Super 16 Projector Conversion

[silverhalide]

Hello Everyone!

Just joined. Looking forward to participating in lively discussions here.

I'm a hobbyist, just messing around. My stable contains:

Bolex D8L, Bolex P1, Bolex H16 RX5, B&H 70DR, B&H 200, Kodak K100, Bolex H16 RX 5 S16, Aaton a-minima, and Arri 416. I've been living under a bridge in a cardboard box since I bought the last two cameras

I mostly shoot E100D, and I have a freezer full which I hope will last me many years.

Anyhow, I have a question. I want to project Super 16, and it seems that the best way to do a conversion involves both enlarging the gate AND re-centering the optics. I contacted someone out east, who I will not identify for now, to perform a conversion. I asked what make/model I should purchase so that he could enlarge the gate AND re-center the optics, and was told that "any Eiki" would work. So I bought a nice Eiki and sent it to him.

AFTER he had torn into the projector and enlarged the gate, he called me to tell me that the conversion was done, but that he cannot re-center the optics. This sort of left me stuck - I cannot return a projector which has been modified, but I don't want a partial conversion. When I asked him to provide me with some Eiki models that he can actually convert properly, he told me to take my business elsewhere. I haven't decided how to proceed in terms of settling this matter. I don't want to tell him to stick it, because then I'm out the $400ish projector. But I also don't want to pay $300 for a conversion which is completely inconsistent with the work that I specified.

So I'm wondering who does proper Super 16 conversions. Does anyone have any good experiences to share?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

[bolextech]

I've converted an older Eiki for someone and it wasn't necessary to recenter the lens mount at all, at least with a 50mm lens, which is what it had.
Perhaps with wider lenses it might be more of an issue, I don't know.
The lamp should be re-centered though for nice even illumination across the frame, and this is easily done.

Jean-Louis

[silverhalide]

Hi,

The distance from projector to screen is about 10', so a wider lens is necessary, yes.

Thanks

[Will2]

I'm working on creating a Cinemascope print of a piece I've been working on. I can keep the projector un-modified and even other projectors would have no problem with it (as long as they have the Cinemascope lens).

There's a great little company in Maryland that can do film outs at a very reasonable price with sound. We've talked about them before here...

http://www.videofilmsolutions.com/main

Anyone else know of good film-out companies at a reasonable price?

[Nicholas Kovats]

Very cool project, silverhalide! Best of luck and your lucky Jean-Louis responded. He is very good. I would love to hear more about your Aaton A-Minima and Arri 416! The piece-de-resistance of precision 16mm camera engineering. What are your intentions with these fine beasts? Rentals? Where are you located?

[MovieStuff]

....I contacted someone out east, who I will not identify for now, to perform a conversion. I asked what make/model I should purchase so that he could enlarge the gate AND re-center the optics, and was told that "any Eiki" would work. So I bought a nice Eiki and sent it to him.

AFTER he had torn into the projector and enlarged the gate, he called me to tell me that the conversion was done, but that he cannot re-center the optics. ....

Actually, the Eiki projectors have a really wide COI on their 50mm lenses so it may be just a matter of changing the lens. It won't be centered but that doesn't really matter since it isn't a zoom lens anyway. In fact, most of their 50mm lenses say, "Super 16" on them!

Roger

[silverhalide]

Hi Roger,

The distance from my projector to the screen in my current viewing room is only 10-12', so I do need a shorter lens. That is part of the reason for my desire to have the optics centered.

Thanks

(edit: sorry for duplicate post, i'm being moderated and i forgot that i had replied)

[silverhalide]

Hi freedom4kids,

I'm just having fun with 16mm. My skill level is not particularly high. Here are some samples:

B&H 200 / Fuji Eterna 250D / HD scan. Camera carried from Santa Monica to Chicago on a bicycle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aGHEzuNSbE The 200 is a low-quality camera, but it is extremely small and light. That comes in handy when pedaling! I wish there was something better in the same form factor. Film loading is available from retrocine.com. They do a great job.

K100 / Fuji Eterna 250D / SD scan. Sometimes carried this instead of B&H 200 on the bike trip. It's a nice camera. I like the shape of it (because it goes in a bike bag) and the long, long spring. But viewfinders are not avaialble for the lenses I use, ie 10mm Switar. So I have to guess a bit with framing. In this sample, I was shooting too high in many shots. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgeELzMg7Zg

Ikonoskop A-Cam SP 16 / E100D / HD scan. This was an extremely noisy little camera. And the viewfinder liked to fall off. I eventually lost it. This was shot with no finder. I found that rather stressful. Sold the camera. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFeDk_czcp8

Bolex D8L/P1 / K40 & K25 / SD scan. This was shot in 2010 with cameras which hadn't been serviced since about 1976, the film stock was questionable, and I was in a big hurry. People who have ridden route 66 like it, most everyone else is frustrated by it. https://vimeo.com/75300837

I don't have anything scanned from the arri or a-minima yet. The arri/zeiss combo produces unbelievably sharp images which have consistent focus/brightness across the whole frame. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the first roll. A-minima didn't produce quite as stellar results. The film seems to breathe a little in the gate or something.

Heres' 8mm shot by my late father with Bolex D8L. I feel he had the home movie genre mastered. I didn't realize that he was particularly skilled at it until he was gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8MgIG4Juog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIRyGjbkNXY
And H16 RX5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06iMMyXUn4Q

My goal is to shoot a Grand Teton climb and/or Grand Canyon raft trip summer 2014...

[Nicholas Kovats]

Hi Silverhalide,

I am quite impressed with both you and your Dad's footage. His 1982 Kodachrome footage of President Regan's visit is tack sharp and Smithsonian worthy. You have also combined two of my fundamental passions, bicycling and film. Excellent.

Does Fotokem do all your scans? Excellent work by the way. I am looking forward to scans from the mythical 416. Do you rent the Zeiss lenses?

Cheers!

Nicholas

[nikonr10]

Hello Everyone!

Just joined. Looking forward to participating in lively discussions here.

I'm a hobbyist, just messing around. My stable contains:

Bolex D8L, Bolex P1, Bolex H16 RX5, B&H 70DR, B&H 200, Kodak K100, Bolex H16 RX 5 S16, Aaton a-minima, and Arri 416. I've been living under a bridge in a cardboard box since I bought the last two cameras

I mostly shoot E100D, and I have a freezer full which I hope will last me many years.

Anyhow, I have a question. I want to project Super 16, and it seems that the best way to do a conversion involves both enlarging the gate AND re-centering the optics. I contacted someone out east, who I will not identify for now, to perform a conversion. I asked what make/model I should purchase so that he could enlarge the gate AND re-center the optics, and was told that "any Eiki" would work. So I bought a nice Eiki and sent it to him
AFTER he had torn into the projector and enlarged the gate, he called me to tell me that the conversion was done, but that he cannot re-center the optics. This sort of left me stuck - I cannot return a projector which has been modified, but I don't want a partial conversion. When I asked him to provide me with some Eiki models that he can actually convert properly, he told me to take my business elsewhere. I haven't decided how to proceed in terms of settling this matter. I don't want to tell him to stick it, because then I'm out the $400ish projector. But I also don't want to pay $300 for a conversion which is completely inconsistent with the work that I specified.

So I'm wondering who does proper Super 16 conversions. Does anyone have any good experiences to share?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

Well that that's a filmmaker's well dream there! and with the kodak 100d , so what len's do you have to go with then great cameras ?