This is topic Bell&Howell Soundstar in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002899
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 12-20-2001, 06:38 PM:
While rummaging around in a bunch of Hock Shops, Thrift Shops, etc., I stumbled upon a Super 8mm camera. Since it cost a whole $3.50, I figured it would be worth it. It is a Bell & Howell Soundstar Filmosonic XL camera Model No. 1225, Serial No. 82340025. It is in very good condition (even the magnetic recording head looks good), but I don't know if the camera works or not.
Has anyone had any experience with these critters? How was the sound quality? Does anyone service these anymore? Who? Does anyone have any technical data on them?
Thanks
Paul
Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 12-20-2001, 06:52 PM:
The entire B & H 8mm movie camera & projector line was sold to Mamiya of Japan around 1980. You can get parts and service for B & H 8mm equipment from U.T. Photo in Burbank, Calif. (323) 245-6631 www.utphoto.com Brad Miller also has an 8mm forum.
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 12-20-2001, 07:20 PM:
Note that these would have originally used mag-stripe super-8 film in 50-foot cartridges. Mag-stripe 8mm and 16mm film is no longer available new, so the sound-recording feature is pretty useless. You can still get the unstriped film, however. Unfortunately, shooting 8mm is no longer much cheaper than 16mm and the usefulness of the format is substantially less.
Posted by Randy Loy (Member # 112) on 12-21-2001, 08:31 AM:
Paul, Scott is correct that Super 8mm film with a magnetic sound stripe is no longer manufactured. However, if my memory serves me correctly, I recall seeing something in a filmaker's publication a few years ago that indicated that someone is actually adding magnetic sound stripes to originally unstriped Super 8mm film.
Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 12-21-2001, 09:13 AM:
Paul: During my earlier years we always shot silent 16mm "home movies" but some years ago (before camcorders obviously) I borrowed one of those BH sound 8 cameras from a neighbor and shot an hour or so of footage on a family vacation to Europe. Not owning an 8mm projector I sent it off to be duped onto VHS when I got back and have never looked at the film since. The one major disappointment I recall was that there's a fair lag for the sound to synch every time you change scenes. I don't know how many frames the mag head is advanced, but I'd take, say, a street scene in London with taxi horns and bus noise, then switch to a scene in a park and you'd still have the taxi horns for several seconds. Not fatal, but disconcerting given the numerous relatively short shots in home movie making.