If this is not the price you'd like to pay feel free to Make Me An Offer! This auction is for a classic BOLEX 18-5L model SUPER 8mm movie film projector and carrying case in very nice condition. Comes with original case, operating manual, power cord, and film trimmer mounted inside the shell. Bulb was working during testing. Machine powers up, runs great, film image is steady, Also included is a Blackhawk Films Sampler on a 200 foot reel in the box. Serial number 4408XXX places manufacture date in 1968. What makes this package attractive is the inclusion of the quartz bulb adapter making replacement bulbs much more inexpensive than the traditional vacuum tube bulbs that are very hard to find. Even the Mod itself is "out of stock" at Chambless so you'd have to go DIY or another route.
From bolexcollector.com:
- OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 10 1/2" x 8 1/2" x 6 1/2"
- WEIGHT: 15 1/4 lbs.
- CONSTRUCTION: Cast aluminum; light grey finish; Carrying handle; Detachable cover.
- REEL CAPACITY: Reel arms accommodate 400 ft reels. Both reel arms fold downward for storage.
- THREADING: Automatic threading from reel to reel; the device feeds the film into position and forms the loops to the correct length -- film continues threading underneath and to the rear of the projector onto the take-up reel; Manual threading and unloading possible, if desired. Lens assembly pivots outward for cleaning of gate and unloading of film.
- POWER: Two versions: 1) 50 cycle 110-240v AC power; 2) 60 cycle 110-125v AC power.
- LAMP: 12 volt, 75 watt lamp. Earlier models used the 13730C04 RT44 bulb which is now obsolete with no modern equivalent. Modern replacement for later models: EFN 12V/75W Halogen lamp.
- LENS: Interchangeable lenses; Originally supplied with a choice of four lenses: Bolex Hi-Fi f/1.3 lenses of 15, 20 or 20mm focal length or with the Bolex Hi-Fi 14-25mm f/1.3 zoom lens. An Isco Vario Kiptagon 16.5-30mm f/1.3 lens was usually equipped on later models.
- VARIABLE SPEED: 18 and 5 frames per second; 18fps reverse projection; Rapid motor rewind. Forward or reverse motion with lamp switched off at 18fps. Speed dial allows switching directly to reverse projection from forward projection.
- OTHER FEATURES: Framing knob adjusts the claw for vertical alignment in the gate; Front leg for height adjustment and rear legs for leveling; Variable shutter automatically changes from three to nine blades when projection drops to 5fps; Catathermic filter preserves the film from excessive heating; A table lamp can be attached which switches off when the projector is running and relights again when stopped.
Notes and Comments
The 18-5L was introduced in 1967 as an updated version of the 18-5 Super 8 projector. The major improvements made to this model were a brighter lamp (12v 75w) and the ability to switch from forward motion to reverse with the lamp illuminated.
Two lamp versions
Incandescent and Halogen bulbs
When first introduced, the 18-5L used an incandescent 12V 75W bayonet mounted bulb. (Phillips designation 13730C 04 RT44 - also referred to as the "spaceman bulb") After approximately 1970, the projector used a halogen lamp with a built-in dichroic filter.
Bolex catalogs and advertising from 1970 offered a choice between the two types, and it appears that both versions were offered for a short time. Later advertising, however, only lists the 18-5L with halogen bulb.
- EFN Halogen Lamp
Unfortunately, the 12V 75W incandescent lamp used on earlier models was discontinued in the 1980s. The modern equivalent of the Halogen bulb is the EFN 12V/75W, and is relatively inexpensive. From what I've been told, Bolex offered a bulb adapter for the incandescent version, but I don't have any more information than that. Chambless Cine Equipment offers a conversion that allows early 18-5L projectors to accept the EFN lamp.
Serial Numbers and Dates of Manufacture
The serial number on 18-5L Super projectors is located on the bottom of the base, directly behind the front leg; it can be used to determine the year in which it was manufactured. Although it was introduced in 1967, the serial number range allocated for each year of production begins in 1966 for the 50hz version; the 60hz version began production in 1967. [1] The table below lists the S/N numbers for both 50hz and 60hz variants of the 18-5L, but does not distinguish between incandescent and halogen lamp models.
- (50hz) 18-5L :: Serial Numbers
-
|
- #
|
-
|
- Year
|
- 3200000
|
- —
|
- 3201500
|
- 1966
|
- 3201500
|
- —
|
- 3218000
|
- 1967
|
- 3218000
|
- —
|
- 3225100
|
- 1968
|
- 3225101
|
- —
|
- 3243825
|
- 1969
|
- 3243826
|
- —
|
- 3253225
|
- 1970
|
- 3253226
|
- —
|
- 3257900
|
- 1971
|
- 3257901
|
- —
|
- 3269234
|
- 1972
|
- 3269235
|
- —
|
- 3270950
|
- 1973
|
- (60hz) 18-5L :: Serial Numbers
-
|
- #
|
-
|
- Year
|
- 4400000
|
- —
|
- 4405200
|
- 1967
|
- 4405200
|
- —
|
- 4414000
|
- 1968
|
- 4414001
|
- —
|
- 4420200
|
- 1969
|
- 4420000
|
- —
|
- 4425900
|
- 1970
|
- 4425901
|
- —
|
- 4426700
|
- 1971
|
- 4426701
|
- —
|
- 4433001
|
- 1972
|
- 4433002
|
- —
|
- 4437250
|
- 1973
|