Newbie looking for advice on Giddings Cinemar hous

[calypsophot]

Hi
My names Steve and I'm from London, England.

I got into collecting after Peter Wingett from the Historical Diving Society took me hard hat diving in our local aquarium. My interest is mostly in La Spirotechnique group equipment and underwater camera kit. I learned to dive on Spiro and US Divers kit in the late 70's.

I'm quite lucky because I'm in the dive industry and older - sorry - veteran divers - are very generous and let me have their old equipmemt. I have some Siebe Gorman Essgee, Merlin MkVI (inc Surface supplied), Narghile, Mistral, Royal Mistral, Drager twin hoses, plus obligatory Snark/Barracuda. Also some strange Aga that is basically a single hose with two MP hoses feeding the second stage. Single hoses include Aquilon, Spiro 8, Calypso's, Conshelfs, Kawasakis, Snarks and a under arm Seebee and the Spinnaker B/2. I have a Spiro twin set from 60' or 70's, Drager twin set, some harbour diving tadpoles with S-G twin hose and integrated weights and a Technisub Raid. Also a pair of Calypsophots, an unused Rolleimarin, a Haselblad EL housing and a baby Rebikoff for a Kodak M4. Also some housings that "Blue Planet" cameraman Peter Scoones very kindly gave me and one from our local legend Colin Doeg. I guess some award winning images were shot through these. Anyway, by now I'm being boring.

I'm looking for help. Each year my partner in crime Andrew Pugsley and I go to the Antibes Festival in France and dive in our old kit. Our contact is Mike Warren who keeps locating more vintage sport gear for us to buy. This year I really want to shoot some Super 8 footage. I have a Giddings Cinemar 1 housing. I haven't been able to find our which camera(s) it is designed for. I'd really like to use it. Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

Steve.

[JES]

Welcome Steve, aka 'calypsophot'!

You have definitely come to the right place for Vintage Diving.

I'm sure that one of our knowledgable members will be able to assist you with the identification of what camera was intended for use in your housing.

It's great that you have become a part of this community. I think you'll find that the members are friendly, extremely helpful and very knowledgeable.

Welcome aboard and remember to stay connected and dive often!


Regards,

JES

[scubadiverbob]

Welcome Steve,

I do a lot of underwater photography; but, have never done super 8, so can't help you there.
Maybe PM vintagefrank, he might have an answer for you. If you have the camera for the Haselblad EL housing that would be way to cool. Would be a better setup than a nikonos RS; 'cause, you could shoot medium format film (120 0r 220 asa) !!! You could really blow it up for nice enlargements !!! Hope you find info on your housing and some super 8 film. Might be able to order super 8 from kodak. It's getting harder to get film these days. I'd like to get bulk film to load canisters for my nikonos camera (forty five to fifty shots per roll); but, no one sales it around here. Afraid to go on e-bay; cause, might get a bunch of outdated film.

I wish you much luck! Again welcome aboard!

In the 70's I had some friends from England. They were stationed on the HMS Hermes. Their ship pulled into port at Pensacola, FL. That's a long time ago ...

Robert

[YankDownUnder]

cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Scuba-Giddings-Underwater-Enterprises_W0QQitemZ140143427533QQihZ004QQcategoryZ74003QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This is a link that might interest you. It is a Giddings housing on ebay. There may be some info there too. No bids at this posting and only a $5 minimum.

[duckbill]

Welcome, Steve.
Much of the "kit" you mentioned have been discussed here before. Do some searches on this forum and enjoy the reading! Glad to have you aboard. Please continue to join in on the fun.