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Review of Eumig's best dual gauge projector!

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  • Review of Eumig's best dual gauge projector!

    My latest and favorite dual gauge projector! The Eumig Mark S 709 from 1970. This projector was purchased online, and was new in the box. All cosmetics, and paint are like new. Even the rubber drive discs were like new with no wear or signs of use. I did my usual cleaning of the discs to give them a fresher appearance, and better grip. The rubber discs now perform like new. New motor mounts from Van Eck were also installed. I also recently fitted this machine with Eumig's earliest top lens, the Suprovar 1.0 zoom. This lens gives super sharp, contrasting images. My Super 8 home movies, shot on Kodak's newest Ektachrome (7294), look spectacular!

    One of the best features of this machine is the ability to run silent films with the pressure pads disengaged. When the volume switch is in the off position the pressure pads are retracted. This allows silent films to run freely past the sound heads, without applying pressure needed when watching sound films. I must also mention that the semi auto-loading function is very kind to film, and a joy to use! Once the film is loaded automatically through the gate, it exits out the other end. It's then manually loaded through the sound heads, up and through the rear sprocket, and onto the take-up reel. Once you've done this a few times, it's quite easy, and usually takes less than a minute. Sound ​films also play, and sound good on the 709. The marvelously designed tube amplifier produces a nice warm analog sound! It's quite amazing what Eumig was able to do with designing these early tube amps. The fact it fits perfectly, and so compactly inside the casing of the 709. It is truly a marvel of form and function, and a thing of beauty! I must also mention the far superior twist-to-focus lens system on these early Eumigs. The focusing allows one to dial in for a sharper image more precisely than the later, and sloppy lens focusing knob. I now have several of these style Eumig lenses, including a prime. I will say, in my opinion, the Eumig Suprovar 1.0 zoom was probably the best lens they made at the time. This lens is heavy, with excellent glass. This lens of course was designed for the Eumig DL, but will work with all early twist-to-focus machines. So if you're looking for a projector that is gentle on film, easy to work on, and a joy to use I can highly recommend the first and probably the best Eumig dual gauge projector! I truly believe Eumig got it right with the earliest sound machines versus the later 800 series.

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  • #2
    I never remember which lens to turn for focus on my 709. Also, forming the small forward loop for Super 8 lacing is a slight fiddle.
    For me, the best dual gauge Eumig projector is undoubtedly the 824.
    super 8 database, eumig 824 sonomatic (filmkorn.org)

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    • #3
      ​​​​​Shane, now that's a nice Chritmas post! It just warms my heart and proves there is indeed a Santa Claus after reading that! I have three of those early Eumig vacuum tube models near my Christmas tree this year, and if I'm lucky perhaps I'll find a fourth under my tree tomorrow, I hope he won't accidentally confuse it with something from the 800 series!
      Last edited by Joseph Banfield; December 24, 2022, 03:24 PM.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Joseph Banfield View Post
        ​​​​​Shane, now that's a nice Chritmas post! It just warms my heart and proves there is indeed a Santa Claus after reading that! I have three of those early Eumig vacuum tube models near my Christmas tree this year, and if I'm lucky perhaps I'll find a fourth under my tree tomorrow, I hope he won't accidentally confuse it with something from the 800 series!
        I'm glad to hear that Joseph! Yes there indeed is a Santa Clause!

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Maurice Leakey View Post
          I never remember which lens to turn for focus on my 709. Also, forming the small forward loop for Super 8 lacing is a slight fiddle.
          For me, the best dual gauge Eumig projector is undoubtedly the 824.
          super 8 database, eumig 824 sonomatic (filmkorn.org)
          Agree 824 is excellent (I have 3) - hotly followed by 822.

          Not sure what makes the o/p think the 709 is " Eumig's best dual gauge projector" Has he tried 824 or even 822?
          Would be interested to know how he arrives at that conclusion.

          Meanwhile to the guys in the US affected by "the bomb", Stay safe and warm. The TV news pics look beyond scary.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by David Strelitz View Post

            Agree 824 is excellent (I have 3) - hotly followed by 822.

            Not sure what makes the o/p think the 709 is " Eumig's best dual gauge projector" Has he tried 824 or even 822?
            Would be interested to know how he arrives at that conclusion.

            Meanwhile to the guys in the US affected by "the bomb", Stay safe and warm. The TV news pics look beyond scary.

            Hi Davd,

            I have not tried either of these models. I just looked them up, and saw they are fully auto-loading machines, therefore not interested. I am calling the 709 Eumig's best dual gauge projector, based on my experiences with it, and the superior build quality, as well as gentle film handling. I created this review to educate others that the early Eumigs should not be passed up with the usual assumption the later models are better. I can't understand why the later 800 and 900 series machines get such rave reviews. I once had a Eumig 810D that was a real film eater. The machine was in good condition, and nothing was missing. The fact is those full auto-loaders can be a problem, and chew film. Also when using these later machines you can't visually see the film as it enters the gate and through the sound heads, etc. With the 700 series and some of the other early models the film path is open with full access to the film itself. You have a better chance of stopping an issue if there is one with this design. I don't mean to start a war over early versus later Eumigs. I am just stating the facts based on my experiences, etc. The early models were created before manufacturers succumbed to the need to cater to a lazy man wanting full auto-loading. Even Ivan Watson called the 709 the best dual gauge machine in 1968.

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            • #7
              I think Shane has done an excellent job of presenting the virtues of the 709. and I totally agree with him. I have never regarded auto- threading as a necessary, or even desirable, requirement for a film projector, and much prefer hand threading my little Bolex 18-5 than feeding film into the innards of an auto threading machine. And, lets face it, the cam focusing design of the 800's is a disaster, I never use it and focus by twisting the lens within the lens barrel. I love my 824 but really wish it was a manual threader with the precise threaded focusing system of the 709.

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              • #8
                Well said, both Shane and Paul...they are very fine machines indeed those early Eumig vacuum tube projectors!

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                • #9
                  Thank you Paul and Joseph I really appreciate your responses, and feedback! Yeah it's difficult to use anything other than the twist-to-focus lenses. They are so precise that my home movies always look well focused and sharp! I've always found it difficult to get the frame focused from edge to edge with a knob style lens. 8mm and Super 8 is such a small gauge film, and needs a very precise focus to make it look correct.

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                  • #10
                    Forgive me for noticing those very prominent bananas in your photo...Shane, it's not polite to display your banana!!!
                    Last edited by Joseph Banfield; December 27, 2022, 12:19 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Joseph Banfield View Post
                      Forgive me for noticing those very prominent bananas in your photo...Shane, it's not polite to display your banana!!!
                      LOL, well Joseph what can I say. It was the perfect "Kodak" moment to show my big banana! I'm sure the 709 didn't care LOL...

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                      • #12
                        Great review Shane. Eumig certainly got it right with the earlier machines. I have the St8 version which is very similar to yours but has double teeth claws for smooth film transport through the gate , the performance and build quality is superb , with a good ext speaker the tube amp gives a far superior sound than many transistor versions

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                        • #13
                          Oh well, since my first 822 around 1986 which I got from Buckingham Film and Video, I have been "lazy".
                          That said, Mine are used for optical telecine and knowing that the 824 is stereo is a factor on double stripped S8.
                          I have had a couple of 7 series Dual 8 in the early days as spares, but were never a fan. I still have one as a rewinder and as a cleaning machine. My 824s are always run with the front covers off and only ever a problem loading if the leaders are non pliable. On film with damaged leading edge sprockets, they run well in reverse, corrected in post of course. Only time I have ever had a problem, was due to a grub screw on the top sprocket mount coming loose and a peskey end of a film wedging in the sound head path. That required a pipe cleaner (smoker's not plumber's 😁 to be pushed through). They are all maintained as and when by John White.
                          So yes I'm happy to be "lazy" as manually threading the 9.5mm Specto is complete PIA!

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                          • #14
                            David, the 824 is NOT a stereo machine. It can play both the main and balance stripe at the same time but it's sound is still output as a mono signal. For true stereo you will need a different projector.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Joseph Banfield View Post
                              David, the 824 is NOT a stereo machine. It can play both the main and balance stripe at the same time but it's sound is still output as a mono signal. For true stereo you will need a different projector.
                              You are of course correct as it is NOT stereo but dual mono. (which I don't think the 7 series had. I maybe wrong but from the Din Out on the 824, I thought both tracks were on separate outs ie 1-2 or L&R That said I have always had both sides linked (shorted) within the Din cable. Another thing for me to check. Given that only a single % of film that comes in has sound and an even smaller % of that is dual track, it is for me, somewhat academic.

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