Lenses for the original Arriflex 35mm

Mike Tounian · May 30, 2010

Hi everyone, I am a complete noob when it comes to the old school Arriflex cameras, despite having gotten my own recently (serial #1509). It only came with one lens, a Seminat 6inch F3.5 which looks to be about 130mm (no indication on the lens). I am trying to find other lenses for this camera, but have run into a glut of misinformation about what lenses will work with it. I know that it has the Arriflex Standard Mount, but I have read and been told that there is a mount with the exact same name for 16mm cameras that is different. However, by looking at this lens on ebay with a "Arriflex Mount" for 16mm it looks the same as the Seminat I have:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANGENIEUX-ZOOM-2-2-12-120MM-ARRIFLEX-MOUNT-LENS-CAMERA-/280474512115?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item414d956af3#ht_500wt_1154

So, can these 16mm lenses be used on on my Arriflex 35? I can't ever seem to find any 35mm lenses being sold, so I'm hoping they are interchangeable. If not, what exactly is the difference between what is seen in the above link, and the standard mount my camera has? And where can I find actual 35mm lenses that are sold by someone reputable (not ebay)?

Also, does anyone know what kind of mount the lens in the attached photo is? Someone gave me this lens, telling me it was also Arri standard mount, which it obviously isn't.

As you can see by now, I'm confused as hell. Any clearing up of the facts for me would be fantastic. Thanks!

Mike Tounian

USC School of Cinematic Arts

Tim Carroll · May 30, 2010

Hi Mike,

Congrats on your new Arriflex 35mm camera. The lens issue can get confusing. Let me see if I can help clear things up.

There are three popular ARRI mounts. The first was the ARRI standard mount, which it sounds like you have on your camera. There is also the ARRI Bayonet mount, which is what the mount is on the lens you have pictured above. And finally, their newest mount is the ARRI PL mount.

If all three lens sockets on your camera's turret are the same, then you have three ARRI standard mounts. If one of the three is different, and made of stainless steel, then you have a later turret on your camera, and that stainless steel lens socket is for ARRI bayonet mount lenses, the other two sockets are ARRI standard mount.

The mount on the lens you linked to on eBay is an ARRI standard mount. You want to look for lenses with that mount on them. BUT, you want to look for 35mm ARRI standard mount lenses, not 16mm ARRI standard mount lenses. It gets a little confusing. But many 16mm ARRI standard mount lenses won't fit into your lens sockets because of clearance problems, and the ones that won't fit, also won't cover the full 35mm image area. So avoid those. That lens you linked to on eBay would fall into this category.

Here's a partial list of 16mm and 35mm lenses that come in ARRI standard mount. Hopefully others can add to this list:

16mm (Will not work on your camera):

Schneider 10mm, 16mm, 25mm

Cooke Kinetal 9mm, 12.5mm, 17.5mm, 25mm, 37.5mm, 50mm, 75mm (though I have heard the 75mm Kinetal will work on the Arriflex 35)

Zeiss 8mm, 10-100 Zoom

Angenieux 12-120 Zoom

35mm (Will work on your camera)

Schneider 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm

Cooke Speed Panchro 18mm, 25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm

Zeiss 16mm Distagon (I think but I have never tried it), 24mm, 50mm, 85mm

Hope that gets you started.

Best,

-Tim

Hal Smith · May 30, 2010

The Cooke Speed Panchro's come in three generations Series I, II, and III. The Series III was only made in the 18mm and 25mm wide angle lenses. The Series I's are quite a bit older and the general opinion is they're not as desirable as II and III's.

For visual reference: In recent years "Milk" and "Golden Door" were shot with Speed Panchro II and III's. They used lenses rehoused in modern PL mounts but the glass is the same as Arri standard mount Panchros. They were used for their unique "old school" look. They're a bit soft by current standards (compared to lenses costing thousands and thousands of dollars) but still plenty good enough to shoot a movie slated for wide distribution. There were hundreds of movies shot with Speed Panchros "in the day" that with good prints and/or DVD/BluRay transfers stand up well against anything shot today.

Tim Carroll · May 30, 2010

Hal,

I know you're a lover of these old Arriflex 35 II cameras, as am I. Saw this accompanying the story of Dennis Hopper passing. Thought you might enjoy.

Also, my Speed Panchro set has found a new life in the digital world. Having lots of fun.

Best,

-Tim

Mike Tounian · May 31, 2010

Tim and Hal, thank you both so much for your help, I really appreciate the assistance. I found a place will sell me Cooke Speed Panchros for $300 a pop, so I'll definitely be able to outfit myself with some good primes. I'm glad they have the slightly softer, old school look, it is exactly what I'm looking to use in my thesis film.

I do, of course, have some follow up questions. Do you gents know any place that one could find adapters that would allow an Arri bayonet mount lens to be used with an Arri standard mount? I've got this 12-120 T2.5 Angenieux lens (bayonet) that I can't do a thing with, but the glass is gorgeous and it seems a shame to let it just go to waste.

Aside from my Arriflex 35, I've noticed that there are adapters that will allow a bayonet lens to be used in a PL mount. Are there any rules of thumb about using more than one adapter to connect a lens and camera? What I'm getting at here is that I have Canon 7D, and there are PL adapters for that. So, is it possible to use two adapters, one to make my bayo lens PL mountable, and another to connect that to my 7D, without any inherent problems?

Again, I thank you guys for your help.

Mike Tounian

USC School of Cinematic Arts