The Reel Image Logo
16mm Projectors

16mm projection was at one time more for the semi-professional due to the cost of both projectors and films. Many businesses were around at one time that did mobile screenings in village halls, for children's parities film groups. Schools and businesses used 16mm for education and training films.

Not many films were available on 16mm to buy like on 8mm. Complete features were mainly for hire only, and only a few cut-downs were for outright sale, from Walton Films in UK and Castle Films in America. Blackhawk also did 16mm in their catalogue. More features were for sale available in America

In professional use 16mm was used extensively for TV transmission in America. (The BBC in UK used 35mm) These have eventuly found there way to the film collector over the years. The prints were sold off as video tape started to take over.

This made available feature films, and a multitude of TV series that could be bought.

Some smaller cinemas also used 16mm. One I remember was the Cineplex in Sheffield. The only reason I suspect 16mm, the support films were two Castle Films, the main films Bloodline.

Test Reports

Bell & Howell Logo

ELMO Loo