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Filmo 70-DR with Crystal Sync Motor

Filmo is a series of 16-mm movie equipment made by the Bell & Howell Company. The line included cameras, projectors and accessories like viewers and Splicers.

The Filmo camera series started with the 1923 Filmo 70, beginning a series of models built on the same basic body that was to continued for more than half a century. It was based on Bell & Howell's brilliantly designed 1917 prototype for a 17.5mm camera intended for amateur use. When invited (along with Victor) into Kodak's 16mm plans in 1920, it was quick to see the advantages and immediately set about redesigning the 17.5mm camera for 16mm film.

The Filmo 70 was the first spring motor-driven 16mm camera. In 1925 the Eyemo, a hand-held 35mm camera based on the design of the Filmo 70 was offered. It was also spring driven, but could be hand-cranked as well. Bell & Howell introduced the first 16mm turret camera with it's Model C in 1927. A beautifully ornate and much more compact 16mm camera, the Filmo 75, marketed primarily as a "watch-thin" ladies' camera, was offered in 1928, along with a nearly identical counterpart designated as the Filmo Field Camera.

When Kodak introduced 8mm film in 1932, Bell & Howell was slow to take up the new format, and when it did so, it was not in the form of the Kodak standard. The first 8mm Filmo was offered in 1935 as a single-8 camera, the Filmo 127-A. However, single-8 did not appeal to the market as well as double-8, so the design was modified for double-8 as the 134-A in 1936. Production of Filmos around this body type continued into the 1950's.

The 16mm Filmo cameras all take 16-mm film on a 100 ft Daylight spool although some versions can also take 400 ft external magazines.

Spring wind is standard, although some Filmos have provisions for attachment of a 12V DC or AC motor. A crystal-sync motor was developed for the Eyemo and later adapted to the Filmo.

The Camera has a C mount and later models are equipped with a three lens turret. The turret models use separate finder lenses for each focal length.

Most versions can shoot at up to 64 frames per second, although there was a superspeed version, the 70-B (1925), designed to run at 128fps. This produced an extreme slow-motion effect and was used for motion analysis.

The camera is still popular with student filmmakers.

• Filmo Operating and Repair Manuals
• Filmo History
• Bell & Howell movie cameras