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2026-07-01 baia Ultraviewer Dual 8 Movie Editor


This Dual 8 Movie Editor baia Ultraviewer came in a breadbox sized cardboard carton. Note the small tape splicer shown on the box—just above the name at the front of the viewer. This splicer is attached to and stored under the body of the viewer.

The list of the viewer’s features is on the end of the box. The Ultraviewer has—
  • slip-in loading
  • adjustable framing, focusing, frame marking and an on/off switch
  • the largest viewing area of any movie editors (27 sq. inches / 174 sq. cm)
  • Built-in splicer and tape supply
  • Fold away 400 foot rapid geared rewinds
  • a triple element high resolution projection lens

When removed from the box you have to fold out the arms for the film reels. The reels in the foreground start at the left with the 50 foot reels as returned from processing to one 200 foot and one 400 foot reel. Generally multiple films from one holiday or special event would be simply spliced together to cut down on having to keep loading films. 
    More advanced editing was possible but a little tedious. Sound editing is more difficult as the sound is recorded 18 fames ahead of the picture. Tape splices tended to “splutter” when hitting the projector’s film gate. “Wet” splices were better, but still “chirped”a bit. If you got down to cutting out bad pans or individual scenes you might end up with problems, but that didn’t stop people and some could get really good at it.


The control panel has a switch for marking the exact frame you are viewing on the screen. Generally the mark is a pin hole in the sprocket side of the film. The next rocker switch adjusts the focus. The last rocker adjusts the frame. The final sliding switch turns the light on and off.
    Super 8 and regular 8 mm  have different sprocket sizes. 8 mm film started as 16 mm film, so has large film sprockets in comparison to Super 8 film (that has sprocket holes half the size). 

The Ultraviewer has a push/pull tab to expose the correct film sprocket wheel (In=Super8 / Out=Regular8mm).


As mentioned earlier the tape splicer is hiding under the Ultraviewer. You grab it and twist it up and around to the front.
    And you end up with this! The plate is presently set for Regular 8mm. Note the relatively large square sprocket pegs. The “Built-in storage for tape splices” is under the plate.













    Flipping the plate exposes the Super8 pegs. They are half the size of the Regular 8mm pegs. You may wonder—since all 8 mm films have sprockets on only one side—why there are two sets of pegs on both sides of the plate. It is because taped splices are placed on both sides of the film, so you need to line the splice up on both sides using the pegs.
    A mention should be made of wet splicing. This Ultraviewer came with a wet splicer and the cement such splices need. A wet splice requires cutting the film so both sides of the edit slightly overlap. Then the emulsion is physically removed from one side so you can cement the separate pieces base-to-base. Needless to say mastering a wet splicer was a learned skill. Those who didn’t master it would have splices fail during projection. Those who mastered it could literally snap the edit between their hands without the film parting. The wet edits were less visible on projection too.

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