interchangeable 100' magazines???

Ted Hinkle · October 16, 2007

Are there any good 16mm cameras that have interchangeable 100' magazines??? While shooting live events it's such a painstaking process to change film. I really don't want to do the 400' magazines it's just too bulky to carry around. I want to travel light.

Tim Carroll · October 16, 2007

You can't travel much lighter than an Arriflex 16S or Bolex H16 with 100 ft internal loads. Why add the complications of a magazine?

Either of those two cameras can be loaded in subdued light, shoot 100 ft loads all day long, and are about the size of camcorders.

-Tim

John Brawley · October 16, 2007

Are there any good 16mm cameras that have interchangeable 100' magazines??? While shooting live events it's such a painstaking process to change film. I really don't want to do the 400' magazines it's just too bulky to carry around. I want to travel light.

Hi Ted.

As Tim has mentioned, the Arri 16S is a fantastic 16mm camera and is unique in that can take both 100' internal loads or 400' external maagazines.

The Aaton A-minima is it's modern equivilent. It has a tiny 200' co-ax mag, is super 16, built in intervalometer, timecode, PL mount etc....

jb

Ted Hinkle · October 16, 2007

Thanks for the recommendations. I've been shooting super 8 and I guess I'v gotten used to changing out the cartiges. I've only shot 1 roll of 16mm before with a K-3 and it was just such a pain to change the film, so I switched to super8. But now I really want to experiment with 16mm. What about the Beaulieu R16?

Edited October 16, 2007 by Ted Hinkle

Michael Lehnert · October 17, 2007

The Beaulieu R16-series or the newer-bodied Beaulieu 2016 are good cameras, and often less expensive than an Arriflex or Bolex H-series (at least they should be). It's C-Mount allows a huge variety of lenses to take on without adapters. However, the guillotine shutter needs some attention when not checked regularly, and the construction necessitates a shorter exposure time because of the shutter opening angle being smaller then 180° (I think it is 156°, but I would have to check my Samuelson's to be 100% sure about that). Personally, I would say from own experiences that the otherwise format-leading reputation from Beaulieu Super 8 cameras does not translate into the Normal 16 format that well. Actually, troublesome ownership of a Beaulieu R16 EA drove my brother straight into purchasing an Eclair ACL set and Super 16 mod'd NPRs.

Also, elderly R16's frame stability is not always on a par with a vintage Bolex H-models, which also has a better reliability record than the R16 when reading through this forum, and there is a Bolex factory-service at your service with spare parts aplenty in CH and overseas. All the while being roughly the same size as the R16 (for your travel comforts).

Although not a personal fan of the Arriflex 16S, esp. regarding form factor and ergonomics and ARRIs modular accessories bonanza in general, I would acknowledge that its transport mechanism, viewfinder system and system expandability is a good point to go for that one, if can spare the premium over the R16 or H16. Check out if you like the film loading (as you disliked fiddling in the Krasnogorsk K-3).

And of course, you have Tim at hand for any Q&A issues re. a 16S ;)

Flick through some manuals and comparative overviews here.

Mike Rizos · October 17, 2007

Are there any good 16mm cameras that have interchangeable 100' magazines???

I don't know about good but the Cinema Products GSMO (Gun Sight Man-Operated) takes 100, 200, and 400 ft. coaxial mags. With the 100 ft. mag loaded it weights 7.5 lbs.

Robert Houllahan · October 17, 2007

Are there any good 16mm cameras that have interchangeable 100' magazines??? While shooting live events it's such a painstaking process to change film. I really don't want to do the 400' magazines it's just too bulky to carry around. I want to travel light.

Think a Eclair ACl with 200' mags or new a A-Minima with 200' mags do you have a loader? 2-4 200' mags and a loader can be continuous shooting...

-Rob-

Ted Hinkle · October 17, 2007

The Beaulieu R16-series or the newer-bodied Beaulieu 2016 are good cameras, and often less expensive than an Arriflex or Bolex H-series (at least they should be). It's C-Mount allows a huge variety of lenses to take on without adapters.
Flick through some manuals and comparative overviews here.

Thanks for that link. I was really turned on to the Aaton a-minima, until I read some posts about people having problems with loading thefilm. I guess maybe that just comes with the territory of 16mm. I've also started checking out the Ikonoskop a-cam. There are a couple of things I really like about it. One... it's small. Two... it accepts C-mount lens which I already have a few of. And three... it's much more within my budget. Can someone share with me the cons of the ikonoskop A-cam?

kevin jackman · October 17, 2007

Thanks for that link. I was really turned on to the Aaton a-minima, until I read some posts about people having problems with loading thefilm. I guess maybe that just comes with the territory of 16mm. I've also started checking out the Ikonoskop a-cam. There are a couple of things I really like about it. One... it's small. Two... it accepts C-mount lens which I already have a few of. And three... it's much more within my budget. Can someone share with me the cons of the ikonoskop A-cam?

its not a reflex camera, it will only accept 100ft loads and for a bit more you can get the aaton. very few people have loading problems from what i understand. you just have to learn it and do it a few times. i think youl find it easy.

Olex Kalynychenko · October 17, 2007

Are there any good 16mm cameras that have interchangeable 100' magazines??? While shooting live events it's such a painstaking process to change film. I really don't want to do the 400' magazines it's just too bulky to carry around. I want to travel light.

I can recommend Russian professional 16 mm cine camera Kinor-16 SX-2M.

This is camera have quick change flm magazines 100 and 400 ft and create for documentary and TV shooting.

You will need 3..5 seconds only for repalce of film magazine.

The camera have electrical motor, wide set of prime lenses 6..300 mm, zoom lenses 7.5-75 mm, 10-100 mm, 12-120 mm.

The electrical motor can be upgrade on crystal sync motor with digital film counter and other modern technical features.

The mechanism of camera have registration pin.

Ted Hinkle · October 18, 2007

How much does the aaton a-minima go for??? Is there an adapter for the a-minima to accept C-mount lenses? It's just because I already have a few nice C-mount lenses. I don't want to keep spending all my loot! Maybe that's just the territory.

Olex Kalynychenko · October 18, 2007

How much does the aaton a-minima go for??? Is there an adapter for the a-minima to accept C-mount lenses? It's just because I already have a few nice C-mount lenses. I don't want to keep spending all my loot! Maybe that's just the territory.

I think about one fan.

" You have bolt from car wheel and wish choosing a car for this bolt ".

Yes, of course, if you have good C-mount lenses, the choosing of camera with C-mount good idea.

But, this must be real good lenses.

The many modern C-mount lenses design for CCD video cameras and have not high optical quality.

About a-minima, the on.e part of use manual call my attention.

This is procedure of test and adjusting of position of shutter disk before shooting and this procedure must do cameraman.

I don't know.....

From other side a-minima " blind" camera, without reflex viewfinder and procedure of film loading not fast.

You need set of film on spool and load film on film channel.

If you think about C-mount camera, i can recommend Eclair ACL-1.5 or other version of ACL.