Does anyone have any experience with the Siemens 2000 16 mm Projector and Amplifier? It looks like a fine machine in photographs. I am curious how it compares to other 16 mm projectors e.g. the Elmo CL and Kodak Pageant. I have no experience at all with these machines, and I am actually awaiting the arrival of my first --the Elmo Cl. Thank you!

Joseph

The Siemens 2000 was very much a professional model with quite a few variants, beautifully made and very heavy. If you can find one in fully working order it might be a great machine to own. But for normal use it may not be suitable, probably more for a static installation.

I have a Kodak Pageant and an Elmo 16-CL. Both very nice projectors, the Kodak takes more time to set up as it has a separate external loud speaker. The Elmo is a much more useful projector as it is a one-piece unit with a built-in loud speaker. Also, as it is a slot-loader, the threading is very quick, and it also has the advantage of being able to remove a part run film in an instant. It can also rewind through the projector.

Hope you enjoy your Elmo.

Maurice,

Thank you for the reply. Why do you think that the Siemens would not be suitable? Do you mean primarily because it is heavy? I am most interested in brightness, rock steady image, and noise --apart from over all quality (reliability and gentle on film) of course. Regards, Joe

Joe
I said that it is more suitable for a static installation, this is due to its size and weight.

I have got about five of the Siemens 2000's. Includes a transistorised version and two double bands. The are superbly made modular professional machines with refinement like altering the optical tracking, two and three bladed shutter adjust and the fibre sprung film shoe is very kind to prints. The double band machines enable separate magnetic recording and playback, in combination with the optical and mag stripe playback and magnetic stripe record facility. The motor speed is infinately variable. The Universal amplifier is valve and the lamp is 1000 watt tungsten. There are other amplifiers on the non double band machines. If you have the knack of it, you can detatch the complete intermittent cam and shutter lens barrel assembly in one second for cleaning and maintenance, and refit in an instant.

Drawbacks are the wire wound lamp resistance and the tungsten lamp so you get a very hot running machine. Also the motor running background noise cannot be eliminated sufficently for a clean sound transfer. Possibly because the suppression of the old dry electrolytic capacitors has diminished. But I suspect that you could always detect the interference of the motor brushes sparking even when the machines were new.

There were quartz lamp versions too, and just about every 2000 you come across will be different in some way.