1. Plural of portapak; portable video recording equipment consisting of a camera and a separate battery-powered recorder, used especially in television and documentary production.
Usage: historical; technical; often used in media studies and broadcasting contexts

Examples

• In the 1970s, journalists used portapaks to capture breaking news in the field.
• The documentary filmmaker invested in several portapaks to expand production capacity.
• Portapaks revolutionized television reporting by making equipment more mobile than studio-based systems.
• Early video art pioneers relied on portapaks to create experimental works outside traditional broadcast studios.