Bell & Howell Filmosound 1580 Lens Issue

[Mike Seidman]

New member here, glad to be aboard!

Recently got the aforementioned Bell & Howell Filmosound 1580. Bought it online. When I took it out of the box, the lens was laying on the bottom. Thought that was odd - but then remembered - shipping carriers aren't the "friendliest" with packages.


I am probably wrong, but I don't think this is the original lens. It does fit fairly well in the barrel, but surely doesn't seem to be room for anything else.

As you can see from the attached images, the lens has a thread of course, but the 'barrel' does not. I am thinking maybe a part is missing.

Just hoping SOMEONE here knows SOMEONE who either may fix them or may have some spare parts laying around...

Thank you in advance to anyone who can offer ANY advise!

MIke

[Lindsay Morris]

Hi Mike,

That looks very much like the normal type of lens for B & H machines and the only difference that I can see as compared to the B & H lens we normally see in Australia which are made Japan and yours is made in USA. Its the usual 2" or 50mm standard B& H projection lens.

If it fits the lens holder and you can rotate in back and forth to focus just run the machine without any film in it and the lamp on and rotate the lens to see IF you can get a sharp outline of the gate aperture plate on a screen or a white wall.

If so you are good to go with it no problems as the lens elements look reasonably clear.

Lindsay😊

[Mike Seidman]

Thank you for the reply. I wasn't very thorough with my first post.

I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of what the 'output' looked like. I'll have to set it up again at some point. I think I wrote [parts of] my original post incorrectly. (I am good at explaining things in my head, but something gets lost in the translation to the keyboard.)

After taking the LoadLever / Focus Knob cover off, I now see that the focus knob does turn a knurled post (somewhat worn,) and that the lens itself isn't threaded, it just has ridges.

SO now that I put the lens back in (on the side where you can see the lens ridges are worn, I believe that's why it slid in and out so easily. I turned it and it now works fine.

The image on the screen looked like a tiny white blob, no matter where I put the screen. And even though I loved the lens by hand the first time, it never changed. Now that I have "fixed" the lens focus issue, I will try again. Maybe I had it too close (or too far, I don't know but it never looked good.

By my next post I'll have another picture. Thanks again and sorry I can't write properly.

[Mike Seidman]

I forgot to post the pic of the focus knob inside the barrel. I said I didn't see anything moving because I didn't look "left" down the barrel I was looking more towards the back expecting something like the whole barrel to move. I should have taken the cover off first.

[Mike Seidman]

Ok here's the FINAL update! After a bit of cleaning, and all, it actually works perfectly! So thanks to those who looked and replied, and now on to some old home movie watchin'!