Tim Carroll

I had a IIC for years and had a problem with focusing it. It was a PL mount IIC and it still had the light baffles in place. The ground glass on a IIC is part of the camera body and not the door, so whether you use a Fellini door, a Jurgen's door, or the stock door, the focusing issue I had remains the same. I talked with a number of camera operators who used the IIC camera extensively in the 1960's and 1970's and they all said it was a "quirk" of the IIC camera optics design. The way the ground glass is designed, when you are focusing the camera from any viewfinder (Fellini, Jurgen's, Stock, etc.) you had to have your eye exactly in the center of the viewfinder to get accurate focus. It used to drive me nuts as I was used to working with Arriflex 16SR, SRII, 16S and Aaton cameras, all of which don't have this issue. Even tried all the different ARRI eyepieces, Stock, Wide, Super Wide, nothing helped enough to make me enjoy shooting with the camera. So I eventually sold it. The way the Arriflex III ground glass/fibre optics screen is set up is completely different than the way it is done on the IIC. I had no problems focusing an Arriflex III. Best, -Tim

The first thing I would do is have the Flange Focal Distance checked on the camera and have the Ground Glass checked. Those both have to match EXACTLY for the images on your film to be in focus. If both of those are spot on, then experiment with different doors/viewfinders/eyepieces. I struggled with focusing my IIC and it is one of the reasons I finally sold it. The old timers were good a focusing those cameras and it has something to do with having your eye exactly in the center of the viewfinder/eyepiece. Good luck. Best, -Tim

Are you referring to Cinematographer Robert E. Collins, who shot "On Any Sunday"? And do you have any documentation that shows this was his personal camera? Thanks. Best, -Tim

I think any 16mm motion picture camera is going to need service at about the same intervals. Anywhere from two to four years, depending on how it is used. Having serviced both ARRI and Aaton cameras, I think it's pretty much a wash as to which is "easier" to service. Both need specific training and specialty tools to maintain so neither are really user-servicable cameras. You will probably find more folks who can service the ARRI SR line of cameras, but few do it the way the factory actually prescribes. You can probably still get ARRI in New York to service an SR3, and Axel Broda may still be servicing SR and SRII cameras. Those are the two sources I know who do the service as per ARRI factory spec. Best, -Tim

Yes, you can convert an Arriflex 16S to 16S/B by putting an S/B turret on an S. But it really needs to be fitted by a technician who has the tools to set the FFD and the ground glass on the camera after the swap, otherwise the images you capture on the film may be out of focus.

I'm in agreement with Jean-Louis, the shorter the focal length of the lens, the more critical the FFD. I would have someone with the proper equipment (collimator) set the lens up for PL mount, then you should be good to go.

Never actually saw one of those gates in person when I used to service the SR line of cameras. In theory I can understand the concept, but I would be more concerned that with the gate pictured above you would not get a clean frame line on the top and bottom of each image, possibly causing bleed between the images on your strip of film.

The sapphire rollers in the SR3 Advanced gate can give you a steadier image (not as much weave, which sometimes plagues the SR line of cameras) but they can be a bit noisier than the SR3 gate.

That's interesting because they tell me it will work on the SR3 and their website says it will work on the SR3. You just need to make sure your SR3 has their Single Frame Kit installed, as I mentioned above. Best, -Tim

Hi Aaron, In my freezer I've got three 100' rolls of Kodak Vision 3 500T/7219, been frozen since purchased new from Kodak in 2009, and four 100' rolls of Kodak Vision 3 250D/7207, also frozen since purchased new from Kodak in 2009. Let me know if you want it and if so, make me an offer. Best, -Tim

François, It might work but it wouldn't be a good idea. It will put quite a bit of extra load on the torque motor (and remember, those things are anywhere from 30 to 60 years old) and you may bind the film in the magazine. I would recommend not doing that and waiting until you can acquire a 2" core. Wherever you are having your film developed, they will have spare cores, call them and ask them, they will probably give you some for free (that's what they used to do "back in the day"). Best, -Tim

You just missed a great deal on the evil auction site. Visual Products just sold an Arriflex SR3 Advanced with mags, batteries, charger, fully serviced, and warranted, for $3600. Those were going for $15,000 to $20,000 just a few years ago. Best, -Tim

Zac, Closed the web site a year or so ago. If I find a way to repost anything, I will post something on here about it. Best, -Tim

Thanks guys, really appreciate the info.

Thanks Adrian, Is "resolve" a separate program or part of FCP 7 (not used it before)? And do I assume correctly that the RAW 12bit image is going to be higher res and better for projection than the ProRes image? Best, -Tim

Hi Folks, Been gone for a long time, paying the bills doing photojournalism. Been itching to get back to cinematography for a while, but haven't made the leap. Just discovered the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera today and was pretty blown away, as I was always a huge fan of the Super 16mm format and still have quite a bit of 16mm glass. My question has to do with the camera, the codecs, and Final Cut Pro. I really loved using FCP from version 1.2.5 all the way up to 7.0.3. Didn't get along well with the new FCP as my old system was set up like a typical film editing suite, and the new FCP just screamed Video, Video, Video. Can I use the Pocket Cinema Camera, my 16mm glass, and edit everything in FCP 7, like in the old film days? It seems like folks are using FCP 7 with this camera. Or do you need to be using the latest FCP (whatever it's called). Thanks for any and all input. Best, -Tim

Hi Rich, I've actually never seen a TXM-22A motor. I had to make that shaft as it was missing when I acquired the blimp from Rochester. I had the blimp set up for the two ARRI motors, and it worked fine, and the TXM-22, which also worked fine. Did not realize the TXM-22A has a shaft that doesn't stick out as far as the others. Best, -Tim

"The blimp's shutter advance knob seems just a few mm too short to reach the Tobin's knob, so you may want into fashioning an extension on the rubber knob that reaches toward the motor on the inside of the blimp." Hi Rich, The shutter advance knob is supposed to sit a few millimeters away from the motor when in use. To advance the shutter on the camera, you push in on the "telephone dial" knob on the back of the blimp, which brings the shutter advance knob up into contact with the advance shaft on the Tobin motor, or on the Arri motor. Best, -Tim

I have a brand new CE intervalometer and the ARRI cable I would consider selling. Bought it for a project that fell through. Your SR2 or SR3 has to either have a Cinematography Electronics speed control or a Cinematography Electronics Single Frame modification to use the CE Intervalometer. Best, -Tim

Just like sticking an 80 fps tachometer in a standard Arri 2C, you can also stick a high speed gate in a standard 2C. The pressure plate door on the gate you have pictured does look like a high speed pressure plate door. Best, -Tim

Adrian is spot on, Super 16 is going to be far more useful to you and anyone you someday sell the camera to compared to Ultra 16. Best, -Tim

Having owned quite a few Arriflex cameras over the years, I must say the Arriflex 16M was my least favorite of the bunch. The Arri16S can be set up the most precise of the Arri 16 cameras, with the FFD and ground glass absolutely spot on. The 16SR, SRII and SR3 are next best, followed by the 16BL and then the 16M. Never serviced that new one who's name escapes me at the present. Save up the the 16SR or SRII. A Super 16 version if you can find one. Best, -Tim

Hi Austin, Those are getting really hard to come by. I would recommend using black gaffers tape to cover the port hole when you're not using the 400ft magazine. Best, -Tim

As far as a motor for the Arriflex 16 SB, probably the easiest solution is to try to find a Tobin Crystal Sync motor for it. They are getting harder to find, but that is the easiest solution. The ARRI governor controlled 24 FPS motor can be extremely accurate if adjusted properly. I have used one for sync sound shooting. But you need someone who knows how to adjust the motor, and techs who can do that are few and very far between. The biggest issue with shooting sound sync with the Arriflex 16 SB is the noise the camera will be making. The Arriflex 16 SB can be very loud. Best, -Tim

Did this get sold?