How to tell if it's a REAL Arriflex ST?

Joshua Dannais · April 21, 2007

This is a camera I found for sale advertised as an ST, I was wondering if you guys could help me in figuring out from the pictures and serial number if it is truly a ST. Serial number is 18788, in case picture is unclear.

thanks a lot

-Josh

Nathan Milford · April 21, 2007

It's real.

Please post using your full real name (as per forum guidelines)... otherwise people will be asking the same questions about you as you are about the camera >8)

Joshua Dannais · April 21, 2007

Please post using your full real name (as per forum guidelines)... otherwise people will be asking the same questions about you as you are about the camera >8)

sorry about that, this is my first post here... as for the camera, how could you tell it's real? What did you look for?

Joshua Dannais · April 21, 2007

Forgot to add: What are the differences between a ST and a S

thanks

Nathan Milford · April 22, 2007

An St and an S are the same thing.

You might be looking for the differences between an Arri S and an SB. An St (or S) means standard and has three ARRI Standard lens mounts, SB means Steel Bayonet and has two ARRI standard lens mounts and one ARRI Bayonet mount (which is consequently made of steel).

There are other models and modifications to the camera as well as Russian copies.

Now, with that in mind, and now knowing what info you're after, the camera picture is not an S(t) It is an SB, as you can see one of the three ports in the turret is different (has two cut-outs for the bayonet flanges). The SB is the more desirable model.

Joshua Dannais · April 22, 2007

Great, thanks... How much would you estimate the cost of batteries and other accessories to make this a full package? The camera is being sold by itself with only a Angenieux zoom type 10x12BP and a power cable, therefore if I bought it I would have to come up with the rest of the stuff I need. This would be my first 16mm camera and I have done a decent amount of research over the last few weeks about 16mm cameras and have pretty much narrowed it down to the arriflex 16. Is there anyway to control the shutter on the S/B to avoid flickering?

Tim Carroll · April 22, 2007

SB means Steel Bayonet and has two ARRI standard lens mounts and one ARRI Bayonet mount (which is consequently made of steel).

Close. Actually an Arriflex 16S/B means the camera is an Arriflex 16S, with a Bayonet mount in the turret. The S of S/B stands for it is an Arriflex 16S camera. The B of S/B stands for Bayonet. ARRI did the same thing with the Arriflex 16M camera when they made the Arriflex 16M/B (an Arriflex 16M with a Bayonet mount).

Nathan is right, the 16S/B is a more desirable camera to have than the standard 16S. There are many professional production lenses in ARRI Bayonet mount and they will all work on the Arriflex 16S/B, but will not work on the 16S.

If the camera is set up properly, as in, set up the way it was originally from the factory, there will be no flickering in the image on the film. The Arriflex 16S/B was a professional production motion picture camera in its day and is capable of making very fine images.

The camera you pictured appears to have a variable speed motor, so you can get any 12 volt battery pack to power the camera.

-Tim

Joshua Dannais · April 22, 2007

Thanks for all the information guys, would you say that the camera appears to be in good condition? What would you say is a fair price for the camera pictured which includes a power cord and hard case and Angenieux zoom lens (10x12B)?

Tim Carroll · April 22, 2007

Thanks for all the information guys, would you say that the camera appears to be in good condition? What would you say is a fair price for the camera pictured which includes a power cord and hard case and Angenieux zoom lens (10x12B)?

What the camera has going for it is that it is an S/B and has a pretty high serial number. That being said, it is very worn. I have seen much older 16S cameras without that much wear on them and that much wear is not always a good sign. It is a later serial number, but it appears to have been heavily used.

If you end up buying it, I would recommend having it serviced right away. It also has quite a bit of rust on it from the pictures I've seen.

It is not the cleanest or best sample of the Arriflex 16S camera I have seen on eBay recently and would not be a camera that I would particularly recommend. But that might just be me.

-Tim