The film camera is such a wonderful mechanical device. It still amazes me that it can run so precise and expose a frame of film 24 times per second. I've shot with this camera a few times and even the larger Arri BL 16, but I mostly shot with Bolex cameras that were spring wound.
This is very contagious, now I am on the journey of building my own 35mm cine camera! With new technology, liquid cristal shutter so I can change the exposition timing, bldc motor, but keeping that driven film movement and registration pin mechanism design! Planing on 3 speeds 24, 60 and 120 if achievable! But will design a 3 perforation mechanism to save film since 60 and 120 frames per second for slow motion will be very frame consuming! Will probably rent some lenses at first! I love this grain you get on the films!
Not to forget the mysterious reset button below the viewfinder which comes in handy when the trigger screws up. I got to use it last week for the first time.
Thanks for the comments! I too have a bunch of old Arri cameras, and likewise I stopped shooting a lot of film about 10 years ago. I miss it though - the look that is.
Great video! The Arri S is a great camera. The only drawback is that it is next to impossible to convert it to Super 16. I have seen one and it was basically a complete rebuild. I wonder if Ultra 16 is easier. It's basically a question whether the mirror shutter covers the extended parts of the gate. Thank you for making this!
@@FreshGroundPictures Are they talking about reflex cameras? Because the Siemens 16mm "Kinokamera" from the early 1930s also has a registration pin. They were marketed as amateur cameras though.
@@fbnx4219 The Siemens & Halske models do not have a truly registering organ but a kind of claw that prevents the film from slipping back, it doesn’t fill the perforation hole top to bottom. Something similar is found with the Excel 38, 39, and 40 cameras.
I wish I could afford one, I might look into getting a Super 8 camera converted to crystal sync instead. There seems to be one company called “The Film Group” in Connecticut that does this; I don’t know if they still do but I have emailed them about it.
If you're loading internal 100 foot spools, these are called "daylight spools" because they can be loaded in subdued light, not total darkness. The film is on a black metal spool which protects it - you just have to be careful not to roll out too much for loading, or have any direct light shining on it.
Technically, with a crystal sync motor, you could shoot sound. However, the camera is very noisy, and would work best outside and at a distance. Arri used to make a heavy blimp that you would put the camera in for studio/interior sound filming.
No. This, and most film cameras do not shoot sound. Instead, a separate audio recorder must be used, and then picture and sound must be synchronized in the edit room after the film is developed.
Great video! Are you selling any of the ARRI cameras you have refurbished? I’d love to have a 16S in the same quality as the one you’ve shown in this video - it is in mint condition!
I just read a book about a BBC sponsored British expedition that travelled across Zanzibar and Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in a 3 person hydrogen balloon in the early 1960's featuring an Arriflex camera ( see A. Smith, "Throw out Two Hands" , George Allen & Unwin, (1963) ). The appendix to the book mentioned the camera initially used 8-volt Varley batteries that proved 'spillable and heavy' until one of the cameramen improvised his own battery constructed of electronic flash unit cells, each with 3 floating balls to show the state of charge, embedded in foam rubber and encased in a small metal box that clipped onto the waistband of his trousers. The battery was chargeable from the Land Rover battery via a 12 volt stepdown built in series. They carried a range of 11 lenses for this camera: a 12.5mm Taylor Hobson lens; 40mm, 90 mm, 150mm, 300mm Kilfitt Kilar lenses; as well as 240mm and 400mm Novoflex lenses with follow-focus pistol grips. The film stock (courtesy of the BBC) consisted of 24,000 feet of Eastman Plus-X 16 mm negative film in 100 foot rolls; 24,000 feet of the same in 400 foot rolls; and 12,000 feet of Eastman Tri-X 16mm negative film. The sound recording was done on a Ficord midget tape-recorder.
It's likely in the BBC archives. There doesn't seem to be much on youtube about Anthony Smith, the expedition's leader and author of the mentioned book. @@FreshGroundPictures
The film camera is such a wonderful mechanical device. It still amazes me that it can run so precise and expose a frame of film 24 times per second. I've shot with this camera a few times and even the larger Arri BL 16, but I mostly shot with Bolex cameras that were spring wound.
This is very contagious, now I am on the journey of building my own 35mm cine camera! With new technology, liquid cristal shutter so I can change the exposition timing, bldc motor, but keeping that driven film movement and registration pin mechanism design! Planing on 3 speeds 24, 60 and 120 if achievable! But will design a 3 perforation mechanism to save film since 60 and 120 frames per second for slow motion will be very frame consuming! Will probably rent some lenses at first! I love this grain you get on the films!
Best wishes!
Not to forget the mysterious reset button below the viewfinder which comes in handy when the trigger screws up. I got to use it last week for the first time.
I stopped shooting on 16 and 35 mm more than ten years ago, but I still keep a new and a used Arriflex 16 St, a 16 BL and two Arriflex 35 II cameras.
Thanks for the comments! I too have a bunch of old Arri cameras, and likewise I stopped shooting a lot of film about 10 years ago. I miss it though - the look that is.
@@FreshGroundPicturesstill got those old cameras? I’m in the market!
Look how rock solid those loops are. This camera is just amazing, my dream is to get one with a crystal motor.
That's Arri!
Great video! The Arri S is a great camera. The only drawback is that it is next to impossible to convert it to Super 16. I have seen one and it was basically a complete rebuild. I wonder if Ultra 16 is easier. It's basically a question whether the mirror shutter covers the extended parts of the gate. Thank you for making this!
I love it ! I shot Super 8 and used to think that the Bolex 16 mm were as great as one could go ! In the top amateur/Pro categorie, that is.
Thanks for watching!
Ok, the motor you have there on the arri 16th. What is it called? I would love to get it.
Nice video's Good to find you here on youtube. I am working on a Super 16 conversion for the Arriflex 16ST
Thanks! Let me know how things work out with the conversion - it's a bit difficult.
@@FreshGroundPictures Ok I will do. I advancing reasonably with it.
is possibel for you to reardown the movment even more so I can learn about it? thinking of design a 35mm film camera with 3D printing and CNC parts
I want one of these lol I would love to shoot a short film on 16mm
The Arriflex 16 was not the first pin-registered small-gauge film camera. The Mitchell 16 Professional of 1946 was.
You're absolutely right! Arri says their camera was the first "truly portable" 16mm with pin registration - whatever that means. My bad.
@@FreshGroundPictures Are they talking about reflex cameras? Because the Siemens 16mm "Kinokamera" from the early 1930s also has a registration pin. They were marketed as amateur cameras though.
@@fbnx4219 The Siemens & Halske models do not have a truly registering organ but a kind of claw that prevents the film from slipping back, it doesn’t fill the perforation hole top to bottom. Something similar is found with the Excel 38, 39, and 40 cameras.
Any recorded videos with it ?
They're everywhere. Film students worldwide use this camera. All of their films today are then transferred to video.
I wish I could afford one, I might look into getting a Super 8 camera converted to crystal sync instead. There seems to be one company called “The Film Group” in Connecticut that does this; I don’t know if they still do but I have emailed them about it.
I doubt I’ll ever again shoot 16mm. So why do i enjoy this so much? 🤔
I guess you have to do the film loading in complete darkness if you are loading a color film? Is this very difficult?
If you're loading internal 100 foot spools, these are called "daylight spools" because they can be loaded in subdued light, not total darkness. The film is on a black metal spool which protects it - you just have to be careful not to roll out too much for loading, or have any direct light shining on it.
Can you capture sound with this camera?
Technically, with a crystal sync motor, you could shoot sound. However, the camera is very noisy, and would work best outside and at a distance. Arri used to make a heavy blimp that you would put the camera in for studio/interior sound filming.
No. This, and most film cameras do not shoot sound. Instead, a separate audio recorder must be used, and then picture and sound must be synchronized in the edit room after the film is developed.
Great video! Are you selling any of the ARRI cameras you have refurbished? I’d love to have a 16S in the same quality as the one you’ve shown in this video - it is in mint condition!
It is one St not S ?
it's getting popular again
I just read a book about a BBC sponsored British expedition that travelled across Zanzibar and Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in a 3 person hydrogen balloon in the early 1960's featuring an Arriflex camera ( see A. Smith, "Throw out Two Hands" , George Allen & Unwin, (1963) ). The appendix to the book mentioned the camera initially used 8-volt Varley batteries that proved 'spillable and heavy' until one of the cameramen improvised his own battery constructed of electronic flash unit cells, each with 3 floating balls to show the state of charge, embedded in foam rubber and encased in a small metal box that clipped onto the waistband of his trousers. The battery was chargeable from the Land Rover battery via a 12 volt stepdown built in series. They carried a range of 11 lenses for this camera: a 12.5mm Taylor Hobson lens; 40mm, 90 mm, 150mm, 300mm Kilfitt Kilar lenses; as well as 240mm and 400mm Novoflex lenses with follow-focus pistol grips. The film stock (courtesy of the BBC) consisted of 24,000 feet of Eastman Plus-X 16 mm negative film in 100 foot rolls; 24,000 feet of the same in 400 foot rolls; and 12,000 feet of Eastman Tri-X 16mm negative film. The sound recording was done on a Ficord midget tape-recorder.
That's a fantastic story! Any idea if you can still view the film?
It's likely in the BBC archives. There doesn't seem to be much on youtube about Anthony Smith, the expedition's leader and author of the mentioned book. @@FreshGroundPictures
cool!
Hello! would you be interesting in selling the camera?
This video is a few years old, and unfortunately I sold this camera a while back. Thanks for watching!
Want to sell the motor.