Table of Contents
LaborBerlin: State-of-the-Art 16mm Projector
Background
While artists all over the world continue to work with celluloid film, they are often confronted with precarious screening conditions due to increasingly old and hard to repair equipment. In particular, film projectors and their aging mechanical parts have become less dependable, contributing in many cases to the destruction of the film material instead of ensuring its optimal presentation. The last 16mm commercially available film projector was built in the 90’s but most artists, archivists and projectionists have to deal with much older equipment, sometimes going back to the 60’s and 50’s. At the same time, the traditional industrial manufacturers have disappeared or shifted to other fields, service personnel have retired and spare parts are rare and unreasonably priced. Designed mainly for standard film projections, vintage projectors also fail to cater to contemporary demands: While not offering enough flexibility for artists who work in expanded cinema, they also don’t usually meet the needs of archival projection. Along with the digital revolution, which has, in the last decade, already greatly reduced the opportunities for experiencing analogue film projection, the aging technology of vintage projection equipment has become an important factor in the disappearance of analogue film projection and the uniqueness of its experience.
Introduction
Our idea is to develop a state-of-the-art and modular 16mm film projector using only open-source technologies and non-proprietary/commonly available spare parts. We believe that especially the central mechanical elements of the old projectors – claw mechanism, shutter wheel and film transport – are in most cases so well engineered that a new development here would be a waste of time and energy. Instead, we want to build the projector on the basis of an existing – and easily available – projector mechanism. The same applies to the optics: lenses that are compatible with projectors made by Eiki, Bauer, Bell & Howell and Hokushin are available worldwide in good condition. This projector should cater to the needs of contemporary film artists, archivists and projectionists alike.
Technical Features (Wish List)
Design
Modular design
Open source technologies
Non-proprietary & commonly available spare parts (3D-printable)
Adjustable height & tilt
Lightweight for travelling & portability during projection
Option to project in vertical format (90° tilted or Prism system)
Power
110V & 220V
Optional: Battery for outdoor & portability during projection
Light source
Super bright, dimmable LED
Color temperature adjustment for differently timed prints,Tungsten or Xenon or redshifted film prints
Digital shutter (flicker)
Film formats
16mm – Super-16 – Ultra-16 – open gate
(with switchable format masks)
Steady focus between print & reversal stocks
Optional: interchangeable sprocket wheels for shrunk film
Optics
Wide zoom range lens 25mm – 150mm
Compatible with Bauer, Eiki & B&H lenses (adapter tubes)
Focus with Worm Gear
Anamorphic lens holder
Holder for Elmo Viewer Type 100 (viewing without screen)
Transport
Crystal sync speeds: 12 – 15 – 16,66 – 18 – 23,976 – 24 – 25 – 29,97 – 30 FPS
Manual vario-speed from
