Betamovie is the brand name for a range of consumer grade camcorders developed by Sony for the Betamax format.

The first model, BMC-100P (PAL) and BMC-110 (NTSC) was released in 1983 making it the first commercial consumer grade camcorder.

[2] While only standard beta units were available in PAL, several SuperBeta models were produced for the NTSC format.

Sony's solution to this involved recording a non-standard video signal which would become standard only when played back on full-sized VCRs.

[3] As instant playback is one of the main advantages of video cameras over cine-cameras, lack of a playback function presented a considerable limitation[2] and effectively limited Betamovie to those who already owned the Betamax VCRs required to view their recordings.

Although it too had a miniature head drum, the JVC engineers developed a different solution to drum miniaturization, which made it possible to record a standard video signal on the tape, so the user of a VHS camcorder could review footage on location and copy it to another VCR for editing.

Sony was unable to duplicate this functionality, and this Betamovie failing so was a primary reason for its early loss of market share.

Despite this development, Sony held on to the Betamovie for a couple of years more, releasing some more advanced models, especially for the NTSC market.

However, in 1987, Sony finally abandoned the Betamovie in favor of its newly developed Video8 format.

Due to the use of a single-head drum combined with the not-quite-complete 300° (five-sixths) wrap, the head is out of contact with the tape and unable to record around one-sixth of the time.

This means that the complete signal must be (in effect) slightly "time compressed"[3] to "fit in" to the period during which the tape is still in contact with the head.

Effectively, the higher speed means that the head can traverse the full tape sweep in five-sixths of the usual time, and covers the gap during the remainder.

This means that the full complement of "regular" lines (525 for NTSC) will have been scanned and recorded successfully during the period that the head was in contact with the tape.

[3] However, due to the non-standard timing and head design, Betamovie camcorders themselves are record-only, and in-camcorder playback (including preview and dubbing) is not possible.

[3] The early models have an optical viewfinder, which lets one see exactly what one is recording by looking directly through the lens, via a system of mirrors and prisms, similar to an SLR stills camera.

[2] Some later models feature an electronic viewfinder, although they remain record-only[7] without the through-viewfinder playback supported by some non-Betamovie camcorders.

Early models use a cathode ray tube as their image sensor and the BMC-100/110 has manual focus.

[8] All Betamovies for the PAL format record in standard Betamax video mode.

This camera produces over 550 lines of resolution, records in Hi-Fi stereo and features insert audio and video editing.

ECM-K100 is a supercardioid microphone which picks up a specific sound source while cutting out extraneous surrounding noise.

A battery belt worn around the waist which provides approximately 4 hours of operating time.