Grahame N's Web Pages


CINE NIZO
9.5MM CINE CAMERAS
AND PROJECTORS

by Grahame L. Newnham


Cine Nizo, Neizoldi & Kramer,
G.m.b.H., Munich, GERMANY

(UK Importer: Peeling & Van Neck Ltd.
4/6 Holborn Circus, London, E.C.1)

The company Neizoldi & Kramer was founded in Germany around 1925; from then till the late 1930s they manufactured a range of cine equipment in various gauges including the original Cine Nizo cine projector which had interchangeable mechanisms for most gauges including 17.5mm.

Little of this early cine equipment arrived in the UK. But we do see that a UK distributor, Peeling & Van Neck Ltd of 4/6 Holborn Circus, London, E.C.1 began importing some of the Cine Nizo cine equipment in the 1930s. The advert below from a copy of the Amateur Cine World magazine, shows that certainly models 'F'; 'K' and 'M' of their 9.5mm cine cameras were certainly available in the UK. Prices were rather high compared to 9.5mm cine cameras from companies like Coronet, Dekko and Pathéscope meaning UK Cine Nizo sales must have been quite low.

The company certainly also produced 16mm cine cameras, there is a 16mm model 'D' listed in a Westminster Photographic advert in the Home Movies & Home Talkies magazine dated September 1933. The description sounds a bit like the 9.5mm model 'M' listed below.

 


Advert in Home Movies & Home Talkies magazine March1934
(whilst I have found various adverts in UK magazines for the cine cameras
so far, I have failed to find any for the early cine projectors!)

Moving forwards datewise; by the 1960s Braun had acquired the Nizo name and began manufacturing quality cine equipment in std 8mm and later Super 8mm.


1920s / 1930s


Advert in "The Amateur Cinematographers' Handbook" - Robert Dykes, early 1930s


THE ORIGINAL CINE NIZO CINE PROJECTOR - MULTI-GAUGE (about 1929?)

Sorry, currently I don't seem to have a suitable photograph of this very rare Cine Nizo cine projector. I do recall seeing an example, probably in France, in a secondhand shop - I think the chap wanted at least about £400 for the thing (with just the 17.5mm parts), and being younger and not too well off, I left it - should have at least taken a photo!

This machine has the distintive Cine Nizo fluted lamphouse top (often missing on examples today). The machine could run 16mn; 9.5mm and even 17.5mm by exchanging the gate and sprocket mechanisms.

More information needed - please!


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'J' 9.5MM CINE PROJECTOR (about 1931?)


Another 9.5mm Cine Nizo cine projector - probably a Model 'J'


This photo of this better example is labelled Model 'J'

We can see it is motor driven with a single sprocket for film feed and take-up. The spools seem to be 400 foot / 120 metre. Obviously indirect lighting maybe with a dropper resistance above the lamphouse. Any more information will be appreciated!


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'C' 9.5MM CINE PROJECTOR (about 1931?)

At least I have a couple of photographs of the model 'C'; so we know that one or two examples are still in collectors' hands in the UK! This quite largish machine has the typical Cine Nizo fluted lamphouse top. It seems to be designed to run on 110 volts (mostly standard in European countries in the 1930s, except the UK!) It takes up to 100 metre / 300 foot spools, has a geared hand rewind on the feed spool arm; feed and take-up sprockets; reverse run and completely removable film gate assembly. It appears from the mention in the Group 9.5 magazine number 74, that access to the main drive belt of the machine may be rather complicated.


This example is missing the fluted lamphouse top and the spool arms,
but we can see the cam and claw arrangement.


A better looking Nizo Model 'C ' 9.5mm cine projector - (photo in the Group 9.5 magazine no. 74)
(the nameplate just says 'Nizo' - not 'Cine Nizo')


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'H' 9.5MM CINE PROJECTOR (about 1937?)

Again, not much is known about this Cine Nizo 9.5mm cine projector, so far I can find no UK cine magazine advertisements for any Cine Nizo cine projectors, just cine cameras. Anyhow this model 'H' takes 400foot / 120 metre spools, has motor drive and sprocket feed/take-up.

 


9.5mm Cine Nizo cine projector - model 'H' - thanks to Graham Sinden for this photo

Looks rather a nice piece of kit! Again, the projectors seem to just be badged 'Nizo', whilst the cameras are badged 'Cine Nizo'.


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'A' 9.5MM CINE CAMERA (about 1930)


Possibly the first Cine Nizo 9.5mm cine camera - marked 'Model 'A'


This example fitted with a 17mm f3.5 fixed focus lens


Rear of the 9.5mm Cine Nizo model 'A ' cine camera
can anyone identify the missing bits please!


The 9.5mm Cine Nizo model 'A' camera open - sprocekt feed and take-up - obvioosly takes the Pathé 'P' film charger

We have keen collector Ashley Hughes to thank for these photos of his 9.5mm Cine Nizo model "A" cine camera. (At least Cine Nizo clearly marked the model of their cine cameras inside the works!). We can also spot a serial number 84829. Obviusly similar to later 9.5mm cine cameras of this type, we can see the footage (or metres!) counter on the side of the camera. In this model the viewfinder is inside the camera body - later designs seem to have had an external viewfinder.

One of the side fitments appears to be for a backwind handle, again retained for later models. Another feature of later models was the instant 32 frames / second speed change; maybe one of the rear buttons was for this feature on this first model.

It would be great to find an advert for this model to discover the main features. It appears the lens was fixed, not interchangeable.


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'R' 9.5MM CINE CAMERA (about 1934)


Photo from the French ebay web-site


More photos from the French ebay web-site

This simple cine camera appears in the above photograph using the 'Eumig' 9.5mm film charger which contained the usual approx. 8.2metres / 28 foot of film. I guess it would accept any 9.5mm 'P' type film charger. This is confirmed by the fact that the 'footage' (well 'metreage') counter is calibrated to 9 metres. It is fitted with what appears to be an interchangeable f2.9 20mm lens. Typical serial number 90824.


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'K'AND 'K3' 9.5MM CINE CAMERAS (about 1933)

The upmarket 9.5mm K3 cine camera had a triple lens turret which I guess must have taken 'C' mount lenses. It also boasted 'slow motion' (filming speeds 8 to 64 frames/sec), sprocket feed and hand crank possibility. Film loading was spools up to 30 metre / 100 foot. The 'K' version had just a single lens - typically a Cinar f1.5 1 inch / 25mm lens. Other lenses offered included an f2.9 Stenheil Cassar; f1.5 Meyer Plasmat and f1.4 Zeiss Biotar or Leitz Hektor. A typical serial number for the single lens version is: 198138.


The Cine Nizo 9.5mm cine camera model 'K' - single lens


Advert in the Home Movies & Home Talkies magazine - September 1933






Review of the K3 triple lens turret 9.5mm Cine Nizo in Home Movies & Home Talkies magazine Sept 1933

Really quality 9.5mm cine cameras, but at a really high price! More likely to have been popular in the 16mm film size at those prices!


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'F' 9.5MM CINE CAMERA (about 1933)

The model 'F' 9.5mm cine camera had filming speeds of 16 & 32fps, 'P' charger loading, continuous run, provision for hand cranked limited backwind, and was offered with an f3 Trianar, f2.8 Steinheil Cassar or an f1.5 focussing lens. One example I have is fitted with an f3.5 fixed focus 20mm Meyer lens - serial number 133386; another example I have is fitted with a Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan f2.7 20mm lens - serial number 136578. Another example has the focussing Hugo Meyer Plasmat f1.5 25mm lens - serial number 134576.


Advert in the Home Movies & Home Talkies magazine - May1934


My Cine Nizo model 'F' 9.5mm cine camera f2.7 Meyer - can't find it!


Another 9.5mm Cine Nizo model ' F'


Yet another Cine Nizo Model 'F'


THE CINE NIZO MODEL 'M' 9.5MM CINE CAMERA (about 1933)


Cine Nizo 9.5mm model 'M' cine camera

This model has variable filming speeds 8,16,24,32fps, a focussing f2.8 aperture interchangeable lens, hand crank for backwind, and 15 metre / 50 foot apool loading. A typical serial no: 306112


POST WAR (1945 ON)

Moving forwards datewise; by the 1950s, Nizo (the full 'Cine Nizo' seems to have been abandoned), were offering high quality 8mm cine cameras and projectors. A quick look on ebay will show that much of their top quality German made cine quipment was available in the UK. However, I don't think that any further 9.5mm cine equipment was manufactured.

By the 1960s it seems that Braun had acquired the Nizo name and began manufacturing quality cine equipment in std 8mm and later Super 8mm.


I would be most grateful for any extra details or information about Cine Nizo 9.5mm movie equipment! !

©Grahame L. Newnham - 01Jan2017.


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Created 01Jan2017 .......... Last updated: 07 December 2017 ............ 95gearcinenizo.htm ............ Grahame L. Newnham's web pages ©MMXV11
07Dec2017 - N.&K. advert & model 'A' camera added