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Author Topic: Newbie and Prevost p.55 Julian Baquero Film Handler Posts: 18 From: Bogota D.C., Colombia Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-20-2011 05:59 PM                        Hi to everybody. I love film and analog photography and I am scared to death of it's replacement by digital technology. I have a super 8 collection but I have become interested in going into 35mm. I am being offered a Prevost p.55 for about $850USD, it seems to be in OK condition. I know very little about 35mm projectors. Can someone give some advice and information about this projector. Is the price OK? What must I ask to the seller? Are spares available?  |  IP: Logged Marin Zorica Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 671 From: Biograd na Moru, Croatia Registered: May 2003 posted 08-21-2011 08:20 AM                     That P55 should be okay for you, specialy for things you need it. Price, well all depends what you will get with machine....rectifier, xenon lamp, what sound reader, maybee spools, rewinder.....? I don't know how used machines are going in US market, but on fact I saw some prices I think $850 is okay for well working projector. Don't know who did import Prevost to the US, but company is still working based in Milano, Italy and they have spares, but probably they are not cheap.  |  IP: Logged Julian Baquero Film Handler Posts: 18 From: Bogota D.C., Colombia Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-21-2011 08:41 AM                        Hi Marin, thanks for the information. I have yet to see the projector. The price includes the following: lamp, base, external rectifier, infrared led sound reader (can someone explain).  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-21-2011 11:13 AM                     The infrared LED sound reader is an early replacement for tungsten filament exciter lamp sound readers, designed for true black (redeveloped silver emulsion) film analog optical sound tracks. It is not compatible with modern cyan analog optical sound tracks, the sound will be very low with a lot of hiss noise. You should be able to get a red LED to replace the infrared LED which will be OK for new films - if you only plan to play old prints you can keep the infrared unit as is, and the sound should be slightly better for these silver prints than with the red LED. You won't know what's required until you see it.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 08-21-2011 01:50 PM                     In the US...Xetron/Neumade was the importer in the '80s.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-21-2011 03:42 PM                       $850 is a fair price but I would would not buy it unless there are more Prevost P55 in your area. You will need parts and many more 35mm projectors will be coming on to the market in the near future. Time is on your side and I would wait and buy two; one to run and one for parts. Also, Cinemeccanica and Simplex are more common in South America and I would wait for one of them to be available as there will be a supply of parts for those brands for many years due to the thousands of these manufactured while a relatively low number of the Prevost projectors ever made.  |  IP: Logged Julian Baquero Film Handler Posts: 18 From: Bogota D.C., Colombia Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-21-2011 07:03 PM                        I am actually interested in a portable 35mm, my dream machine would be a Cinemeccanica Portacine or a Microcine Mignon, the Cinemec LH400 would also be great. But this machines are rather expensive and I have never seen one pop up here in Bogota, anyway I have seen this machines go for thousands of euros/dollars and I don't have the budget to afford them, someone is selling right now a Portacine for 3500 euros in Israel. The thing with the Prevost is that this machines are huge and my apartment is rather small (for US standards it must be tiny) and there is also the issue of the wife factor. My wife loves movies but I am not sure what she would think of having a 100kg projector in the living room. The same person that is selling the Prevost is selling a Simplex E7 from 1941 and two Supersond from 1955, both of them are gigantic, the price is the same. I would like to know which would be consider a better machine.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-21-2011 09:08 PM                     You just have to explain to her that the projector is a mechanical work of art... . After all, isn't everything Italian made a work of art? That should make it very easy for you. There, problem solved... Mark  |  IP: Logged Julian Baquero Film Handler Posts: 18 From: Bogota D.C., Colombia Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-22-2011 11:56 AM                        Mark, I'll do as you say, I will tell here the Prevost is the Ferrari of projectors and that is also smaller.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-22-2011 02:29 PM                       Well, the P55 is certainly prettier than a V5 or V8.  |  IP: Logged Julian Baquero Film Handler Posts: 18 From: Bogota D.C., Colombia Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-24-2011 08:47 AM                        Yesterday I went and took a look at the projector. I was amazed to see how huge it was, I don't think I can put this thing home. It seems to be in excellent condition. They are selling it without lens and light bulb so that's more money I have to put, I was told the rectifier is set for 3000 watts xeon lamps though it can use 2K up to 4K. The sound reader is red led no infrared as I said before. It hasn't been fired up in 2 years. Here are some pictures, comments are encouraged.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-24-2011 10:12 AM                       It looks like there are two projectors. It is equipped for 70mm film if that matters. I can not see the reader, I'm assuming it a laser unit and these do not sound so good and when they expire, and they do, they are very expensive to replace. There is no repair of a laser unit. BACP make a reader for the this one if it ever becomes an issue. As I said before, lots of style. If it were a car, it would be a Maserati. I would get both projectors for future parts, or pass on this deal as Prevost are hand built and parts will be difficult to obtain in the future.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-24-2011 02:37 PM                     Bet you can steal that Simplex E7 setup for a dime...  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-24-2011 04:41 PM                     That projector is friggin georgous ! If I was there I would be buying it ! It was very well taken care of to be in that good of shape. The Simplex E-7 to the left is smaller and you could tell your wife it is old American Masterpiece... Parts are getting scarce for those too!  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-25-2011 10:45 AM                     These look like P70 35/70mm machines which were the same as the Zeiss Ikon Favorit 70. I used to have a pair of them in my garage. My wife had the quaint notion that garages were for cars.  |  IP: Logged

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