Elmo projectors, do anyone know them?

[superflash]

Now we can find them with low budget, but when they were produced, they were very rugged, heavy and well builted, similar to Kodak s-av series.
But someone of you have used them, have you had some experience? And now, that they can offer great performance at low cost, anyone use them?
For me 300 pro af and 301 pro af , that can buyed with less 100 $ have a unsurpassable quality/price ratio.
What do you think?

 

[BAC1967]

I know you're talking about slide projectors but I have an Elmo ST-180 Super 8 movie projector with stereo sound. It's a great projector and very well built. The Elmo ST-1200 are considered among the best Super 8 projectors made. I've never had an Elmo slide projector but I would expect the same quality.

 

[AgX]

I too thought of cine projectors... I never came across an Elmo slide projector, and I got many projectors.

 

[Dan Fromm]

I have an AF301. Haven't used it for years. It was damaged in transit to me. After repair it worked well enough. The only reason not to get one is that they're a bit, um, obscure. Its probably much easier to get service for an Ektagraphic.

For those of you who don't know, Carousel/Ektagraphic clone. Easy on slides, accepts all lenses that will fit a Carousel/Ektagraphic. IIRC, it accepts 80 and 140 slide Carousel (these are not generic round slide trays, they are to the Carousel/Ektagraphic standard, accept no substitutes) trays, but since I haven't used it for years or looked at the manual either I could be mistaken about 140s.

 

[superflash]

BAC1967:
indeed, also I know well Elmo's cine projectors, they are the best for super8 (but they aren't cheap...). Properly for that I asked to you if someone had a similar experience with Omnigraphic and if they can now be an alternative to most popular projectors.
thank you.

 

[superflash]

AgX:
have you tried many projectors? What are best built for you? First or after consider to try also one Elmo Omnigraphic, you'll remain surprise!

 

[superflash]

Dan Fromm:
Af301 has been one of the last.
Yes, sure, many people don't buy them because they are unknown.
It's true that is probably much easier to get service for an Ektagraphic, but here no one repair slide projectors (where you came from? In your country someone do it?)
Perhaps if a projector stop to operate it's could be better buy another one of the same model rather that try to repair. Costs of repair + shipping are higher than another projector.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Well, if you can't have any projector repaired and an Elmo fits your budget better than a Carousel or Ektagraphic, buy the Elmo. Ideally, visit it to verify that the AF works before you buy it.

Whatever you do, if it is shipped to you make sure that the lens is removed from the projector before everything is shipped. What broke mine was being shipped with the lens installed. The parcel was bumped or dropped and the lens moved and broke part of the focusing mechanism. Inertia ...

 

[superflash]

Dan Fromm:
thank you for your advices, they're very important to know.
Indeed time ago I wanted to buy an Ektapro from a Switzerland shop but the owner said me: this item can't be shipping because the risk of damage during the transport is high. It's better found an item more close and check it with eyes and hands.
So, if I decide to buy a used projector from a private person (not professional seller) what I have to check onto it? Power, tray, cooling, slide allignment, focusing, switches, lamp module or what else? What are the major problems of old models?
Is it true that projectors with manul slides advancement are more reliable?
Thank you again for all.

 

[AgX]

Is it true that projectors with manul slides advancement are more reliable?

Less parts, less complicated mechanics = less risk of failing. Get yourself a Prado....

 

[Dan Fromm]

OP, I think you know what to check. Manual focus projectors have less to go wrong than AF projectors do.

AgX, I much prefer Carousel/Ektagraphic projectors and clones to projectors that force slides into the light path. Gravity feed is much easier on slides. Leitz made, I think, at least one Carousel clone.

 

[pentaxuser]

I know you're talking about slide projectors but I have an Elmo ST-180 Super 8 movie projector with stereo sound. I.

I never had one of those but I did have a ST Elmo. Trouble was it kept catching on fire Sorry couldn't resist

pentaxuser

 

[AgX]

Gravity feed is much easier on slides. Leitz made, I think, at least one Carousel clone.

The Leitz one obviously was made by Kodak.

 

[superflash]

The Leitz one obviously was made by Kodak.

Yes, the RT made in Stuttgart.

 

[Steve Roberts]

Before retiring I worked for a large British university. Whilst Kodak Carousel projectors were made, they were used to the exclusion of all other 35mm slide projectors. They weren't infallible, but when parts wore out or failed they could be easily and cheaply repaired. The Ektapro range, however, proved themselves not to have either the reliability or repairability (is that a word?) of the Carousel and latterly Elmo 35mm projectors were bought for lecture theatre use. (They were also used in Elmo's modified form to produce a VGA, S-VHS or composite video output of slides so that the slides' images could be projected via large lecture theatre data projectors). The Elmos were in my experience distinctly quieter, smoother and less 'klunky' than the Carousels, but at about the time the Elmos were beginning to be used the use of 35mm slides for lecturing purposes began to tail off so the longevity of the Elmos under long-term hard use conditions was never really tested. I rather liked what I saw of them and would have no hesitation in buying and using one that was in good shape with a known history.
Steve

 

[superflash]

Steve:
thank you for your witness.

No one know Elmo's lenses? What about them?
To put Elmo's projector in dissolve mode, what type of dissolve control unit must be used?
And to increse their power, are available external boosters?