8mm Forum: Nalcom FTL 1000

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Topic: Nalcom FTL 1000

John Davis
Master Film Handler

Posts: 286
From: Dunfermline, Fife, UK
Registered: Jun 2008

posted July 02, 2008 03:28 PM

When I was a callow youth, I recall reading through Movie making magazines and seeing adverts for this camera. The Nalcom FTL was pitched as a poor man's Fujica ZC 1000, being fairly modular. I was quite tempted but had a nagging doubt in my mind that it's tremendous specification would not be matched by the results on the screen, and I don't ever recall seeing a test report. Did any forum members ever get their mitts on one of these machines?
I always wonder how the Bell & Howell MS range faired as well (MS30 and MS45), where you bought the basic camera and added on modules allowing features such as manual over-rides and intervalometers.

http://www.super8data.com/ is a site I check over from time to time when I spot gear on ebay. It's not exhaustive but can be quite handy.

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Mark Todd
Film God

Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003

posted July 02, 2008 04:01 PM

Great site John, thansk, and sorry not tired those camera`s.
Best Mark.

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 02, 2008 04:41 PM

Thats a great link. Just spent the last 30 mins having a quick look.

I had the MS45 years a go and I was well pleased with the optical quality. I also had the AF1 & CM2 modules which allowed further possibilities with the camera. I had the Camera for some years and it never let me down and gave me some great super8 sound footage.
I only got rid of it in the end as I ended up using my Single 8 sound camera instead of super 8. The Single 8 Fujica I still have and must load it up again soon to see if it still works ok.

Kev.

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GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 02, 2008 07:31 PM

John, thanks so much for that great link! What a fabulous 8mm camera and projector resource it is. There are incredible S8 projectors shown there that I never knew existed. Just look at that Beaulieu 708 -HPL, what a stunning projector- and with HTI lighting as well!

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Knut Nordahl
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 173
From: Norway
Registered: Dec 2005

posted July 03, 2008 02:49 AM

quote:
The Nalcom FTL was pitched as a poor man's Fujica ZC 1000, being fairly modular.

That is an overstatement. I have never actually had one, but had it's sister (no pun intended) the Carena IM 7710 wich had the same interchangable lens. You think the interchangability is great (and it is if you have the adapter), but you need a special adapter with some glass lenses to use SLR lenses or attach to telescope/michroscope, and if you don't get the adapter together with the camera, you'll probably never find it.

The stock lens on the Carena (same as on the Nalcom)was ok. Not the sharpest I have used, but definately not the worst. The look of the camera is awesome (wich is important), and if you are looking for a camera with detachable handle, and want that look, you should definately also check out Elmo 110 or maybe Elmo 108. There is no lens interchangeablility, but the lens on the 110 is very sharp.
Also one odd thing I seem to remember from the lens on the Carena, it had no lens thread on the front.

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John Davis
Master Film Handler

Posts: 286
From: Dunfermline, Fife, UK
Registered: Jun 2008

posted July 07, 2008 02:37 PM

Hi Knut,
thanks for the advice. It took me a lot of film and nagging from friends before I realised what great cameras Elmo made. I think I shot my first sound film on an Elmo about 10 minutes before Kodak anounced they were stopping the manufacture of sound Kodachrome, so it largely saw action as a silent camera. Eventually I realised that I would have to jump across to video if I wanted to continue shooting documentaries with interviews, but thankfully I've got a decent 3CCD Sony camcorder which feels a lot more like film than a lot of other camcorders available at present,
John

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