Alan Gordon Enterprises Mini-Cam 16

Jack Amadon · August 25

I just picked up this AGE Mini-Cam 16. It's a modified WWII era Bell and Howell GSAP. It came with the power cable, but the end is two 4 pin XLR. Is it designed to be run with two 12v batteries to get the needed 24v?

Luis Hartmann · August 26

I don't have an answer to your question, but that's a sweet camera, never heard of this modification before.

Jack Amadon · August 26

1 hour ago, Luis Hartmann said:

I don't have an answer to your question, but that's a sweet camera, never heard of this modification before.

As far as I can tell, the modifications change the framerates to better suit cinema use, and swapping the mount to the more common C screw type. The original frame rates were 16, 32, and 64, whereas now it's 24 and 48. There's still a spot I can move the frame rate selector over to which is where 16 was. I'm curious if it's an unlabeled 12 fps.

Charlie Peich · August 26

Hello Jack.......

I've attached an ad from an Alan Gordon 1983 catalog showing your camera. Unfortunately it doesn't mention your 24 volt power supply with the 2 cables. Your best bet would be to open the camera and see how the wires are attached before sinking any more money into this camera. You will have to enlarge the ad in order to read it. 🙁 (my guess would be those plug into 2 12 volt batteries... just a guess!!)

Your next concern would be getting hold of the magazines loaded with film. Or, you could load them your self after countless hours trying to load them in the dark. 1st, you would have to spool down the film into 50ft loads of DOUBLE PERF film on a small core (found in the mag), then load the magazine. The magazines are old, and are prone to jamming in the camera. Even Kodak loaded magazines back in the day would occasionally jam 🤷‍♂️. There are articles about loading them on the net. There may be one place that sells preloaded mags...... 'Film Photography Project'.

https://filmphotographyproject.com/16mm-magazine-film-now/

After WW-II, there were a couple of guys modifying the GSAP camera and had mounted a finder on the unit. I have a multi page article on modifying the GSAP camera (lots of pics) that was written after the war. To big a file to post here, so if you want it, send me an email address through the forum. Good luck!

Charlie

Jack Amadon · August 28

On 8/26/2024 at 10:35 AM, Charlie Peich said:

Hello Jack.......

I've attached an ad from an Alan Gordon 1983 catalog showing your camera. Unfortunately it doesn't mention your 24 volt power supply with the 2 cables. Your best bet would be to open the camera and see how the wires are attached before sinking any more money into this camera. You will have to enlarge the ad in order to read it. 🙁 (my guess would be those plug into 2 12 volt batteries... just a guess!!)

Your next concern would be getting hold of the magazines loaded with film. Or, you could load them your self after countless hours trying to load them in the dark. 1st, you would have to spool down the film into 50ft loads of DOUBLE PERF film on a small core (found in the mag), then load the magazine. The magazines are old, and are prone to jamming in the camera. Even Kodak loaded magazines back in the day would occasionally jam 🤷‍♂️. There are articles about loading them on the net. There may be one place that sells preloaded mags...... 'Film Photography Project'.

https://filmphotographyproject.com/16mm-magazine-film-now/

After WW-II, there were a couple of guys modifying the GSAP camera and had mounted a finder on the unit. I have a multi page article on modifying the GSAP camera (lots of pics) that was written after the war. To big a file to post here, so if you want it, send me an email address through the forum. Good luck!

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for all the info! Really useful stuff here! I sent you a DM, I'd be interested to know how else these cameras were modified!

My camera did come with one magazine loaded with an unknown color emulsion that's already been half shot. Once I get the power working, I'll finish the mag and post the results.

I found out about the Minicam-16 camera from an Alan Gordon Enterprises equipment catalog circa 1996. I had no idea these were being produced as early as 1983. I also found an archived web page from AGE from 2012 where it appeared they were still for sale. This camera had lifespan of 30 years! If you take into account there are just GSAPs from the 1940s, it goes back even further!

Steve Switaj · August 29

So, is the deal that your power cable has two male 4 pin XLR connectors that both run individual cables into one (3pin?) Cannon connector that then mates to the camera?

Do you have an ohmmeter of some sort?

If so, open the backshell of the Cannon connector and see if the two (nominally 12 volt) XLR's are connected in series to make 24 volts at the camera pins.

You can also open the XLR connectors by simply unscrewing the black cable boot back off the connector. With the boots and clamps loose, the XLR pin inserts will pull out from the back.

Identify if pin 1 of one of the XLR's (call it XLR1) goes to whatever pin on the Cannon connector is ground.

Identify if pin 4 of one of the other XLR (call it XLR2) goes to whatever pin on the Cannon connector is supposed to be +24.

Does pin 4 of XLR1 connect directly to pin 1 of XLR2 without connecting to the camera?

If so, then you have a cable set up to connect two 12 volt batteries in series to make 24v at the camera.

Edited August 29 by Steve Switaj

Jack Amadon · September 5

It does appear that I have to connect two 12v batteries in series to achieve 24 volts. I opened the camera to see how the plug is is wired, and it looks like pin 1 snakes all the way up to the top of the motor, while pin 2 travels a short distance to ground. Pins 3 and 4 aren't wired to anything. I've also discovered the connector plug is known as a 4 pole Plessey Breeze socket.

In a previous post I suggested the camera was introduced in the 1980's. Looking at the materials Charlie sent me, the camera was actually introduced in 1972. That would make it 50 years of service!