, Ohga - who was the companyï¿½s Executive Deputy President then - started working on a compact cassette tape. The year 1979 saw the company launch the TPS-L2 (shown above), the first model of the first-generation Walkman personal stereos. The product, which included headphones and a leather case (as well as a second earphone jack), became a roaring success.

Itï¿½s worth mentioning that the device was launched as the Sound-About in the US and the Stowaway in the UK, but Sony later settled for the brand name Walkman - the term became so popular that it was even included in Oxford dictionary in 1986. CD Players, Handycam, and Columbia Pictures acquisition In the year 1982, Sony launched the worldï¿½s first compact disc player in Japan. Dubbed the CDP-101 , the $1,000 device was released in the US just a few months later. In the same year, the company also launched the BVW-1 , a 1/2-inch Betacam integrated camera/VTR for analog-based professional broadcasting use. The following year saw the company being split into five divisions: marketing and sales, manufacturing, service, engineering, and diversified operations. In 1984, Sony launched the world's first portable CD player dubbed D-50 . The device, which was approximately the size of four CD cases, was later called Discman.

1984 was also the year when the Japanese company bought the rights to use Appleï¿½s hard-disk technology, a move that effectively allowed Sony to capture nearly one-fifth of the Japanese market for workstations, and PCs used in offices. The company also started manufacturing and marketing electronic components for other companies that year, something it had never done before. The following year, an 8mm camcorder dubbed CCD-V8 was launched. Weighing in at 1.97kg, it was the worldï¿½s first video camcorder of its kind. In the later half of the decade, Sony launched the MVC-C1 , a consumer-use still camera that was marketed as an electronic camera for the TV age. It offered features like auto-strobe, fast successive shooting, timer functions, and TV screen display. In the year 1989, the CCD-TR55 was launched. Nicknamed Handycam, the device was a compact and lightweight passport-sized 8mm camcorder. This was also the year when Sony purchased American film company Columbia Pictures for $3.4 billion in cash. This was the largest US acquisition by a Japanese firm to that date.

A few years later, the entity was renamed Sony Pictures Entertainment. PlayStation, Cybershot, and VAIO The early 1990s brought a tough time for Sony as majority of the world's largest economies - including the US, Japan, and Europe - experienced a slowdown. Ohga - who had become the Sonyï¿½s CEO by then - along with Morita tried to steer the company out of this situation but couldnï¿½t succeed completely - net income decreased 50% in 1994. Meanwhile, the KW-3600HD, an HD-equipped, 16:9 wide aspect ratio, 36-inch consumer-use television launched in 1990, and Sony Computer Entertainment was established in 1993. Sony entered the Japanese gaming market the following year, introducing the 32-bit PlayStation. The console, which landed in the US a year later, was a huge success. The year 1995 saw Sony's first consumer-use digital video camcorder DCR-VX1000 /DCR-VX700, a.k.a Digital Handycam.

In addition, basic specifications of the DVD format were finalized this year, and Sony Communication Network Corporation was also established in 1995. The following year, Sony launched its digital still camera Cybershot DSC-F1 (shown below). The Japanese company also established it Chinese subsidiary this year. 1997 was an important year in the Sony history as it saw the launch of the companyï¿½s home-use PC VAIO series. The flat CRT WEGA series, as well as the world's first broadcast-targeted HD camcorder, HDW-700 and its first DVD player came this year. Towards the end of the decade in 1999, the Japanese company launched the ERS-110 , the first-generation model of the AIBO four-legged autonomous entertainment robot, which could not only express but also learn emotions. Unfortunately, this was also the year when co-founder Morita passed away. Change in focus With the advent of 2000s, Sony changed its strategy a bit, and started focusing on digital and gaming market, as well as emerging networks such as broadband, wireless, and home.

In the year 2000, the Japanese company launched the sequel to its original PlayStation gaming console. Dubbed PlayStation 2, the product was more of a home entertainment center as it could play audio CDs and DVD movies, as well connect to the Internet. The console was hugely successful. Some other milestones that Sony achieved in this decade were: Launch of the personal IT television Airboard IDT-LF1 in 2000. Development of world's largest (13 inch) full color organic EL display and establishment of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications in 2001. Launch of worldï¿½s first Blu-ray recorder BDZ-S77 in 2003. Establishment of Sony BMG Music Entertainment and development of worldï¿½s first mercury-free button-shaped silver-oxide battery in the year 2004. Launch of BRAVIA brand HDTV-compatible flat-screen TVs in 2005. Launch of worldï¿½s first Blu-ray Disc drive Notebook PC ( VAIO typeA ) as well as PlayStation 3 in 2006.

Development of Bio Battery (that generated electricity from glucose), and launch of worldï¿½s first OLED TV in 2007. Launch of world's smallest full HD Handycam HDR-TG1 in 2008. Development of finger vein authentication technology dubbed Mofiria and unveiling of new brand message make.believe in 2009. Launch of Cyber-shot and NEX series still cameras, as well as Sony Internet TV in 2010. Introduced its Xperia line of tablets in 2011 Launch of Playstation 4 in 2013. Mobile Phones As noted in the milestones above, the entity Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications was established in the year 2001. Clear from its name, the company was a joint venture formed by the Japanese company and Swedish-based Ericsson with an aim to manufacture top-quality multimedia mobile-phones. Here are some of the companyï¿½s handsets that deserve a mention: The first handset that Sony Ericsson outed was the T68i in the year 2002.

Based on Ericssonï¿½s already-released T68 mobile phone, the deviceï¿½s features included color display, a built-in e-mail client, bluetooth, GPRS, as well as two-way MMS, among others. The $650 T68i, which came with a Joystick for navigation, also featured in the James Bond film Die Another Day. In the year 2003, Sony Ericsson came up with the T610 . Sporting a premium design and a 65,000 color display with 128ï¿½160 pixels resolution, the device could also take 288 x 352 pixels resolution pictures. It garnered praise from both critics as well as end users, and was one of the companyï¿½s most successful handsets. The year 2005 saw the launch of the K750i mobile phone, which sported a 2MP rear camera with auto-focus. It also had an MP3 player and expandable storage. This was also the year when Sony Ericsson launched the W800 , its first Walkman series phone.

The device could play MP3 and AAC files, and lasted for up to 30 hours in Music mode. It also featured Flight mode, Bluetooth v1.2 (with full Bluetooth 2.0 compliance), Infrared, and USB connectivity. In 2006, the K800 was launched. It was the companyï¿½s first Cyber-shot-branded mobile phone. The handset sported a 3.2 MP camera with auto-focus and Macro mode, and offered 32x digital zoom and red-eye reduction. It also featured the BestPic functionality that allowed users to take 9 successive images of the same subject in full resolution to choose the best shot. The year 2007 saw Apple launching the first generation iPhone . Like many other mobile companies, Sony Ericsson failed to quickly respond to threat of the Cupertino-based companyï¿½s first handset, which brought along the touchscreen craze. Like Nokia , Sony Ericsson first went ahead with Symbian (its P series phones), but then ditched it in favor of Android and Windows Mobile platforms citing lack of demand in the market.

While the company debuted its Xperia series in 2008, the Xperia X10 (shown below) was its first Android phone that launched in the year 2010 - all previous models of the series ran Windows Phone OS. This was followed by the launch of devices like the Xperia X10 mini pro , Xperia X10 mini , Xperia Arc , Xperia Play (shown below), and Xperia Ray . In late 2011, Sony announced that itï¿½s acquiring the Sony Ericsson joint venture for $1.5 billion. The famous Sony Ericsson branding ceased in the year 2012, when the acquisition completed, and the erstwhile joint venture was renamed Sony Mobile Communication. It was also decided that, moving forward, the entity will only concentrate on selling smartphones. The Xperia S - that came out in 2012 itself - became the first smartphone to ship with the Sony branding. The device featured 32GB internal memory a 4.3-inch HD display and a 12MP rear camera.

Gradually, the Xperia brand encompassed Sony Mobileï¿½s smartphone portfolio, with flagships including Xperia Ion and Xperia Acro , as well as Xperia Z1 , Z2 , and Z3 that launched in the following years. This brings us to the companyï¿½s latest flagship smartphone: the Xperia Z4, which was announced in April this year and is available internationally as the Xperia Z3+ . Unfortunately, the deviceï¿½s sales were hampered by heating issues , although the company soon released an update to fix the problem. Conclusion Like any other company, Sony has had its share of hiccups - last year, the company sold off its struggling VAIO computer division and spun off its failing bravia TV business. There have even been reports of the company considering selling its mobile phone unit. And who could forget last yearï¿½s hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment and the subsequent troubles related to the release of the film The Interview. But isnï¿½t all this part of the game? Every company goes through rough phases, and Sony is no exception. However, what really matters is learning from your own mistakes and adapting to the changing times, which we hope Sony will continue doing.

1970s 1970s 1970s BREMSON / CAMERZ MODEL 10 - Circa 1970. Reference the 1950s page. The Lustre-Pak, a wooden camera, was made by Bremson Photo Industries, Kansas City, Missouri for the purpose of taking high school yearbook photos. The above camera is a later version of their cameras which were rented to photographers, but with the difference that the it was manufactured by Photo-Control Corporation of Minneapolis, MN, for Bremson. Like the previous wood version, the above camera is entirely manual except for the shutter which also has an electronic release. Both used 35mm film and both used a string to allow the photographer to properly judge the distance to the subject, and like Bremson, Photo-Control Corporation is no longer in existence. Both the old and new version are extremely rare, especially in the near mint condition of the above sample. At the time of this writing, one seller had the lens portion without magazine "on sale" for $399. YASHICA ELECTRO 35 GS- 1970.

The Yashica Electro 35 GS is a coupled-rangefinder, leaf-shuttered 35mm camera with aperture-priority automatic exposure. The Electro 35 GS/GT was released in 1970 by Yashica. The lens is a Color-Yashinon DX 1:1.7 f=45mm lens made in Japan and is identical to the one on the Electro G that precedes it and the GSN that follows it. CCD Wafer CCD Construction Assembled CCD EIGHT-INCH FLOPPY DISKETTE - 1970. IBM invented the eight-inch floppy diskette and its drive to improve the distirbution of microcode patches and diagnostics. It was first used in 1971 on the IBM System/370 Model 145. The eight-inch floppy won rave reviews for its reusability, portability, and inexpensive high-density storage capability. Now it would take a hundred thousand of those original eight-inch floppies (80 KB each) to store the same data that many digicamers routinely place onto their 8-GB Compact Flash card.

Later versions of the eight-inch floppy had a capacity of about 256 KB (information thanks to David Fiedler). ~mark/uprog.html FIRST COMMERCIAL SSTV CAMERA AND MONITOR - 1970. Robot Research, Inc. produces the first commercial version of the slow scan TV HAM radio image transmission devices originally developed by Copthorne McDonald in 1957. The company's first products were the 70A monitor (left) and 80A camera (center). Robot Research still produces SSTV equipment today and their products are used by many HAM operators. The Kenwood handheld VC-H1 is also popular for amateur radio transmission of images (see 1998). Products of both companies can frequently be found on eBay. INTEL 4004 MICRO PROCESSOR - 1971. In November, 1971, Intel publicly introduced the world's first single chip microprocessor, the Intel 4004, invented by Intel engineers Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stan Mazor (left to right above). The 4004 contained 2250 transistors on a single chip.

DIGITAL CAMERA PATENT - Louis A. Lopes and Owen F. Thomas - 1971. A digital camera capable of forming a picture of pattern of objects either radiating or reflecting energy, which includes an oscillator which can generate a ping-type or continuous-wave signal, which may be amplified and if the target is not self-radiant, transmitted to a stationary illuminator, which "illuminates" the target. The target reflects or radiates energy to a rectangular array or matrix of transducer elements, each of which corresponds to an element of the object observed, and each of which is connected to an analog-to-digital converter and then to a digital computer, or to logical circuitry arranged to form a digital computation. The computer determines the phase and amplitude from each element at a frequency of interest, stores the values in an ordered array corresponding to the transducer array, and performs the mathematical operation known as a two-dimensional finite Fourier transform on the values to produce a new array of values in complex notation. A similar array of absolute values derived from the complex values, when fed into a printer, forms a pictorial representation of the target which corresponds to the intensities of the signal sources of the various parts of the target.

Filed 6/24/1971. MCCORD/WESTPHAL DIGITAL ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT - 1971. Dr. Roger Clark submitted information concerning the use of equipment in 1971 and thereafter to produce digitized photographs of the moon and other astronomical objects. The camera head involved in the operation consisted of a silicon target of a vidicon tube which was scanned by an electron beam thereby producing an electrical signal that was then digitized and stored on tape. The electronics and tape recorder were mounted in a 53-cm electronics rack and the camera was attached to the rack by a cable. This raises an interesting question, when should a photography system be described as digital photography? That is, if a series of independent components are used to first capture an analog image and then convert it into a digital image, should such a system be described as a digital camera? Where exactly do we draw the line between analog photography and digital photography? In general, this may not be a question of consequence except when the matter of who developed the first digital camera arises. I am not qualified to be the arbiter in such matters, so I merely present the material and viewers can come to their own conclusions.

To make matters a little more confused, I refer viewers to the bottom of my 1900-1920 page and the Bartlane Transmisson System. That system converted black and white photos into digits representing several shades of gray, and then transmitted the data via punched tape where the photos were then reconstructed on the other end. Strictly speaking, that system was a form of digital photography and could fairly be called the first instance of digital photography, or at least digital scanning. The schematic shown above of the camera head is from a thesis by Jay Stuart Kunin which describes the McCord/Westphal project in detail. Dr. Clark has a great deal of instructional material on his home page, so much so that it serves as a complete one stop location for everything having to do with digital photography. After reading the material submitted by Dr. Clark, perhaps you would like to express your own opinion as what is a digital camera and who should get the credit for the first such camera. Thesis Home Page, Dr. Roger N. Clark THE FIRST E-MAIL - 1971. QWERTYUIOP, these letters (or something similar) made up the first message to be sent electronically over e-mail.

If the letters looks familiar, it's because they make up the top row of the standard keyboard. The person responsible for the first e-mail was Ray Tomlinson, a computer engineer. Tomlinson was employed by Bolt Beranek and Newman, a company contracted by the United States Defense Department in 1968 to build ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet. Before the first message could be sent Tomlinson needed to come up with an address. He chose the @ symbol to distinguish addresses to mailboxes in a local machine and messages that were to be sent out onto the network. Tomlinson says that he chose the @ symbol because it wasn't a person's name and for it's symbolic meaning, at; someone@someplace. The first two machines to communicate via email were actually sitting right next to each other, both connected to the ARPANET. At that time, computers communicated through a separate computer on the ARPANET network. This was where the transfer of "QWERTYUIOP" took place. Within two years seventy-five percent of ARPANET traffic was e-mail. POLAROID SQUARE SHOOTER - 1971.

Originally produced between 1971 and 1972, the Square Shooter was a Ridged Plastic Bodied, Packfilm Type 80 instant camera. Although similar to the Colorpack II the Square Shooter was considered more advanced and that was reflected in the retail price of $34.95 as opposed to the Colorpack II retail price of $29.95. It lacked the built-in development timer of the Colorpack II and was slightly smaller. Camera donated by our beautiful daughter, Tatiya, who seldom misses a garage sale in our area (sorry guys, she's already married). The Square Shooter featured: A built in socket for Hi-Power flashcubes, a "Focused Flash" system. Triangulation distance finder. Exposure system designed only for 75 ASA films. Typically they also featured the adjustable front cell focusing lens with distance scaling marked on the lens ring. "Everset" shutter that did not need re-cocking. Canon Canonet 28 - 1971-76. Lens f/2.8 40 mm. Shutter 1/30 - 1/620 sec.

MSRP with case $64 US (about $345 in 2010 dollars). It was purchased on eBay in excellent condition for $10. FUJICA ST701 - 1971. The Fujica ST701 was the first camera using a silicon photo-cell receptor coupled to a field effect transistor (FET) circuit for light metering. The FET photo cell provided higher sensitivity, instantaneous response and more precise measurement of light compared to Cadmium-Sullfide (CdS) photo-cells used by other cameras at that time. The mercury batteries (1.35 volts) originally sold with the ST701 are no longer available. Owners should replace the old batterie with zinc/air cells of 1.35 volts such as Everready 675. Do not use alkaline cells of 1.55-1.6 volts because they will not work in the ST701. It may be necessary to to wrap the new batteries with tape or paper as they will probably be smaller in diameter than the original batteries. The ST701's f/1.8, 55 mm lens is considered to be of very good quality.

The ST701 was also available with a chrome top in addition to the black top shown above. A camera similar to the one shown above with f/1.8, 55 mm lens and case was purchased on eBay in very good to excellent condiiton for $10. PENTAX SPOTMATIC SPIIA - 1971. Manufactured by Asahi Optical Company. Model SPIIa sold in USA only as the Honeywell Pentax SPIIa. Shutter 1 second to 1/1000 second. Cds TTL metering. Pentax screw mount. Lens: Super Takumar 1:1.4 50mm. F/1.4 - 16. The Spotmatic SP II added the following features to the Spotmatic SP: Switch for hot shoe (FP and X) Roller on film door for better tracking of film Improved shutter Modified meter and switch (greater EV range) Increased ASA range Shape of top cover Brighter view finder The above camera was donated to DigiCamHistory.Com in near mint condition by Ron Hardwick, one of Ohio's top professional golf instructors.

ONE-STEP INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY, Polaroid SX-70 - 1972. The Polaroid SX-70 Land camera is introduced - the first fully automatic, motorized, folding, single lens reflex camera which ejected self-developing, self-timing instant color prints. Many consider the SX-70 to be Dr. Land's masterpiece. Original MSRP $180. The above kit in very good to excellent condition was obtained on eBay for $49, however, some vendors are currently (fall, 2010) askng as much as $390 for the same item. There are a great many SX-70s available on eBay, so be selective in your choice. FIRST U.S. ELECTRONIC PHOTOGRAPHY SYSTEM PATENT - 1972. Texas Instruments patented a film-less electronic camera. Inventor: Willis A. Adcock; (Dallas, TX). Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated (Dallas, TX). Filed: June 27, 1972 and again on October 29, 1976 and June 23, 1977.

Abstract : "A completely electronic system for recording and subsequently displaying still life pictures includes an optical-electronic transducer for generating electronic signals responsive to an optical image. The signals are stored and subsequently applied to a visual display. Means are provided for applying the signals at a scan rate synchronized with the scan rate of the display to effect a stationary display of the optical image. Preferably, the display is a conventional television set." Schematic Diagram of Willis Adcock's Electronic Photography System Proposed Camera Designs (Note Tape Drives), and Portion of CCD Sensor Design The computerized patent office filing system only extended back to 1975 at the time of this posting, however, the refilings made in 1976 and 1977 are essentially the same as the original 1972 application and can be viewed in their entirety, including drawings, by doing a patent search. To perform this search, go to the patent office's web site shown below and select "Patents" in the drop-down menu.

When the patents' page appears, select "Quick Search." On the quick search page place the patent number in the "Term 1" box and select "Patent Number" in the "Field 1" (4,057,830 or 4,163,256) box. In the "Select years" box select "All years" and press the search button. To view the patent drawings, which are TIFF images, you must first download TIFF plug-ins which are free. For PCs use: AlternaTIFF: (tested: IE, Netscape, Opera) interneTIFF: (tested: IE, Netscape) For the Apple Macintosh Apple's freely distributed Quicktime version 4.1 or later works, but does not provide printing capability. It is available from the Apple Web site at: . For Linux, a plug-in called "Plugger" works with Netscape Communicatorï¿½. It is available at: The U.S. Patent Office web site is at: Date reference: FIRST CCD TV VIDEO CAMERA - 1970. Using the Smith & Boyle CCD, Bell Labs researchers built the world's first solid-state video camera in 1970.

In 1975, they demonstrated the first solid-state camera with image quality sharp enough for broadcast television. YASHICA ELECTRO 35 GSN- 1970. The design of the Yashica Electro GSN essentially goes back to the first Electro 35 rangefinder released in 1965 and was not changed until the end of the production of the GSN in 1987. Its size is comparable to that of the Konica Auto S2 and the elder Minolta Hi-Matic models 7S, 9, and 11. It had a fast 1:1.7 45mm lens. There is a similar black finished model called Electro 35 GTN. FIRST COMMERCIAL CCD - 1973. Fairchild Imaging successfully developed and produced the first commercial charge coupled device in 1973 with a size of 100 x 100 pixels. In 1974, the above Fairchild CCD and an 8-inch telescope were used by james R. Janesick to produce the first astronomical CCD image (see James R. Janesick below).

It was also used in the world's first known operational electronic CCD still image camera which was constructed by Steve Sasson of Kodak (see farther down on this web page). The above CCD was donated to DigiCamHistory.Com by Jim Janesick. FAIRCHILD MV-100 - 1973. The Fairchild MV-100 had the same 100 x 100 pixel CCD as the below MV-101 and was the first commercially available CCD. FAIRCHILD MV-101 - 1973. The MV-101 was about 76mm in diameter and 48mmin length (without lens). The 100x100 pixel CCD was developed by Fairchild and was the first CCD to be marketed (1) . The Fairchild MV-101 was used to perform Procter & Gamble product inspections (2) and was also used in the world's first still image digital camera hand-built by Steve Sasson of Kodak - see article below: KODAK PROTOTYPE CCD DIGITAL CAMERA - 1975. MSRP $4,000 (3) .

See 1981 page, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FAIRCHILD ALL-SKY CCD CAMERA - 1981, for use of the Fairchild CCD by the University of Calgary in their All-Sky camera. Television (1) Applications of interline-Transfer CCD Arrays, Kenneth A. Hoagland, 1976 (Fairchild Corp.), page 154 (This article is available on the Internet as a PDF document: (2) From Presentation by K. W. White, Electronic Imaging International Conference, 1993. The article by K. W. White discussing the use of the Fairchild MV-101 camera to perform Procter & Gamble product inspections is no longer available on the web, but may be purchased from the German National Library of Science and Technology ( (3) TV Technology On Display in New York: by Stephen Traiman. Lincoln Center. "Pocket-sized solid-state camera shown by Farichild" (MV-101 CCD-charge coupled device at $4,000). Billboard, 8 February 1975, page 47. ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

KEYSTONE MODEL 800 - 1973. The Keystone Camera Company, a division of the Keystone Manufacturing Co., was founded in Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1910. They were an American manufacturer of consumer photographic equipment. Notable products were movie cameras, 126 cartridge and 110 cartridge cameras with built in electronic flash (the "Everflash" series). In the 1930's, they made inexpensive 8mm and 16mm movie cameras that are still in use today. They were acquired by Berkey Photo, Inc. in 1966. In 1978, Berkey sold its camera division and thus abandoned this market. The Keystone Camera Company filed for chapter 11 protection in January 1991. Later in 1991, they were purchased by Concord Camera Company. The instant cameras made by Keystone, unlike Kodak instant cameras, used Polaroid types 88, 107 and 108 film packs, thus were not objected to by the Polaroid Corporation. Automatic film exposure, shutter 1/500 to 10 sec, flash and timer.

Original MSRP $79.95 SONY AVC-3250 - 1974. The AVC-3250 was used in many schools and corporate video studios of the time. Two thirds-inch vidicon tube for pickup, detachable four-inch CRT viewfinder for aiming. Lens: f 1.8, 12.5mm - 75mm. 6 to 1 zoom. This camera and others in the series were the work horses of their day. For those interested, a fine collection may be established sticking just to video cameras. See the web site below for an idea of items available. The above camera with two lenses and case with accessoiries, all in excellent conditon, were purchased on eBay for just $76. Shown below is the Akai VC-115 studio videocamera which was used for much the same purposes as the Sony AVC-3250. TEAC HC-100 - 1974. Shown above is a TEAC video camera similar to the Akai VC-115 , the HC-100.

For those collectors looking for a specialty area, early vidoe cameras and camcorders are plentiful in excellent condition and at bargain basement prices. This HC-100 in with fitted cased was obtained on eBay for only $20. KODAK XL 340 - 1974. One of the many amateur movie cameras marketed by Kodak over the years that can now be purchased by the collector in excellent condition very inexpensively . Film: Super 8 cartridge. Shutter: 9, 18 frames per second. Lens: Manual focus Ektar 9-21mm f/1.2 MAMIA RB67 PRO S - 1974. Medium foremat (6 x 7 cm) camera. The RB67 had a rotating back which enabled photographs to be taken in either landscape or portrait orientation without rotating the camera, a very valuable feature for studio cameras mounted on heavy tripods. . The RB67 soon became widely used by professional studio photographers. In 1995 Kodak marketed the Kodak 463c (color) and 465m (monotone) digital backs for the RB67.

FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE INSTANT ELECTRONIC CAMERA PATENT - Jon S. Barrett - 1975. A conventional lens system projects an image on a planar array of light sensitive elements of a charge coupled device from which digital signals containing the picture information are produced and stored for reproduction by a mechanical printer. An instantaneous camera comprising a lens system; a solid state array imaging device having discrete light sensitive points whose accumulated charge is a function of the incident light; means for positioning said imaging device in predetermined relationship with said lens system; means for sensing charges at said points and generating in predetermined order a sequence of pulses whose amplitudes are a function of the respective instantaneous charges at said points; a printer responsive to said pulses and having means for direct production of visible marks; and means coupling said last-said means to said printer. Filed 7/14/1975 POLAROID / USI INC. M500 PASSPORT / ID SYSTEM - 1975. Polaroid has marketed a great many different instant photo products over the years, many of which are not known to the general public because they were sold for industrial/scientific or medical purposes. Some of these appear on eBay from time-to-time.

The M500 ID system kit contained a camera capable of taking four instant photos at one time, four of the same photo, two photos of two, or four different photos. The camera had a built-in flash and variable exposure system. This early model kit included the Polaroid M500 mountable camera, mounting stand, photo die cutter, heat laminator, supplies and carrying case. The system was produced in conjunction with USI Inc., a producer of laminating products and other office equipment. This particular sample appears to have had little or no use as all items in the set are in mint condition. The stand appears to have never been removed from its stow-away position and the carrying case does not have the usual scratches and abrasions normally present indicating that it has been moved about. SATCOM 1 - 1975. SATCOM 1, America's first commercially available geo-stationary satellite was placed into orbit by a Delta rocket December 12, 1975.

Geo-stationary means that the satellite was placed at a distance above the earth's surface and over the equator where it would revolve around the earth within the exact same time period that it takes for the earth to rotate on its axis (synchronous orbit). This causes the satellite to stay continually above the same point over the earth's surface so that satellite receivers do not have to follow a moving satellite. It also means that spy satellites can view the same area of the earth's surface twenty-four hours a day. BAYER COLOR FILTER ARRAY - 1975. Bryce Bayer invented the color filter array that bears his name (the Bayer filter), which is incorporated into nearly every digital camera and camera phone on the market today. Described in U.S. Patent 3,971,065, "Color Imaging Array," filed in 1975, color filters are arranged in a checkerboard pattern to best match how people perceive images, and provide a highly detailed color image. The Bayer Filter enables a single CCD or CMOS image sensor to capture color images that otherwise would require three separate sensors attached to a color beam splitter - a solution that would be large and expensive.

The red, green, and blue colors of the Bayer filter are fabricated on top of the light-sensitive pixels as the image sensor is manufactured, a process pioneered by Kodak. The drawing on the right of Mr. Bayer's photo is from his notebokk where he first describes the Bayer system color sensor array. pinterest.com BETAMAX SL-6200/6300, LV-1801/1901 - 1975. On 16 April 1975 Sony announced the SL-6300 Betamax VCR deck and the LV-1801 TV/VCR combination incoporating the SL-6300 and an 18-inch trinitron color television. On 10 May 1975 Sony aonnounced the LV-1901 with a 19-inch Sony Trinitron color TV and an SL-6200 Betama VCR deck. These were the first successful consumer videocassette.

The first Betamax product released in the United States, the combination LV-1901 TV/VCR floor model, appeared in November 1975 priced at $2295. The one hour Betamax cartridges were considerably smaller than the earlier U-matic cartridges, and the system derived its name from the resemblance of the tape path inside the mechanism to the Greek letter "Beta" FIRST CCD FLATBED SCANNER TO READ TEXT WRITTEN IN ANY NORMAL FONT- 1975. Invented by Kurzweil of Computer Products using the first integrated chip. Ray Kurzweil and his team at Kurzweil Computer Products created the Kurzweil Reading Machine and the first omni-font OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. They did this work in support of individuals who are blind. The world's first commercially viable flatbed scanner was developed later in 1984 by Samir Lehaff of Eskofot inDenmark (information provided by Ron Tussy of The Imerge Group). ALTAIR 8800 HOME COMPUTER - 1975. The Mits Corporation introduced the first popular home computer, the Altair.

The Altair computer kit sold for about $400 and began the personal computer revolution. POLAROID ELECTRIC ZIP CAMERA- 1975-78. One of the less expensive Polaroids with an MSRP of $21.95 (about $89 in 2010 dollars). It was available in red, white, blue or black. WHO INVENTED DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY? This question is often seen on web sites, but as shown by the material presented on this and previous pages, the correct answer is NO ONE. It has been a steady progression over time involving many persons, some who are noted on this and other sites, but much work has also been done by a multitude of anonymous engineers working for varius companies throughout the world. As noted below, Steve Sasson is given credit for construction of the first working, single unit digital camera that could be held in one's hands, but his work depended upon the efforts of many others.

Some would like to arbitrarily give credit for the invention of digital photography to one person or another who envisioned such a device, but if that is to be the criteria, the credit for almost every known invention would have to go to various science fiction writers who "envisioned" such devices long before they were ever built. "Envisioning" such devices without detailed explanations of how they would actually be constructed, such as is required for patents, does not qualify in the minds of most as making one an inventor of such devices. KODAK PROTOTYPE CCD DIGITAL CAMERA - 1975. A Kodak engineer, Steve J. Sasson, holds a camera he constructed, the world's first known still image digital camera. The camera used the newly developed Fairchild black and white 100 X 100 Pixel (.01 megapixel) CCD as an image sensor and required 23 seconds to record a single image onto digital cassette tape (photo shown on the right). The camera weighed 8 1/2 pounds. Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle, page 8D, October 16, 2001.

HITACHI (SHIBA) SHIBADEN FP-100 - 1975. WHO INVENTED DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY? Example of a professional model closed circuit studio TV camera of the era. Lens:Shibaden Fujinon TV zoom 1:1.8, F=20-100mm. Shiba Electric merged with Hitachi Electric in 1973 to form Shinsei Hitachi Electronics. MINOLTA SR-T 200 - 1975. Lens Minolta Rokkor f/2 50 mm. Shutter 1-1/1000 sec plus B. The above camera in near mint condition was obtained on eBay for $20 although Mckeown's indicates a price range of $100-$150. CANON 110ED, Vivitar 600 - 1975, 1976. The Canon 110ED and Vivitar 600 were two of many 110 cameras marketed by Canon, Vivitar and others during the 70's. Canon: lens f2/ 25mm.

Shutter: 8 - 1/500sec. Vivitar: f8 24mm. Shutter 1/250 sec only. en/cla_came/canon110ed/ VIVITAR 220-SL - 1976. What will $25 get you these days? How about a Vivitar 220-SL 35 mm camera, a 50 mm lens, a 200 mm lens, a 2X tele adapter, and a flash, all in near mint condition. Unfortunately, the camera did not come with a manual. An original manual cost an additional $28.90, more than all the equipment previously mentioned! KEYSTONE XL200 - 1976-80. The XL200 had a fixed-focus f/1.1 lens with 9-18mm zoom. Exposure was by CdS photocell on Super 8 film. Original MSRP was around $122, which would be about $493 in 2012 dollars.

All cameras have a story to tell, but unless you happen to know the previous owner you generally receive only the camera itself with no idea of its previous history. This case is a lttle different. The box contained the gift card shown above telling us a little bit about who it was purchased for and by whom. The outer envelope says mom and dad. The gift card tells us that this fairly expensive camera was intended to cover several occasions: Father's Day, Mother's Day, and someone's birthday; and was presumably given by their children, Nancy, Tim and Kim. If Nancy, Tim or Kim happens to come across this web site, be assured that your thoughtfull gift now has a happy home and will be well cared for indefinitely into the future. KODAK ANALYST - 1975. If you like to collect unusual cameras there are many available, often quite inexpensively. For example, the Kodak Analyst Super 8 shown below is a Super 8 movie camera with one unusal feature - it has a timer which allows the user to take time lapse photographs rather than movies. The Analyst appears on eBay fairly frequently and can be purchased in excellent condition for about $30.

FIRST PHOTO FROM ANOTHER PLANET, VENERA-9 - 1975. On October 20, 1975 The Soviet lander Venera-9 transmitted the above panorama from Venus. KH-11 RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITE - 1976. The KH-11, referenced by the codenames Crystal and Kennan , also commonly known as Big Bird, was a type of reconnaissance satellite launched by the American National Reconnaissance Office from December 1976 to October 2005. Manufactured by Lockheed, the KH-11 was the first American spy satellite to utilize electro-optical digital imaging, and create a real-time optical observation capability. It is believed to resemble the Hubble Space Telescope in size and shape, as the satellites were shipped in similar containers. Using a powerful 2.3-meter mirror, the theoretical ground resolution with no atmospheric degradation would be approximately 6 inches. Data was transmitted through the United States military's Satellite Data System relay network. Shown above is a leaked KH-11 photo showing the Nikolaiev 444 shipyard in the Black Sea taken in 1984.

The KH-11 had a charge-coupled device (CCD) array with a resolution of 800 x 800 pixels (0.64 megapixels). KH-11 satellites are believed to have been the source of some imagery of the Soviet Union and China made public in 1997, as well as images of Sudan and Afghanistan made public in 1998 that were related to the response to the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings. en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Minolta_110_Zoom_SLR 5.25-INCH FLOPPY DISK - 1976. In 1976 Shugart Associates began production of 5.25 disk drives, believed to be the first standard computer medium that was not promulgated by IBM. On the right is something rarely seen these days outside of a museum - an unopened package of 5 1/4-inch floppies. Package kindly donated by our good friends, Ruth and Ken Schumacher. VHS - 1976. JVC introduced VHS (video home system), the most successful of all home video formats.

It was introduced as a competitor of Sony Betamax. 250 lines of resolution. Maximum length of tape was 180 minutes in SP mode, 540 minutes in EP mode. JVC HR-3300 - 1976. The first VHS home video cassette recorder was introduced in Japan by Japan Victor Corporation in September of 1976. In April of 1976 JVC had demonstrated a VHS prototype to Sony, but Sony considered VHS to be a copy of Beta and refused to adopt the VHS design. VHS eventually replaced Sony's Betamax design in the comsumer market although Beta is stilled used for non-consmer products. SONY SL-7200 - 1976. The first stand-alone Sony Betamax VCR in the United States, the SL-7200, came on the market in February 1976 priced at $1295. This unit sold much better than the previous TV/VCR combo LV-1901. The external clock to turn the unit on and off at preset times was an optional accessory. The clock was placed externally at the request of Sony chairman Akio Morita.

Upon seeing a prototype unit in a lab with an internal clock, he insisted that the clock be external so that if the clock malfunctioned it could be repaired without requiring that the entire VCR be brought into a service center. APPLE I - 1977. Apple introduced its first home computer, the Apple I. The Apple I was based on the MOStek 6502 chip, whereas most other kit computers were built from the Intel 8080. The Apple I was sold through several small retailers and included only the circuit board. Users bought the workings and built their own case. A tape-interface was sold separately. The Apple I's initial cost was $666.66. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the most famous members of the Homebrew Computer Club, designed the Apple I in 1976. Many leaders in mainline computer companies like IBM and Digital did not believe that personal computers were powerful enough to have a market. Sales of the Apple I and other PC's that followed proved them wrong. Click on image to see enlarged view. APPLE II- 1977.

The first Apple II's were shipped in June 1977 and retailed for $1298 each. The Apple II was the first computer with a color display, and it had the BASIC programming language built-in, so it was ready-to-run right out of the box. The Apple II could be considered the first user-friendly system. episodes/3781/Apple_II.htm CASI PHOTO SYSTEM - 1977. The CASI was intended to be used for the making of portraits, the first commercial use of such a system. It required the use of a TV camera, computer and printer. The company, Computer Amusement Systems Inc., is still in business. June 1984 Popular Science, page 129. Photo and information provided by Mike Mozart, JeepersMedia. KONICA C35-AF - 1977. Konica introduced the C35-AF, the world's first compact point-and-shoot autofocus camera. It used two mirrors, one of which pivoted as the lens changed focus. Image contrast was greatest when the two images merged on the focusing sensor. At that time a solenoid stopped the moving lens at the appropriate focus distance.

Hexanon 38mm f/2.8 lens. Shutter 1/6- - 1/250 second. Built-in flash and motor drive RCA BW003 - 1978. An example of an early consumer video camera. The B-003 was a 2/3 inch vidicon camera that was intended to compliment early VHS machines and allow the consumer to shoot home movies. The viewfinder is a simple peep sight with a reticule marked for either a 25mm or a 12.5mm lens for close-up and/or wide angle shooting. The microphone was built into the front of the camera. Many such early video cameras are available to the collector very inexpensively. The one shown above was purchased on eBay in excellent condition with manual, converter and cables for $20. MSRP about $400 ($1,300 in 2015). KODAK TELE-EKTRA - 1978. Kodak's version of an inexpensive 110 camera. Many manufacturers produced 110 cameras during this time period and they make an interesting collection in and of themselves.

They take up very little space and most are very inexpensive. The above camera in excellent condition with manual and a box of vintage flashbulbs was purchased for $3.00. Kodak Instant Cameras - 1976-86. In October 1985, after nine years of patent litigation with Polaroid, Kodak was banned from making and selling instant cameras and film. The ban took effect January 1986, at which time Kodak announced a trade-in program. The owners of 16.5 million cameras were given the chance to trade in their cameras for a share of Kodak common stock, a new camera, or $50 worth of Kodak merchandise. By June of 1986, several class action lawsuits had been filed against Kodak by instant camera owners. The final settlement called for owners to return the camera's nameplate for a refund of cash and credits. The numerous Kodak Instant cameras without nameplates have virtually no collector or commercial value. Some Kodak instant cameras have the following names: Champ, Colorburst, EK, Handle, Happy Times, Kodamatic, Partyflash, Party Star, Partytime, Pleaser, Trimprint.

Shown above left to right: Colorburst 100 (1978-80) MSRP $45, two Colorburst 200 (1978-80), MSRP $59.50, EK4 (1976-78), MSRP $53.50, The Handle (1977-79), MSRP $39.95, and The Handle2 (1979-81), MSRP $40. POLAROID SONAR ONESTEP PRONTO - 1978. The Sonar Onestep was one of the rather unique cameras that Polaroid produced using high frequency sound waves to operate the autofocus system. That is, it determined the distance to the subject in somewhat the same way as a bat does, by emitting high frequency sounds that bounces back to the camera, but which cannot be heard by human ears. NOVELTIES - One area where one can collect a great many photography items without spending a lot of money and without requiring a lot of storage space.

The types of camera novelties available on eBay is almost unlimited: cuff links, cups, clothing, toys, office accessories, decorative items, fake cameras, storage containers, etc. Several are shown below. COCA-COLA CHRISTMAS EDITION CAN CAMERA - 1970s. One of many can cameras made in the late 70s and early 80s. A 110 camera was fitted inside. Most can cameras were made by Eiko. With few exceptions, all of Eiko's cameras were "can cameras", that is, cameras built into a tin can. These were often sold or given away as promotions by soda and beer manufacturers. Various models were made from 1977 to 1983, but they all included a 110 camera hidden inside a can with a variety of nameplates. Many came from countries other than the U.S. and all were awkward to use. FISHER PRICE GO TO THE ZOO CAMERA TOY - 1973. Each time the yellow button is pushed the flash cube rotates and a different zoo animal appears in the viewer. MODERN VIDEO DISC - 1978.

Philips and Sony collaborated to make digital imagery a reality. Sound and images were digitally recorded and imprinted as micro-pits on a disc. A laser then optically scanned the information and converted it into pictures and sound on a home TV. Pioneer made use of the format as Karaoke Entertainment which made the format popular in commercial circles of Asia. Discs and players are readily available on eBay. Lewis M. Branscom, Confessions of a Technophile, 1995, page 130 FIRST OPTICAL DISC PLAYER- 1978. MCA DiscoVision and Philips worked together to introduce the new system, with MCA focusing on disc mastering and replication and Philips manufacturing and distributing the playback system through its Magnavox line of electronics. In december of 1978 MCA discs and Magnavox VH-8000 players went on sale in three Atlanta Georgia stores at $749 for the player. The technology later resulted in today's CDs. SONY HVC-1000 - 1979. The HVC-1000 is an example of an early Beta video camera.

Originally, the HVC-1000 required an adapter to record to Beta recorders. Later, it could record directly to the Sony SL-2000 and SL-2500 of 1982. The Sony BC-300 battery charger shown on the right was for NP-11 batteries used in Betamovie camcorders. It's somewhat unique in that it held three batteries and charged them sequentially one at a time. User could select the order of charging. Once a battery was charged it could be removed while the remainder continued to charge. Sony information provided by Jack Carter, Sony technician. The above camera with fitted hard case was purchased in excellent condition for only $9.99. MSRP $1,329. RCA CC002 - 1979. A semi-professional closed circuit video camera of the type used by various schools and universities. For those looking for a specialized area of collecting these types of video cameras are often available on eBay at a fraction of their original cost. The camera above in excellent condition in its original box was obtained for only $44.

Although not apparent in the above photo, the CC002 is significanlty bigger and heavier than the typical home video camera of the same era. MSRP $850, about $2,700 in 2015 DIGITAL AUDIO TAPE SYSTEM - 1979. Sony introduces digital recording tape. CBS Records International is the first major record company headquarted in the United States to take delivery of Sony's new PCM-1600 (pulse code modulation) digital audio processor and editing equipment. SONY TPS-L2 WALKMAN - 1979. Sony introduced the Walkman TPS-L2 personal stereo. A midnight-blue-and-silver with high quality sound, the TPS-L2 debuted in July 1979. Called the Soundabout in the United States, it didn't record or come with a speaker, but two could listen at once through a pair of headphone jacks, and an orange button called the Hotline let the owner talk over the music. MSRP $200. FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE CCD CAMERAS IN ASTRONOMY - 1979.

An RCA 320 x 512-pixel liquid nitrogen cooled CCD system began operation on a 1-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Observations quickly demonstrated its superiority over photographic plates. CCDs are best for high-resolution imaging -- this is where they really come into their own. Because of the dim light associated with large image scales, the relatively poor sensitivity of photographic emulsions just cannot compete. CCD cameras are excellent at imaging small planetary nebulae, and they can render thousands of obscure galaxies as spectacular, exotic objects. Kitt Peak National Observatory Orion Nebula (Click for large view.) RESPONSE 300 SYSTEM - 1979. Scitex, an Israel-based company, marketed the Response 300 System which created full-color separations and allowed the operator to change image details or combine images. The Scitex Response 300 represented the first generally available technology that allowed treatment of a graphic arts page as a data file that could be electronically manipulated as a complete entity. Prior to that time, electronics and computers had seen use in graphic arts, but only to process data on the fly, without storage and without the ability to edit, change and manipulate complete page images. The U.S.

topographic map at left was created using the Scitex Response 300 System. Click on image for enlarged view. NIKON EM - 1979. The EM was intended to compete in the price range of the Canon AE-1 and Olympus OM-10. The above camera in near mint condition with two lenses, a flash and a very nice camera bag was obtained on eBay for $36. ELIJA EUGENE CAMPBELL - 1979. In 1979, Elijah Eugene Campbell of New Zealand designed an electronic still camera, but was unable to interest any of the major electronics manufactures. In 1981, Sony demonstrated the MAVICA still video camera which, in effect, obviated the need for Campbell to continue with his project. 1970s

Question: Sony introduced a product to the world market in 1979, and in October 2010 announced that they would cease selling it in Japan. What product was it?
Answer: Walkman