Light weight 35mm portable projector?

[Xander van der Merwe]

I've been wanting to get a 35mm portable projector for some time to add to my 8mm and 16mm projections and looking for some advice:

- Cannot be set up permanently in my screening room, so I have to set it up and take it down with every screening
- I have a bad back so it cannot be too heavy (ideally no heavier than a 16mm projector)
- I have no 35mm films as yet, but plan on getting a few small reels as a novelty
- Ideally have sound
- Ideally be able to show off the quality of a good 35mm projection
- Happy to restore if required

I was offered a really nice CINEMEC 35mm portable projector locally recently, and I was really tempted, but due to the weight of that unit (almost 50kgs) I will not be able to put it up and take it down as required. I'm obviously based in NZ so have to take shipping into account should I think about getting from overseas.

Any suggestions or is my requirement not possible?

Thanks in advance

[Patrick Walsh]

Hi Xander. I just brought a Shinkyo portable which are Japanese I have yet to receive it as I brought it from yahoo in Japan.

[Xander van der Merwe]

Hi Pat, that certainly looks interesting, do you anticipate it will be lighter/smaller than the CINEMEC?

[Patrick Walsh]

Hi Xander, the projector I have brought is missing some bits so im on the lookout for some reel arms and aperture plates for it, the projector would take 2000ft reels, yes it would be smaller and lighter than the Cinemec, but the Cinemec takes 6000ft reels and has a xenon lamp so it is larger and heavier.
Here is a picture of a Shinkyo with its reel arms (not my photo)

[Edward Nicielnik]

Here was one in America I been looking for a portable 35mm I saw a home made 35mm at a Photo market it take a 2000 feet reel.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SHINKYO-A-V...p2047675.l2557

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

The hard truth is that - I had never seen any 35mm portable which is as lightweight as 16mm machine, period.

Pat's Shinkyo is as closest as it could be. Not too heavy to be lifted up by just one person, decent pic/sound quality, fairy straightforward.
The con is that this projector is only good for lightweight to moderate use. It was quite popular here (Thailand) for open-air cinema business 30-50 years ago due to its portability. But running it 8 hour straight on daily basis would be too demanding for this tiny beast. Most of it had been worn out to death&scrapped by now.

BTW by no means NEVER,EVER BUY THIS TOKIWA PORTABLES - the one that look like this.



This is only good for shredding your valueable prints. It LOVES chewing old acetate films as its main course. Never, ever buy this thing - never.


PS Pat, had you managed to attain the Shinkyo's reel arms from the one I recommended to you?

[Xander van der Merwe]

Thanks for the feedback, I'd be keen to find out what the actual weight of the Shinkyo is...?

This one is silent films only:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Acme-35mm-M...8AAOSw-X1ewuWS

[Patrick Walsh]

The weight of a Shinkyo would be around 20kg, Nantawat, I have contacted the man but he has nothing on hand at the moment. I would suggest maybe a Chinese Jinggangshan portable projector, I had a pair I brought new in 2011 but sold them in a weak moment, I wish I held onto them! They where/are very good, here is a link to one for sale, an earlier 103 model, I had their 105x model with a 1kw xenon lamp. https://www.chinahao.com/Product/210...e_8_into_a_new

[Xander van der Merwe]

20Kgs for the Shinkyo is great, I could work with that weight. It looks like the weight of the Jinggangshan would be similar to the Shinkyo, especially if you get the non-Xenon version 103. I'm going to investigate the Jinggangshan...

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

That Jinggangshan seems very tempting - except its asking price.

I once owned the latter model 104 for a while. Didn't get the dedicated xenon part along but since it's intended for small screen projection anyway hence not a dealbreaker for me (converted it to halogen lamp - problem solved).

I have to say that mechanical wise it is far superior to Shinkyo. Simpler&more robust gear train, pretty easy to service, better film gate design, etc. And all screws are standard metric type - a big plus to me. Did I say it is very gentle to film also?
The only disadvantage compared to Shinkyo I can think of is that it's somewhat larger hence requires more footprint, but not that much.

So yes if you can find these Chinese portables at proper price, they might be exactly (or the closest alternative) what you're looking for.

[Patrick Walsh]

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm...d=625233899373

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm...id=40889373245