Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 24, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 24, 2021 A few weeks ago I got in touch with an 88 year old German cinematographer who ran a one man laboratory for 16mm film. He told me he had and Arriflex BL Super 16 which is not a third party conversion but was produced by Arri in the late sixties. The format wasn't very popular at that time and Arri only made about 25 of them. The BL cameras are heavy beasts and since I've been looking for a Super 16 camera that you can carry around with you on walks, I figured that maybe Arri also made an Arriflex ST Super 16 version. And guess what, they did. Again, only about 25 were made. I contacted one of the old Arri technicians and he confirmed the location of one of those cameras. It is on its way to me and as soon as it arrives I will update this post for anyone who is interested. Below a photo of the old beauty, you can see the serial number 25. 6 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heikki Repo Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 4 hours ago, Uli Meyer said: I've been looking for a Super 16 camera that you can carry around with you on walks So Arriflex ST with a 400ft mag it is? 😅 Phew, even a later model (1.5) Eclair ACL with 400ft mag feels a bit too big for me to carry around on walks! - but then again, I have always neglected doing muscle training! 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 24, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted November 24, 2021 4 minutes ago, Heikki Repo said: So Arriflex ST with a 400ft mag it is? 😅 Phew, even a later model (1.5) Eclair ACL with 400ft mag feels a bit too big for me to carry around on walks! - but then again, I have always neglected doing muscle training! 😁 Not with the 400ft mag, no way. Just a 100ft daylight spool and a few spares in the bag. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Duncan Brown Posted November 25, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 Fascinating! Where have these been hiding all this time?! But they must have been made in the70s? https://www.fdtimes.com/2009/08/20/the-early-years-of-super-16-and-how-it-all-started/ Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 25, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Duncan Brown said: Fascinating! Where have these been hiding all this time?! But they must have been made in the70s? https://www.fdtimes.com/2009/08/20/the-early-years-of-super-16-and-how-it-all-started/ Duncan Thank you for the link, Duncan. You're probably right, I'm curious about the timeline. Arri built the first SR cameras in 1975 so I would think that those BL and ST Super 16 versions must have been made early 70s. I can't find anything online, except there was a thread on this forum about the existence of Super 16 BLs straight from Arri: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Matthew W. Phillips Posted November 25, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 Nice find, Uli! Enjoy your new "beast". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 25, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 7 minutes ago, Matthew W. Phillips said: Nice find, Uli! Enjoy your new "beast". I passed on the "beast", the BL is just too heavy to carry around. I bought the Super 16 ST instead. Anyone interested in the Super 16 BL, I can put you in touch with the man who is selling his. It is in incredible condition and looks almost new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Duncan Brown Posted November 25, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 7 hours ago, Uli Meyer said: Thank you for the link, Duncan. You're probably right, I'm curious about the timeline. Arri built the first SR cameras in 1975 so I would think that those BL and ST Super 16 versions must have been made early 70s. I can't find anything online, except there was a thread on this forum about the existence of Super 16 BLs straight from Arri: Too bad he never posted a picture! I look forward to more pictures of yours once you get it in your hands. I assume it's a single fixed lens mount, not a turret? Which mount it has might be another clue to the date it was made. Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 25, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 3 minutes ago, Duncan Brown said: Too bad he never posted a picture! I look forward to more pictures of yours once you get it in your hands. I assume it's a single fixed lens mount, not a turret? Which mount it has might be another clue to the date it was made. Duncan It's a turret with a bayonet mount and 2 Standard mounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Duncan Brown Posted November 25, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 9 minutes ago, Uli Meyer said: It's a turret with a bayonet mount and 2 Standard mounts. Oh! Then just the standard setup for that era. Everyone always (rightly, I think) says how hard that would be to recenter that setup for Super 16. Though I guess if you're Arri maybe you just re-engineer it for the new center position and crank out 25 of them? Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 25, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 25 minutes ago, Duncan Brown said: Oh! Then just the standard setup for that era. Everyone always (rightly, I think) says how hard that would be to recenter that setup for Super 16. Though I guess if you're Arri maybe you just re-engineer it for the new center position and crank out 25 of them? Duncan That's what I think they must have done. I'm also curious to see what they did with the mirror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Duncan Brown Posted November 25, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 37 minutes ago, Uli Meyer said: That's what I think they must have done. I'm also curious to see what they did with the mirror. Made it a wee bit bigger? Everyone awaits your forensic pictures! Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Tyler Purcell Posted November 25, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 25, 2021 Very interesting, thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Altman Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 Hello Uli. I would buy one of these in a heartbeat if you knew how to find another ST. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Bassin-Hill Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 (edited) On 11/25/2021 at 12:13 PM, Tyler Purcell said: Edited November 27, 2021 by Ezra Bassin-Hill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Bassin-Hill Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 (edited) Highly fascinating. i found someone to do this work now as custom but I believe he is not in good enough health to accomplish it now. Edited November 27, 2021 by Ezra Bassin-Hill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 27, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted November 27, 2021 2 hours ago, Ezra Bassin-Hill said: Highly fascinating. i found someone to do this work now as custom but I believe he is not in good enough health to accomplish it now. Hi Ezra, this is an ARRI made Super 16 ST. I'm not sure to what length they went to achieve this but I presume it must have been more than a conversion since they have their own serial numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Frank Wylie Posted November 27, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted November 27, 2021 We had a couple of ST cameras in the early 1980's at my University. Of course they were standard gauge, but were the go-to camera when you wanted great images in the field! Dragging the Mitchell 16 out of the studio was not only forbidden, but highly discouraged! 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted November 30, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted November 30, 2021 Update: The camera still hasn't arrived, it is stuck in Germany. Since the UK left the EU, sending goods can become problematic in certain cases. As agreed with the seller, I organized the pick up via a UK courier provider from a EU country to be sent to the UK. The paperwork the courier company supplied from the UK does not suffice since customs rules changed. Certain new mandatory papers are missing but nobody can tell me who is supposed to supply them, only that I can't. I'm curious to see how much worse the red tape will get once the new customs rules come into full force come January 2022. Only a year ago the camera would have been here the next day. I am hopeful that this can be resolved soon and when the "alte Mühle" (old mill) finally arrives, I will post more photos and info. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted December 8, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted December 8, 2021 It is now eight days later and the camera has finally made it to the UK. It is has been sitting in customs for the past two days and according to the tracking info is awaiting further information from the recipient (me). Problem is, nobody has yet contacted me. I went to the distribution center and they couldn't help me but offered to send an email to wherever the camera is right now. I am hopeful that I can get it by the end of the week. Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Yernazian Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 I may be interested in purchasing it from you if you want to let it go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Duncan Brown Posted December 13, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted December 13, 2021 9 hours ago, Martin Yernazian said: I may be interested in purchasing it from you if you want to let it go. I'm guessing there's already a queue forming... Duncan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted December 13, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted December 13, 2021 6 hours ago, Duncan Brown said: I'm guessing there's already a queue forming... Duncan I haven't received it yet! The cameras is still sitting in UK customs. I received a four page customs form to fill out to explain what it is. Since it is a vintage item, they don't know what fees to charge. I told them that I'm happy to pay full customs fees and VAT but please deliver the camera, but no, it is still sitting on a shelf somewhere. So much for less red tape after exiting the EU, hahaha. I am hoping that the camera will get to me this week. I have no plans of selling it on, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Yernazian Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 19 hours ago, Duncan Brown said: I'm guessing there's already a queue forming... Duncan hehehe 13 hours ago, Uli Meyer said: I haven't received it yet! The cameras is still sitting in UK customs. I received a four page customs form to fill out to explain what it is. Since it is a vintage item, they don't know what fees to charge. I told them that I'm happy to pay full customs fees and VAT but please deliver the camera, but no, it is still sitting on a shelf somewhere. So much for less red tape after exiting the EU, hahaha. I am hoping that the camera will get to me this week. I have no plans of selling it on, btw. well that sucks! nah... enjoy it. I want a S16 cam again. I regret selling my Les Boscher converted Eclair NPR. That thing was a tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Uli Meyer Posted December 16, 2021 Author Premium Member Share Posted December 16, 2021 In anticipation of the Super 16 ST arriving, I bought Zeiss Distagon 12mm bayonet mount. The lens has a 72mm front and I can't find any clamp-on LMB to fit it. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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