What do you call this old style of microfilm reader?

General Questions
#1

The old kind that’s just a reader (well, frankly it’s just a magnifying glass and a light.) Doesn’t print, certainly doesn’t scan. Essentially they’re big cabinets where you put the film in on top where there’s a spool and a lens and a takeup reel and you scroll through it with a handle on the side; a light projects the film onto the inside back of the case. They’re really good for browsing through a lot of film. Work best in darker rooms. Very simple machines.

What specifically do you call those?

#2

microfilm reader.

#3

Microfiche? http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-microfiche.htm#slideshow

#4

No, fiche is a media type.

I’m a periodicals librarian, I know my microfilm, but I’m trying to get us one of the old just-readers if I can because I think they’re so good for browsing. But I can’t quite figure out what you call that kind to differentiate it from all the other readers and reader/printers.

#5

The people who sell them call them microfilm readers, so there really is no way to differentiate between them and reader-printers in a search.

#6

I think they’re just called microfilm readers. I used them years ago to look at census records. I think most of the LDS centers still have them to look at films sent from Salt Lake City for genealogy. Maybe one near you would have an old one, if not, at least they’d know where to get one.

#7

Unless of course someone has categorized things for you. These guys have a category for “film/fiche viewers” even thought the products within are still microfim readers: http://www.microfilmworld.com/filmandficheviewers.aspx

#8

I wasn’t aware that there were any other types. Are you just saying that you want one with “no frills” (like the ability to print a page), or are there ones that work quite differently?

#9

eBay has a gaggle of microfilm and microfiche readers. You may also want to look for microfitche and microfish. :smack: Fiche readers can be dirt cheap. I saw one for thirty bucks, including shipping. The roll film readers are not so cheap, and due to their size, a lot of them are local pickup only, or truck freight. But, if you’re near San Francisco, someone has a Canon Microprinter for $150.00. Or, there’s a similar model in Iowa for $190, plus $185 for shipping.

#10

I know what the OP is talking about. At least I think I do. The Maryland Archives have a few of these, the microfilm goes on top and the light is projected down to make a really big image on the bottom of the cabinet. I found a photo of them here, photo 26 of 31, a bit more then halfway down.

The Maryland Archives are the only place I’ve ever seen one. They are quite nice to get a nice large view of the image.

Found a better Image.

#11

Oh, our new ones do everything in-camera (which is really nice but makes browsing harder) - I can spot edit photos separately from text before scanning, you wouldn’t believe it. Sexxxxy.

Yes, the LDS family history center has a bajillion of the kind I want - just rows and rows and rows and rows of them on every floor, and it’s so great for looking through a lot of rolls of film. Kind of annoying when I wanted to print, you had to take the whole thing off (including the takeup reel) and there were only a few scan/print units. And you do need a dark room for them.

I’m hoping to maybe score one or two from somewhere deaccessioning them, but was hoping there was, you know, a word for them. Doesn’t seem to be, though.

ETA - Edward, yes, that’s them. Some of them I’ve seen have a slightly different configuration but that’s the idea.

#12

The main branch of the NYPL has rooms full of those. I use them all the time.