I have just finished watching a Super 8 reel, something I haven't done much recently. The light output from the Eumig 12v 100w, is pretty poor really; it seemed OK years ago, but no better than the F1.9 I mentioned in 16mm not long back. The picture seems too dark. I was using a 50 inch screen, maybe these projectors were designed for a 40 inch screen, which is what I originally started off with.

Robert I am going to state the obvious here but are you sure the lamp is not failing or the projector is feeding the right current ?
You should get a reasonably bright picture 50 inches wide with your Eumig.

The lamp is very old David, and I wondered about that. It keeps going, so I am reluctant to take it out. Maybe next time I get it out I will try another NEW lamp to see if there is any difference.

David's right there Robert, the Eumig should put a nice picture on a 50'' screen, Years ago, I was doing a show for some friends when I
lived in Whitehaven, the front room would be around 13x12, but I was showing from the dining room onto an 8 foot screen, that was the night the ELMOs amplifier gave out and I brought out the S709, which showed a very good picture on that large screen, no problem, the
lads enjoyed it anyway. When I moved into this place, it had a hall where I was able to project a picture about twenty odd feet wide
with just an Elmo ST1200 on hi power and a 'scope lens, the film I projected was the trailer to BEN HUR, it surprised me how good it looked, the throw would be around 60 feet or so. Those little projectors can do the business.

Can you believe this lamp is over 30 years old, and I have another 4 or 5 new boxed that I bought at the same time. Maybe over time they get soft. I noticed the light output tonight more than I did last time I got it out last week, so maybe the bulb is about to give up.

20 feet picture Hugh, who needs the cinema.

I was in "competition" with Keith and his convention, if memory serves they had projected a huge picture, could have been at the "Top
Hat" venue, anyway I thought, I'll have a go, it was over twenty feet anyway, Susan was not impressed I remember, the place was in
total darkness, half the roof had been stolen and all the old windows were boarded up, here was I playing with projectors in this cold
deserted old property, anyway, I can't repeat it now, I whacked up walls etc and spoiled it.

As you all know the Elmos are not among my favourite Super 8mm projectors.
However credit where its due the 15 V 150 w lamp of my then ST 1200 HD filled an 8 foot wide screen using the Elmo f 1:1 lens with no real significant lose of brightness
at the local Church Sunday School Hall shows I used to give for free to the kids.

Exactly David, and that is the building we live in now, a Church Hall conversion, hence the great throws I had. The room I use now,
is ear marked for a new kitchen, it is 30 feet long by 13, I more or less have my gear permanently set up, but no doubt all good
things must end and I'll have to move it out.

Who needs a kitchen ;-)?

Tell that to Susan Vidar, I'm convinced.

very recently i was watching dr zhivago on the scope screen, the picture appeared to be quite poor and dark on my 1200,i blamed it on what i thought was lens mould, near the end of the film i could see the picture literally getting darker. after the film finished i checked the bulb and it turned out to be the pins of the bulb had burned out. A new bulb was fitted and you would not believe how bright the image is now,so definitely change that bulb.
did you say your still using a 30 year old bulb?

Yes Tom.

Tom has just reminded me of something. Its worthwhile giving the lamp pins a clean now and again even with newish lamps.
The reason being that they do get a bit tarnished due to the heat in use. Use a bit of Emery cloth or light sandpaper.
This will help maintain good electrical contact and ensure maximum brightness.

Funnly enough, I think I mentioned it before in a thread, my Dad's slide projector still has the original bulb in it from when purchased
as a Christmas present from my Mother way back in the early '70s, it was used at least once a week when he and my Uncle showed their slides, so it shows how some of these lamps can last, I've had them blow as soon as they have been switched on with cine.

One of the "worst" lamps I used when I only had a silent Hanimex Dual projector, were the 8v 50w "Spaceman" lamps I used to call them,
I only ever got a week out of them, although I have had one in my old Eumig 501 for donkey's years and still it lights. Makes you wonder
at what voltage was being used in various machines. Even the chap I was serving my apprenticeship with noticed I was buying these bulbs
every week, as he told me, his Dad was a cine enthusiast, he was in fact my Foreman, and had had the same lamp in his projector for years. Then, I did hammer them, spending hours trying to sync the Americom silent to the disc of "Curse of Frankenstein", a great test of patience.

Hugh ... It warmed the cockles of my heart when I read you spent many hours trying to get
your 8mm print of Curse Of Frankenstein in synch with disc. Happy childhood memories for
me trying to do the same with my Standard 8mm Pentax P 80-1 silent machine with its
"car headlight " lamp.

I've had the pins break on the ST1200 too its only one pin though. Had the same happen on a down lighter one pin had gone.

I'll certainly try that suggestion David when I get the projector out again, possibly Friday. My first projector was a Hanimex, and I think it took the same bulbs Hugh is talking about, silver coloured, I have seen them still on sale. They lasted me a week, I remember going into Dixons and complaining that I had only bought the lamp last Saturday, and here we were next Saturday buying another. Being new to the hobby and knowing nothing, I was packing the projector away while the bulb was still hot. Afterwards I used to leave it about 20 mins before moving it.

Just found a pic of the lamp my Hanimex used. It wasn't a bad projector really, solid construction, metal case, and variable speed.

David this usually happens when,(as i found out) the contact causes arcing on the pin and it burns it out, i spoke to Mr Parsons and this is typical when the bulb contacts start to wear.
What i did as a temporary fix,(as the Elmo ST1200HD uses a metal spring loaded contact), was use a thin nail file on the metal contact but make sure you put something under it so as not to let the dusty bits fall inside the projector, especially the film path, Then get a skinny cotton bud and use some electrical cleaner on the contacts, this appears to have stopped the arcing and so far my new bulb is OK.

Tom that's a good tip there. Cheers !

I took the bulb out tonight and discovered the reflector surface in bad shape, the pins were white coated, I cleaned them up, but it made no difference, because of the reflector. I'll put up with it until it blows.

Just make sure all plugs are pulled out first Robert, it is so easy to forget.

I disconnected it first after switching on so I could guage if there was any difference. The lamp is 30 odd years old. David Dickinson would be interested.

Years ago, my Philips 4 track tape recorder slipped a belt, my Dad and brother were out, I was rerecording some film, so I switched off
the machine, pulled out the plug, removed the lid partially to put a little screwdriver in to put the belt back on, and touched the condenser, I hadn't a clue about condensers then, but it is an education in itself when you find out the hard way what they can do.
Scott thought his end had come. When recounting to my Father about my little adventure, and trying to flatten my hair down, "Oh yes"
he said, in a tone that said I should have known, "Condensers hold a charge for a while after switch off", Nobody thought to mention these things to me.