Quote..
"The ST 1200 is kind of a Mercedes-Benz"

Are you sure? (!!!) 😂😂😂

For that matter is a GS 1200 really like a Ferrari?

Hmmm a Japanese Mercedes-Benz or Ferrari, I think not.

... if that is true, and they have Tom,.. then I haven't found it yet.
Let me know if you can think of any please.

I will be only too happy to confirm or deny or even dispel, in an entirely honest manner, any of the myths.

Hey Andy No i wont compare a projector to a car make or model,

I have always simply been more than happy with the HD1200 purely as it has great sound and light output, very reliable, and of course, (for us), i am fairly lucky to have a few essential spares which have kept my films scratch free, any marks on our movies would have been there at the time we bought them with the exception of two shorts, (the single faint black line to the very far right), I soon had the machine sent to the Elmo King , our Billy, after realising it wasn't being caused by any of the green guides, and he picked up a worn sound head pressure pad, we managed to buy two brand new ones, the full assembly containing the four pads and springs, from Leon in the USA. Took a while but all in and hopefully will last another 30 years.

I always fancied a GS 1200 but as already said, you do need to have some experience of electrical know how and ability about you to be able to repair and maintain them yourself. I dont do anything other than the very basics of electrical work. Aside that, while they are very good machines once they have been modified they are, (for my purpose) too over engineered.

So if I gave you a MK 3 GS 1200 with f1.0 lens completely refurbished and working correctly, you would turn it down flat Tom ?.

Only a fool would Paul while ever the guides remained in serviceable condition.

I have to say however, if you are offering them out, may I have one with the preferred f1.1 lens please?

Far more reliable and less chance of irregularities.

The Fujicascope f1.0 is the only lens I have ever handled and owned which I prefer over and above the Schneider f1.1.
It is also about 3 times the weight of any other Super 8mm zoom lens I have ever handled and owned and is the only f1.0 lens I have witnessed that remains perfectly focussed and razor sharp throughout.

I believe you can get some decent Elmo f1.0 lenses by all accounts, but it is a lottery at times I believe and I've certainly never found one from the two I've had in my ST 1200"s over the years.

Paul, if you're offering mate I'll even collect , you can never have too many GS's.

I think maybe I possibly could. 😂😂😂🎄

My Old trusty green ST 1200 still makes for being a belting motorized rewind bench however.

Lets see what Tom says, and then i'll explain why I said it ( hypothetical). I have to say the machine I can say impressed me with its pin sharp focus was the heurtier stereo projector, set it forget it. It has a ruby near the gate that it suppose to keep the film flat and stop it warping, from what I seen it works ........

About the only thing that does on them, then Paul! 😂😂😂

They are one Gawd awful machine, each and every one I've ever seen.

I cannot see how a micrometer pitched thread and all of its infinite adjustment coupled with a rear sprung gate could ever be bettered personally.
The most perfect of designs for a lens and gate assembly.
Just requires the somewhat tricky optimum claw penetration set up correctly, to be fully realised and appreciated.

I found it a quiet machine when running, the circuit board is a thing of beauty, with short circuit relays on the output channels, never seen that before, unfortunately I didn't try a stereo feature through it to find out if its as good as it looks, I wish the fumeo looked as good........

You must have sampled the best one ever made then Paul if yours ran sweet and quiet. Most I've seen run like a bag of bolts.
Unsurprisingly then, not too much finesse by way of film handling either from what I've been reliably informed.

Aesthetics are another thing altogether. A very personal choice so far as beauty is concerned. Each has their own views but I know where my vote lies and just as with the GS, ultimately, I like both spools at the same height to satisfy my own slant on what beauty in a projector looks like.

My least favourite looking machines place spools one on top and one underneath like the old 9.5 machines often appear.

Looking through some back issue of film magazines, what really stands out is some projectors look like film shredders from new. So cheap and nasty looking. Mine are ST1200 GS1200 Fumeo Marc ELF optical and another magnetic and optical, plus a Bell & Howell.