25 replies to this topic

[Sam J Clarke]

I have an old 16mm camera which I would like to use my problem is it uses 50ft spools instead of the normal 100ft. I was planning to get some 50ft spools and just fill them with film but I can't find any 50ft 16mm daylight spools anywhere.

Does anyone know where I might be able to get some?

Thanks,
Sam

[Tom Jensen]

I have an old 16mm camera which I would like to use my problem is it uses 50ft spools instead of the normal 100ft. I was planning to get some 50ft spools and just fill them with film but I can't find any 50ft 16mm daylight spools anywhere.

Does anyone know where I might be able to get some?

Thanks,
Sam

Alan Gordon, maybe?

[Charles MacDonald]

They are not common, I found one in an old 16mm camera one ime, and it was stamped "Cine Kodak Spool" which makes it pre-1960 I would guess.

There are some stocks that can be special ordered on 50Ft spools, so I might be possible to get some empty ones out of Kodak if you ask REAL NICE.
http://www.philiprigby.co.uk/ who lists some unusual items does not show them.
neither does http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de

[Ed Sieb]

I'm in my office right now, so I can't check, but unless I'm mistaken, wouldn't the 50ft , double-8 spool out of an 8MM cine camera work? (I have a few 8MM double-8 50ft spools in my shop.) I'll check them and report back. If so, just steal them out of a disused 8MM camera.

[Simon Wyss]

ISO 1019 specifies daylight loading type spools for 16 mm motion-picture film cameras, there is also the 50 foot size.

http://www.filmdex.com/film_11.shtml

[Sam J Clarke]

Thanks everyone for the help!

I've just tried Alan Gordon but sadly no luck.

I did think about using a double 8 spool but all the ones I could find were 25ft so I would probably end up with the same trouble trying to find a 50ft one of those tool.

After much searching the only one I've managed to find so far is this old film on eBay which I missed by a few days. If it's anything to go by it looks like 50ft spools are very old. I'm beginning to think the only way to get some might be to either have some 100ft spools cut down or find a bunch of old 50ft 16mm cameras that have spools in them.

Thanks,
Sam

[Charles MacDonald]

ISO 1019 specifies daylight loading type spools for 16 mm motion-picture film cameras, there is also the 50 foot size.

http://www.filmdex.com/film_11.shtml

Most of the spools shown on that link are for microfilm, but if the origianl poster can snare a 50 ft plastic microfilm spool, (I have never seen one) it should work in a Movie Camera. I have used Microfilm spools in my Filmo.

[Charles MacDonald]

I'm in my office right now, so I can't check, but unless I'm mistaken, wouldn't the 50ft , double-8 spool out of an 8MM cine camera work? (I have a few 8MM double-8 50ft spools in my shop.) I'll check them and report back. If so, just steal them out of a disused 8MM camera.

REgualr 8 spools are 25Ft, and they also have a unusual holes. One side has 4 "lobes" and the other side has 3, so that the spool can only go in the camera one way. I guess they wanted to make sure you fliped BOTH the spools when shooting the second side of the film.

[Simon Wyss]

Right guess. Spools for Double-Eight film are specified by ISO 1020, sizes 25 ft, 50 ft, and 100 ft. They have 3- and 4-splined spindle holes.

[Keneu Luca]

Right guess. Spools for Double-Eight film are specified by ISO 1020, sizes 25 ft, 50 ft, and 100 ft. They have 3- and 4-splined spindle holes.

Sam, I think I have EXACTLY what youre looking for. Its 4:45am here in new york, so later tomorrow (well today really) I will dig them up and let you know for sure, with pics.

[Sam J Clarke]

Sam, I think I have EXACTLY what youre looking for. Its 4:45am here in new york, so later tomorrow (well today really) I will dig them up and let you know for sure, with pics.

That's great news! Thanks!

[Keneu Luca]

That's great news! Thanks!

Alright. I read your post late last night. And over looked the term "daylight" spools. I have the 50' plastic reels used for editing. Not 50' metallic daylight spools. So..maybe I don't have EXACTLY what you're looking for. Ooops.

The website I use to link pics isn't working. I will try again later if you still want to see them. Unless you already know that the plastic reels are not at all what you want.

[Keneu Luca]

Okay. The website's working. Here are 2 pics.

Two 50' plastic reels and one metal daylight 100' reel for comparison.

[Charles MacDonald]

Okay. The website's working. Here are 2 pics.

The solid flange reel in your second picture proably would "Work" in a camera, but the camera would have to be loaded/unloaded in the dark. The other one Might fit depending on the thickness in the Original posters camera. Again Only with darkroom load and unload. If I was in that position I would also WARN the lab that the film was not on a daylight spool.

I thought of another vendor to try
http://www.zetaproducts.com/reels.html
Again Microfilm reels but they say they have camera spools. Might be able to give you a suggestion.

[Will Montgomery]

Are you sure the camera takes 50' reels? I've never heard of a camera that takes 50' reels. Can you post a photo of the camera or tell us the model name?

[Simon Wyss]

I know of nine camera makes that are of 50-foot capacity:

• Ciné-Nizo, 1925 (first European 16mm camera)
• Bolex Auto Cine, 1926 (later designated model A)
• Ciné-Kodak BB, 1929
• Ansco-Risdon, 1930
• Vitascope Movie Maker, 1931
• Suchánek Admira Ledvinka, 1934
• Ditmar, 1936
• Excel 40, 1940
• GIC, 1949

[Michael Carter]

Mine is the Cine Kodak Model BB Junior. Lots of old film was bought off eBay to get cans and 50 foot daylight spools to reload. Film from Foma and ORWO have 2R new to use. Plus-X 50 foot magazines have double perf film in them and it develops nicely.

Edited by Michael Carter, 04 March 2018 - 08:30 PM.

[Michael Carter]

Did a search in eBay on Cine Kodak film and found lots of 50foot spool boxes of film.

[Gregg MacPherson]

...50ft spools

 

Sam, keep looking,  they do exist. I had (have) an old camera which used those spools.  Maybe just bump this thread now and again, and keep looking at eBay.  Michael, it might help to paste the URL.  I looked but couldn't easily find it on eBay...

[Michael Carter]

https://www.ebay.com...5.c100005.m1851