8mm Forum: Need Help with Bell & Howell Filmosound

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Posted by John Michlowsky (Member # 1877) on December 29, 2009, 09:55 AM:

Is the Bell & Howell Filmosound 358S a standard 8mm or a Super 8 projector?

I recently received a box of 8mm home movies from a relative and they also recently purchase the projector at a garage sale for $7. The projector appears to work, forward, reverse and the lamp works. I am not able to get the auto threading to work however and I am wondering if this projector is really a Super 8 projector. Also I don’t know if the projector has been modified in any way.
I would appreciate any help on this issue. I don’t have any 8mm movie experience at all.

Thanks,
John

Posted by John Almond (Member # 1782) on December 29, 2009, 10:49 AM:

Bell & Howell Autoload Filmosound 8
marketed in 1969-70

design: 358S

super 8 mm film

lens: Bell & Howell f: 1.6 \ F:?

lamp: 150 W,120 V, DJL

reel capacity: 120 m

projection: forward, reverse, still

projection speed: 14-22 fps

variable speed control: by rheostat

film loading: automatic threading

manual unloading: possible

sound: double-sytem, magnetic playback with a synchronized tape-recorder (1)

motor: magnetic motor

built-in film cutter: yes

power source: 120 V AC, 60 Hz, 5 Amps

weight: ?

dimensions: ?

Hope that helps

Posted by John Davis (Member # 1184) on December 29, 2009, 02:13 PM:

Hi John,
in keeping with this thread only involving people called John, I'll chip in.
The data provided came from http://www.super8data.com/ and their illustration looks like a super 8 machine (the dual gauge machines usually had the small standard 8 spindle on the feed arm).
It looks like a solid decent machine but the one point that raised an eyebrow is the lamp, 150w is respectable but the voltage is US mains voltage which makes it a rarer lamp than the low voltage types. This means more importantly than normal you should take care to extend the bulb life as much as possible as any replacement may be costly.
Avoiding moving the projector until the lamp cools down totally will help a bit,
John

Posted by John Almond (Member # 1782) on December 29, 2009, 05:52 PM:

Nice touch John, from john to a john..........If thoses yanks on here read that they will have a good time ripping us apart [Big Grin]

Posted by John Michlowsky (Member # 1877) on December 30, 2009, 08:39 AM:

My thanks to the John’s for the replies.

Since the Bell & Howell Filmosound 358S is a Super 8 projector (according to the link), then is it true that it will not play the standard 8mm movies, or will this projector play both formats?

I do have one small spindle and one larger spindle.
John

Posted by John Whittle (Member # 22) on December 30, 2009, 09:56 AM:

Large reel spindle is a Super8 only machine.
If the machine has sprockets, it is only Super8. The dual 8 machines have a rubber feed on the top and a lever to move between standard and super8 which moves the aperture plate to the larger or smaller size and changes the claw position and pitch.

While this machine is called a Filmosound, it won't play Super8 magnetic sound film. It was part of a double system that Bell & Howell sold where the sound was recorded on an audio cassette and sychronized with the film on playback.

John

Posted by John Michlowsky (Member # 1877) on December 30, 2009, 03:21 PM:

OK, it looks like I will need to find a standard 8mm to view my movies.

Thanks to all for the valuable inputs.

John

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