THE SONY BETAMAX TIMELINE*

YEAR
MODEL
MSRP
8/75
$2495
9/75
SL-7200
$1200
9/75
SL-6200
$1050
5/76
SL-7200A
$1260
6/76
SLO-260
$1600
6/77
SL-8200
$1055
7/77
SLO-320
$1495
4/79
SLO-340
$1150
5/79
SL-5400
$1250
7/79
SL-3000
$850
7/79
TT-3000
$400
11/79
SL-8600
$1395
8/80
SL-5600
$1350
10/80 
SLO-325
$1595
11/80 
SL-5800
$1450
11/80
SLO-383
$3750
8/81
SL-2000
$700
8//81
TT-2000
$250
11/81
SL-5000
$800
1/82 
SL-2500
$950
3/82
SL-5010
$850
3/82
SLO-420
$1700
5/82
SL-5100
$995
6/82 
SL-5101
$670
7/82
SL-2001
$500
7/82
TT-2001
$200
4/82
SL-2400
$600
11/82
SL-5020
$700
5/83
SL-2700
$1500
6/83
SL-5200
$900
8/83
SLO-1400
$1200
10/83
BMC 100/110K
$1500
12/83
SL-2300
$500
12/83
SL-2305
$550
7/83
SL-2401
$650
7/83
SL-3030
$600
7/83
SL-2406
$650
8/83
SL-2410
$750
8/83
SL-2415
$890
8/83
SL-2710
$1300
2/84 
SL-2005
$800
2/84
TT-2005
$250
2/84
SL-HF370
$350
4/84
SL-10
$400
5/84
SL-HF300
$700
6/84
SL-HFR30
$650
6/84
SL-HFR90
$800
7/84
SL-9090
$700
7/84
SL-30
$600
8/84
SL-60
$650
8/84 BMC 200/220K
$1650
YEAR
MODEL
MSRP
7/84
SL-20
$575
8/84
SL-90
$750
9/84
SL-HFR60
$500
9/84
SL-HF500
$800
2/85
SL-HFR70
$550
3/85
SL-HFR50
$450
4/85
SL-HF400
$800
5/85
SL-HF600
$1000
6/85
BMC 500/550K
$1350
10/85
SL-HF900
$1500
10/85
BMC 600/660K
$1450
12/85
SL-HF550
$900
1/86
GCS-1
$1850
2/86
SL-100
$400
2/86
SL-S120
$400
2/86
SLO-1800
$1570
3/86
SL-HF450
$750
4/86
GCS-50
$2550
4/86
SL-HFT7
$1000
8/86
SL-HF750
$1300
8/86 
SL-S770
$550
8/86 
SL-700
$550
9/86
SL-HF1000
$1700
10/86
SL-HF650
$850
11/86
SL250/S370/S570
$450
3/87
SL-HF350
$550
3/87
BMC 1000K
$1700
6/87
SL-S380
$450
7/87
SL-300
$400
8/87
SL-HF860D
$1100
9/87 
SL-HF840D
$750
10/87
SL-HF810D
$550
3/88
SL-330
$450
7/88
EDV-7500
$1950
7/88 
EDV-9500
$3300
7/88
SL-HF360
$600
7/88
EDW-30F
$3300
9/88
EDC-55
$7700
10/88
SL-340
$450
10/88
SL-S500
$50
5/89
SL-50
$300
5/89
SL-55
$350
5/89
SL-66
$400
6/89
SLP-22
$300
6/89
SLP-30R
$300
6/89
SL-390
$500
7/89
SL-P44R
$350
7/89
SL-HF870D
$1100
4/90
SL-S600
$450
5/91
SL-HF2100
$1700
4/93
SL-HF2000
$850
*Information obtained from dealer "pink sheets" and reflects Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price when model was first offered for sale. Since the actual cost to the dealer could be reduced by promotions, quantity buys and special incentives the true selling price would often be less. Betamax units tended to sell close to the full retail price at the beginning and end of the formats popularity. Release dates can be slightly inaccurate because some distributors had items still in their inventory when new models were released. An updated dealer price list was sometimes not released until previous inventory was sold down. It could then show the new model as being released on or around the new price list "effective" date. To see the timeline for the other Beta manufacturers click here.