8mm Forum: Consensus on Elmo ST-800

This is topic Consensus on Elmo ST-800 —returning to hobby in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Gordon G. Ellis (Member # 4663) on July 12, 2015, 06:40 PM:

Hello —I'm looking to get back into the Super 8 hobby, and my first task is to replace the geriatric projector (with 400' capacity) that I started using as a teenage movie collector in the late 1970s and early 80s. Weak take-up action on that old machine gives me no confidence — so I'm in the odd position of still buying films from time to time but almost never screening them.

In any event, I've spotted an available Elmo ST-800 that might fill the bill for me — figuring that the 800' capacity would be the sweet spot for me and my collection. Reading messages here, though, my take away has been that the Elmo ST-800 is somewhat fussy and difficult to maintain, compared with other models. Is this the consensus?

Are there other recommendations for someone at my basic level? (I've had my eye on Elmo and Eumig machines.) My needs are fairly modest. Simply looking for a solid machine that will be reliable enough to give me 15 or 20 hours a year of enjoyment without eating my films, or forcing me to become a skilled projector disassembly technician.

Thanks for your advice. Will plan to participate here in the future.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 12, 2015, 07:05 PM:

Welcome, Gordon!

I think the ST-800s reputation here might be partially my fault!

I have one that has had troubles now and then throughout the dozen years I have been here, and I haven't been shy about writing about it. It's my twisted idea of some kind of public service to write these things down here.

-but...

Once I got the thing in decent repair it became an excellent machine: great picture and sound and reliable performance. When I travel and take only one machine, this is the one.

The simplicity of it is a tremendous advantage. I just did a reasonably complex repair on an ST-1200HD. The whole time I was thinking how much easier the work would have been on an ST-800. Everything inside is packed so much more tightly. (Same chassis, almost double the weight...). No, it can't do everything the higher end machine can do, but when it is something either one can manage the ST-800 is just as good. (No stereo, no big reels, not so many watts through the internal speaker)

-So one in good shape is a great thing to have. One that needs some help is at least decent potential.

The nice thing is they tend to fail in a few predictable ways, and at least most of them should be described somewhere on this Forum.

While my ST-1200HD was fighting me, I became friends with an 800 series Eumig once again. I enjoyed it enough that I'm going to keep it active from now on. It's a great machine, but in a race I'd still go with the Elmo.

It's good to have a new member from downstate New York. While you are here, search for CineSea!

Posted by Narendra Singh (Member # 4945) on July 12, 2015, 08:27 PM:

I missed the opportunity of owning an Elmo GS-800. It sold for $150. Seem to have been a very good working machine in great condition.

The Elmo before it got relisted - http://www.ebay.com/itm/141705170307

After it got relisted - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elmo-GS-800-Super-8-Projector-/141711143714?

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on July 13, 2015, 02:57 PM:

I have two 800's....one is rarely used, but I've had it for years and it still shows a nice, steady, bright picture with good sound. The other 800 I bought from someone in Canada who retro fitted it with a bigger outboard transformer for the lamp..and it uses the EJL;s or ESC lamps..up to 250 watts. And it is superb. VERY bright picture with steady image... Never had anything go wrong except belts.

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on July 13, 2015, 03:31 PM:

@narendra- "I missed the opportunity of owning an Elmo GS-800. It sold for $150."

Woah..... That was a deal of a lifetime!!!

@gord- Steve is correct. Reading his original posts on the elmo is what got me into elmo's when i, like you, wanted to get back into super 8's. I started with a Bell and Howell 8mm and then got an Elmo ST180 which worked out GREAT...after replacing belts it was pretty much AS NEW. Then I got a ST1200HD, another one I really like...and now, I seemed to have inherited an elmo K110SM(Reg, single, and Super 8) that i fixed for my father-in-law, who now says i can have it if i want....
I really like the elmo myself. Easy to use and mine have been very good on film so far....Any troubles for me were because the film was in poor shape to start with.
Cheers,
Matt

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 13, 2015, 04:10 PM:

I have seen Gary's Super ST-800 in action!

Sometimes people suggest putting an 150W lamp in an ST-800 with an external transformer and my main gripe about it had been the uncertainty about sufficient cooling air.

(I'm not worried about that any more...)

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on July 13, 2015, 04:10 PM:

I'll just tag along here to throw in my thumbs up to the Elmo ST-800. Just an all around beautiful projector. Love it!

Posted by Gordon G. Ellis (Member # 4663) on July 31, 2015, 02:25 PM:

Thanks, all, for sharing your advice and enthusiasm. Searching around, I'm finding that used Elmo ST-1200s seems to be fairly easy to find. I'm not clear yet on what the various designations attached to those machines (HD, GS, etc) indicate, but one of those more basic machines might be my choice. Will examine previous threads for the intel. Cheers

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on July 31, 2015, 02:49 PM:

A Eumig S936 or even a 932 May also suit your requirements Gordon.
Nice quiet machines. Very straightforward and also very kind on film.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 31, 2015, 03:24 PM:

The Elmo ST-1200s differ in features:

ST-1200 M

ST-1200D M

ST-1200HD M

Each of these three have a version with optical sound that you get by gluing an "O" onto the model number.

-for example:

ST-1200HD MO

The closest comparison is between ST-800 and the vanilla ST-1200. basically the big difference here is just the reel size. It's true that the '1200 has 150W lamp vs. 100W for the ST-800, but the difference on screen will scorch nobody's retinas. The '1200 does operate noticeably hotter when you go full throttle on the lamp, however.

My two main machines are ST-800M and ST-1200HD M.

The ST-800M has a more usable speed control then the '1200 because of the DC motor and electronically regulated speed controller, on the other hand the '1200HD can play a stereo film due to the twin track sound system.

The 1200 Foot reel capacity is a bonus. You won't buy too many films before one shows up on a 1200 foot reel, it's nice to go with the flow rather than start busting down to smaller reels.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on July 31, 2015, 03:56 PM:

A good projector can often be upgraded later by buying a better lens (1.1 or 1.0) and/or a long play unit (that can take large spools such as 800 mt (2200 ft). Of course, you have to consider that when you have enough films to justify the extra expenses but once you get it it's a long term investment as your lens or your long play unit can always be used on another projector later (in the cas of the lens, it should often be a projector of the same make and in the same range of model). After many years of collecting I own now material that I would not even imagine existed at the beginning of my intererst for the home movie world. I remember when I got my first 60 meters (200ft) film. That was a improvment as all the other films were 15 meters (50ft). Needles to say, it was all silent and colour films were exceptions.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 31, 2015, 04:18 PM:

You get "reel creep".

I started with 400 foot reels. (-perfectly happy, too!)

All of a sudden 600 foot film showed up, and I was stuck to wait until I got an 800 foot take-up for my ST-800 to see it. (20 dollar film cost me a 25 dollar reel...)

-everything was fine until a 1200 foot reel showed up. (THREE of 'em!)

They sat for a couple of weeks until I got a 1200 foot reel for my ST-1200HD.

I certainly hope this is the end of this process!

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on July 31, 2015, 05:22 PM:

If only a 100w lamp is enough look at an ST600 but any of the ST or GS prefix machines are recommended. Metal gate, swings out for cleaning along with accessible sound heads for cleaning. Just clean the film path with alcohol and a lint-free cloth every other show or so... and enjoy.

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