European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 15, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sany t mini-8 camcorder Tan record for two Houn and comfy with a portable recorder player unit. Magazine Consumers go for it America s camcorder craze new York times t he Home video camera is finally coming into its own in the United  of it new generation of the camera called the camcorder have been so Bris that both Ria and Sony Are shipping them by plans from Japan to keep up with demand. We re having trouble keeping camcorders on our  said Rick Kahn. Vice president of sales and marketing Lor Columbia audio and video based in Highland Park lit a Chicago suburb. We can t get enough of  Stephen s. Stepnes. Vice president of consumer electronics marketing at Ria. Said we re Selling every machine we can gel our hands on indeed current Industry wide projections Call for gales of camcorders 10 Irilla this year to 350,000. And exceed half a million in 1988. They Are aimed at the Atmos 25 million households thai already own Olds cassette recorders. Analysts say that what has finally Given video cameras a Boos alter months of slow sales is the simplicity and portability of the camcorder. The earlier Genera i Ion of video cameras consisted of a two part system in which the camera was attached by Cable to a heavy somewhat Bulky shoulder pack that was a portable vide Casselle recorder. In the naw machines which made their first appearance More than a year ago. Not Only has me to Taratus been combined in one unit but technological advances have also allowed a Sharp reduction in weigh. The Sony Handy am for example weighs Only 2.2 pounds. Consumers like the idea of the camera and Cam Era now he said electronics Industry executives have Long expected americans with their penchant Lor picture taking and Home movies to flock to video cameras. They hoped i hat Consumers would see the cameras As natural extensions of their video systems and that the american fascination with All of video ranging from movie rentals to music channels could be tapped or the production of Home movies that could be seen immediately on a television screen. Moreover manufacturers believed they had removed lha barriers that Long had hindered sales of movie cameras. With the video camera there is no need to wait Days for the film to be developed no screen to set up no need to Darken tha room. With most camcorder models one simply plugs the camcorder into a television set and sits Back to watch the picture on the screen. In addition the video camera produces a better picture and sound than the movie camera and can Lake pictures in Low Light cameras Are part of the american culture said Mike a. Matzkin. Director of Public relations far the photographic and video divisions of Canon Usa inc. With film movies you had 10 Wall Days to see what you had and then you were stuck with it he said. But with video you can see the results immediately and edit the tape into a finished product he added. Success is still not assured. Some analysts caution about the Price and believe that the Market May not to too Broad with Consumers seeing Only limited uses at present for the camcorder. The Success of the camcorder is up to whether electronics manufacturers can make it a new Hobby the film makers never were Able to do  said David Lachenbruch vice president and editorial director of television digest in Washington. The consumer has to be educated he added. Although Price Are coming Down video cameras Are still expensive in the United Stales. Some discount wednesday january 15, 1986 vendors Are now advertising camcorders for is Low As about $850 Bui in most stores around the country Consumers will find the machines closer 10 $1,40q or $ 1,500, Wilh prices depending on the unit s sophistication. The system that consists of a camera and portable Var is often listed for Aboul $1,000. Sales of this i to Parl system however have alien As customers chose the camcorders. Manufacturers have narrowed the Market for pure  said David l. Fishman. Senior staff consultant at Arthur d. Little & co. Analysis add that Consumers May also be holding Oil on purchases because i Here Are three competing camcorder formats the Ems. The Beta and a newer and smaller Al mall meter system. Cafes. Europe carries the Ems and Beta systems but does nol stack the 8-Mllllmeter system on a regular basis. Because Consumers have seen video products come and go they Are More cautious about what Urey  Kahn said. Some camcorders Are limited however in thai they cannot be used to record television programs Consumers who buy the 8-Millimeler camcorder however can also buy a component known As a tuner timer that would allow them to record television programs. The Sony Handy am comes in a player Lor Home viewing. Canon produces the smallest Isu Tylocus camcorder the Umei weighing 4 4 pounds and in the vhf Market Lor example Ria makes a camcorder which weighs 5.s pounds and Panasonic produces one weighing 6.5 pounds. The prices of these cameras Are expected to come Down with mass marketing but some analysis say they might go up a bit next year because of the recent strength of the japanese yen. Most of the video cameras and camcorders now on the Market Are made by the japanese. General electric. Kodak and Panasonic units for example arc made by Matsushita Ria buys irom Hitachi and Zenith from Jevc. The stars and stripes Page 13