8mm Forum: Confusion between formats

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Topic: Confusion between formats

Tom Beauchamp
Junior
Posts: 11
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Registered: Mar 2005

posted April 02, 2005 11:52 AM

What is the difference between standard 8, regular 8, single 8, super 8 and super 8 sound. I am still trying to replace my Eumig projector but I need one that will play the older 1940s and 1950s silent home movies and also super 8 sound movies. What are the terms that I need to be looking for to make sure the projector fits my needs. There appear to be a lot of projectors out there for sale but not many sellers can answer my questions about what the projectors can do.

Thanks Again

Tom

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 02, 2005 01:23 PM

Tom, Standard 8 and regular 8 are the same format just 2 differnt names for the same product. This was the first home movie 8mm gauge. It's basically 16mm slit down the middle with an extra perforation between the existing 16mm ones. It was supplied on 25ft spools which was exposed in the camera down one side first and then put back in the camera and exposed down the other side. After processing it was slit down the middle to give 50ft of std 8mm film. To give a bigger picture area, Kodak released the super 8 format in 1965 which was the same as std 8 but has smaller sprocket holes with the result that it has a larger picture area. This is supplied in a cartridge as a 50ft length for camera use. Shortly after this Fuji released single 8 which is exactly the same as super 8 but is on a thinner polyester base and supplied in a different cartridge for camera use. Both super and single 8 were eventually released pre striped for use in single system sound cameras. So going back to the original question std/reg 8mm are one and the same as is the later super/single 8.
So if you are looking for an 8mm projector to show all formats it needs to be a Dual standard sound 8mm machine such as some of the earlier Eumig machines.
Hope that all makes sense, Kev.

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GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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