Electric Eye Camera Appraisal

Vintage Bell & Howell Dual Electric Eye 8mm Movie Camera

This is a vintage 8mm motion picture camera manufactured by Bell & Howell, likely dating from the late 1950s to early 1960s. The camera features a vertical, box-style metal body with a textured charcoal grey finish. The front faceplate is silver-toned metal, prominently featuring the 'Bell & Howell' brand name and 'DUAL ELECTRIC EYE' branding. It is equipped with a large, fixed-mount lens with a metallic silver barrel and a protruding zoom lever. Below the lens is a grid-textured light meter window and a 'FILM SPEED' adjustment dial ranging from 5 to 40 ASA/ISO. The construction appears heavy and durable, indicative of mid-century quality. Regarding condition, the unit shows significant signs of age and storage wear. There is visible dust accumulation on the lens optics and within the crevices of the body. The silver faceplate displays some pitting, surface oxidation, and general grime. The glass over the viewfinder at the top appears cloudy. As an antique mechanical device, its functional state is unknown, but the external patina suggests a long period of disuse. Notable for its automation technology of the era, the 'Electric Eye' system was a pioneering feature for automatic exposure in consumer filmmaking.