Enjoy a Vintage Film Experience: 16mm Movie Projectors
If you've ever seen a film projector emoji, you'll know what a Bell and Howell 16mm movie projector looks like. Movies have gone a long way in that many aspects of old-school 16mm film production has been made extremely efficient by modern filmmaking techniques. However, a lot of old film reels are still floating around in the market which only a vintage movie projector can properly play.
How Does a 16mm Projector Work?
The engineering of projecting movies is a wonder to behold. A fluid picture is the product of the synchronization of many moving parts in the projector.
- Supply and Takeup reels: A 16mm projector is fed by a supply reel that you see at the top of the projector. Since there is a lot of length to thread, the first few feet of film are white and have no negatives. The film is properly threaded when the end of the supply is slotted into the takeup reel that stores it for rewinding later.
- Lamp and Lens: The material slides through the lamp and lens assembly at 24 frames per second and is blocked three times per frame by the shutter to reach the flicker threshold to achieve a smooth picture going through the lens. While the film is slid into the 16mm projector by the supply, the film runs down the lamp and lens assembly via the shuttle which strategically synchronizes with the shutter to produce continuous, fluid motion.
How Is Sound Produced?
- Optical Sound: Models like the1580 Filmosound projector can play optical sound. Sound is recorded at the edge of the film and appear as sound waves printed in negative.
- Sound Drum: The film goes through the sound drum with has a small projector of its own and flashes light at the soundtrack. A photosensor on the other end converts the amount of light, transmits it into current and drives the speakers.
What Are Some Famous 16mm Bell and Howell Projectors?
- Model 1580 Projector: This 16mm film projector has a teal body and a carry handle at the top. It has a streamlined body and indicator text on the exterior for warnings and reminders. A rewind knob is located near the middle of the projector for easy control.
- Model 2580A: This projector takes 16mm media and has wide reels. It has a 9-foot power cord and an 8-Ohm speaker outlet. It comes in a self-contained carrying case for easy transport.
- Model 1655: This projector has an optical and magnetic sound play feature allowing it to be a flexible projector during its time. It was produced in the 1980s. It has bass and treble control as well.