06/26/2025
I’m videotaping here at one of my favorite locales in the Arizona high country, TONTO NATIONAL PARK. This is TONTO CREEK, circa 1991. I’d already shot with numerous professional video cameras during my intern and college years, but his little powerhouse, the Sony V5000 was the first Professional Video Camera I owned. And this was the first business I started. It was called VIDEORIGINALS. I even applied for an Arizona Trade-name. During that time I worked as freelancer, and did a few video jobs for my own clients. It was small start, but it was a start.
Sidenote: the Sony V5000 boasted a 2/3” sensor (unheard of for it’s time and price point). With numerous FX features built in, it was almost like owning mini TV studio. During Dessert Storm, news agencies were losing Betacams left and right because the dessert sand and dust quickly devastated their internal VCRs. The imbedded reporters switched to V5000 camcorders because of their stellar quality and affordability. If you’ve seen footage from that era, you’ve likely seen footage shot with this camera. My V5000 remains on display at the RECORDED YESTERDAY MUSEUM. Because of it’s smaller size, visitors often mistake it for a VHS Camcorder. But a closer inspection reveals all it’s professional functions.
