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COMBINED CAMERA – PROJECTORS

Mike Trickett

hose familiar with of the origins of the cinema will be aware that the first practical unit for
Tthe projection of motion pictures onto a screen was in fact a camera-projector. The Lumière
Cinématographe was a combined camera-projector – it also operated as a printer.

Combining all three functions into a single unit
meant that the numerous Lumière operators
were fully self contained and able to travel
world-wide, producing the many actuality films
that are now over 100 years old and which grace
the shelves of film archives world wide.

A number of home movie equipment
manufacturers have produced combination
camera-projectors over the years – in most
cases the compromises required to combine the
functions of the two units resulted in neither
unit providing performance approaching that
of a purpose-designed individual unit.
Cameras and projectors have some basic
functions which at first look could perhaps be
combined into a single unit and which may
offer some cost saving and convenience. Before
looking at a number of examples that have been
produced over the years, a look at the basic The Cinématographe Lumière (Lumière Museum)
requirements of a camera and a projector may
be useful.

THE CAMERA
A cine camera has certain basic requirements, which can be stated as –

● A film transport mechanism, which is capable of moving the film fame by frame, holding it
steady in the gate while the shutter is open, and advancing the film to the next frame while
the shutter is closed.

● A lens, capable of focusing the subject’s image onto the film, with a method of adjusting the
amount of light passing through it to the film

● A shutter, which will pass the maximum amount of light during its ‘open’ phase and pass no
light during its closed phase; the open phase to be a long as possible to allow maximum light
transmission and therefore best low light performance.
● A viewfinder, to provide a means of framing the image.