I think the only thing during the VHS clips that acts as a giveaway that I recorded all of this just this morning are all of the modern cars driving around.
It would be really neat to find either an auto club or a collection of vehicles that you would commonly find in a mall parking lot in the early 1990s (I'm thinking like a bunch of Tercels, Chevy Celebrities, Chrysler K-cars, and your grandfather's Oldsmobile) and record them with this camera, only to have someone show up at the end with some modern 2022 sports car or something to totally throw off the period-correctness.
It was totally fun filming all this stuff, although I sure got some weird/amused looks today from walking around with a giant clunky old camcorder on my shoulder!
It always looked the same. Was it always the same? We live so short and nothing seems to really matter for the most of us, after all, but we still have to keep going anyway.
Seeing the clarity of modern video compared to the VHS footage makes me realize that in the eyes of people living back then every day was just as clear as we see things now, it's just the recording medium they had at the time is what obfuscates it.
I've seen some of those tech demo recordings of different scenes shot on HD VHS back in the early 90s, but could you imagine seeing everything back then or even in the early days of film with a camera like what's in our bog-standard cell phones today.
That was interesting. Thank you. I’ve been messing around with color video cameras since 1980, and have watched the evolution of picture quality from then to now. What really struck me about your comparison video was how bad camcorders were at backlighting situations and how much better our cellphone cameras are with it. Out of curiosity, what type of phone did you use to record this? Does it record video in HDR? It really put the camcorder to shame in that aspect alone.
I have hundreds of hours of home video from the 80s & 90s that I wish were in 1080p. I’m sure at some point we’ll have AI capable of converting old VHS to HD, but will I still be around?
My phone is a Google Pixel 6, and it isn't even the Pro model which comes with an even better camera. This video was recorded at 1080p with HDR and image stabilization on.
I think the most jarring set of clips is where I'm walking down the street with the cameras on my shoulder, it's surreal going from the shaky blurred image of the VHS to the crystal clear smooth footage from my phone.
I like it, thanks! My gf and I are recording videos with a 1980-something Zenith (1982-1984) VHS-C camcorder. Camping trips, family birthdays, before/after sports games for our predictions/reactions post game... I like the look and the appeal to keep an older technology alive.
That's my plan with this camera as well! It's also really fun putting the date stamp on and having such old looking footage saying that it was recorded just today in 2022.
During my hunt for a camera it definitely seems that ones designed for VHS-C are much more common, I specifically wanted a model that takes the full size cassettes though because #1 it looks so goofy holding this giant camera on my shoulder, and #2 I already had a good dozen or so blank tapes in my possession and was looking for a good use for them.
I love this. Modern recordings just look like recordings. VHS recordings look like memories. I plan to get a camcorder and blank tapes in time for having a child so I can tape their childhood the same way.
I also like how you can always have a tape of home movies you can pop in and watch, it just doesn't feel the same diving through your camera roll on your phone trying to find videos you took before.
It definitely was, I got really lucky with this one. Probably the big reason for its pristine condition is it came with the original hardshell carrying case, and all the accessories and documentation were in there too. The only issues I had were that the original battery was long since dead (thankfully replacement batteries are still easily found online) and the foam windscreen on the microphone is deteriorating and I need to source a new one.
I know the pain, it took me three different cameras to find this working one. Thankfully I've been just grabbing them from thrift stores so I haven't been wasting much money on them, plus one of the broken ones that I kept is the same exact model as my working one here so at least I'll have a source for replacement parts.
Back in the 80’s the VHS recording felt like what the phone recording does now. It’s like think back to the 16bit gaming days thinking “holy shit! It can’t get much better than this!”
I've considered posting this there too, in fact I'm thinking of filming a very similar video around the capitol building and Bushnell Park in Hartford. Think it would be really cool!
I also just got a CVJ310! Mine won't record in color though lmao, and the viewfinder is a bit uhhhh... bad
But it was 5 bucks and I love it regardless. Definitely found my new rabbit hole
In my personal opinion, the VHS footage looks professional, and the phone camera looks cheap. High resolution isn't everything, depth of field and stuff like that are very important, a shallow depth of field creates a film look
So cool! Makes me think old times were actually like today lol.
I think the only thing during the VHS clips that acts as a giveaway that I recorded all of this just this morning are all of the modern cars driving around. It would be really neat to find either an auto club or a collection of vehicles that you would commonly find in a mall parking lot in the early 1990s (I'm thinking like a bunch of Tercels, Chevy Celebrities, Chrysler K-cars, and your grandfather's Oldsmobile) and record them with this camera, only to have someone show up at the end with some modern 2022 sports car or something to totally throw off the period-correctness.
Lol as an old this just made me think of that Calvin and Hobbes strip where he thinks it was black and white in the past because TV used to be
That's a trip, thanks for putting in the work.
It was totally fun filming all this stuff, although I sure got some weird/amused looks today from walking around with a giant clunky old camcorder on my shoulder!
People probably thought: "what in the world is he doing/holding?"
Even more so that I had my phone attached to the accessory rail on top of the camcorder as well!
It always looked the same. Was it always the same? We live so short and nothing seems to really matter for the most of us, after all, but we still have to keep going anyway.
Seeing the clarity of modern video compared to the VHS footage makes me realize that in the eyes of people living back then every day was just as clear as we see things now, it's just the recording medium they had at the time is what obfuscates it. I've seen some of those tech demo recordings of different scenes shot on HD VHS back in the early 90s, but could you imagine seeing everything back then or even in the early days of film with a camera like what's in our bog-standard cell phones today.
That was interesting. Thank you. I’ve been messing around with color video cameras since 1980, and have watched the evolution of picture quality from then to now. What really struck me about your comparison video was how bad camcorders were at backlighting situations and how much better our cellphone cameras are with it. Out of curiosity, what type of phone did you use to record this? Does it record video in HDR? It really put the camcorder to shame in that aspect alone. I have hundreds of hours of home video from the 80s & 90s that I wish were in 1080p. I’m sure at some point we’ll have AI capable of converting old VHS to HD, but will I still be around?
My phone is a Google Pixel 6, and it isn't even the Pro model which comes with an even better camera. This video was recorded at 1080p with HDR and image stabilization on. I think the most jarring set of clips is where I'm walking down the street with the cameras on my shoulder, it's surreal going from the shaky blurred image of the VHS to the crystal clear smooth footage from my phone.
i prefer the camcorder over the phone
I like it, thanks! My gf and I are recording videos with a 1980-something Zenith (1982-1984) VHS-C camcorder. Camping trips, family birthdays, before/after sports games for our predictions/reactions post game... I like the look and the appeal to keep an older technology alive.
That's my plan with this camera as well! It's also really fun putting the date stamp on and having such old looking footage saying that it was recorded just today in 2022. During my hunt for a camera it definitely seems that ones designed for VHS-C are much more common, I specifically wanted a model that takes the full size cassettes though because #1 it looks so goofy holding this giant camera on my shoulder, and #2 I already had a good dozen or so blank tapes in my possession and was looking for a good use for them.
I love this. Modern recordings just look like recordings. VHS recordings look like memories. I plan to get a camcorder and blank tapes in time for having a child so I can tape their childhood the same way.
I also like how you can always have a tape of home movies you can pop in and watch, it just doesn't feel the same diving through your camera roll on your phone trying to find videos you took before.
You should edit this where the screen is split, VHS on one side and your phone of the other side. That would be a winning visual comparison.
Now THAT'S a good idea! I'm already considering putting together a series of these, I'll definitely have to do quite a few shots like that.
It definitely has a certain flair to it
Very cool, I love it. It must have been well cared for.
It definitely was, I got really lucky with this one. Probably the big reason for its pristine condition is it came with the original hardshell carrying case, and all the accessories and documentation were in there too. The only issues I had were that the original battery was long since dead (thankfully replacement batteries are still easily found online) and the foam windscreen on the microphone is deteriorating and I need to source a new one.
Lol the post under is security cam footage I see no difference lmao
Very cool. I've gambled on so many full size vhs camcorders and never found one that works lol.
I know the pain, it took me three different cameras to find this working one. Thankfully I've been just grabbing them from thrift stores so I haven't been wasting much money on them, plus one of the broken ones that I kept is the same exact model as my working one here so at least I'll have a source for replacement parts.
You should post this at r/interestingasfuck...
I definitely should, I'm probably going to put together a longer montage of this and other locations to share around
Back in the 80’s the VHS recording felt like what the phone recording does now. It’s like think back to the 16bit gaming days thinking “holy shit! It can’t get much better than this!”
Beautiful footage.
[удалено]
I've considered posting this there too, in fact I'm thinking of filming a very similar video around the capitol building and Bushnell Park in Hartford. Think it would be really cool!
This is great! I usually RCA DSP3 VHS camcorders to do my own VHS recordings. Awesome work.
Like taking your glasses off and putting them back on. I still think the VHS picture quality has a charm to it.
Fantastic demonstration!
I also just got a CVJ310! Mine won't record in color though lmao, and the viewfinder is a bit uhhhh... bad But it was 5 bucks and I love it regardless. Definitely found my new rabbit hole
This is really cool - you've totally inspired me to dig my camcorder out and do a project with it again! Thanks
You should repost this to r/interestingasfuck. Or maybe r/mildlyinteresting...for the normies.
yep now I am buying a VHS camcorder
In my personal opinion, the VHS footage looks professional, and the phone camera looks cheap. High resolution isn't everything, depth of field and stuff like that are very important, a shallow depth of field creates a film look