8mm Forum: Fujicascope SH1

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 15, 2017, 06:37 AM:

Just been using my Fujicascope SH1 which I can thoroughly recommend to members as a beautifully produced piece of kit, (made for Fuji by Yamawa.) It's interesting that it has blazoned on it "Single-8"!
My only criticism is that the 25mm f/1.4 lens is not a zoom.
For those who dislike auto-threaders, here is a manual load projector with a fully swing-open all metal gate for easy cleaning. The lamp is 150 watt with Hi/Lo settings.
The side cover has an excellent loud-speaker, and sufficient space to store the mains lead, speaker lead, microphone, spare (400ft) spool and the instruction book. The whole assembly when clipped together has an overall clear plastic dust cover.
The Super 8 database (and Van Eck) says it has a spool capacity of 120m (400ft), but this is wrong, the spool arms accept 600ft spools. Perhaps some confusion has arising as it is supplied with a 400ft spool.
http://mimundoensuper-8.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/fujicascope-sh1-mas-de-cuarenta-anos.html

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on January 15, 2017, 07:17 AM:

Pity the lens is 25mm, but some non-zoom lenses had better contrast than early zoom ones. My 18mm lens from an Eumig 501D is very good in that respect.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 15, 2017, 08:05 AM:

The lens is quite acceptable.
It gives a slightly bigger picture at the same throw as a standard 2" (50mm) lens on a 16mm projector.

Posted by Jason Smith (Member # 5055) on January 17, 2017, 10:29 PM:

Maurice,

I picked up one of these recently in Japan and fell in love with it. Here in Japan, it was released as the Fujicascope SM1

Unfortunately, I'm having problems playing back sound on mine. I can use the microphone to produce sound through the speaker but whenever I play a magnetic film, it doesn't play any sound.

There are a few things I find unique to this machine like its body made out of wood, detachable speaker, circuit diagram pasted on the inside of the machine, and the small door on the back for accessing the inside of the machine without taking off the back case.

The fact that you can adjust the transformer from 100-240 is nice to have as well.

The SH1/SM1 was the first projector released by Fujifilm that can handle playback of a magnetic track.

The SM1 wasn't the first Single 8 projector when it was released in December of 1965. That distinction belongs to the Fujicascope M1 and M2 released in April 1965 when Single 8 debuted in Japan.

Posted by Jason Smith (Member # 5055) on January 17, 2017, 10:29 PM:

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 18, 2017, 02:37 AM:

Jason
I too, had problems with sound when first purchased. The sound head and pinch roller needed to be adjusted.

Posted by Jason Smith (Member # 5055) on January 18, 2017, 01:53 PM:

Thanks Maurice. I followed your advice and now the sound is working.

The only other problems I'm having is that as I adjust the volume there is a lot of loud crackling and popping noises that come from the speaker.

In addition, sometimes when I turn on the amplifier, I have to tap on the volume dial for it to start working. I think I'll try cleaning around the switch to see if that helps.

The sound that comes from the wooden speaker sounds amazing.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 18, 2017, 02:56 PM:

Jason
In the old days in the Air Force we used to "lubricate" scratchy volume controls by operating them forwards and backwards many times. You could try this for a start.

Posted by Jason Smith (Member # 5055) on January 18, 2017, 08:16 PM:

Thanks Maurice. I will have to try moving it forward and backwards a few times.

One thing I noticed in the blog that you linked to was a mention of the electrical socket in the projector. I don`t have the manual for the projector. So I`m curious what purpose this served.

I`m also curious if any of the zooms from the later models could easily be attached to the SH1.

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on January 19, 2017, 02:17 AM:

quote:
In the old days in the Air Force we used to "lubricate" scratchy volume controls by operating them forwards and backwards many times. You could try this for a start.

This method solves the probelm because doing forwards and backwards many times will temporarily clean the dust on it, but usually it will come again. The best thing is to spray with Contact Cleaner and do forwards and backward for a couple of times.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 19, 2017, 03:55 AM:

The electrical socket is marked ROOM, the instruction book makes no mention of it, but I assume it is for plugging in a table lamp in a similar way to early silent standard 8 Eumigs. It goes off when the projector starts and comes again when the projector stops.

The carbon film volume control potentiometers are formed by depositing carbon graphite composition onto an insulating body, the varying resistance controlled by a moving contact. Over a period of time of non-use the slider makes a poor contact and produces a "scratchy" noise on the sound. By the constant moving backwards and forwards a slight deposit of carbon is applied.

Such pots are sealed and would rarely accumulate dust within them. Similarly, it may not be very easy to open them up to apply some form of lubrication. If all fails, then the whole unit should be replaced by a logarithmic pot.

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on January 19, 2017, 04:19 AM:

quote:
Such pots are sealed and would rarely accumulate dust within them.

I don't know this model but usually at every potentiometer there is a small hole to apply this (spraying) contact cleaner.

Posted by Jason Smith (Member # 5055) on January 19, 2017, 10:33 AM:

Thanks for the advice Winbert and Maurice.

I took out some of the screws and used a allen wrench to access the back of the panel. Because of the wires attached to the panel, I was only able to lift it up a few centimeters but I was able to find two holes near the pot. I sprayed some contact cleaner in them while working them back and forth. The crackling and popping noises that were coming from the speaker are now gone!

I wanted to reiterate that the sound that comes from the wooden speaker sounds great. I've used other detachable wooden and plastic projector speaker enclosures and this one holds it's own.

The lamp socket is a nice feature to have. I don't have any portable lamps in the room but it would be interesting if I could find a way for the projector to control the hard wired room lights.

This projector is really starting to grow on me. Even though it only has mono sound, I like the build quality and the way the film path is designed.I had thought about keeping a ST-180 around as small portable projector. However, I think I'll make this my go to projector for 600ft and under mono films that are projected at home.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 19, 2017, 11:00 AM:

Jason
That really is good news to hear. Glad we could help you.

Posted by Kevin Clark (Member # 211) on January 26, 2017, 12:43 PM:

Maurice & Jason

I have two zoom lenses - boxed old stock - for the Fujicascope M2 which I am sure will fit the SH1.

The lenses are marked PSZ-Fujinon 1.5 19-32mm.

If you want one each all I would want is the cost of postage covered, the lenses are free.

Please see below two pictures to ensure they are the right ones for your machines:

Kevin

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on January 26, 2017, 01:23 PM:

Tremendous generosity expressed there once again Kevin! [Smile]

Posted by Jason Smith (Member # 5055) on January 26, 2017, 07:37 PM:

Thank you for the offer Kevin. If there is anyone else on the forum who could really use it, I would want them to have it before me.

Now that I know that the lens comes from the M2 projector, I could probably find a scrap M2 projector here in Japan and salvage one off of a machine.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 27, 2017, 06:04 AM:

Kevin
Looking at the pictures of your lens seem to show it quite wide and long, so I am sure it will not fit the SM1 which has a much smaller barrel.
However, thank you very much for the kind offer.

Posted by Kevin Clark (Member # 211) on January 27, 2017, 03:16 PM:

Hello Andrew, always pleased to help our cine friends, too much kit here to know what to do with some days so my tidy up goes on.

Jason - no problem, also I will reply to your pm over the weekend. I have found another of these (making three in total) so you are still more than welcome to one if useful to you.

Maurice - I'm as certain as I can be that it is the same but the angle of my pictures may have distorted the lens size and shape somewhat. If you could measure the barrel length and diameter of your lens I will check it with mine to see if it matches - as I have three of these I honestly don't mind just sending you one anyway so we can confirm one way of another for the future reference of others too.

Kevin

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on January 27, 2017, 07:41 PM:

[Smile]

Tidy up whenever you like for me Kevin!
I'm always a grateful recipient! [Big Grin]

Posted by Nick Vermeirsch (Member # 4136) on September 14, 2019, 11:02 AM:

Hello all! I have just bought this nice machine, it gives a very clear and steady picture and i love the manual threading! But, i have the same sound issue as mentioned above: a crackling sound when i turn on the volume, i hear the soundtrack of the film on the background when projected, the crackle noises are still present. I have cleaned the sound head, but no big change. I read about the potentiometer, but this is new for me (where and how). Can someone give me some specific detail how to fix this problem with this projector? All the best and thanks in advance! [Big Grin]

Posted by Leon Norris (Member # 3151) on September 14, 2019, 11:18 AM:

The volume control might need cleaning? Get some contact cleaner and spray it! Try that and see what happens! Remember to spray the rear of the control!

Posted by Nick Vermeirsch (Member # 4136) on September 14, 2019, 11:32 AM:

I have opened the projector. Two blue wires enter the back of the volume knob. I see a little hole between the to points where they enter. This is the place to spray? Or another place in the potentiometer?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on September 14, 2019, 12:40 PM:

Nick
Before you try to clean the volume control pot read my advice, above, dated January 19th, 2017.

Posted by Nick Vermeirsch (Member # 4136) on September 29, 2019, 09:32 AM:

Hello Maurice! Thanks for your advice, but turning the knob mnay times didn't help unfortunately... Would you have further advice? Also, i have three other questions about my version of this projector, hopefully you can help:
1) Picture 1: i suppose that there used to be a spring on the film tension idler on the left. Is this necessary, or can i do without?
2) Picture 2: on top, there is a metal piece fixed on the projector. Does anyone have an idea what the purpose was of this little thing?
3) Picture 3: on my lens, there is a red glass (filter?), that can swing open. What could be the purpose of this piece?
All the best!!

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