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Super 16 upgrade


Wiki Park

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I currently have a arri SR-1 that shoots R-16 and I crop down to achieve the 16:9 aspect ratio. I am starting to consider a upgrade to super-16 and wanted some input as to which camera house in the US, preferably the LA area would do the best job and also how much it would cost and if the difference is worth investing in. I think 16:9 cropped from R-16 is 59.21sq. mm whereas super 16 yields 88.17sq. mm which seems like a stark difference, but I want some opinions to see if the cost of an upgrade is worth it for a student like myself.Thanks for your time and all the best!

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I currently have a arri SR-1 that shoots R-16 and I crop down to achieve the 16:9 aspect ratio. I am starting to consider a upgrade to super-16 and wanted some input as to which camera house in the US, preferably the LA area would do the best job and also how much it would cost and if the difference is worth investing in. I think 16:9 cropped from R-16 is 59.21sq. mm whereas super 16 yields 88.17sq. mm which seems like a stark difference, but I want some opinions to see if the cost of an upgrade is worth it for a student like myself.Thanks for your time and all the best!

 

Hey Wiki,

Good question. If you can afford the Super 16mm mod I'd definitely go that route. If not there's always Ultra 16mm which would cost around $800 and yield 70sq mm in native 1:85. We have a detailed chart on the topic on it and some sample footage here (scroll to the bottom of the page for Ultra 16 info).

 

http://cinelicious.tv/we-love-film/small-formats:

 

-Paul

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Tanks for your reply. I have read about Ultra-16, but i am also under the impression that there are only certain transfer houses that can deal with this format. Is this true? If so would it be better sticking to R-16 cropped if I can get super 16 conversion?

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I currently have a arri SR-1 that shoots R-16 and I crop down to achieve the 16:9 aspect ratio. I am starting to consider a upgrade to super-16 and wanted some input as to which camera house in the US, preferably the LA area would do the best job and also how much it would cost and if the difference is worth investing in. I think 16:9 cropped from R-16 is 59.21sq. mm whereas super 16 yields 88.17sq. mm which seems like a stark difference, but I want some opinions to see if the cost of an upgrade is worth it for a student like myself.Thanks for your time and all the best!

 

To be honest a proper upgrade will cost more than an SR2 or possibly even what an SR3 is actually worth today!

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Tanks for your reply. I have read about Ultra-16, but i am also under the impression that there are only certain transfer houses that can deal with this format. Is this true? If so would it be better sticking to R-16 cropped if I can get super 16 conversion?

 

That is true which is why I said S16mm would be best (plus it's a bit more resolution than Ultra). However if you can't afford Super 16mm then doing an Ultra 16mm mod would simply allow you do Ultra 16mm transfers if you wanted to. It would not change or ruin your ability to keep doing R-16 cropped since an Ultra 16mm mod doesn't change the lens centering at all. Just widens out the gate .7mm left and right of where it is currently. So at xfer houses that can't do Ultra 16mm you'd just do R-16 crop. But you could also do Ultra as well from the same neg if they had the ability to transfer it.

 

-Paul

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Wiki,

 

Talk to Axel Broda about converting your SR-1 to Super 16. Last I talked with him, he had one or two conversion kits left. IMHO his was the best Super 16 Arriflex SR conversion on the market. And he is in the LA area. Tell him Tim Carroll sent you.

 

Axel Broda (661)821-6725

 

Best,

-Tim

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I have to say that with the dollar value on 16mm and Super-16 cameras dropping so quickly, I question spending the money to convert a 16 camera to Super-16. It may just be cheaper to buy a Super-16 camera outright.

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