The idea for this post came after reading a thread in the other forum; I got the OK from Gregg to start this one. Someone asked why there were no lenses for 16mm projectors with an F number of 1.1 or 1.0?. Some thought it was down to cost.

We can tell when a negative or photo is under or over exposed, so I think that there has to be a point at which the combination of:
A/ Distance from screen
B/ Lens aperture
C/ Lamp output is right for a correctly developed film

My first 16mm projector had a narrow barrel lens of F 1.9, and even though the bulb was 1000 watts, the light reaching the screen was very poor.

My next projector has a wide barrel lens of F 1.4, still an obsolete 1000 watt lamp, which gives a yellowish light. Much better than previous, but still not perfect.

Then we come to the more modern projector with a halogen lamp and a two bladed shutter, giving 50% more light than a three bladed shutter. Bell & Howell later change the F1.4 long throw lens to F.1.2, but make no change as far as I am aware to the short throw lens; so I am assuming that they considered this combination correct when viewing films in your living room..

What are the thoughts of others on this subject?

Im assuming 16mm projectors were designed more for halls and other larger spaces rather than our small homes.

I agree with Tom. A home 16mm sound projector owner would have to have been very wealthy.
Early projectors with a lens such as a 1.9, and low wattage lamp, gave good results as the density of the prints were very much lighter than ones in later years.
Swings and roundabouts.