Fairchild 900 Series Camera: Another Project (Double 8mm Format)

[Tanner Martin 0]

I just recently picked up a Fairchild 900 Series Standard 8mm camera for relatively cheap secondhand. I couldn't find a sub-thread specifically for double 8mm for I figured I'd post it here. It's a single-system Sound camera from 1967 (I think?) for the double 8mm format. It came with an external magazine for up to a 200ft size film role of double 8mm. The optics appear in fine order but I cant seem to get power to the camera. It's supposed to run off of a rechargeable battery in the handgrip. The wallmount and camera uses a 5 prong Din cable to connect the battery to the camera, and to charge the battery from the wall. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to go about looking into this problem? I know it's a bit of a rare camera, but any help would be appreciated. I'll include pictures of it below. I did manage to get the camera manual with it.

[Tanner Martin 0]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fl1UmqPQs-ryifwqCUs3LOtPUoHw3XMn/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lwAnS0Jw2PaaebUSnFp2MbKFfwxCATVI/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HlMSP6K2dkNaAdRwCzWuX_5H1zwdkeF_/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yf_oUJFyXDfW5gGaRhaeKAL269udIPMh/view?usp=sharing

 

[Mark Dunn 171]

A hundred to one the rechargeable batteries are long dead, so you'll need to get them out and figure out a replacement.

[Martin Baumgarten 50]

A repair shop might be able to take on the task of recelling the power supply for you.  Or you could alternatively make up your own external power supply and plug it into the camera.  This camera was the top of the line and 4rth version of the FAIRCHILD Double 8mm Single-System Sound film cameras.  The earlier ones were the single lens model, the triple lens turret version, and the 10mm to 30mm reflex zoom lens version.  They all ran at 24fps for magnetic sound recording on pre-striped Double 8mm movie film, and the non-magazine versions held 50ft spools.   The only real advantage to the FAIRCHILD 900 was the ability to use the magazine for extended filming.   You'd have to locate Double 8mm film in bulk to spool down your own 200ft lengths of film if you actually want to shoot that much.  It would be only in silent of course, since pre-striped mag filmstock has long been discontinued. Although, it is possible, though expensive, to have silent stock pre-striped by someone having the capability, or get the gear together to do it yourself.  While an otherwise nice looking camera, if you are truly into filming in Standard 8mm, I would consider any one of the nice BOLEX H-8 to H-8RX cameras out there which allow spools of 25ft, 50ft and 100ft in Double 8mm.  Alternatively ELMO made a nice Double 8mm that also has a magazine option for holding 100ft spools, with the main camera only using standard 25ft spools.  Lots to think about for sure, if you want to get that 900 model into a user.