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Arri 35mm: Where are they?


Matthew Kerins

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I live in the UK, and this is my first post. I'm a cinematography student from leeds and I've just finished Dop'ing my graduate film. So, thanks for taking your time to read this.

 

Why is it that there are no 35mm Arri's available to purchase in England? (on the internet).

 

I would love to get my hands on a 2-perf Arri. I've seen some on eBay but shipping costs are huge, i've been advised to call up some production companies to see if they have any laying around since they just don't exist on the internet. Also since everything's digital nowadays i'd have thought this might've been a good time to get one cheap.

 

Any tips on where to look would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks :)

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Production companies usually didn't buy 35mm film cameras, they usually rented them or the DP may have owned their own, although in the UK that would be unusual, since Super 16 was a more likely choice. You could check with the rental companies, since sometimes they dispose of older equipment. The 35mm film cameras do get used for commercials and higher budget productions, so they still have some economic value and have long working lives. Your best bet may be an old Arri 35 BL, somewhere in Europe and collecting it yourself. Unfortunately, these cameras are quite heavy, so the shipping costs aren't cheap.

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I guess the UK was more using Super16 back in the day than 35mm for TV work etc, and now of course it's mostly video.

 

A few years back there were 2perf conversions being done in the UK but the guy doing them died, so now it's hard to find them.

Also 2perf is really popular at rental houses at the moment, so much so that they can't keep up with the demand even here in the UK so it's unlikely they would be selling them off.

 

I don't rate your chances of easily finding such a camera, especially in 2perf, here in the UK.

 

Freya

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Hi Matthew,

 

As others said, try BBlist, also, are you fixed on ARRI? Because you can try and shop around for Aaton. Generally speaking, DOP's rarely owned 35mm Cameras, even when people where shooting 80-90% film, so there aren't too many cameras to begin with...maybe you should be better off renting when needed. Aimimage are selling a penelope...http://www.aimimage.com/aaton-penelope/ :-)

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Hey, thanks. Well 35mm in general, I'd love to own, for way too many reasons that I could list. Aatons Penelope is my ultimate camera but £18,000 is a little out of my price range. I'd have thought you'd get a cheaper one by now. There's an arri 535b for about 4 grand I've seen. That's more in my price range, but they don't ship to England. Cheers for the reply guys :)

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Hey, thanks. Well 35mm in general, I'd love to own, for way too many reasons that I could list. Aatons Penelope is my ultimate camera but £18,000 is a little out of my price range. I'd have thought you'd get a cheaper one by now. There's an arri 535b for about 4 grand I've seen. That's more in my price range, but they don't ship to England. Cheers for the reply guys :)

 

The Penelope is quite recent! I think it came out 2009/2010 and traditionally film cameras hold their value for longer than digital cameras as the technology behind them doesn't change as fast. It tends to be more the film stocks that change.

 

I'm sure you can easily find 4perf cameras for a much, much cheaper price because that was long the standard. You might even have more luck finding 3perf Arri cameras, as they have been used in American TV for a while but 2perf is very recent in comparison. Long ago there was the 2perf based Techniscope format but that was more likely to be Eclair CM3 cameras (as used on THX1138) or possibly much earlier Arri cameras (IIc?) neither of which were good for sound without a large blimp.

 

I was actually thinking that Penelope might sell quickly what with the current demand for 2perf but then people might be scared to put down such a chunk of change in the current climate for film.

 

Freya

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i would have a moviecam compact for around 2500£.

well not MINE (im definitiveky NOT selling my baby) but the rental company who sold me my camera has another one for roughly 2100£. so with shipping in metalboxes, with 3 magazines, two batteries, groundglases etc... i would say thats a fair price (2500). but its 4perf!!

 

i believe they have an ARRI 535 as well for 3000£ but i would have to ask if it is still avaiable.

 

PM me if interested.

Randy

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i would have a moviecam compact for around 2500£.

well not MINE (im definitiveky NOT selling my baby) but the rental company who sold me my camera has another one for roughly 2100£. so with shipping in metalboxes, with 3 magazines, two batteries, groundglases etc... i would say thats a fair price (2500). but its 4perf!!

 

i believe they have an ARRI 535 as well for 3000£ but i would have to ask if it is still avaiable.

 

PM me if interested.

Randy

 

Arri 535 can be converted to 3perf with the right kit, assuming you could track one down.

Not sure how much a 3perf movement would cost from Arri.

 

Freya

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try this company Gecko-Cam in Munich. I bought my SR3HS last year from them. very good service. they threw in a lot of freebies to me. Saw some 35mm gear too lying there. contact them. if they don't have they will hunt down one for you.

cheers

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A new 3 perf movement is about 30,000 euros.

 

:)

 

Hmmm, I suspect that could be a bit of a fly in the ointment! ;)

 

Apparently the moviecam compact can also be converted to 3perf too, tho I have to confess I've seen Arri 3perf movements for sale once or twice and moviecam compact movements about never basically.

 

Freya

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:)

 

Hmmm, I suspect that could be a bit of a fly in the ointment! ;)

 

Apparently the moviecam compact can also be converted to 3perf too, tho I have to confess I've seen Arri 3perf movements for sale once or twice and moviecam compact movements about never basically.

 

Freya

 

Freya,

i only know of the moviecam compact mkII being capable of a 3perf conversion. not the first edition i guess. but i could be wrong on this. IF this was possible i would ove to convert mine into a 3 perf.

 

Randy

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