Projection Bulbs

• General information about bulbs
• movie projector bulbs
• overhead projector bulbs
• slide projector bulbs
• photoflood bulbs
• enlarger bulbs
• Buying Bulbs

Where can I buy a bulb?

The Photo/Image News Network doesn't sell anything, but the editor also owns a camera store that sells bulbs and ships them throughout the world. Chris' Camera Center  phone # 803 641-0501

Why are there so many?

For many years, it seemed as though the projector manufacturers insisted on a brand-new bulb for every machine, with the result that there are literally hundreds of different bulbs. As specialty dealers, we have to help our customers get the right one

Projection bulbs are differentiated by several characteristics:

1. type and shape of the base
2. size of the envelope (glass)
3. shape and location of the filament
4. voltage
5. wattage

GE's master guide would let you identify a bulb this way, but there's a simpler way. Since the 1950s, bulbs have been identified by a standard three-letter code, such as DEK, FHS, or ELH. 

Every bulb with a three-letter code is totally interchangeable with any other bulb with the same code, regardless of whether the manufacturer is GE, Sylvania, WIKO or someone else. Two bulbs of the same code will have the same voltage, wattage, base and filament orientation. It is possible that the glass envelope may look a little different, but that shouldn't matter.

If the customer knows the three letter code, it's easy to find a bulb for him. If not, you may have to play "20 Questions."

When you know the make and model of the projector, look in the General Electric guide. Bulbman has just published an excellent new guide as well.  If not, trying these questions will help you get the right bulb about 95% of the time:

• What brand is the projector?
• About how old is it?
• Does the bulb look more like:

  A radio tube?
  A radar reflector?
  A pregnant spaceman?
  A glass peanut with 2 wires coming out the bottom?

Slide Projectors

First question: Is it a Kodak Carousel slide projector (does the round tray lie on top and go around horizontally, like a merry-go-round?)

• If the bulb looks more like a radio tube, it's a DEK.
• If it looks like a radio tube but has a white ceramic top, it's a CBA (but you can use a less expensive DEK)
• If it looks like a radar reflector, and the projector has an "H" in its name (600-H, 760-H, etc) it uses an ELH (can also use ENH or ENG).
• If it looks like a radar reflector and the projector is recent, with a model number in the 4000s or 5000s, it uses an FHS bulb.

Is it a Sawyers/Nikkormat/Miranda/Ansco slide projector?

(A clue, but not complete: does the round tray go vertically, like a ferris wheel?) chances are it uses a DAK/DAY/DAT). Some expensive models used the EGH instead, but will still take the DAK.

Vivitar and Hanimex projectors use the same trays, but use the FCS bulb instead. Ask "Does it use a bulb like a glass peanut with two wires sticking out the end?" These relatively inexpensive bulbs do not have a built-in reflector.

Is it a Bell & Howell Slide Cube projector?

• If it looks like a radio tube but has a white ceramic top, it's a CBA (and you can't use a less expensive DEK)
• If it looks like a radar reflector, it uses an ELH.

Old slide projectors that used Airequipt or TDC magazines often use the CLS or other single-contact bayonet bulb.

Is it a foreign slide projector?

(Agfa, Rollei, Bauer, Leica, Hanimex, Vivitar etc) Does it use a bulb like a glass peanut with two wires sticking out the end? These relatively inexpensive bulbs do not have a built-in reflector. This would make it an FCS or an FCR. Be careful - one is 12 volt, the other is 24 volt. FCR is 12V, 100W and FCS is 24V, 150Watts.

Most popular models: (if you don't find it here, there's a huge and slow-loading master list)

Movie Projectors  

(if you don't find it here, there's a huge and slow-loading master list)

Most GAF or Ansco movie projectors use a DCH/DJA/DFP bulb.
Many European, and almost all Japanese silent movie projectors, use the CXR/CXL bulb, which is silver and shaped like "a pregnant sausage" or a "spaceman."

Photoflood bulbs look like household incandescent bulbs. Because they burn at a higher temperature, they give much more light (and don't last as long.)
Photofloods are classified according to their size (wattage) and the color of light which they produce.
#1 photofloods use 250 watts of power.
#2 photofloods use 500 watts of power. They produce about twice as much light.
Standard (white) photofloods produce light with a color temperature of 3400 degrees. Color films "Type B" will produce the proper color without a filter.
Blue photofloods produce light which is 4800 degrees, close enough to daylight or blue flash to use as a fill-in light, particularly with color negative films.
3200 degree bulbs are used for some special purposes, with "Type A" film.

Where can I buy a bulb?

The Photo/Image News Network doesn't sell anything, but the editor also owns a camera store that sells bulbs and ships them throughout the world. Chris' Camera Center  phone # 803 641-0501

Return to the Technical Index