YELCO DS810MT QUARTZMATIC: THE POOR COUSIN OF THE FUJICASCOPE SD20

When it comes to projection, I normally reach for my Fumeo or Beaulieu. But when it's time to record sound directly onto the magnetic tracks of my Super 8 originals, I trust only two machines — both of them never officially sold outside Japan: the Fujicascope SD25 Stereo Quartz and its slightly more modest sibling, the Fujicascope SD20 Quartz.

Yelco 810 converted

Why? Because for me, these aren't just projectors — they're tools worthy of the handcrafted nature of my films. Every frame of my work is created and edited manually, often featuring dozens, sometimes hundreds, of splices. These are not copies, but the originals themselves — filmic incunabula, if you will. And when I add sound to those precious magnetic tracks (hand-applied, no less), I need a machine that can handle constant frame-holds and rewinds without so much as bruising a single sprocket hole.

Only the top-end Fujicascopes deliver that level of precision and gentleness.

Yelco 810 convertion to 360 meters

Why the Fujicascope SD20 and SD25 are in a Class of Their Own

Here’s what sets them apart:

1. Total reliability: They don’t damage even the most delicate, irreplaceable reversal film.

2. Quick unthreading: Essential when stopping mid-session during sound recording.

3. High sound quality, even with challenging magnetic coatings.

4. Permalloy heads: Tough enough to withstand even poorly applied liquid-type tracks, during years and years.

5. Outstanding lens: Both models come with the legendary Fujinon f/1.0, a true gem.

6. Quartz sync module: Holds speed with digital precision; variable speed is adjustable from 16 to 26 fps.

7. Large reel capacity: Handles up to 360 meters of film (triacetate).

8. Strobe light on the SD20, for precise frame adjustments.

9. The SD25 takes it further: LED digital frame counter, runtime display, programmable microprocessor effects, and independent LED VU meters for each track.
   It’s a beautiful collision of 21st-century digital control and 19th-century mechano-chemical magic.

Finding either model outside Japan is nearly impossible. I was lucky to bring both back from a 2005 trip — including the step-down transformers required to run them on Japan’s native 100 volts.

Fujicascope SD25

Enter the Poor Cousin: The YELCO DS810MT Quartz

Now, for those outside Japan seeking an alternative — there is one, if you're patient: the YELCO DS810MT Quartz.

It’s essentially the SD20’s less glamorous sibling — sharing the same quartz-controlled motor and internal clock, but with some compromises:

• A rather mediocre lens (the standard f/1.3 15–25 mm zoom),

• No pause-position frame stop (a frustrating omission),

• Reel capacity reduced to 240 meters,

• Overall, fewer refinements.

But here’s the silver lining: most of these shortcomings can be fixed. With a little technical work, and at a fraction of the cost, you can turn a YELCO DS810MT into something very close to a Fujicascope SD20.

Why the YELCO Brand?

Fujicascope projectors were originally designed and built by Yamawa, a joint venture between Fujifilm and Rank Xerox, intended solely to manufacture high-end projectors under the Fujicascope name.

As Super 8 began its decline in the late 1970s, Yamawa started rebranding simplified versions of their designs under other names: Bell & Howell, Minolta, Yashica, and, eventually, Porst in Germany, and Yelco in Spain, the UK, and Argentina. These versions were often sold cheaply — the catch? No multinational warranty coverage.

Final Thoughts

One day, I’ll publish a full technical breakdown of the YELCO DS810MT Quartz. But for now, let me say this: if you're venturing into the world of Super 8 sound recording, and stumble upon one of these projectors, grab it.

With a few tweaks, this so-called “poor cousin” might just become your most loyal studio companion.

Note: this text is a digest of my article published in the blog some years ago.

CLICK HERE, PLEASE, for know how to convert a 810 projector: https://mimundoensuper-8.blogspot.com/2024/10/810-mt-quartzmatic-adapted-for-360.html?m=1