GaMi16 Display Stand

(By courtesy of A.Natale)

  The display stand for GaMi16 was a "gadget" that the "Officine Galileo" gave to the most important authorized dealers. It's interesting to notice how the display stand was constructed. Two small brass cylinders support a ring of a diameter of approximately 90mm in which there is a lens of 83mm of diameter. A red logo GaMi is etched into the glass. A 3/8" screw attches the GaMi to the display.

The display stand for the GaMi16

(By courtesy of A.Natale)

 

 An interesting aspect is the type of the lens which was used for the display. The lens had a very prestigious origin as it was the front lens element of the anamorphic objective for "Cinemascope" movies. This lens was a true masterpiece of optical and mechanical engineering. This lens has 5 elements and was made in the "Officine Galileo" of Milan where the GaMi16 was produced. Probably it's the best anamorphic "Cinemascope" lens ever produced in the world.

GaMi16 "Dummy"

 On the display stand was an attached GaMi16 "dummy", a camera that was only an "empty box" with the outer casing of a real GaMi16. The GaMi16 "dummy" was modified directly from the "Officine Galileo". The chassis served to support the external parts. The lens assembly, pressure plate and the film advance mechanism there weren't. The two windows of view-finder and of the lens were masked with two darkened glasses. The insertion selector of the yellow filter was blocked in position "F". All the controls are blocked and non operational. The serial number was milled out and the resulting space painted in black. Very few of the "dummy" GaMi16 cameras were produced, and during the first period of production only. They had the metric scale and the exposure meter upto 100asa. The shutter release collar was black.

 

GaMi16 "dummy" with darkened viewfinder and beside a real GaMi16

 

Interior of the GaMi16 "dummy" without lens, film advance and pressure plate.

 

GaMi16 "dummy" interior, exposing the two darkened frames.

 

Milled serial number

 

The GaMi16 "dummy" weighs half of the real GaMi16, 145gr. against 290gr.

X-ray examination. On left the "dummy"; on right an authentic GaMi16

 

 

The reproduction is forbbidden without the authorization of www.gami16.com