Manual for Hitachi 16mm Highspeed

David Auner aac · January 13, 2009

Hi fellow 16mm freaks,

for an upcoming shoot I'm thinking of buying a Hitachi 16mm highspeed camera from the late 70s to early 80s. It's model is listed as Hitachi Highspeed 16HM. Is equipped with a Nikon F mount and takes 2r film (obiously) has a 400' magazine (nice!) and does (supposedly) 100-10 000 fps. Does anyone have any info on that camera? Or know someone I could ask? Thanks!

Regards, Dave

David Auner aac · January 17, 2009

Ok, I give up. It seems this camera will end up as a paperweight on someones desk or continue taking up space it the store rooms of the local camera store... Nothing. Spent two days calling around. Thanks anyway!

Regards, Dave

Saul Rodgar · January 17, 2009

Ok, I give up. It seems this camera will end up as a paperweight on someones desk or continue taking up space it the store rooms of the local camera store... Nothing. Spent two days calling around. Thanks anyway!

Regards, Dave

I can't say I am surprised. I did not know Hitachi had made film cameras (let alone hi speed) and I simply cannot find much or any info about them online, much less a manual for one. :(

That sucks. And you are sure you cannot figure it out? Seems like a thing too good to pass up . . .

David Auner aac · January 18, 2009

I can't say I am surprised. I did not know Hitachi had made film cameras (let alone hi speed) and I simply cannot find much or any info about them online, much less a manual for one. :(

That sucks. And you are sure you cannot figure it out? Seems like a thing too good to pass up . . .

Hi Saul,

yeah I thought so too. But now I found a Locam II at a quarter of the price for the Hitachi. And I do have the manual already, if only digitally! The really nice thing about the Hitachi was the 'native' F mount while on the Locam I'll have to fiddle with adapters from Photosonics to C and maybe to F mount from there. We'll see. Good thing is that the camera cost about as much as I had estimated for a one day rental! And it's gonna be the only workable 16mm Highspeed in my neck of the woods!

Regards, Dave

PS: Thanks for your sympathy! :D

kevin jackman · January 23, 2009

would you be willing to hand out copies of the locam manual? also, is it possible to post some pics of the Hitachi?

David Auner aac · January 23, 2009

would you be willing to hand out copies of the locam manual? also, is it possible to post some pics of the Hitachi?

Hi Kevin,

sure, but if you check out my thread on the Locam II somebody already posted a link to the manual. Here you go LocamII manual. The Hitachi can be found here: 16mm Hitachi Highspeed. IIRC there is on on ebay as well.

Regards, Dave

alexandros petin · January 23, 2009

hello !

i have shot with an c to f adapter (nikon brand) and it works with good results. It is sharper compared to footage shot with the same adapter and a bolex rex4, (many factors for that, the prism of bolex, the registration of locam etc) also the c mount mount of locam seems by far more robust than the the turret of the bolex.

if you get your locams

maybe we should organize a festival LOCAMII TEST SHOTS hehe

seeya

Mark Dunn · January 23, 2009

What do you need to know? I used both professionally a while back. The Locam we called medium- rather than high-speed as it only reliably went up to 400fps. It would run off battery or a 13A socket (at 240V).

The Hitachi went to 5000 full-frame or 10000 half-height and needed a 60A supply to run up to speed in a reasonable time.

The Locam is sharper, of course, having a pin-registered movement as against the Hitachi's rotating prism.

Be very careful about cleaning after a run. The Locam will stop and start, with the Hitachi it's one shot per 400' roll, and tweezers and a vacuum cleaner needed to clean it out.

David Auner aac · January 30, 2009

What do you need to know? I used both professionally a while back. The Locam we called medium- rather than high-speed as it only reliably went up to 400fps. It would run off battery or a 13A socket (at 240V).
The Hitachi went to 5000 full-frame or 10000 half-height and needed a 60A supply to run up to speed in a reasonable time.

The Locam is sharper, of course, having a pin-registered movement as against the Hitachi's rotating prism.

Be very careful about cleaning after a run. The Locam will stop and start, with the Hitachi it's one shot per 400' roll, and tweezers and a vacuum cleaner needed to clean it out.

Hi Mark,

thanks. Which Locam model was that? Hearing about the Hitachi being one shot per mag I am happy I didn't buy it. The power supply was the main problem. The wiring on the thing is really strange and I wouldn't have been able to figure out the pins and the volts needed without some kind of doc. It's strange you don't find anything on this one. It seems to have been rather common as there are two or so on ebay as well, currently. 60A in 120V would make that 30A in the 230V world. Or are you walking 60A at the needed secondary current?

Cheers, Dave