I live 15 minutes away from a shop that can repair projectors/moviestuff!

[Todd Kitchen]

Phototronic in Topeka KS. It's a one-man operation and it's not easy to contact him. His website doesn't publish an email address --you must call between 12:30 and 6 Central Time Zone U.S.A. Or simply drop off your gear, which I did on Friday.

I took a couple 35mm SLRs along with my Nizo 801 (dead light meter) yesterday.

I had used this shop about 20 years ago to un-stick the shutter in a Yashica TLR. I think it cost me about $25. Those were the days. . Then a few years later I took in a Digital High 8 camera (which he wasn't able to fix for less than the price of replacement).

I was worried that the owner would be about ready to hang up his spurs, since he started the business in 1980.

I was wrong about that. I was greeted by a fit, vigorous and enthusiastic man who loves working on film cameras/projectors and has no plans to retire. He looks like he could do this for another 20 years-- easy.

Not only does he know what an Eumig is, he has fixed them for 40 years. Very knowledgeable about the way they're built.

He also says he can fabricate/install just about any rubber part, including the disks in the fwd/reverse drive platters used on Eumigs. He repairs stuff that people send him from all over the world and he doesn't seem to lack work.

I bet over his career that he's repaired hundreds of 16mm projectors for schools and businesses as well as tons of consumer Super 8/REG8 gear.

He says he will repair anything analog or digital that's repairable. Estimates are free.

He doesn't work on amplifier components beyond replacing an entire board or plugging in a new tube, but he can source just about anything it seems.

His shop was a factory authorized Bell and Howell service center for years, and he still has all the tools/jigs/test films/manuals, etc.

So after my buddy finishes restoring the tube amp for my B&H 185, Phototronic has the skills and tools required adjust critical focus of the optical sound reader lens, as well as CLA the projector (if needed). . And instead of having to pay $$$ to ship it somewhere I'll just drive it over.

Good (and rare?) to find someone local who can and will do motion picture equipment.
https://phototronic.biz/

[Osi Osgood]

Lucky son of a gun! I have to mail my projectors states away!

[Todd Kitchen]

well that's why it's good that the guy seems to want to keep doing this and is in good health.

[Shane C. Collins]

Nice to have this guy at your disposal. I have a Nizo Professional with a not so accurate light meter that's all over the place. I might need to send it to him one day. After your Nizo is repaired, maybe you could let me know how much it cost to have this service performed? I'd hate to just let this camera sit idle when I could be using it for Super 8 home movies. The Professional has a stellar lens!

[Joe Caruso]

How about shipping by mail? Shorty so inquires

[Todd Kitchen]

basically the same lens as the 801 (although mine's not the Macro version). I shot quite a bit of footage with the Nizo. The long end of that zoom is amazing, if you can keep it steady with a tripod. You can get some stunning shallow depth of field/focus shots. The last time I used the Nizo was in 2005. I bought 20 rolls of Kodachrome at a discount from Kodak. Unfortunately, the original type of 1.35 mercury batteries for the exp meter had been discontinued, and I got some bad information on the internet that said to just sub 1.5 V batteries and compensate by UNDER exposing by 1 stop when probably I should have opened up by one stop. because of that, a lot of the footage I shot that summer is underexposed. I got about half the film back and then finally got the correct batteries but I think the exposure system was already dying at that point.

Now, when you press the little TEST button the needle doesn't move at all.
Of course, like a lot of super 8 cameras, you cannot manually set exposure if the meter isn't working.

Money no object I would buy the Pro8mm Bealieu classic resto-mod. They've been doing them for years and they really improve upon the original design, which was quirky and un-ergonomical. I always thought the original 4008 looked silly with those big auto-zoom/auto-exposure motors next to the lens. And the original pistol grip looked like a joke.

One of the best Super 8 cameras I ever used was the cheapest. I bought a GAF ST/800 in the 90s for $10 and it worked very well. Very rugged metal body and very easy to hold steady. I believe the same chassis was rebranded by other vendors like Chinon and maybe Sankyo?

[Shane C. Collins]

basically the same lens as the 801 (although mine's not the Macro version). I shot quite a bit of footage with the Nizo. The long end of that zoom is amazing, if you can keep it steady with a tripod. You can get some stunning shallow depth of field/focus shots. The last time I used the Nizo was in 2005. I bought 20 rolls of Kodachrome at a discount from Kodak. Unfortunately, the original type of 1.35 mercury batteries for the exp meter had been discontinued, and I got some bad information on the internet that said to just sub 1.5 V batteries and compensate by UNDER exposing by 1 stop when probably I should have opened up by one stop. because of that, a lot of the footage I shot that summer is underexposed. I got about half the film back and then finally got the correct batteries but I think the exposure system was already dying at that point.

Now, when you press the little TEST button the needle doesn't move at all.
Of course, like a lot of super 8 cameras, you cannot manually set exposure if the meter isn't working.

Money no object I would buy the Pro8mm Bealieu classic resto-mod. They've been doing them for years and they really improve upon the original design, which was quirky and un-ergonomical. I always thought the original 4008 looked silly with those big auto-zoom/auto-exposure motors next to the lens. And the original pistol grip looked like a joke.

One of the best Super 8 cameras I ever used was the cheapest. I bought a GAF ST/800 in the 90s for $10 and it worked very well. Very rugged metal body and very easy to hold steady. I believe the same chassis was rebranded by other vendors like Chinon and maybe Sankyo?

The Nizo Professional does not use those little mercury batteries. The light meter is controlled by the AA batteries in the pistol grip. The problem I am having is the light meter in auto will not operate from F 5.6 to F 16. It will respond from the lower end to about F 4. Even pointing the camera at bright light won't move the F stop to the higher range no matter what I try. I've tried cleaning the contacts, and installing fresh batteries but nothing helps. It's going to need a fresh service and a repair to the light meter at this point. The Elmo Super 110 I use daily is spot on and always measures light very accurately in auto mode. It's my most dependable camera.