8mm Forum: 16mm & 8mm can nicely co-habitate

This is topic 16mm & 8mm can nicely co-habitate in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=001393

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 15, 2016, 02:50 PM:

The 8mm Forum is obviously focused towards 8mm collectors, however for me film is film ... in any gauge. I really don't like the idea of compartmentalizing my film watching. There are pros and cons to each format ... but when you get down to it ... it's the enjoyment of watching images projected through film that we all enjoy. What's the big deal? I have hundreds of digital movies that I have collected over the years... but there's something about projecting film that just makes watching more fun no matter what the film format.

I don't see a problem with 16mm and 8mm cohabiting. Here is my permanent setup. Love my Elmo 16CL (Channel loads rule!!) and my Elmo ST1200HD (except for Andrew...who doesn't like the 1200 [Smile]

)

Storage space of course is a big consideration ... 16mm reels are much larger and can be heavy. However I have a small 20 film collection that just takes up a couple shelves in my kitchen closet.

My 8mm collection is divided between two book cases.

I pick and choose carefully movies in both formats that I enjoy watching over and over again. I don't just buy movies to collect them ... I watch them. I have more 8mm film reels... but the majority are shorts and digests (I have a couple of features). All of my 16mm prints are feature films.

...AND I don't want to leave out my small reel 9.5 collection which fits into a couple of shallow boxes [Smile]

[ February 15, 2016, 06:31 PM: Message edited by: Janice Glesser ]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on February 15, 2016, 03:26 PM:

You have a lovely set up there Janice, no doubting that, very tidy all round and what shines through all of your photographs, is just how well cared for and cherished, your projectors and films are in your hands.

For me, it's always been Super 8mm since discovering it.
It gives me the creativity I like without any limitations given my modest screen size in the home.
I also like the refinement that the machines I use bring to the whole projecting experience.

I do however, fully understand that if your love of Film is highly diverse in content, you really need to be looking at using at least two gauges assuming it is FILM you want to project to satisfy your screening needs.

I've always been happy to view more recent titles and films that cannot be found on 8mm by using a digital projector with Blu Ray movies, but again, I realize for many other people, this just isn't a substitute for the real thing.

I think if I had what you have with your large outdoor screening facilities, I would definitely like to see just how good the bigger gauge can look on those larger screens.
For me and my screen size plus storage space, anything larger than Super 8mm feature films would almost certainly lead me straight to the divorce courts! [Big Grin]

I show a lot of my films late on at night being a shift worker. If my wife could hear any of my projectors while she was trying to sleep early when in work the next day,
The game would be up for me I'm afraid.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 15, 2016, 03:27 PM:

I always compare the different gauges to different sized tools: each has its intended use and is best used for them.

I defy you to break up concrete with a claw hammer or drive a ten-penny nail into a plaster wall with a sledge hammer.

-neither is inherently better, just specialized.

Posted by Douglas Warren (Member # 1047) on February 15, 2016, 03:27 PM:

Great post Janice and I fully agree!I'm currently concentrating on 16 mm right now but I'm planning on running a few Super-8 shorts later today.Regular-8 / Super-8 was my first love as far as film was concerned.My Copal & Bell & Howell Super-8 projectors reside proudly on bookcases in the basement.My 16 mm Kodak machines stay parked on a cart nearby.I'm dealing with severe back pain currently and my cart (bought for under $40 at Harbor Freight) does a great job of allowing me to move my heavier 16 mm machines about with ease.
I really like the way you have your films stored.I'm using a small table to stack my 16 mm films on which in turn are kept in white pizza boxes.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 15, 2016, 03:51 PM:

I had to pull back the camera so you could see I have my film projectors cohabiting with a digital projector also. The digital allows me to also project TV...DVD's...and streaming video onto my big screen. Oh...and that's a massage chair on the right. It works for me [Smile]

[ February 15, 2016, 10:48 PM: Message edited by: Janice Glesser ]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on February 15, 2016, 04:00 PM:

It's lovely Janice, just perfect for the best of ALL worlds! [Smile]

Posted by Kenneth Horan (Member # 3) on February 15, 2016, 06:19 PM:

Wonderful setup, Janice. I've been in film collecting since I was 13 (8mm) and 16 (16mm). I have a similar setup in my living room/home theatre except my digital projector in mounted on the ceiling and my flat panel set mounted on the wall. I keep my films in a small room which I keep in the 60's. I use a small window air conditioner to maintain a cool temperature on warm days. Most of the time I don't need to run it. I love film collecting and watch my films often.

The photo shows my Elmo 16CL Xenon Deluxe 16mm projector.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 15, 2016, 06:43 PM:

Awesome projector Kenneth!!!

I would like to get my digital projector mounted up high...but because of the screen I'm using it has to project from below. I use to have a Sony projection TV (circa. 1979). I had the TV hauled away a couple of years ago, but kept the screen. It really is the perfect size for my cine room and the picture is very bright even when not totally dark.

[ February 15, 2016, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Janice Glesser ]

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on February 15, 2016, 07:32 PM:

I said it before and I will say it again.....Janice you are the BOMB!!!! [Wink]

Posted by Chris Bird (Member # 3839) on February 16, 2016, 02:31 AM:

What a fantastic setup. It's great to have the multiple gauges - each era of projector has a very different feel, and you get a huge choice of content with the different gauges. I have 9.5, 16, 28 and silent 35 for this reason - the early films I'm particularly into are scattered across the gauges. Wish I had a permanent setup like yours though!

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on February 16, 2016, 09:37 AM:

Janice
Lovely set up but - Where's your 9.5 projector??

Posted by Elyas Tesfaye (Member # 3356) on February 16, 2016, 11:35 AM:

Wait,

there's such a gauge as 28mm? I guess I still have a lot to learn then [Smile]

!!!

Best,
Elyas

Posted by Dave Groves (Member # 4685) on February 16, 2016, 12:05 PM:

Once upon a time gauge wars raged and snidey comments were thrown like hand grenades across the celuloid boundaries, but most of the protagonists have long since gone to dvd or heaven. I run 16mm, Super 8 (mostly public shows as often as possible=I have a loyal following) and, digital projection. I've just bought an Epson TW92000 and the pictures are fabulous. I enjoy all I've got and hope that all my fellow collectors do the same. It's great that we have the choice.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 16, 2016, 03:43 PM:

Here! Here! Dave!... The variety of choices in media is growing all the time. We just need to take advantage of it.

@Terry...you're right...I shouldn't have left out my "Baby" [Smile]

Unfortunately Pathe' Baby with a 10W lamp only has about a 3 foot throw...difficult to put in the mix with the other projectors at 10ft and 15ft [Frown]

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on February 16, 2016, 04:07 PM:

Yes Elyas there are or were many film gauges over the years,many simply disappeared when that gauge failed.And it left the "popular" gauges we see today :-)

https://wichm.home.xs4all.nl/filmsize.html

That website shows what there was.

Interesting discovering stuff about film that isn't commonly known :-)

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 16, 2016, 04:57 PM:

Thanks for the web link Clinton....I didn't have a clue that there have been so many different gauges over the years...very interesting.

Posted by Chris Bird (Member # 3839) on February 17, 2016, 02:44 AM:

Elyas, 28mm was the first gauge for showing in the home, and predates 9.5mm by ten years and 16mm by eleven. Love your Baby, Janice! Amazing to see the decades spanned by those three machines side by side.

Dino Everett is able to also show 3mm, 17.5mm and 22mm, making 28mm look fairly mainstream by comparison!

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 17, 2016, 03:12 AM:

Excellent photos Janice, its what this hobby is all about [Smile]

Posted by Dave Groves (Member # 4685) on February 17, 2016, 04:02 AM:

3mm?

Posted by Chris Bird (Member # 3839) on February 17, 2016, 04:06 AM:

Yes, 3mm! Developed for NASA use. Here's more info:

http://www.cinerdistan.co.uk/3_2mm.htm

Posted by Dave Groves (Member # 4685) on February 18, 2016, 09:17 AM:

Chris, unfortunately the link doesn't work. Thanks for the info of something I'd never come across.

Posted by Chris Bird (Member # 3839) on February 18, 2016, 09:25 AM:

Doh! Try this:

http://cinerdistan.com/2-uncategorised/563-3-2mm-2

Posted by Roger Shunk (Member # 2836) on February 18, 2016, 11:35 AM:

Nice set up you have there Janice. I see you have a health rider in the background now you can get your exercise in and watch a film at the same time!

I have the same problem with my rear projector and would like to mount it on the ceiling as well.

Thanks for posting your pictures!

RS

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on February 18, 2016, 02:20 PM:

An interesting topic Janice. Like yourself my home cinema "The Retro Roxy" has provision for screening 8mm, Super8, 9.5mm and 16mm sound and silent. as well as digital projection of VHS, Laserdisc. and DVD. The 9.5mm gauge was my first love and probably still is as I more or less grew up with it. I am probably a sentimental old whatsit!. My largest collection is on this gauge, largely amassed when people jumped on the Super 8 bandwaggon and got rid of their 9.5 stuff at give away prices. My 16mm collection is very small and no feature films. The 8mm collection is slightly larger consisting mainly of cartoons and condensed 2 or 3 reelers. A few are in widescreen. I am not particularly computer literate enough to be able to upload a picture. I find them very frustrating with the constant upgrading and changes. The learning curve is too steep at my age! I confesss to having a massive collection of films on VHS and DVD but this is only because I can pick them up at pocket money prices. I could never afford the price of a 16mm or Super 8 feature length film. I probably enjoy using the cine projectors more because they do require more hands on skills. Ken Finch. [Smile]

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 18, 2016, 07:39 PM:

@Ken...I'd be happy to post any pics for you if you can email them to me. It sounds like you have an interesting setup.

@Roger...You discovered that my cine room is also a multi-purpose area [Roll Eyes]

In the other corner of the room I have my exercise equipment ... vintage of course. [Cool]

Posted by Dave Groves (Member # 4685) on February 19, 2016, 10:05 AM:

Chris, just picked up your reply and the link worked perfectly. What an interesting site. To see an article on the Cinegel Royal 235 was a bonus as I imported one of these 9.5/16mm machines on the understanding it would be supplied for 240 volts. When it arrived I plugged it in and the bang could be heard in Australia. The lights went out and the room was filled with smoke!!! The distributor had supplied one for 110 without the transformer. Happy memories.

Posted by Roger Shunk (Member # 2836) on February 19, 2016, 12:51 PM:

Yeah I see that Janice and it looks like you have a lot of direct sunlight in that room too because you live in Sunnyvale! [Cool]

Posted by Daniel Macarone (Member # 5102) on February 24, 2016, 10:57 PM:

I'm not very knowledged on 16mm equipment yet. I've only been collecting Super 8. I do believe that the Elmo 16 CL is only optical sound and the CX-350 is magnetic and optical. Can the 16 CL really see much use? Magnetic films seem more common.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on February 24, 2016, 11:26 PM:

Daniel, there is an Elmo 16CL MO dual sound model, however unlike 8mm ... 16mm has primarily optical sound tracks.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2