8mm Forum: Does anyone remember Scientific and Technical??

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Posted by Mark L Barton (Member # 1512) on October 29, 2019, 11:10 AM:

Back in the 1970s a company called Scientific and Technical (based in Southampton) used to advertise in the Sunday papers (news of the world etc) They sold, binoculars, world band radios and super 8 projectors and cameras. I bought my first 'super 8 complete kit' from them comprising a Royal Projector (Italian made Gioca with a projection bulb same as used in car tail lights, and the motor only ran one way) a Zeta 1 cine camera (that exposed an over exposed frame after every shot, as the shutter never stopped over the lens aperture) a plastic 2ft roll up screen, that you hung off a nail etc, And...two films to show, usually 50ft Laurel and Hardy or a cartoon, in black and white. For a few pounds more you could 'upgrade' to a 50 watt lamp projector and 'FULL COLOUR' films. The topmost set was a Baby Gioca Royall sound projector etc etc. I bought from them several times. Anyone have any knowledge of this company or especially images of their ads??? Cheers

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on October 30, 2019, 05:06 AM:

That is a name from the past that sends shivers down my spine. I appreciate you bought several items from them way back when, but am assuming you have since progressed to "proper" projectors instead of these toys, when I say that a four letter word that best describes their product is.... JUNK.
I didn't have any direct dealings with them as I had luckily purchased a Prinz Magnon LV silent projector before I knew of this firm.
However, a friend of mine did start his super 8 life courtesy of S&T. That 10 watt bulb was similar to what one would place in an editing machine... and it was supposed to project an image onto a screen! Well it did.....just....in a completely dark room you could just about make out what was going on. The projectors were made of cheap plastic and I seem to remember another add on lens to be put in front of the existing lens to improve the picture for some reason. Forget any mention of anamorphic, that just wasn't it.
I chuckle nowadays when I see these toys for sale on Ebay (Royale and Cinerex are the makes I remember) for anything over £1. As for the cine cameras.....I thought my friend had a faulty camera because of that flash frame you mentioned. It must have been inherent. The sad thing is.... my friend thought his equipment was great!
That all changed with the release of the 1x 400' Phantasm. That was a film he really wanted, and it was sound. Therefore an upgrade was necessary. That was to a Chinon with a mighty 50w bulb, and a small Bell & Howell silent cine camera.
Pardon the pun, but he suddenly did see the light!

.

Posted by Mark L Barton (Member # 1512) on October 30, 2019, 05:34 AM:

Cheers Melvin, yep absolutely tat, but it got me started (now have the Elmo range of projectors and beaulieu cine cams) Yes I see those Royale projectors turning up on EBAY with grandiose descriptions and ridiculous prices, just hope no newbie buys one and thinks is this really super 8.

Posted by Mike Spice (Member # 5957) on October 30, 2019, 10:52 AM:

As a teenager with no pocket money, I used to drool over S+T just wishing I had such toys to enjoy.

I never did.

It did certainly spark my imagination.

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