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The other two “men of vision”
The other two “men of vision” associated with the introduction of
16mm were Alexander Victor of the Victor Animatograph
corporation and Albert Howell of the Bell and Howell
company. In 1919 Alexander Victor had become the
most vocal advocate for a new small film format. His
enthusiastic promotion spurred George Eastman on to
create such a system and when Alex and Albert saw the
first Kodak tests of the 16mm reversal film they were so
impressed they both saw it was in their best interests to
adopt it as a new standard and make the equipment to
use it, in spite of being competitors.

Alex Victor would release his first 16mm camera and
projector shortly after the Kodak release in 1923. He
made only one of each, but after seeing Albert Howell’s
new spring powered camera, Alex sold both the same
year --- and set about designing a new camera and projector
that he would release two
years later in 1925. Above: The first Victor
16mm was hand cranked.
Left: An early model Victor
16mm spring driven camera.
(Cinepix collection.)

In association with RCA (Radio Corporation of
America) Alex designed and manufactured the first
16mm sound projector the RCA-Victor, it was released
in 1932. This machine would be made in Australia
under licence to meet the needs of our armed services
during WW2. You would know it as the Pyrox-Victor,
a machine that continued to meet our industrial and
educational needs for many years after the war.

Right: The Australian made Pyrox-
Victor 16mm sound projector met
the needs of many schools in the
years after the war.

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