8mm Forum: Left Handed Projector

This is topic Left Handed Projector in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on February 19, 2011, 08:46 PM:

Sometimes I think I have too much time on my hands. So today I had this thought. Why are all projectors right handed? They all seem to be operated from the right side. Are there any that are operated from the left side but still facing the same way? Hence..left handed projector?

Hmmmmm?

Pat D

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 19, 2011, 09:12 PM:

I've seen this question before and apparently the answer (at least among Super-8 machines) is "No."

I'd love to have a left handed projector. I use two machines together quite often and I could operate them back to back without a big gap in between.

In tight confines this would make life a lot easier.

Posted by Roy Neil (Member # 913) on February 19, 2011, 10:15 PM:

I know that in the 35mm world, Ernemann made a set of left/right projectors ( which I have seen and are pretty spiffy ). Im not sure about 16mm, bear in mind that changeovers on 16mm are not as common as 35mm. Im pretty sure there are one or two left had threading 16mm projectors out there, but I cant tell you which brand for certain.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on February 20, 2011, 02:49 AM:

http://www.cinephoto.co.uk/16mm_philips_el5100_mech.htm

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on February 20, 2011, 04:03 AM:

Hortson 16mm pedestal machines are left-handed.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 20, 2011, 07:19 AM:

I wonder if it's some ergonomic...thing.

Since most of us are right handed having the controls on the machine's right side makes it easier to operate the controls standing behind the machine or standing next to it (especially if the front of the machine is shoved up against a projection port.)

I can't think of a mechanical reason a left handed machine wouldn't be just as easy to build. All the shafts and gears would need to turn the opposite way, but that's no big deal.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on February 20, 2011, 06:43 PM:

I have a Movie-Mite 16mm sound machine that is left handed. Here is a pic of one like mine. Funky little bugger.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on February 20, 2011, 07:41 PM:

Hey Barry

Thanks for posting the great pic! That is a funky maching for sure. It must be weird running it. So, is the film on the reel backwards? I'm tying to get a visual on the sprocket holes. I started this thread thinking there really wasn't any left handed projectors. Nice to learn something new.

Pat D

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on February 20, 2011, 08:21 PM:

No, the film is on the reel as usual. The reel is flipped and the sprockets are to the inside, just the opposite of how they are on a righty. This unit does not have an exciter lamp. It uses the light from the projector bulb that shines through a little lens and then out a hole at about 5 o'clock on the bottom of the big round cover in the middle. Under that cover is the bulb and the shutter which is sorta like a barrel shutter. Really wierd. Here's some pics

The instructions are at this site. You need to use the slider at the bottom of your browser view to move the pdf file left and right to see every page.
http://www.acofs.org.au/part_4_files/Movie%20Mite/User%20Mite%2063.PDF

[ February 20, 2011, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: Barry Fritz ]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on February 21, 2011, 02:10 AM:

Some 16mm reels had a square cutout for the spindle on the non-operator side and a round cutout for the spindle on the operator side. How in the world did that projector handle that? (Except, rewinding it and then flipping the reel around.)

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on February 21, 2011, 04:05 AM:

Barry

Thanks for the great pics. The fact that it uses the bulb for sound also is very interesting. That is one on the most facinating projectors I have ever seen.

Brad

I had some reels like that. I remember buying films that came tails out on them and you had to re-reel them to watch them for the first time. I couldn't believe peeple sold them that way.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on February 21, 2011, 07:44 AM:

I have some of those reels. In my experience they only appear to originate in the US - at least, any that I've acquired over the years have come only from the US.

For those left sided machines, yes you would just need to flip the reel around. Not that big a chore.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on February 21, 2011, 08:58 AM:

And to add to the funkiness, an earlier version had the amp tubes visible. Take a look at this ad. You can see them sitting on the right rear area.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~wichm/moviemit.jpg

Posted by Peter van Zand (Member # 1552) on February 25, 2011, 12:14 PM:

I know of a Kinotone projector in a cinema in Amsterdam that is build on the right side as a 35mm projector, and on the left side as a 16mm projector, thus left-handed. It is done to save space in small booths, and keep the dual-projector in the center before the screen. Very clever design, I think.

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