Found this CRT inside a Nordmende Spectra Movie CV 362 camera that I got at a flea market. I don’t see these cameras being sold often at these type of markets, so I decided to buy it just for its novelty (for me) factor.
Camera bag contents
There was a two battery charger, two batteries out of which one was very corroded, few cables and the invoice of the camera.
I have tried to power on the camera using an external power supply, but it was shutting down by itself and current draw briefly reached 20mA before shutdown.
Camera photos
Few photos of the camera, as sold:
Camera was easy to take apart (except a hidden screw underneath the Push button). It is easy to access the EVF unit – just the top needs to come off:
On the side plastic, the manufacturing date, May 1994 (which means camera was purchased almost one year after, according to the invoice above):
Electronic View Finder Unit
From outside, it looks like the standard design. Once inside, it is indeed the standard design, a Citizen 2400-56 mini CRT with a BA7149F Driver IC. Also, no SMD electrolytic capacitors, only through-holes. I have more confidence in the through-holes in cameras of this age.
I did recuperate the connector plug from the circuit board (helps with attaching the little clamps), and it was easy to identify the signal pins.
GND is found by continuity check between the Fly-Back Transformer metallic case and one of the wires. Few other pins of the FBT are connected to VCC, so if they do not have continuity with GND and instead with another wire, then that is VCC. Then trial and error to identify the Video IN:
The CRT is crisp and low distortion – being sharpest when the VCC is about 5.16V:
As a summary, an easy camera to take apart, having reliable components on the EVF driver board (at least).
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