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70HR/KRM info, instruction manual, tips


Philip Forrest

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I just scored yet another Filmo, this time a 70KRM. Camera is complete with the cover plate for the magazine port and the correct door. I have pleny of lenses and viewfinder objectives, but I will be searching for 400ft magazines and all the bits that allow shooting this camera with this much film. I can't find a manual or a list of parts which I'll need to use the bigger magazines. I've read here that the spring motor has enough power to drive the 400ft takeup but I'll be needing a few other parts to make this happen. I'm also hoping to rig up an adjustable speed cordless screwdriver to the motor port so I'm not limited to shooting tethered to a wall by a cord.

Any tips for collecting all the pieces of this kit or for using would be awesome.

Thanks all,

Phil Forrest

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You need and endless coil spring (B. & H. call it spring belt), they are commonly with the mags. Mags must have the attaching screw. Inside you have daylight spools or darkroom loads on core, for the latter you need intermediate hubs between spool shaft and film core. The 70-DL manual says: “An electric motor is necessary for magazine operation, as the spring motor is not so designed.” Next item is the loading clip to depress the plunger and hold the film valves open.

The motors run off 12 Volt direct current, so you can connect it to any such energy source. Very rarely you encounter a 110 Volt motor, rather if a Filmo was used for TV shoots, it’ll then be a synchronous machine on 60 cycles per second alternating current.

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The 70-KRM arrived today and is in better condition than I thought it would be in. It pulls a full 22 feet per wind, runs about 55 seconds at 16 frames/sec. It is either a modified 70-H with the shutter and geared turret assembly from a HR/KRM added or it is the latter camera with sprockets for 2R film. The shutter and gate are HR/KRM as they only have one pulldown claw. I bought it knowing that it was modifiied at some point but a few of these modifications are baffling to me.

I'm including links to photos of the inside of the camera, the mod to the door inside as well as the 5-pin connector and the plate which reads "Triad Model 619B..." There are two rollers inside which prevent use of a 100ft reel. The camera came with a 50ft reel inside as well as a weird special purpose lens adapter which ads a crosshair reticle between a C mount lens and the camera itself. All of the speeds below 32 frames/sec have been run through and seem really close. The film counter works well and can be reset correctly. I didn't receive any magazines with this camera but I'll be shopping for them later. I do have a question of how the magazine spring belt is looped around the drive wheel on the camera though.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/475807-2/20190816_160622.jpg

http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/475811-2/20190816_160505.jpg

http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/475815-2/IMG_20190816_151043479.jpg

http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/475819-2/IMG_20190816_151124246.jpg

Any insight or tips are always appreciated.

Thanks all,

Phil Forrest

Edited by Philip Forrest
url correction
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  • 3 weeks later...

I received a spring belt for my 70-KRM, hooked it up to my 400ft magzine and much to my surprise, the camera is driving the magazine the wrong way. So, the takeup side winds emulsion out. Add to that, the fact that it feels like it is pulling too much as well. This camera works perfectly using the internal takeup but when a magazine is attached, it always loses the lower loop after about 20 feet. I'm using some 2R white leader for this testing, by the way.

Both of the valves in the magazine open fine using the little loading plunger as well as when the camera door keys them open. The velvet is just a tiny bit wrinked but it doesn't drag the film as far as I can tell though a tiny bit of drag over a few hundred frames might affect this I suppose. 

So I have two issues to take care of: fix the drive pulley to get it turning the correct way, and if the loop problem continues, figure out why.

Phil Forrest

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Re. the modification we read on page 449 of the JSMPTE for June 1960:

1789308571_JSMPTEJune1960p_449.jpg.bf4cc3361b5e148dbc49f4316db7bdc6.jpg

What timing would have been accomplished is out of my knowledge. Traid made modifications to Bell & Howell GSAP cameras in view of an event timer, pulse-operated interval runs, strip or “streak” operation, and 100 fps function. The additional rollers speak for high-speed operation.

Edited by Simon Wyss
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Simon,

Thanks for that info. This camera still has 8-64 frames/sec available. I'm still not sure what those rollers are for. The parts in the door are little light housings which project a bit of light through a slit right at the level of the "upper" sprocket holes (the side which is not perforated on 1R film.)

I got the magazine takeup sorted out. I needed to stretch the spring since the mag doesn't have a clutch. A fellow member here helped me out with that.

Phil Forrest

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  • 2 weeks later...

I want to find a Filmo cradle. The thing that the camera could sit on to strengthen the rigidity of the whole unit and make it all more stable on the tripod. I have only seen ad photos of the thing for the most part, but last week I saw one in an eBay ad sitting under a 70-KRM. I don't know what Bell and Howell called this thing nor how many were ever produced. They seem rare as hen's teeth though. So I'm just looking for the name of it so I can do some proper searching online. 

Thanks all,

Phil Forrest

 

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  • 2 months later...
On 9/4/2019 at 8:25 AM, Simon Wyss said:

Traid made modifications to Bell & Howell GSAP cameras in view of an event timer, pulse-operated interval runs, strip or “streak” operation, and 100 fps function.

One of these modified Filmos for pulse-sync operation just came up on eBay:

Filmo Pulse Camera

pulseCamera.jpg

Edited by Webster C
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  • 1 year later...

I was able to get a Bell and Howell 70HR set that includes the camera, two lenses and finder objectives, 400ft magazine, electric motor, cables, winding key, hand crank, and case from a local seller. The camera works well after adding a drop of oil to the various oil points. The electric motor works independently, but when attaching to the camera (with the run button locked down), it doesn't run the camera. I've searched the posts (and Google) for an answer to the following questions, but haven't found anything.

1) Any ideas as to why the electric motor isn't running the camera when connected and powered on?

2) Is there any area on the Bell and Howell electric motor (P/N C01002) that requires lubrication?

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  • 2 months later...

I tested the camera with a daylight load of Tri-X I had on hand to ensure there were no issues with the unit and also to see how the two included lenses looked. This was my first experience using a non-reflex camera and there were a couple of times I adjusted the incorrect lens. It appears to run well, just need to do a good cleaning of the gate and get the electric motor repaired for the magazine.

 

https://youtu.be/ocNPKjtWwCw

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  • 1 year later...

Hello, I too find myself with a Filmo HR complete with 400’ mag, and am now searching for a drive spring/belt for the magazine to operate as intended. I won’t be surprised if I’ll need to go through the same process regarding the motoized operation components/modifications. Any and all information about locating the drive spring (first!), and further details will be greatly appreciated! Thank everyone in advance! - Mike Owens

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I was looking into this yesterday as I have the EXACT same issue as mentioned earlier:

On 9/4/2019 at 7:41 AM, Philip Forrest said:

This camera works perfectly using the internal takeup but when a magazine is attached, it always loses the lower loop after about 20 feet.

My footage in the magazine looks OK initially but eventually begins to get some vertical smearing. Picture looks stable for the most part, but as the end of the 400 feet gets closer, frame jumps start to occur. I'll post some video of the issue soon. Do spring belts ever need replacing? 

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Only if overstretched. Basically, these are simply long pull springs, the ends hooked (better close-bent) together. Mostly made of patented wire (drawn fast and air-hardened). The proof is simple: relaxed the windings should be in touch, a closed coil. I am quite sure that some can still be found. Might be worthwhile to call Magna-Tech of Miami. https://magna-tech.com/

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Here is a short video showing the issue I wrote about above when using the external motor and magazine. The first shot is from the first 100 feet of the 300 foot load. The second shot is toward the end of the 400 foot load. Perhaps the belt is having a difficult time keeping up with the weight of the film takeup?

 

 

Edited by Don Cunningham
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