Beaulieu 708 Super 8 projector

[John Adolfi]

Of the 3 top projectors Beaulieu 708 EL stereo, Bauer T-610 Stereo and the Elmo GS-1200 the Beaulieu is and has intrigued me. It is not talked about alot. Not like the Elmo. I owned one briefly and here's what I loved about it. The idea of a film gate with a special pressure plate that keeps the film more stable and steady is in theory a real draw to me. It's linken to the design of the plate and gate of a single 8 camera. Also I believe the standard lens is an f1.1. The second brightest bulb at 150 watts. (Elmo has a 200 watt) Let me add here the focus system is the rolls royce of focusing systems. If and when you try it you'll see what I mean. There is no slop very percise. When you get done focusing you feel like you pulled out a sharpness that no other projector could match. Just a feeling. Sadly I got rid of mine because it did not opperate just right.

 

The Bauer T-610 is the cats meow. So versital sound engineering wise. Never owned one with the 1.1 lens though. They are quiet, sexy and just a great projector.

 

I never owned the Elmo GS 1200. The 200 watt bulb whick I believe can be upgraded to a 250 watt along with the f1.0 lens must be the projector to die for.

 

However steady the picture the Bauer or Elmo gives I'm stil drwan back to the Beaulieu's unigue plate and gate system.

 

I'd like to hear from you users out there on this matter. Ever do a side by side. Who could afford all 3 at the same time?

Edited July 10, 2006 by John Adolfi

[A.Oliver]

Hi, are you referring to the beaulieus rear sprung gate???. If so the noris range of projectors offerred this at a fraction of the cost. Noris are the most underrated of all the projectors, yes theyre cooling system was not the best, but you will not find a brighter 100w lamp projector. Recently picked up a GS1200, great machine built like a tank, but i still prefer my T610. I am sure the bauer light output is slightly better than the 200w elmo. (correct lamp is fitted to the elmo), both have f1.1 lenses. Schneider is much sharper than the elmo 1.1 lens. Side by side, elmo vs bauer, i prefer the bauer. Now the best projector i have for an edge to edge sharp picture, never having to refocus is the rear sprung gate noris 342 with 1.1 lens. Even the noris special d ( dual guage, silent) has the rear sprung gate, this projector gives the best standard 8 images i've seen projected, beating the eumig 810 and bauer t183 by miles!!!!!

[John Adolfi]

So you are saying the extra 50 watts and the sprung gate of the beaulieu is not worth the extra $$ over the Norris. Quite honestly I have never paid any attention to the Norris and with the 100 watt lamp you can understand why. Meaning as you step up in projector quality you'd natural assume the greater wattage is the way to go. What the top of the line for the Norris?

[A.Oliver]

One of the top noris machines is/was the 342 stereo, 100 watt lamp, 11-30 1.1 schneider. Yes the beaulieu is a more desirable machine. But the rear sprung gate can be found on other projectors not just the 708. Depending on the beaulieu claw pull down, the noris has ( i may have this round the wrong way) a fast pull down/shutter arangement, this allows more lite to reach the screen, which is why the 100watt lamp noris machines are the brighest out there. I have never seen a brighter 100w lamp machine.