8mm Forum: ampro scope lens bracket?

This is topic ampro scope lens bracket? in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on April 30, 2007, 10:20 PM:

Was there a scope lens bracket made for the ampro 16mm machines?
I have a ampro stylist major mk2.
I would be keen on buying one, or seeing a picture of one as I may be able to make something up.
Thanks
Pat

Posted by David Pannell (Member # 300) on May 03, 2007, 01:33 AM:

Hi Patrick,

I have exactly the same machine as you. However, I am not aware that there ever was a proprietary scope/anamorphic lens or bracket made by Ampro for any of their projectors. You will probably have to find something on eBay, and/or make up a stand of some sort to put in front of the projector.

If all else fails, I have a friend who is an Ampro guru, who may be able to shed some light on this for you. I have e-mailed him, but no reply as yet. He is usually extremely busy and doesn't always get round to responding. Perhaps it might be an idea if you asked him the question yourself. His e-mail address is: david@oldtechnology.com

Good luck & best regards,

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on May 03, 2007, 03:50 AM:

Hi David
I believe the Ampro 16mm production ended before cinemascope appeared on the scene, as I have never seen a Ampro made before the mid 1950s, but I could be wrong.
A very handsome machine and runs well, and quiet light for it's age and size.

Posted by David Pannell (Member # 300) on May 03, 2007, 04:25 AM:

Hi Pat,

A bit of a typo in your post, I think. Don't you mean 'after' the mid 50s and not 'before' the mid 50s?

Anyway, that's academic. The last Ampro production run was 1957 with the Major Mk4, which was magnetic sound only. The Mk3, in 1956 could deliver both optical and magnetic sound, with a host of extras for the different sound capabilities, but was quite expensive. Our Mk2 models came out in 1955 for optical sound only, but if you look closely, you will see various blanking plates on the body of the projector, which allowed the fitting of some accessories, including reversing switch (adjacent to the levelling knob) etc.

Good luck with your hunt!

Posted by John Whittle (Member # 22) on May 03, 2007, 03:07 PM:

Yes there were brackets for the Ampro and Singer projectors. They were all made by the same company in Japan that engineered brackets for the Bell & Howell, RCA 400, Victor and others. I do have a bracket for my Ampro Stylist, but it's really hard to find those things today. They all fit the "C" size lens. Panavision made brackets for their 16mm lenses which had a larger opening for the prism variable anamorphic lens. I had one for the Kodak Pagent and know they also made them for the RCA and Bell & Howell. There was a sleeve for the Superama Panavision lens so it would fit those brackets.

Posted by David Pannell (Member # 300) on May 03, 2007, 04:11 PM:

WOW, John.

That's really interesting. You learn something new every day. Clearly an 'after market' item, and useful to know. We'll have to keep our eyes peeled!

Thanks very much for the info, John.

Best,

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on May 04, 2007, 04:13 PM:

Hi Guys
Thanks for the infomation.
I have just got a pair of Ampro stylist "Educational Model", made un the Uk by simplex/ampro, there is talk in it's instruction book that there is/was a mod that you could get done on it to run mag/opt sound.
Pat

Posted by John Whittle (Member # 22) on May 05, 2007, 03:38 PM:

Many of these mods were done by the manufacturer or importer in their shops and no "kits" were made for dealers. At least that was the case in the US with Eiki USA for years for change-over kits. They would installed by Eiki by two or three guys and there wasn't even a published schematic for the wiring!

I've forgotten the threading on the sytlist at the moment. If the stripe (which is on the base of the film on B wind prints (hence it faces the lamp house) is up on the sound drum, putting a mag head on it would be realtively easy. If it's got to ride inside the sound drum, then the size and fabrication is more involved.

If you don't have any mag sound prints, I wouldn't worry about it. If you do have mag sound prints, you'll find it cheaper and easier to bet get an Eiki projector with a -2 at the end of the model number designating a mag playback machine.

Getting 16mm stripped today is limited and rather costly.

John

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