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Author Topic: Introduction from a new member
John Clancy
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1954
From: Cornwall
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 23, 2005 01:40 AM      Profile for John Clancy   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Colin, we're lucky enough to have Bill Parsons in Kent. My primary GS is with him right now (and has been for some time due to the nature of the problem I've dumped on him!!!) so we're not totally lost yet if a GS tries to drop dead.

The there's the Kevin Faulkner fella - he's not too bad either!

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British Film Collectors Convention home page www.bfcc.biz. The site is for the whole of the film collecting hobby and not just the BFCC.

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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted August 25, 2005 09:02 AM      Profile for David Pannell   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes. It's still difficult to know whether to 'bite the bullet' so to speak, and go for a GS, or whether to stick with the ST.

I know it's all been said before, but the fact remains, as you rightly say, Colin - what happens if it goes wrong.

I appreciate that the GS is the 'top of the range', with all the toys, bells and whistles, but I have yet to discover any practical operation advantages besides actual real stereo sound, a brighter lamp, (xenon or not), and the variable speed facility - an obvious advantage for transfering to video etc. If any of these is important to you, then go for it - but get a good one. Otherwise, stick to your ST.

There will be many other Forum members who will disagree with me, I'm sure, - particularly as I have no first hand experience of the GS, - I'm only going by what I have heard and read.

Personally, I would need to be convinced that there is a bullet-proof GS out there somewhere before I were tempted to get one in preference to my ST-1200HD.

NOW, if I'm wrong, please tell me; with detailed reasons. Naturally, I would love to own one, but, like Colin, I don't want it going wrong 'every 5 minutes'.....that's a figure of speech, but you know what I mean.

Best,

Dave.

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Dave.

Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!

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Colin Robert Hunt
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 226
From: Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted August 25, 2005 02:53 PM      Profile for Colin Robert Hunt   Author's Homepage   Email Colin Robert Hunt   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks John on your comments. Having read Davids reply. He has sumed this up better than me. While I appreciate that there is people around who can fix like Kevin who I have read can advise on repairs and Bill Parsons again who can fix these machines. If a problem or breakdown happened and that applies to the ST1200. I would have to send it or take it to be repaired. I cannot fix electrical problems. And how much does this all cost in the end to fix GS's. My local contact last time was Buckinham films who done a good job on the ST1200. But at the time I needed a projector for a show I had promised for a charity show. I resigned to using my old Eumig while the Elmo was in repair. It' like my car breaks down. I'm not a motor mechanic. But can call a breakdown service to fix in a emergancy at no extra cost apart from maybe parts. I have a local person who can fix the fault at a cost. If I bought a GS and a major problem occured it's a expensive and lengthy process, and this was my concern on a GS perchase.

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 25, 2005 05:51 PM      Profile for Kevin Faulkner         Edit/Delete Post 
Colin, I think it's horses for courses with any 8mm machine. There are no spares now for any of them except where a few companies have stocks left of the more obscure parts which rarely fail.
A lot also depends on how the machines are looked after during their lifetime. A regularly cleaned and serviced machine will give years of trouble free use. The GS has far more electronics than say the ST range of machines and yes if any of the motors fail it can be a pain to replace them. We that do repeair them know of companies which can rewind the main motor for instance and can also if needed find motors which can replace the take-up motors. The same can be true of the ST machines....the main motor does fail in those as well and you will end up having to find someone to do a rewind or find another scrap machine.
The relays etc in the GS can be replaced very easily as can most other electronic parts. Heads in the GS are as robust as in the ST1200 range so thats no more of a worry. Guides can be moddified to stop any further wear etc.
The Brauns, Bauers, Noris, Eumigs etc etc machines, are all in the same boat and in fact virtually all the 8mm machines that you can buy s/h will now have no spares. They all have moving parts and electronics which can fail at any time and when you least expect them to. I know of GS1200 owners that have never had any problems with their machines. I would say that in this last year I have had as many St1200 and 600 machines stripped down for repair as I have had GS1200's and the main reason for the GS's has been to replace the one capacitor in the recording amp which goes sick with age. I have only had one GS in the last 2-3 yrs where the main motor has failed and that was because someone had used a grease inside on the cogs etc which had gone hard and caused the motor to run under too much stress and eventually burn out.
It all depends what you want from a machine. For me I want to be able to sync pulse and have as much light as possible. If you want to just be able to show movies on a small home screen without any bells or whistles then there are a multitude of machines which will fit the bill from the ST600 through to the ST1200. If you want stereo then you can use the ST1200 for that or go for a GS800. But of course you can also look at all the other makes as well. I also have a Noris 342 Stereo which I use for just that quick check of a film or small show to my kids and its a superbly engineered German machine. With it's 100w lamp and Schneider 1.1 lens it gives a very good account of itself. I have been told that the picture becomes more unsteady with age on these machines....here's to that not happening with mine [Frown]

Kev [Smile]

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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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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted August 26, 2005 01:26 AM      Profile for David Pannell   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Kev, for such a comprehensive reply.

It puts things much more in perspective. It certainly wasn't my intention to decry the GS, and I apologise if I gave that impression, - particularly as I've never owned one, (as I said), - but merely to try to point out, basically, that there is more to go wrong, ie. the increased amount of electronice and more motors, than, say, with the ST, particularly if it hasn't been treated with respect.

As you so rightly say, it's horses for courses, depending upon what each person wants from their machine, and if it hasn't been 'hammered' in the past, then it would be marvellous to have a GS, I'm sure.

With your expert knowledge gained over the years of experience with Elmos, it is probably not too much of an issue for you to maintain your machines in pristine condition, or at least, restore them as such, than perhaps it might be for Colin.

I still cannot say how delighted I am with the ST-1200HD I bought from you, which was in such pristine condition, and because I am so pleased with it, it just makes me a little more reluctant to venture forth into a much more sophisticated machine - unless - I have to say - it is one that has been previously owned by your goodself, or someone as equally fastidious and knowledgable about them.

Thanks again; you have certainly 'thrown more light on the subject'.

Best regards,

Dave.

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Dave.

Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 26, 2005 07:00 AM      Profile for Kevin Faulkner         Edit/Delete Post 
"It certainly wasn't my intention to decry the GS, and I apologise if I gave that impression, - particularly as I've never owned one"

Colin, you certainly didnt give that impression and I think your points were very valid. My point really is that if looked after etc a GS is probably as reliable as anything else out there and of course will suffer the lack of spares problem like all super 8 machines except for maybe some of the last produced such as the Beaulieu and some of the Fumeo's where there are still spares available.

I would say that anyone wants to go for a GS (or any machine for that matter) to give it a good once over before purchase as this will tell you what sort of life the machine has had. There are many people on the forum that can give pointers in the right direction for most machines.

I'm glad your still liking the ST. They are nice machines and as you say seem to go on forever but they do need to be looked after.

Kev [Smile]

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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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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted August 26, 2005 07:17 AM      Profile for David Pannell   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks, Kevin - - but I'm Dave, not Colin. [Roll Eyes]

You may wish to edit accordingly - no probs though.

Everything you have said is greatly and sincerely appreciated; and yes, the ST-1200HD continues to be well looked after, in just the same way as my ST-600 was, which Craig is still delighted with - I am releived and happy to say!

"DAVID" [Cool]

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Dave.

Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!

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Colin Robert Hunt
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 226
From: Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted August 26, 2005 09:07 AM      Profile for Colin Robert Hunt   Author's Homepage   Email Colin Robert Hunt   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Kevin on feedback. David I second your comments. Kevin your comments on repairs was very helpfull and you have more feedback on Elmo repairs than I can ever have. The comments on the ST1200 repairs you mention did not cross my mind. The only service that I have on my machine was to have the shutter rubber removed due to slipping speed and general reset of the rotary forward and reverse that was causing a problem. Buckingham films sent this to someone to fix. I agree its the way you look after them that counts. I try to keep everything clean and look after the Elmo. Film path is kept clean like the films I have, and must say have not had any major film scratching not even one's that date back 20 years or more. I think when the time is right and I see the right GS I will take the plunge. Thanks Kevin and David for your comments and views.

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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted August 27, 2005 01:11 AM      Profile for David Pannell   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
You're welcome, Colin. I'll probably graduate to a GS eventually, but, like you, only when the time is right, and when the right one comes along. Until then, the ST-1200HD more than meets my needs.

Best,

Dave.

--------------------
Dave.

Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!

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