Super 8 editor image quality

Post by **Slimjim** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:29 pm

Hello

I have a wee question. A GOKO A-201 editor/viewer has recently found its way into my possession. First time I've used an editor.

Everything seems to be working fine, inside and out, but the image quality is really poor - very dark and murky, soft focus. Have given everything a clean, but no change. Can barely make out any image

Is this normal - am I expecting too much, or is there something I should be checking out?

Any advice for a newbie would be very gratefully received.

Cheers,
Matt

Post by **MIKI-814** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:31 pm

Yes, it's normal. You have to assume that editors are just editors and not for viewing the film. The soft poor light power is enough to find the point or the frame at which you have to cut the film and avoiding the possibility of burning the film.

Post by **Slimjim** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:50 pm

Thanks a lot - that's strangely reassuring. Actually, I fiddled around with the position of the bulb, and that improved things a bit - I can make out what's going on at least.

I guess the key is to know your footage pretty well from projection.

Now if only there was a way to adjust the frame so it's not split half and half... this model doesn't seem to have a knob for that.

Cheers,
Matt

Post by **wado1942** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:43 pm

Funny, most have a framing knob or rocker.
Has anybody tried replacing the incandescent light with an LED array?

Post by **Blue Audio Visual** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:16 pm

At the risk of saying the seemingly obvious.....

Have you tried it in a darkened room?

Post by **MIKI-814** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 12:28 am

Slimjim wrote:this model doesn't seem to have a knob for that.

That sounds very strange to me... You should be able to adjust the frame and the focus as well.

Post by **wado1942** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:31 am

You may just have to manually push the gate one way or the other.

Post by **Slimjim** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:06 am

But the gate is geared to the guide roller, so manually pushing it doesn't make any difference. I attempted to go in through the back and disengage the cogs, but they're not really detachable without taking the whole thing apart. Does seem odd. Have found a manual for a later Goko model and that definitely has a frame advance knob where here there is nothing, so maybe it's just a fairly cheap model.

And yes, I tried it in the dark, though it's a fair question. Still not entirely convinced the image should be this poor.

Thanks everybody, anyway.

Matt

Post by **bakanosaru** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 12:34 pm

I've had a couple of Goko editor/"viewers" both had terrible images very soft and dim.

I think one of them has a knob on the sprocket wheel that can be pushed in and turned to adjust frame lines. Maybe yours is the same.

Post by **Slimjim** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 12:39 pm

bakanosaru wrote:I've had a couple of Goko editor/"viewers" both had terrible images very soft and dim.

I think one of them has a knob on the sprocket wheel that can be pushed in and turned to adjust frame lines. Maybe yours is the same.

You beauty! Yes, it pushes in, disengaging the cog. Was a bit stiff, I'd never have discovered that by accident. Thanks!

Interesting what you say about Goko. Can anyone recommend any other brand of editor?

Matt

Post by **sciolist** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:36 pm

Slimjim wrote:Can anyone recommend any other brand of editor?
Matt

Super 8 viewers made by Minette, especially the last in the series S5 (400 ft. reel capacity) and S6 (600 ft. reel capacity), produce a relatively bright image. A couple of Elmo 912/S motorized viewers I've owned produce an image that's so dim it can only be viewed in a totally darkened room - not much good for editing.

Post by **bakanosaru** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:53 pm

I don't think it is just the Goko that have a crappy image.

I have been looking for a Minette. How much better are they; are they worth their high price?

Post by **mattias** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:54 pm

i have a couple of viewers and while they all produce very dim images, they are also all perfectly sharp.

/matt

Post by **sciolist** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:14 pm

bakanosaru wrote:I have been looking for a Minette. How much better are they; are they worth their high price?

They're the best viewers I've used. Lenny Lipton, on page 183 of The Super 8 Book, writes, "I can say without the shadow of a doubt that the best viewer you can buy is the Hervic Corporation's Minette 5". He goes on to describe its superior design in some detail.

Although they're usually expensive, I bought one in mint condition in the box for $22.51 at eBay. It even came with a brand new HÃƒÂ¤hnel Kollmatic MS-Dual motorized splicer that I resold for $25.00.

Post by **reedsturtevant** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 5:28 pm

To the original poster - it appears you have figured out the controls but for reference here is a link to a manual:

http://www.mondofoto.com/manuals/vernon808dual/

The same Sansei Koki Company mechanism is used in the Elmo 912 Dual and various Goko, Bolex, Vernon and PRO editors.

I find that carefully adjusting the fore/aft position of the bulb makes a big difference in brightness - the socket is spring loaded and held in position by a small screw.

A good new bulb like an Osram 5001 (6 volt 10 watt, BA15S single bayonet base) also helps - the better quality bulbs have a straight filament and the illumination is more even. In the US I order them from Topbulb:

http://www.topbulb.com/find/Product_Des ... ctID=45653