Tag Archives: B&H

Canada, eh?

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. America is well known for its rather insular approach to us small fry. But occasionally the mighty country to the south goes out of its way to feature an article on a Canadian event. This article, called, “Canadians Pack … Continue reading →

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zooming to the future

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. We take zoom lenses for granted today. Almost all digital cameras – mirrorless or DSLR – use zoom lenses. We have grown lazy and just adjust the lens to frame the scene rather thsn moving back or forward physically. … Continue reading →

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will that be 8 or 16?

Posted on January 18, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Bell & Howell was a respected name in Hollywood movie equipment. For home movies, they used the “Filmo” brand. In the March 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics, B&H advertised both the 8mm and the 16mm versions of their Filmo … Continue reading →

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keeping an eye out for Hirohito and Adolf

Posted on December 28, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. When I was a little kid, WW2 was still active. I remember one little toy made of wooden pieces. When the strings were pulled, Tojo (Japanese PM in WW2) and Hitler took swings at each other. While America considered … Continue reading →

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how to fail without really trying …

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. “What the heck is a photon, anyway?”, you may ask. Actually, it is a measure of light. In 1948, Bell & Howell misspelt the word to create a unique name for its still camera, as is often the case … Continue reading →

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goldilocks camera – not too big and not too small

Posted on November 5, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Bell and Howell came out with this lovely Filmo Auto Load Speedster 16mm movie camera (this example is equipped with a Japanese telephoto lens). The camera uses a standard magazine invented by Kodak who also made 16mm cameras. 16mm sits between … Continue reading →

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movies, anyone?

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Continuing on with the LIFE and movies theme, Bell and Howell of Chicago was a respected professional movie equipment maker. They added a consumer line pre-war (Filmo). Post-war they dumbed down the consumer cameras and ads – the cameras … Continue reading →

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made in Chicago

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. One of the most famous names in movies was Bell & Howell who made cameras and projectors  in the windy city. The history of the company, once famous as the premier maker of movie cameras for Hollywood, is featured … Continue reading →

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