While in Napier for a wedding (more soon!) I got out the old family movie projector. I hadn’t really seen it up close (Dad always set it up when I was younger and, well, it was always dark!). I’d forgotten there was also a movie camera with it. They make for some pretty beautiful photos, and next time I intend on re-recording the films with my camera so we don’t lose them!
I also hadn’t ever looked into what models we had. I had always assumed that they were originally my grandparents camera and projector. Although, with 7 kids on one income I don’t know how they’d have afforded it! After looking into it and discovering both the camera and projector were produced in the 1930’s, they must have been handed down, or owned by someone else entirely.
Perhaps a little more research is required!
This movie camera was made between 1932 and 1946
Has several aperture settings – no focus ring so I don’t know how they dealt with such large apertures
Rather than looking through the lens, you look through a makeshift “lens” hidden in the handle
The inner workings of the camera. So simple, it literally works on clockwork.
And I discovered that the films has two sides. Much like a cassette tape, you’d record one side, flip it and record the other
Optimal operating position.
One of my Grandad’s films
The price of the film includes slitting, splicing and processing!
And here is my grandparents wedding film – over 62 years old!
Parrotville Post Office was a hit with the kids… several generations of kids. Made in the 1930’s, but is now on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb3YW9T6mI Our copy is black and white silent though
The details – the edge of the film is not too small a place for a little advertising
The Kodascope 8 Model 45 – made during the 1930s
The manual states it has a “quiet hum” when it operates. I beg to differ
Lensy
No camera & projector kit is complete without a splicing kit
But sadly. our cement has all evaporated
Plenty of oil left for the projector though
And even a spare bulb! We’ll keep going for a while yet.
Bonus: In the bottom of the projector box I found a movie screening ad from the Evening Post. Golden Salamander (1950), Train of Events (1949) and Sword of the Avenger (1948) were all screening that day
