Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: super 16 projector conversion ?

This is topic super 16 projector conversion ? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Alain LeTourneau (Member # 2175) on 10-27-2004, 11:42 AM:

Is it possible to convert a portable quartz-halogen projector to super 16? Beside the aperature plate and pressure plate, and rollers what else would I need to change? Does the lamp need to be realigned?

Thanks,
Alain LeTourneau

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 10-27-2004, 03:48 PM:

Ideally you'd want a means of bypassing the combined optical and/or magnetic sound pickup altogether - the damping roller on the scanning drum could do nasty things to the picture area which covers what would be the soundtrack area on standard 16.

On our xenon-lit Kinoton FP38 in the University Cinema we do need to tweak the mirror a little to get the most even illumination between standard and super 16, as well as swapping over the gate assembly (obviously!). I'm not sure that an equivalent adjustment is even possible on the majority of 16mm portables, though, given that the lamp and reflector is usually a combined sealed unit mounted in a fixed position relative to the gate.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-27-2004, 09:23 PM:

One of the main problems is that the optical C/L of the two formats is different. Thus, while the lens would be on optical center for regular 16mm the Super 16 format would not be on C/L. Its resulting optical C/L would be slightly off center from the optical path horizintally. Weather the lens is adaquate enough to conver the extra area and provide flat focus would have to be tried. With the cheap prices of 16mm portables an expereiment or two would certainly be inexpensive to try out and adaquate images might result if you have a decent lens.
A possibility for correction is to have an eccentric adaptor machined to offset the lens the correct amount. But remember that the light source will still be off and so on..... Use of a seperate light source or offsetting the internal source would cure that and may also be pretty easy to accomplish on some machines that use reflector type lamps. Experiment... experiment and let us know.

Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Peter Hall (Member # 695) on 10-28-2004, 12:44 PM:

Agree with all - yes, you do need to defocus and move the optical centre of the lamphouse - not a fun job on Kinoton 500w units (sorry Leo ! - I owe you another beer). But if you run S16 on a std 16mm machine you'll scratch it, regardless of what you do to the gate. Sprockets and pad runners / rollers will have a rim between the old soundtrack area and the picture - run S16 on these adn you will tramline the print. Both the Kinoton and the Fumeo kits contain (contained ?) sprockets and runners - the Kinoton kit involves replacing almost every film handling part. Would be keen to know if anyone has a kit to fit the Eiki range ..

Plus I suppose you need to install an encoder and a sound follower (dubber to those East of Skegness!) if you want to run talkies..

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