Sony CCD-V8AF-E

The CCD-V8AF-E was a Video 8 camcorder with infrared auto focus (AF) and 2-head helical scanning system manufactured by the Sony Corporation in 1985. The Video 8 format uses 8 mm tape for storing the video signal in analogue FM. The main image sensor was a 250,000-pixel charge-coupled device (CCD) integrated circuit (IC) which required minimum light level of 22 lux (f1.4). This camcorder uses phase alternating line (PAL) colour encoding system, which complies with comité consultatif international pour la radio (CCIR) standards, for 625-line analogue video systems. The camcorder dimensions are 126 mm × 191 mm × 350 mm, and mass 2.3 kg with battery and cassette.

As well as dedicated ICs to provide analogue processing of video signals, this camcorder required a mode control central processing unit (CPU) µPD7503G-324 for the overall control of the camera, and MB88505 microcontroller to manage the tape transport mechanism and servos.

This camcorder sported 6× power zoom lens (f=12 mm to f=72 mm) which was changeable with others in the accessories list. The lens assembly was a complex piece of engineering consisting of a focus motor, zoom motor, and aperture motor. All of these motors required their respective individual servo control circuits in order to work.

The operator could also enjoy a 1-inch viewfinder display that rendered a monochrome 208 line display. A miniature cathode ray tube (CRT) to provide a monitor display during recording and playback modes achieved this.

How to Connect to a TV

In order to reduce the size and weight of the camcorder they made the VHF modulator part (RFU-85) detachable, because it is usually required for playback. This is a necessary and useful part for feeding the camcorder output signal to a television for display. Since most of the modern TVs have a digital tuner, the analogue VHF signal will not be compatible, and therefore the separate audio/video outputs from the RCA sockets will have to be used. These sockets could be connected to a TV that has compatible RCA sockets for seperate audio and video inputs. The quick start guide How to Connect to a TV has more information.

Head

A feature that did not get much recognition, but was revolutionary, was the flying erase head, which was within the same drum as the recording / playback heads. It enabled the operator to stop and start recording without leaving gaps. This feature saves a huge amount of time editing the film in the studio.

Auto Focus

This video camera, which had the auto focus function, replaced CCD-V8 in the same year. The 13-metre range autofocus was crude using infrared beams to measure the distance between the lens and the object, and if anyone were to walk between the two, breaking the beam, then the autofocus servo continued adjusting. This constant hunting by the servomotor resulted in unnecessary power usage reducing the useful time of the battery pack. As a result, they also included a switch to disable autofocus so the operator could focus manually.

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