2C vs 35-3 power requirement

[Jon O'Brien]

For the very first time I got a 2perf 2C powered up and running today. I've got film in the fridge and am gearing up to film a short narrative film/camera and lens test. I recently bought a 12v battery from Du-all. Tonight I connected the 2C to the battery and the camera ran fine. No mag or film -- just the empty camera body. So far, so good.

I also connected the same 12v battery to a 2perf 35-3 which ran for just a bit (with, I thought, maybe a slightly anaemic running sound). When I stopped the camera and then later attempted to run it again it didn't run at all. The red LED lights that show the fps etc were lit up, but no movement from the motor at all. I think I  remember that the 35-3 requires more power than the 2C. Would another battery be in order? For example, a 16v?

Edited May 17 by Jon O'Brien

[Phillip Mosness]

I don't know whether or not being 2 perf affects the amount of power the cameras require, but I have the 4 perf versions of both. My Arri 2c is a 16 volt system. Once you put a mag and film on it, 12 volts may not have enough juice to get it to speed.  The Arri III is a 12 volt system, so if it conked out on 12 volts, you may have other issues. 

[Jon O'Brien]

It's a bit concerning. Looks like the main fuse to the camera is still fine, since the LED numbers still light up. Could be a secondary fuse or something worse.

I've emailed Cameraquip in Melbourne to ask some questions as they rent these models. Hopefully Dom might be able to help me out too with some advice. Might have to send the camera off to someone to see what could be wrong. In the meantime I'm thinking of first trying a 16V battery -- unless that's not advisable.

Edited May 18 by Jon O'Brien

[Jon O'Brien]

I'm pretty sure the power requirements to the camera are identical for both 4 perf and the 2 perf conversion. Both cameras were modified by Bruce McNaughton in Melbourne. I will email him too though I think he's retired now.

[Jon O'Brien]

The 35-III has a Cinematography Electronics Accessory Block on the right side of the camera. I'm wondering if this might mean that the camera needs more power. I've no instruction manual/s.

https://cinemaelec.com/products/35-3accessory_block

[Jon O'Brien]

Both cameras are now working, at least the camera bodies only, without mag or film.

With the 35III I didn't have a proper inching knob as it seems to have been removed at some point in the past. There was however a kind of square metal stub of the inching knob left behind deep in the socket where the inching knob used to be. I turned the camera run button on and then with the tips of my fingers managed to turn the mechanism over manually while just getting enough purchase on the stub of the inching knob mechanism. Suddenly the electric motor jumped into life, happily churning away at 24 fps. I let the motor run for a bit this time, then turned it off. Hope all is fine. Wish me luck.

There was a red and a green light in the viewfinder. When I turned off the motor there was still a red LED glowing in the viewfinder. Oh the joys of revamping an ancient technology and art form.

[Uli Meyer]

It makes no difference if the camera is 4perf or 2perf. With 2perf the camera transports less film through the gate per second than with 4perf. The gears are different but the motor is the same.

The standard 2C motors run on 16Volt and the variable speed on 24 Volt. I've got a Thoma crystal sync motor for the 2C which runs on 16 Volt and a crystal sync pistol grip 3C motor which runs on 12 Volt.

[Jon O'Brien]

I'm getting the impression that the 35III isn't getting enough power. It still won't start when I turn the run button on and needs to be kick started by turning the inching knob every time. I'm also getting a red LED light glowing in the viewfinder. I found a 1988 operating manual online today. Also, advice from a Melbourne rental house backs up what Uli and Phillip say. I see that up to 14.4V is fine for the 35-3, so I may try a 14.4V battery. Here's the advice a senior technician from the rental house said in an email today:

"The ARRI 35III runs on 12-14.4 Volts batteries and the IIC normal motors on 16 Volts, I would not us 16 volt on the 35III, if you have the High Speed unit, you need 2 x 12 V batteries to get to 120fps.

The red light usually means not getting to the crystal speed".

[Jon O'Brien]

The 2C motor:

[Jon O'Brien]

For the sake of those coming after me, who will one day possibly tread the same path ("there but for the grace of God go I" ...), I've been advised by three film camera experts not to power up the 35-3 with 14.4 volts (unless only as a quick test).

The current plan is to send the camera on an adventure, down to see Dom in Melbourne (some 3000 km away I think), to see what he thinks of it. It might need a simple lube.

Can you imagine how great this camera will be if it can be completely fixed up? A 2 perf Arri 35-3, with Nikon F lens mount. Easy to do your own focus pulls (especially if you're an old Nikon lens user from way back). I want this camera to one day shoot the main scenes for a great feature movie. It can do it. I have faith in this camera. It's a joy to look at and hold, too.

Edited May 20 by Jon O'Brien