8mm Forum: The most popular Silent projectors ever!

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Topic: The most popular Silent projectors ever!

Robert Tucker
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 688
From: Essex, UK
Registered: May 2005

posted August 21, 2008 10:40 AM

Thought I’d but this across to fellow forumers. What would you say are the post popular/worst silent projectors ever bought or used? Back in it’s hey day of the 60s and 70s and early 80s you had many different equipment manufacture’s trying to entice you, so you was really spoilt on choice.

But what did people choose to go for in spending their hard earned cash. Was it just down to the looks or the reliability and quality or maybe the name or how cheap a deal was? Or could it be that the local shop only stocked one or two brands of projector?

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 21, 2008 11:00 AM

My vote for the best silent projector would probably be the Bolex 18-5. Honorable mention to the superb Bell and Howell 606H (Regent/Filmo) and the Bolex M8, and of course the Eumig P8. In the UK, Specto's were excellent.
Worst silent projectors? There are so many! In the USA, probably anything by Argus or GAF. I also had a Bell and Howell Autoload that scratched every foot of film I put through it. Also, some of the cheap Kodak machines were very questionable, although Kodak's top end machines were generally excellent.

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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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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 979
From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 21, 2008 11:18 AM

That Bolex is a nice, well designed little machine. As an adolescent in the mid 1960's I had the standard 8 version of the Bell and Howell 436....and I ran it until it would run no more. It probably scratched the film, too...but it worked pretty well. I think the best projector I had for showing Reg. 8mm silent films, was a sound machine...the Eumig Mark S. It had a very white/bright halogen lamp..and you could set the speed change lever anywhere between the very bottom...about 16fps...to the top...about 24fps....it was quiet..built like a tank and lifted the film off the sound heads for silent operation. The threading lights were a real convenience. I wish more had them. That silent Bell and Howell you are talking about ..the old one....looks so much like the Revere model of the same vintage. I have one out in the garage...it's ok, but the bulb is not very bright....and runs to the warm side of the color spectrum. The Revere does have variable speed, which is nice.

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 21, 2008 01:44 PM

I think the most common silent projectors had to be the GAF cheapies with that 3 pointed takeup reel. I remember them being everywhere when I was a kid.

To this day they are common enough that Movie Stuff makes them the basis of their transfer machines.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted August 21, 2008 03:31 PM

hAVE WE ALL LOST OUR MINDS?

(Just kidding)

I'm surprised that my vote hasn't already come up, that lovely little Eumig P8! Handsome little projector, built like a brick
s**thouse and pretty darn good to films!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Guy Taylor, Jr.
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 606
From: Galveston, Texas, U.S.A.
Registered: Mar 2007

posted August 22, 2008 07:59 AM

I love any of the old cast steel projectors.

I certainly agree that GAF was one of the worst. Other than my toy hand cranked Brumberger; my first projector as a kid was a dual 8 silent projector manufactered by GAF. I damaged a lot of films in that thing.

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Guy Taylor

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted August 22, 2008 09:44 AM

Yeah Guy ...

GAF should have just stuck to "View-Masters"!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Trevor Adams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 763
From: Auckland,New Zealand
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 22, 2008 08:42 PM

The little Zeiss Movilux sings along sweetly and shows a modest picture. [Roll Eyes]

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Trevor

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John W. Black
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 536
From: Deptford,N.J.
Registered: Mar 2008

posted August 23, 2008 11:01 PM

The Keystone K109 is the best reg 8 machine.I have 5 of them,bright sharp picture.The worst,Gaf,funny,they made a great super 8 sound machine,but those silents!!!!!

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Beat em or burn em,they go up pretty quick

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Patrick Walsh
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 723
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Registered: Jul 2006

posted August 25, 2008 03:46 AM

a BELL AND HOWELL 606H is my fav silent machine, built like a house and also nice to look at.
Pat [Big Grin]

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"Raise The Titanic!", It would of been cheaper to lower the Atlantic!

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