Bell and Howell 240 16mm camera

[Jon O'Brien]

Hi there filmers, does anyone here have experience with the Bell and Howell 240 16mm amateur camera? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this model in your opinion/experience?

It looks like it's built like a small tank.

[Simon Wyss]

The 240/GB 627 has a tensator spring and a mechanism different from the Filmo 70. Loop formers were also given. The 70 is heavier but way more rugged and reliable. Perhaps a matter of taste what concerns the number of lenses that you can put on. What the 240 does not have is a critical focusing system in conjunction with the alignment gauge for accurate close-ups and macro work such as you have from model 70-DA on. 70-HR and following take 200- and 400-ft. magazines. The 240 was a modernized cheapo alternative of the Percy era.

[Jon O'Brien]

The Filmo does sound the better choice. I'd always wondered about the 240 as they are a more recent camera and therefore often in better condition. I have one query however about the Bell and Howell model 70. From what I've seen they have a ratchet system of winding the spring. Is there a way to wind the spring without making the ratchet sound? Do you prefer the Filmo with the viewfinder that automatically changes as you move the lens on the turret?

[Eric Eader]

Jon,   In the fall of 1969 I bought a pristine B&H  model 70 (without coupled viewfinder/taking lenses) for shooting newsfilm.

The thing with coupling is that with the door off of the body it is possible to inadvertently move the viewfinder out of alignment and put it back on the body with mismatched viewing and taking lenses.  With the non coupled setup I quickly learned to ALWAYS check which was up and correct if necessary.  

In the end it is a matter of what is available (proper price point/ condition etc.), and personal preference.

As for the ratcheting noise while winding, to my knowledge there is no cure.   (Don't lose the winder!!)

Proper lubrication and wipe down will make for a surprisingly quiet run.

When the station acquired Scoopics we all abandoned the B&H's for shooting news.

Hope this helps.

 

 

[Simon Wyss]

Oh, yes, you can wind the spring of Filmo and Eyemo noiselessly. Method One is to regrip the key as you do with an early rigid key. Method Two is to procure such an early key. Method Three is to use a winding crank. I have already used a screwdriver. You can use anything that fits the square opening in the spring core. Think it’s 0.28" □.

I prefer the non-coupled turret finder because it allows me to pick a wider angle or a narrower for following an object, if it serves me. I can put on a very long focal length finder lens for searching purposes while having a normal lens ready for a take. I always opt for the open concept.

[Pavan Deep]

The 240 is a great camera, I have the one that takes c mount lenses not the EE,The camera is a simplified version of the 70's

Here is some recent footage ;

https://vimeo.com/user563804

http://www.analoguefilmacademy.co.uk/About.htm

Pav

[Philip Forrest]

In my opinion, I think the Filmo 70DL is probably the best of the lot. It's got all the latest refinements of the DR but there is no risk of getting your viewfinder cog out of alignment when you load the camera. The later production DRs DO have slip-in filter slots behind the turret, so that is one thing which may draw one to the camera.

As for the 240, it's not user serviceable like the 70 series. It certainly does have a very long-running motor but mine is in good condition and sounds like an EA-6B Prowler spooling up to take off from an aircraft carrier. All of my 70s (70A, 70DL, 70DR, 70KRM) sound fantastic, and while not quiet enough to synch sound and not hear the camera, it's not terribly distracting. I love the sound of my 70DL, and further love its reliability.

Phil Forrest

[Eric Eader]

Simon,  About the rewinding, you're right.  I had completely forgotten about that.  To achieve silent winding one wound very slowly and with the camera close to the body.  The grind was still there but quite muted.  Ninety nine percent of the time, though, we wound with abandon cranking away quickly in order to be ready for the next opportunity to "record history for posterity."  

Phillip,   You brought back memories of a week I spent on a carrier (brain fade--- otherwise I would name it) filming and videotaping Third Marine Air Wing (MAW) Carrier Qualification prior to transitioning to off the coast of Iran during the Hostage crisis.  One of their units had E-6's (Black Sheep, I think); most others had F-4's.  You might get a laugh out of the first-timer mistake I made when I entered the portside hatch directly below the launch deck:  I took my "ears" off... just before the "cat" fired for launch.  Ha, Ha.  

Live and Learn.

The hard way if you have to.

Eric

[Philip Forrest]

Eric - One of our PHs (Photographer's Mate) got the nickname "Tumbleweed" because of a Prowler... ? You can't see that jet blast travel along the deck when they are turning to set up on the cat. It maybe took 1/250 second of him not paying attention to the aircraft turning and being blown starboard aft. He didn't fall off, just got banged up a bit. We stenciled TUMBLEWEED on his float coat and the name stuck for the rest of the time he was aboard. 

I can't imagine being on a flight deck when an F-4 went to full military for takeoff. The Tomcats and Prowlers always rattled my teeth, I'm sure a Phantom would have just made them fall out. I was in from 1997 - 2005 during the last of the Cold War era mission-specific airframes: F-14D, FA-18, E-2C, S-3, EA-6B (A-6 Intruders had gone to the reserve force by the beginning of my service). 

All our portable motion work was done on Hi8 but all the stills were film, mostly Kodak VPS or Tri-X. Intel was all black and white from TARPS as well as airborne observers. I know that the military was still teaching film basics as of 2006 but I lost touch with most folks and I'm sure they have gone completely digital since then.

Phil Forrest

[Eric Eader]

Phil,   I remember now, the carrier was the Kitty Hawk.  When the 3MAW began their CQ's a loud speaker announced "Here come the Kamikazis!"   It's funny you should mention "Tumbleweed"  because that very thing happened to a deck handler when a rookie Marine pilot failed to throttle back after landing and turned to starboard and blew him over rolling along the deck as he tried and failed to catch a tiedown slot and into the net just below the portside deck.  He soon returned showing no real harm.

The way I remember a Phantom's noise was super loud and raucous with a raunchy whine. 

I used a brand new CP-16R and some Hitachi attached to a 3/4 inch deck. (1977-81).  Mo-Pic and Stills were in a different shop at El Toro so I don't know what they used.  

I came away with a real appreciation of just how much hard work the Navy does aboard a carrier.

Eric

[Jon O'Brien]

I ended up getting a B&H 240 on Ebay that was at a really good price. It looks and sounds almost new and everything about it seemed fantastic. I put some film through it, with amongst other lenses a Wollensak f1.9 25mm, and the results were very impressive and very sharp. However the footage was unstable with an impressive amount of gate weave (side to side movement of the image). Is the 240 inherently less stable than other similar 16mm cameras? Obviously its FFD must be set exactly right as the images were so sharp and crisp. Very impressed with that lens and will be keeping it. I wonder if the gate weave on the camera can be fixed by a technician? It's otherwise a nice little, solid-looking camera with a very healthy sounding mechanism.

[Dom Jaeger]

Lateral instability is usually due to the side rail spring mechanism not working properly, it could be gummed up or deformed, but I'm not familiar enough with that camera to comment on how the lateral guidance works. Also sometimes a claw off-centre from the perf can pull the film laterally. The other question is how the scan has stabilised the film, what scanner was used. But in theory stability can usually be improved by a technician. 

[Scott Barton]

I have a vintage 240 EE that came with factory (and I'm sure long dead) mercury batteries - thankfully uninstalled. But because of the Orson Wells nostalgia associated with these cameras, I bought it as I need multiple cameras to capture my scenes simultaneously from various angles and also need production redundancy. And now I will be using it for some shoots and can use a gray-scale card to set my exposure, or I can look for a custom battery builder who can take my 'battery-can' dimensions and build me a custom stack in either alkaline or lithium that outputs the correct voltage. 

So any information on custom battery builders to help support our vintage cinematography community would be appreciated.

Thanks all!!!

[Scott Barton]

On 7/14/2024 at 4:09 PM, Scott Barton said:

I have a vintage 240 EE that came with factory (and I'm sure long dead) mercury batteries - thankfully uninstalled. But because of the Orson Wells nostalgia associated with these cameras, I bought it as I need multiple cameras to capture my scenes simultaneously from various angles and also need production redundancy. And now I will be using it for some shoots and can use a gray-scale card to set my exposure, or I can look for a custom battery builder who can take my 'battery-can' dimensions and build me a custom stack in either alkaline or lithium that outputs the correct voltage. 

So any information on custom battery builders to help support our vintage cinematography community would be appreciated.

Thanks all!!!

Or zinc-air batteries, if they are replacements for the old mercury batteries that were sold with electronic devices at the time...