Bell Howell Filmo Serial Numbers

Serial Number Location You have purchased a promise with yourB&H camera —a Bell & I-Icfivell promise of professional 'movies' with amateur ease for years to come. Behind this promise and your camera stand years of Bell & Howell research, tireless' craftsmanship of engi- neers and workmen, and the finest materials made.

The story of the incomparable Bell and Howell Filmo 16mm movie camera (page 2)The model 70C was the firstFilmo to come factory-equipped with the three lens turret. B&H offered aretrofit kit for earlier models to convert to the turret style for just afew dollars. This unique feature was a first for a 16mm camera and allowedthe Filmo to cover any possible filming situation the photographer mightcome up against. B&H sold all early Filmo's exclusively with English-madeCooke lenses beginning with a 15MM F2.5 and extending all the way up to a6' F5.5. The Cooke 1' F3.5 universal focus anastigmat was normally sold asstandard equipment but any lens in the series could be ordered with the camera.Cooke lenses were renown for their extremely high definition and flatnessof field across the entire frame. The standard 1' threaded 'C' mount wasused on all three ports making the camera compatible with literally hundredsof possible lens combinations. By 1930, with the introduction of the 70D,all subsequent models, with the exception of the high speed versions, werenow equipped with seven filming speeds.

Up until this pointyou were limitedto the two speeds of 8 and 16fps or 16 and 32fps and, with the model 70AB the speeds of12, 16 and 24fps. 16fps was considered normal speed. Anything above thiswould have been 'slow motion'. The idea of using 8fps basically gave youa 100% increase in exposure as long as what you were filming did not involvemovement of people or any fast action.The camera was never equippedwith a reflex or through-the-lens viewfinder.

Instead, it used threeversions of a side-finder arrangement. Beginning with the model 70D the Filmowas equipped with what was called in the literature, a 'revolving drum variableangle spyglass' viewfinder (see photo of the 70D, above). A dial on the sideof the eyepiece allowed the operator to rotate one of six fields of viewinto place depending on the focal length of the lens used.

This was alsooffered as a factory conversion for models 70A - 70C, but cameras had tobe sent back to the factory for a custom fitting. The later Filmos featureda 'positive-type separate objective' viewfinder. This looked like a miniatureversion of the three lens turret. Each camera lens of a given focal lengthhad a matching focal length objective that, in later models, rotatedautomatically into place through a gearing arrangement as you selected thelens you were going to shoot with.At the backof the viewfinder was an adjustment for correcting parallax and to compensatefor the operators particular vision needs. A photographer would have to relyon the markings on the lens to set distance quickly or use a technique commonto still photographers where they would set their lens to a given distanceand then move in on the subject until they reached that point. In addition,something which was first offered on the 70DA, Bell & Howell providedwhat they referred to as a 'critical focuser' device.

To use it the operatorwould swing the taking lens around to the winding key side and then peerinto a tiny port at the edge of the turret. Although only a small portionof the image in the center was actually visible this did allow one to actuallylook through the lens and precisely adjust the focus. This could only beused for static set ups where the action would wait for you. For shootingcloseup work or when photographing titles you could purchase a device called a'focusing alignment gauge'.

Basically, it was a rack-over attachment thatmounted between the tripod and the camera. It allowed one to slide the camerafrom the focusing position to the shooting position and still maintain thecorrect image alignment. There was also something called a 'waist levelviewfinder' (see photo) so you could shoot from the hip so to speak.Actually, it was made for taking unusual or low angle shots. It mounted tothe film compartment door just above the existing viewfinder tube. The Frenchlens manufacturer, Angenieux, also released a zoom lens in the early 1960'sthat was equipped with a side-finder.

It madethrough-the-lensreflex viewing possible for 16mm cameras like the Filmo and others that werenever so equipped.In 1933, Bell & Howellintroduced several modifications in their model 70DA which they marketedas the semi-professional Filmo. A removable 200' magazine was addedalong with an electric motor option of either 12 or 110 volts. In addition,a newly designed range finder, fitted to the film compartment door, madeit possible to determine subject distance accurately. B&H added the handcrank option beginning with this model. The crank was fitted to a port justbelow the winding key. The same port used for the electric drive. It allowedthe operator to hand crank the full 100 foot load if necessary to cover theaction.

The speed was regulated by the internal governor as long as the operatorkept up with the cranking. Rock jam manual. Using the hand crank the camera could also bebackwound for producing lap dissolves and double exposures.Of all the features itwas the wide range of filming speeds available that made the camera a favoriteof professionals and serious amateurs alike. The speed was set by adjustinga governor dial that, although it was marked off with seven of the most commonlyused speeds, had no click stops so the camera was able to run at any speedbetween 8 and 48 frames per second.

I think anything thinner than cover paper can be a problem since the rollers than are not sufficient to keep it flat.THIS MACHINE IS NOT PERFECT. Graphtec ce5000 40 driver. But with some willingness to experiment you can use it.The technical support in my opinion sucks, since I know that they do not know (1 person) what they are talking about.

All the cameras accepted 50 or 100' internalloads with the 70H, the 70F and the final version 70HR factory equipped foran external 400' magazine option.