Panasonic MS4

The Panasonic MS4 was purchased during the year 1993-94, by Chris Kwouk and Dominic Plunkett from a shop in Tottenham Court Road. The video camera offered an all in one recording package while also giving the impression that the outfit was PRO, being one of the few domestic shoulder mount camcorders on the market at the time. When not on the ENG circuit for Week by Week and other such shows, it would be drafted in to act as camera 1 (typically gen-lock source) in the studio. The MS4 would always remind the director which camera it was by occasionally (usually when on shot) going out and back in on focus of its own accord. Manual focusing was possible, but the focus ring was rather a limp affair and lacked the positive feel of the Panasonic F10 with the x12 lens. Zoom was motorised and was adjusted using a toggle button on the hand hold, however, the lack of direct manual control was said to have hindered some operators.

It had a hard life and suffered from battery reliability problems and occasional mechanical niggles. It took at least one trip back under warranty to the Panasonic dealers over in Acomb. One problem which they couldn't find and took Dominic Plunkett ages to solve turned out to be due to the tap transport system being sensitive to loud sounds! This gave the effect of "cogging" on the picture.