Flashing back to our first range of “compact” VHS colour cameras

Now that video cameras are often no bigger than our hands and capable of recording on tiny cards or instantly sharing footage to your social networks, it hardly seems believable that this clunky camera was once considered cutting-edge.

Unless of course, you are old enough to remember all the Dads huffing and puffing behind their family on vacation, weighed down by a giant camera that resembled an over-the-shoulder broadcast model. Then you would absolutely appreciate why this National WV-3030N vidicon tube colour camera from 1980 was such a hit (except with the Dads still persevering with their earlier purchases).

If you aren’t old enough to remember such dark days, then you can just marvel at today’s Flashback Friday and be happy that you’ll never have to struggle with one of these dinosaurs!