8mm Forum: Bolex SM8 thoughts etc

»	8mm Forum » 8mm Forum » Bolex SM8 thoughts etc

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Bolex SM8 thoughts etc

Mark Todd
Film God

Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003

posted May 25, 2009 05:04 PM

Hi I just wondered how people found these machines, good to use ??? kind to film, sound etc etc.

Best Mark.

| IP: Logged

John W. Black
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 536
From: Deptford,N.J.
Registered: Mar 2008

posted May 25, 2009 11:30 PM

Mark,I've had 2 of them and I don't really like them. Not good threading,belts either slip or break and they don't have really good sound.Wouldn't get it if I were you.

--------------------
Beat em or burn em,they go up pretty quick

| IP: Logged

Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1535
From: Long Beach, CA USA
Registered: Dec 2008

posted May 25, 2009 11:58 PM

Are these the ones that people say are relatively loud running? I have had a couple of different Bolex projectors, and while they are all gorgeous looking machines, I have found they each have pretty big drawbacks... I have a G3 that is beautiful to look at, and comes in a case that looks like it was designed for a rare piece of art, but as son as I ran a few films on it I tucked it away never to run one again...

--------------------
"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"

| IP: Logged

Simon Wyss
Film Handler

Posts: 78
From: Äsch, Switzerland
Registered: Apr 2009

posted May 26, 2009 04:34 AM

Bolex-Paillard never had great luck with their projectors.

Bogopolsky already had the Berne company Stoppani build “his” first models, when in Geneva.

Then the G, gee!, what a faulty design. Claw wrongly spaced from the aperture, film gate a nightmare to inspect and clean.

After WW II they had to go license, so from 211/221 on fancy apparel but falling behind the upcoming German competition (Siemens & Halske “2000”, Bosch-Bauer P 5).

The M 8 is something more valuable, although without reverse action. The 18-5 is funny but unfortunately not running faster.

Everything later was Italian (SM 8 from Silma, Torino) or Austrian (SM 80 and the like from Eumig, Wien). The SM 8 has an absolute crap drive unit that squeezes the belt (actually only a O-ring).

One has to differentiate well because the Paillard-Bolex projectors do have many interesting details and advantages. Question is whether they weigh up against the odds.

| IP: Logged

Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted May 27, 2009 10:12 PM

I did own a SM8 for about 4yrs, my first Super8 projector back in the mid 70s and really liked it, ran my first Ken films "Star Wars" release when the digest was first released, that was really something. also used the projector along with the Rexette film striper for all our home movies, it worked well. Although it was all long ago the SM8 I remember had stated made in "Austria" on the back and also could take the Bolex 800ft reel. I did here long after I sold it that it did give trouble with speed/belt side of things but was fixed successfully in the end. If I ever had the chance to buy that projector back I would without hesitation [Smile]

.

Check out the latest screening room pictures on Daniel's SM8 projector "very nice"

Graham.

| IP: Logged

Daniel Beijar
Junior
Posts: 18
From: Finland
Registered: May 2009

posted May 28, 2009 04:17 AM

Thank you for that compliment. I haven´t had my projector for long, got it this spring. I think it is a very nice looking. It works good, thick strong drive belts. However it came with an extra loud speaker, but there is some problem with it so it does not work properly. I have tried to hook up an other speaker, but the speakers, both the extra speakers and the speaker in the projector have got three connection cords (?). I have not seen that before and all the speakers I have all have two connections. So I haven´t manage to connect a external speaker for better sound to work properly with the projector. Someone here on the forum who has owned a SM8, how did you do when connecting an extra loudspeaker or amplifier to the SM8?

| IP: Logged

Mark Todd
Film God

Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003

posted May 28, 2009 05:12 AM

Sound OK fancied one for years.

Best Mark.

[ June 08, 2009, 08:57 PM: Message edited by: Mark Todd ]

| IP: Logged

Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted May 28, 2009 08:12 PM

Daniel
Did your projector come with this external Bolex auxiliary loudspeaker, its built into a case especially designed for carrying the projector.

At the back of the projector where you plug in the speaker what type of socket is it? most normal speaker connections just have the usual single round and flat pin type, but cant remember if the Bolex was a bit different. The specs for the output channel are 6 Watt/5-15ohms for the loudspeaker and for an external amplifier 500mV/220 Ohms.

Just wondering if the same output socket does both [Roll Eyes]

external amp and speaker hence a socket with more than two pins on the out? just guessing!

the projector and its carrying case with a 6-8 Watt/5 ohm loudspeaker

Hope this is some help

Graham.

| IP: Logged

Daniel Beijar
Junior
Posts: 18
From: Finland
Registered: May 2009

posted May 29, 2009 07:24 AM

It has a connection with 4 connections. I have manage to build an adapter according to the wire diagram. The loud speaker I have connected to it only works when the projectors built i speaker is turn on. As you can see from the picture uploaded by Graham there is a switch for turning on and off the projectors speaker above the connection socket.
The loud speaker is the same as on the picture, but it does not work at all. I have connected it to an other amplifier with the same results. Or in fact it does work all little bit. If one pulls the center out of the speaker when it is connected it starts comming sound out of it. But when you release it, it goes back to the middle. Seems like it is having trouble moving when connected. Hard to explain.
What I would want to do is to connect an other speaker (not the Bolex speaker, but a speaker from a my stereo instead) and have sound comming out of only through the connected speaker and not also the internal projector speaker as it is now.

| IP: Logged

Mark Howard
Film Handler

Posts: 85
From: Manchester, U.K.
Registered: Jul 2007

posted May 31, 2009 02:38 PM

I have an SM8 that I used to check prints with (it's the only projector my wife allows in the dining room!), until the power lead mysteriously vanished about four months ago. It's an absolute joy to use, is whisper quiet and runs like a well oiled sewing machine. Even though the lens is a waste of time the machine is very kind on film and I've never had any problems with it. The sound is a little bit ropey, but usually acceptable for mono prints.

Mine is a 1969 model that comes in a grey wooden carry case, with in-built speaker and a few hidden compartments for reel, microphone, patching connectors for audio and manual. Won it on Ebay about three years ago and well worth the £40 I paid for it. If anyone has a spare power lead lying around that they'd like to sell then please let me know, it was so much quieter than my Bell and Howell's and didn't cause domestic strife!

| IP: Logged

All times are Central

Printer-friendly view of this topic

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2