8mm Forum: Pathescope Princess

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Topic: Pathescope Princess

Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 05, 2007 10:51 AM

Just look at this Pathescope Princess projector up on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PATHESCOPE-PRINCESS-9-5MM-PROJECTOR-CAMERA-ETC-SUPERB_W0QQitemZ130097072070QQihZ003QQcategoryZ35063QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem

Currently at $262.00 with 15 bids and 7 days to go! What is it about this very basic machine that generates such interest?

--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Trevor Adams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 763
From: Auckland,New Zealand
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 05, 2007 04:46 PM

Paul,I'll jump in the deep end.It is so awful I had to have one!
I guess someone sat down with pencil and paper,determined to design a projector that didn't look like one [Smile]

The Princess works but what a mediocre image it shows.It is a real "fiddle with me all the time",gadget.My one cost $500NZ-with Prince and manuals.In the cold light of day the outfit looks to be worth all of fifty bucks!I reckon when push came to shove,the Cricklewood mob demonstrated how out of touch with the home movie scene they really were by offering the consumer the Princess!More kindly, I could say,the Princess is quintessentially English.Like some of the funny wee cars they were making at the same time.I love this stuff [Wink]

Trev

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Trevor

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 05, 2007 05:17 PM

Hi Trev,
I reckon you must be an expert on all the failed Pathescope designs! Along with the 4.75mm Monaco, the awful Pat camera, and the forementioned Princess, it would seem that Pathescope needed some real engineers in the late 50's!
Why on earth did they not simply put out a solid well designed conventional 9.5mm projector- something like a Eumig P9.5!

--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Graham Sinden
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1131
From: Kent, UK
Registered: Aug 2005

posted April 09, 2007 08:03 AM

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of different models Pathescope produced. Particuraly that they were battling with 16mm and 8mm at the time when film was still quite expensive for the average man.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted April 09, 2007 10:34 AM

Last year someone gave me a Princess machine in its box. The lad said it was a shocking machine to use, and he was right.

Produced in the main from leftover bits used on the Gem & Son it was not a real Pathescope machine. Looks good on a shelf but for goodness sake keep film away from it.

Trev is right. Not a good choice for any serious 9.5mm film collector who values his films.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted April 12, 2007 04:38 PM

Dont know about the other 9-5ers on this forum, but having been into 9-5 for over 30 years I am astounded to see a Princess projector sell for £620 on ebay.

Item number. 130097072070

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 12, 2007 05:11 PM

Same reaction here Lee. Which leads to the question as to who are these people willing to pay so much for this very basic, badly designed, poor quality projector? Are they novices? I don't think so, as novices would be looking for something very cheap, and would'nt be looking at 9.5mm anyway. Perhaps they are real 9.5mm enthusiasts, but no knowledgeable nine-fiver in his right mind would project his precious films on the Princess. That leaves only one kind of person, the ardent projector collector, who needs the Princess to round out his collection, or perhaps some museums are bidding on this. But if you wanted a representative projector of 9.5mm film history, a Pathe Baby, 200B, or Gem, would be a much better choice.
It's all really strange, but this is not the first time I have seen the princess go for over $1,000.00.
Makes you wonder what Trev could get for his Monaco?

--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Graham Sinden
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1131
From: Kent, UK
Registered: Aug 2005

posted April 13, 2007 07:25 AM

It's been said before and I'll say it again that some people go mad on EBay, a good way to make money. A friend of mine bought some horror 200 footers for £2 each at a sale here in the UK but sold them for around £20 each on Ebay. Some people just want something they are willing to pay anything for it.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted April 13, 2007 07:34 AM

Medical fact..

Consumer compulsive buying is an important area of inquiry in consumer behavior research. The importance of studying compulsive buying, stems, in part, from its nature as a negative aspect of consumer behavior. Specifically, exploring negative consumption phenomena could provide modified or new perspectives for the study of positive consumption behaviors. Moreover, research on negative facets of consumption is useful because it can potentially contribute to society’s wellbeing, an important criterion for usefulness of any research. This paper builds on earlier papers to propose a model of compulsivity antecedents. Gender, consumers’ tendency to make unplanned purchases, and their tendency to buy products not on shopping lists, serve to predict compulsive.
End.

Makes you fink...

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Graham Sinden
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1131
From: Kent, UK
Registered: Aug 2005

posted April 15, 2007 06:19 AM

some interesting news about this item.

Spoke to Grahame Newnham last night about this and he wasnt so surprised. He told me that Pathescope never made more than 1500 of these projectors and so are quite rare. He also said they usually go for around £400 and despite previous comments can give quite a respectable picture on a 6 foot screen although the lens is poor.

If you see one going cheap, buy it. Its a goldmine.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted April 15, 2007 10:51 AM

Hello young graham.
I am still astounded someone will pay so much for a Princess though. I fired mine on today and Ill be blowed if I can get a 6ft picture out of it. Are you sure you did not put on the GS1200 by mistake?

Seriously. The Princess is fun to have and look at, but as a projector a bit dumb....Just like me..

If I was new to 9-5 and wanted a good introduction with limited finds I would go for Gem projector and Dekko cine camera to make some short films with. When you get into sound later on look at the Son for a start and later locate a good but now vintage Vox. These days I use the Elf 9-5 sound proj but the Vox is much kinder to film than the 9-5 Elf with its quick pull down. Do remember folks that the 9.5 film are years old now and need lots of tender loving care...XXX

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Graham Sinden
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1131
From: Kent, UK
Registered: Aug 2005

posted April 15, 2007 05:23 PM

I am still astounded also that for say an extra £100 you could buy a GS1200 on ebay with stereo and all the extra functions.

Yes it sounded mad but Grahame told me he could take a princess to St.Gabriels (9.5 club) and get an ok picture on the 6 foot screen there. Mabye it was a special princess with a Zenon conversion. [Big Grin]

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