16mm topics in smallformat 3/2006

July 20, 2006

Here are the 16mm topics of our new issue and - like Tim was asking for - after that you will find one article for free. This is a special service for users of www.cinematography.com:

test VIDEO ON FILM! Jürgen Lossau about a revolutionary idea from Canada

test A NEW 16 MM OPTION says Ronald Vedrilla about the Ektachrome 100 D

16mm A SUBERB SUPER 16 CANERA Gerhard Fromm about the new Arri 416

16mm A TOUGH BONE from Sweden was examined by Claus Krönke: The Ikonoskop a-cam

screening OUT OF THE BOX Keith Wilton & John Clancy about the history of the package movie

movie school SEEN LOTS BUT UNDERSTOOD LITTLE? asks Arnold H. Müller

power pack DIY SCANNING Frank Kempelmann with his clever approach to frame-by-frame film transfer

labs E6 IN A HOME LAB Beatrice Jäggi develops color films herself

A superb Super 16 camera

Arri introduces the truly innovative Model 416

Text: Gerhard Fromm

Will wonders never cease! One often reads in the media that chemical film is ?over and done with.? The new breed of pixel collectors is constantly praised and new formats are introduced ? digital, high-def, and standard-def ? with no end in sight. A bitter storage media battle has begun: tape against disc, hard disk against both, and solid-state memory chips against everything ? the eventual winner is by no means certain. And then suddenly the Arnold & Richter Company unveils a brand new movie camera at the May 2006 IBC in Las Vegas. It is the successor to the SR3 and is known in Arri parlance as the ?ARRIFLEX 416.?

Its modern design and low weight (a whole 25% less than the 16 SR) impress at first sight. You?re in for a surprise as soon as the film is loaded and the camera starts running. The 416 is incredibly quiet! According to its specifications, the sound level is lower than 20 dB(A). One of the earliest cameras delivered was measured at a mere 17 dB(A)! It appears the valuable lessons learned from the ?ARRICAM Studio? design have once again been put to good use. As a result, the gearbox for the claw mechanism is located within an outer shell that is soundproofed. A similar technique is used to isolate the film drive motor within the magazine body.

The claw mechanism and mirror shutter are identical to those on the 16 SR. The camera shutter is variable from 45° to 180° at rest, and the frame rate can be adjusted from 1 - 75 fps while the camera is operating.

The 416 is available in Super 16 configuration only. However, two versions are offered. The Model 416 Plus is equipped with extended electronics including an integrated receiver. This enables wireless remote control of the zoom servo motors, focusing and iris ? critically important for Steadicam or remote applications.

The optical viewfinder system has been adopted almost unchanged from the 235. Thus, Arri has achieved a bright and clear finder image that is unsurpassed. It is possible to apply finder extenders from the 235 series and an additional short extender is also available. The viewfinder can be pivoted more than 180° to the left or right and the eyepiece can be turned 360° for automatic image position compensation. A lateral extension facilitates left-eye work. If a finder extension with adjustable magnification is used, the finder image will appear upside down at first. This can be corrected with a little knurled knob.

The whole viewfinder block can be removed, making Steadicam use especially simple. This does not affect the camera?s integrated video system.

The inclined viewfinder appears somewhat unusual. This design makes it possible to use some of the larger lenses from the 35 mm series. Five T1.3 ?Ultra 16? Zeiss lenses have been developed especially for the 416. These 6 mm, 8 mm, 9.5 mm, 12 mm and 14 mm focal lengths allow considerable framing flexibility.

The three-color ARRIGLOW is an absolute novelty. The camera operator is able to customize a set of illuminated framelines in any color with the help of three different LEDs. The ARRIGLOW marks remain visible in the video image, even with the viewfinder block removed. The IVS (Integrated Video System) has already proven itself on both the ARRICAM and ARRIFLEX 435 models. It enables manual white balance, additional color configuration and shows supplementary information about battery level, etc. The camera is powered by 24 V (it runs on voltages between 21 and 35 V without trouble, though) via cable from any appropriate battery or by means of a special on-board battery (OBB), as desired. To enable the use of various additional devices, such as a heated, automatically closing eyepiece, compact work lights, etc., several connector boxes are available. The video block even offers two 12 V outlets for accessories like an LCD panel and video transmitter.

The quick-change magazine is a genuine surprise. It is constructed in practically the same manner as an Aaton XTR magazine with the same arrangement of film reels, deflection, sprockets and film feed. In other words, unexposed film is fed from the left side. The film stock is wound clockwise and emulsion-side in over a small deflector roller and an inclined guide roller to the other side of the magazine. One then releases the footage counter arm and closes the cover. All other activities can be accomplished in subdued light. Feed the film into the upper sprocket, push it through the slots above and below the film pressure plate, then into the lower sprocket and attach the beginning to the take-up reel. Now close the cover and you?re ready to go. After attaching the magazine to the camera, push the ?phase? button briefly, the film claw gears into a sprocket hole and the camera is ready to shoot. Each magazine has its own winding motor; this means there is no mechanical drive, unlike the previous SR magazine design.

A special 19 mm tube system mates the camera to any available accessories like matte boxes, lens supports etc. Using a little bridgeplate, the 416 can be detached in a flash without unscrewing, while heavy lenses remain attached to the supports. This means that the change from tripod to hand-held shooting is no longer a time-consuming task.

A lightweight 15 mm tube support can be used for Steadicam or hand-held applications. Two different carrying handles offer additional possibilities. One contains a folding mushroom head to attach a measuring tape. Low profile use under a Steadicam is also possible without trouble.

Of course, such quality has its cost. The 416 will probably reside in the same price range as the ARRIFLEX 16 SR-3. Pre-production cameras are already being thoroughly tested in real-world applications. Mass production is scheduled to start in late 2006 and the camera should be available soon after. ?The better is the enemy of the good,? making it foreseeable that the 416 will eventually supersede the SR-3.

www.smallformat.de