Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Century Portable 35mm ?

This is topic Century Portable 35mm ? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 06-26-2014, 10:02 PM:

I've got a chance to buy one of these CENTURY JCC Portables at a pretty good price and its a Pristine Unit. I didn't even know that Century had made a Portable 35mm Projector,and doing some research they seem to be fairly rare.In fact I can't even find any Production Numbers for the Model; so I'm wondering if Century just counted them along with their C Models since it's the same Head.Apparently they showup in Europe Occasionly. Anybody have any dealings with one these Models.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-26-2014, 11:29 PM:

That is a stock "C" that has been modified. I did know tht Kelmar did some of these, but this is not one of theirs. Note the soundhead built up inside the projector head.

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 06-27-2014, 04:00 PM:

Well this is a UK Built Century since it has the WESTREX on the Door Glass. I didn't realize how many Countries built Clone Copies of Century Projectors under their licenseing. I'm surprised that Century wasn't building Domestic Portables like the Devry XD for the Military...

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-27-2014, 04:08 PM:

What is the vertical box on the stand? It looks vaguely like a 16mm MARC-300 power supply, but it is clearly not that.

And what do the rheostats on the "control panel" do? One might be for the optical preamp gain, but what is the other one?

The basic idea of this machine is semi-clever, but I doubt that most would be happy watching color prints that were timed for xenon projection being shown with a tungsten light source.

And why does the top picture have an audio tape (or is it video tape?) reel on the takeup spindle?

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 06-27-2014, 04:15 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
Note the soundhead built up inside the projector head.

Wouldn't that cause a timing/sync problem with the sound? Or do you compensate with an enormous loop?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-27-2014, 04:32 PM:

There is an extra sprocket at the bottom where the film would normally enter the soundhead. It looks as if the film goes from the lower feed sprocket to the "extra" sprocket and then back up to the "soundhead" part of the machine (probably just barely clearing the solar cell bracket).

Alternatively, it would be possible to add a digital delay circuit.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-28-2014, 11:55 AM:

I was actually going to do this to one of the Century's I pulled during conversions... I had even set the two aside. But with Sync issues from relocating the reproducer and then issues of being able to easily service the thing down the road I nixed it and gave my Century's to another Film Techer. Doing this sort of thing with a Kinoton or older Phillips makes so much more sense...

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-28-2014, 11:57 AM:

Looks like an FP23X with the RSSD upgrade.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-28-2014, 01:36 PM:

We sent a number of FP-20s to the UK (Max Bell) to be converted into dailies projectors in Samsonite suitcases.