8mm Film Question

[Don Elsass]

The film image is jumpy and can't be corrected. However, if I run the projector in reverse the image stops jumping and looks normal. Why?

[Paul Adsett]

Sounds like your loosing the top loop of film before the gate. What projector is it?

[Don Elsass]

Elmo GP-E

[Don Elsass]

Loop restorer lever doesn't correct it.

[Joseph Banfield]

Did you check the film for sprocket damage? If there is sprocket damage to the bottom of the sprocket holes it would be jumpy in forward projection but smooth on reverse projection.

[Don Elsass]

I just played a regular 8mm film with no problem. The Super 8 is the problem. I'll inspect the sprocket holes.

[Don Elsass]

There were a few burred sprocket holes. I cut them out and spliced, but it didn't make any difference.

[Janice Glesser]

I've had some films that have more jitter than others. If it's nothing mechanical causing the problem...most likely it's due to film shrinkage.

[Don Elsass]

Both of the Super 8 films I have are jumpy.. The regular 8 film plays okay.

[Don Elsass]

I re-wound the film resulting in the image being upside down, but the image didn't jump when projected forward or reverse. Re-wound so image correct, but jimage still jumps played forward, but not reverse. Why when image upside down, no jump?

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

Just saw this thread after replying your previous post.

With this additional info it's obviously that it's the problem to specific films. It's likely that due to sprocket damage only in forward direction. This explains why it runs steady when upside-down.

But it is still possible that this is actually the net result of several issues combined. Not dissimilar to "why my car does not start?" thing - tons of possible causes.

[Don Elsass]

When upside down I expected the image to be jumpy when run in reverse, since it didn't jump when run forward. The opposite of what happened when the image was correct. Oh well, I'm going to find another Super 8 film to see what happens.

[Don Elsass]

Since it only projected correctly in reverse, I shot a video of it. I used a software that reversed it. Now the 50 year old film is digitized.

[Don Elsass]

Has any one else experienced the film will only project properly in reverse? If so, what I did will fix it.