Projector Bulbs

[utilityskate]

Now that I got my first developed film back from Kodak, I need to work a bit harder on getting a projector........

Can anyone tell me what a good projector is? (There seems to be lots of info on cameras on the net, but not so much on projectors........) More importantly, how difficult is it to buy the projector light bulbs? What type of bulbs are used?

Once again, thanks for any help........

[wahiba]

Go for one with a quarz light. The 12 volt 100w is the most common and the EFP A1/231 GZ6.35 bulb the most common in use. In the UK A1/231 is generally used but in the US it might be EFP. GZ6.35 is the base size, obviously 1/4 inch!

I have just go one from new, it is a Philips and marked as a Fibre Optic Lamp! anyhow it is still in production.

There are 75 watt and 150 watt variants A1/230 and A1/232 I think, but these are not so common, although a lot of the first projectors to use this type of lamp used the 75 watt bulb.

They all seem to readily available from electronic supply sources as well as photographic stores.

I am not sure if any super-8 projectors actually used any older non quarz type of bulb.

[Pedro]

I would advise you to look for a projector with a 15 V/150 W halogen reflector bulb. There are MANY projectors around using this type of bulb and it´s cheap and easy available. (Germany: about EUR 7.-, by Osram or Tungsram).
Weaker bulbs, such as 75W, 80 W, 100W are too dim for what we are used to nowadays. Basicly, if you expose your film correctly or a little bit under, in order to get saturized colors and a maximum of sharpness, you need more light than back in the 1970ies, where most consumer cameras tended to overexpose the film.
With a 150 W projector and a 1:1,3 lens, you can fill a sreen up to 2 m wide. A 100 W bulb is only good for the smaller 1,2 m screens. The Elmo GS1200 projector with it´s 200 W bulb is not significant brighter than a 150 W projector, but has a better light distribution over the complete area.
Note that there are some brands, which never had had models in their line which used 150 W bulbs, such as Noris and Eumig.
Good projectors with 150 W are Braun Visacustic, Bauer studio class (T502/525/610), Elmo ST1200, Chinon SS1200, Beaulieu and many others.
Pedro

[jessh]

I have had good experiences with Elmo projectors, I am sure any of the other ones Pedro suggested are great projectors as well. I have an Elmo ST-1200, if you watch for a while you should be able to find one on ebay for about $300, if you are impatient or want something 100% guaranteed to work perfectly I have seen them sell for more than double that price.

~Jess

[utilityskate]

Thanks for your replies, I just opened my developed film and had a look visually, its really cool, I recognized some macro shots I took of a flower! I really can't wait to get my projector now!

[wahiba]

Pedro is right about more light, but as 1 reckon 100w machines out number the rest by around 50 to 1 it is probably easier to start there.
I reckon Eumigs are fine, but I am biased as that is all I have.

If you only intend to show super-8 then a dul gauge machine is not necessary.

Good hunting.