Bell & Howell Projectors

[weltenlaeufer]

Hello,
I have a question regarding the Bell Howell 346a projector...I am a total newbie and have problems threading the film into it...I can't figure out which way it needs to go. Any help, maybe a diagram or a photo would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot
Oliver

[carllooper]

This should be the case with all projectors:

1. Facing the projector, with lens pointing right.
2. The feed spindle (top right) should turn clockwise
3. The reel, mounted on the spindle, feeds film from the right hand side.
4. The film, on the reel, should have the sprockets towards you - and the image upside down as it feeds into the projector - if not the film is tail out and will need to be wound onto another reel, (so it has the head out).

The following differs for different projectors.

5. Film is fed into the mouth of the projector, where it will be chewed up and destroyed.

[BAC]

As you feed the film push down on the plastic loop former above the lens until the film comes out of the plastic loop former on the bottom.

Make sure your film path is clean, anywhere the film touches. I wipe it down with rubbing alcohol and then apply a thin coat of pure bees wax. Then wipe off any excess bees wax. Be careful around the lens, you don't want to get any wax on it. You can get at the sprockets by lifting the plastic guard opposite the loop former. They are hinged and spring loaded.

That's a great little projector, it can be very reliable if you take care of it.

[john59]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11pDl0GpaR4

Its not the same projector and its not auto feed but it gives you an idea of the principle. enjoy

[weltenlaeufer]

Thanks a lot, to all of you! I figured it out now (threading the film in the 346a).

I just watched two reels and when I started to rewind the second one at one point the film became very very slow so that it basicaly ran backwards in slow motion...

I was wondering what this was...is it maybe that the pathway was dirty or something? And if so how can I clean it?

My second question is about the speed: Does this projector have variable speeds? I couldn't find an adjustment knob, so I assumed it doesn't have variable speeds. The thing is I noticed that the movements of the people in the film where all slightly too fast....I filmed with 18 fps. But maybe the speed increase is just normal for super 8?

And one more newbie question... What is a good way to clean the lense? I don't want to mess up the lens with an inappropriate cleaner or cloth?

Thank you so much again, you are very helpful to me, as I don't know much about this new hobby of mine.

All the best
Oliver

[carllooper]

The thing is I noticed that the movements of the people in the film where all slightly too fast....I filmed with 18 fps. But maybe the speed increase is just normal for super 8?

To reproduce motion that is neither fast or slow the projector needs to run at the same rate as the camera.

Standard shooting rates on Super8 cameras are 18 fps and 24 fps.

Most Super8 projectors will be either

a. 18 fps only
b. 18fps and 24 fps
c. variable rate (eg. 16 to 30 fps)

If the motion of objects, when projected, is faster than normal then it means the projector is running at a rate faster than your shoot rate, either because the projector is set to 24fps or for an 18fps projector there is something wrong with the projector. Or something wrong with the camera (it ran slower than 18fps)

If there isn't any rate control on the projector then it's likely the projector is supposed to run at 18 fps, but is running faster than it should.

Less likely, but possible, is that it's supposed to run at 24 fps, and is running at that rate, in which case you would have had to shoot at 24 fps in order for the motion in the film to look normal.

Carl