One of the things that kept getting put off when we moved from our previous location at MovieTech Studios to our current location in Lawndale is organizing the many, many boxes of documents and printed materials I have collected over the years. Many of these items are service and parts manuals for various cameras, but […]
Almost Finished with Organizing and Labeling Our Library Read More »
Over the years, I have acquired a bunch of Bell & Howell Eyemo cameras, but I have not had the time to go through them and make sure everything was working. Most of the Eyemos wind-up and run, but I don’t know how well they run. At some point, I hope to go through and
The Bell & Howell Eyemo Read More »
The heart of any camera is the film transport, the part that actually moves the film from frame to frame and holds the film steady while an exposure is made. The Unit “I” Shuttle movement is renowned for the exceptionally steady and repeatable images it makes possible. The genius of the Unit “I” Shuttle is
One Last Visit with Bell & Howell 2709 #586 Read More »
Last time we visited Bell & Howell 2709 #586, I had begun some work on the shutter dissolve mechanism. Some judicious cleaning and relubrication of the bore in the casting, the threads, and the brass nut that are the main part of the shutter dissolve had that system back in working condition. 2709s, in their
Diving Deeper into Bell & Howell 2709 #586 Read More »
This wonderful Bell & Howell 2709 camera, serial number 586, came to me from a small studio in Chicago where it was used for animation work on a downshooter for many years. The camera began its life in Eustis, Florida in 1923, when it was purchased by a fascinating character named Dr. Edgar J. Banks.
Bell & Howell 2709 #586 – Headed for a new home! Read More »
This week has been crazy busy with many projects, including work on the Super Baltar lenses I showed you last week. Along with my fellow members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences History and Technology Subcommittee, we have been preparing the Dykstraflex for its appearance at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
A Guided Tour of the CinemaGear Showroom Read More »
As we have established in the recent past, wrinkle paint does not do well in the rain and the cold, both of which we have had in Los Angeles this week. So much as I wanted to be finished with the VistaVision magazines this week, that had to be put on hold again until the
A Glance Inside an Acme-style Unit “I” Shuttle Read More »
Over the last few weeks, I have had a few people ask me about optical printers, scanners, Bell & Howell cameras, and Acme cameras. Sadly the revolutionary technology behind these machines is slowly being forgotten. At the heart of these machines is the film transport called the Unit “I” Shuttle. The unique design of this
The Remarkable Unit “I” Shuttle Movement Read More »
Winding down our look at the table full of 16mm cameras this week, I wanted to highlight a few more items that I thought were cool. The Arriflex 16 SR turns out to be a working camera under all of that dirt. A quick cleaning and careful examination made me comfortable enough to power the
A Last Look at the 16mm Camera Hoard Read More »
While I love all of the new stuff that has come in recently, I am quickly being overrun by boxes and loose equipment. It became necessary to re-do the showroom and make more shelf space. A good friend of mine built me this wonderful display rack, and I have spent the week mounting the shelving
A Little Redecorating Read More »
