Elmo GS800 HID conversion

[Phillip Campey]

I’ve had GS800 machine for a few years and it has never let me down or scratched a single film. The only problem is it has only got an 100 watt lamp. Is there anyone on the forum that can convert it to HID?

[Graham Ritchie]

Phillip

Its up to you Phillip but I feel you might be better of say, eg fitting a Elmo 1.1 lens rather than doing a HID conversion The light output from those HID lamps does seem to make the image look a bit on the cold on "blue" side for my liking from what the screen images look like that have been posted here, compared to using the usual Osram Halogen Xenophot 100 watt lamp. That Osram lamp along with a Elmo 1.1 combination works well for most home use.

[Shane C. Collins]

I agree with Graham here! On a Eumig Mark S 709 I mounted a Eumig 1.0 zoom lens, and the difference between that lens, and the stock 1.3 was night and day! It transformed my home movies like never before! I'd imagine an Elmo 1.1 would yield nice results on screen!

[Graham Ritchie]

Years ago back in the 70s Moviemaker did a comparison on light output, I kept a note of it all.

It show how a lens can make quite a difference

Lamp Brightness

Centre Brightness.

Sankyo 800 15/150 lamp....1.4 lens low 13.5 ..............Average BSI 10.75
high 19................................................ ....................Average BSI 15

1.1 lens low 22.5.............................................. ........Average BSI 16.25
high 32.5.............................................. ...................Average BSI 23.75

Eumig S926 GL 12/100 lamp 1.3 lens 21................Average BSI 18

ST1200D 15/150 lamp 1.3 lens low 18
high24


ST1200HD 15/150 lamp 1.1 lens low 25........................Average BSI 19
high 31................................................ .....................Average BSI 24

GS1200 24/200 lamp l1.1 lens low 27...........................Average BSI 22.5
high39............................................ ..........................Average BSI 32.5

[Matthieu van der Sluis]

WhaI did, is buy the Bauer to Elmo Lensconverter from firma v. ECK for around €45 and fitted in the Schneider Kreuznach Bauer 1.1 f 11-30 zoomlens.
Ones put in the converter, it has the form of an Elmo lens and fits in just fine.
I liked this lens better than the Elmo 1.1, but I do need the extra wide of 11-30.
I bought the Braun Visacustic version of that lens, because they are cleaner and sharper, because of the extra endcontrole from Braun, back in the day's.
Braun did send back the lesses lenses.

I now use 3 sets for all my 3 Elmo projectors.

[Dominique De Bast]

HID lamps makes look the black and white films fantastic. That said, I agree that if your GS 800 has a 1.3 lens, replacing it with a 1.1 or a 1.0 one will make a big difference. If you project mainly at 24 fps, you may also consider replacing the existing 3 blade shutter by a 2/3 one.

[Phillip Campey]

Thanks for all your comments, I already have a 1.1 lens but I don’t have a 2 blade shutter. Where would I find one and are they easy to fit?

[Graham Ritchie]

Don't forget Phillip a two bladed shutter makes the projector useless for 18fps

[Ken Souza]

Hi Phil

contact Steve Osborne at The Reel Image for two blade shutters. That’s where I got mine and I had to have them installed by somebody who knew what they were doing to remove the old shutter and put in the new one. Once installed, the picture is about 30% brighter and I’ve had no trouble with them and a nice picture. Glad I put them in. 😊

[Dominique De Bast]

I don’t have a 2 blade shutter. Where would I find one and are they easy to fit?

I had my projector converted in Germany by FFR. You can choose between a 2 blade shutter (only for 24fps) or a 2/3 blade shutter (you can move one the three blades to use the projector at 18 fps or at 24 fps.

[Phillip Campey]

Hi Dominique, the 2-3 blade conversion sounds interesting as I would still like to play my home movies at 18fps. was it expensive to have it converted?

[Dominique De Bast]

Hello Phillip. The 2/3 blade shutter and the conversion costed me € 190 (+ shipping). But, I don't know if, since you're based in the UK, in your case, extra customs fees could be charged, so it worths checking that. FFR-Film Idstein - Ihr Partner für Filmtechnik, Schmalfilmzubehör und Kinotechnik 8, 16 und 35mm