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ARRI 16S Body


Matthew Buick

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How cheap can an ARRI 16S body possibly be, anyone know ?

Working or not working? Complete or missing parts? Light tight? Former crash camera? former acidently crashed camera?

 

Or how cheap for a recently overhauled, tested Guaranteed unit?

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Working or not working? Complete or missing parts? Light tight? Former crash camera? former acidently crashed camera?

 

Or how cheap for a recently overhauled, tested Guaranteed unit?

 

Charles,

 

All good questions. The camera for $710 was in questionable shape. A friend of mine sold his S/B in prime shape for $990, body only, with constant speed motor. I have seen packages in the $1200 range, including lenses, mags, motors, and they usually need an overhaul and the lenses can be questionable.

 

If you are interested in an Arriflex 16S, I would recommend visiting the Arri16S.com website and do some looking around. On the site you can download a number of different versions of the original manuals for the cameras (in PDF form) as well as brochures of the lenses and accessories available. You can also read tips on buying the cameras on eBay, see short clips captured with the different lenses available for the camera, and view a pictorial history of the 20,000 Arriflex 16S cameras made during the production run.

 

It is a great camera, and set up properly it will make great images. But it is still a precision instrument and must be taken care of as such.

 

-Tim

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I'm with Tim , that arri 16s looked pretty beat up atleast compared to ''my'' (lent) camera which doesnt even have the bottom (tripod mount thingy) worn out.

 

 

P.S. Since we're sort of on the subject of constant speed motors, does anybody have an idea where I can possibly get a hold of one?

 

 

/Jan

Edited by ozzball
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I'm with Tim , that arri 16s looked pretty beat up atleast compared to ''my'' (lent) camera which doesnt even have the bottom (tripod mount thingy) worn out.

P.S. Since we're sort of on the subject of constant speed motors, does anybody have an idea where I can possibly get a hold of one?

/Jan

 

They pop up on eBay from time to time. Keep looking. They come in 24 fps and 25 fps versions, and they run on 8 volts not 12. A 24 fps can be adjusted to a 25 fps, and vice versa, so you can buy either. The ones with the transistor on the side are a bit more desirable because they don't pit the contact points as bad.

 

-Tim

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Actually, forget that, I just want an ARRI S or S/B body, nothing else, not even a motor, I'll buy the right one seperately, as with the lenses and stuff, I want the nicest body I can get for $ 800 can stretch to $ 1000

if I really must.

 

Matthew Buick

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  • 2 weeks later...

Don't get a BL unless you are really willing to make one hell of an investment. I would stick with the 16S. But think about this...if you spend $700 on a questionable body and it ends up having problems, suddenly that $700 becomes $1400 due to parts, repair, and service. I had a 16S which actually ended up getting stolen and this was what started to happen to me. Because I didn't have the foresight to spend my money more wisely, I got really stuck in the whole ebay/craigslist/rental house used sales market. With these older cameras, it is especially critical to just try to get everything you need, right off the bat, because if you don't, you're gonna be hunting around for a long time.

 

By the way I work at Arri CSC as a floor tech and I do know that sometimes we sell used, older gear to people, so it might be worth giving a call. I'm not sure who you'd talk to but you could start with Charlie Tammaro and see what he says. I know we just sold a 35-III, though I'm not sure to who, and I worked with a DP a few months ago who had bought some accessories for his Aaton from us. So you never know. Good luck!

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Hi, i have an st i planned to sell later this year ( actually when my kodachrome stock runs out ). Its my backup camera, price will be high as its in great shape. (around £600.00). PM if your interested. btw i am in the uk, shipping costs to the US are high.

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Isn't the ST the one with no internal film capacity, that doesn't really bother me. I'll tell you what, PM me when you're putting the camera up for sale, and I'll let you know whether I'm still interested or have the funds, oh, and could you possibly tell me the serial number, I want one nice and high, prefferably above 15000, sorry to be picky, but this is going to be my workhorse for many years if I buy it, and I want to make sure that parts and servicing can be found.

 

Thanks, Matthew Buick

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Don't get a BL unless you are really willing to make one hell of an investment. I would stick with the 16S. But think about this...if you spend $700 on a questionable body and it ends up having problems, suddenly that $700 becomes $1400 due to parts, repair, and service. I had a 16S which actually ended up getting stolen and this was what started to happen to me. Because I didn't have the foresight to spend my money more wisely, I got really stuck in the whole ebay/craigslist/rental house used sales market. With these older cameras, it is especially critical to just try to get everything you need, right off the bat, because if you don't, you're gonna be hunting around for a long time.

 

The Arriflex 16S is a great little camera. Fantastic for hand held work, especially with a wide angle lens attached.

 

Keep in mind that they are between thirty to fifty years old. So when you are shopping for one, take your time and look around. There are great ones to be had out there, and there are also bad ones. I have a section on the web site about purchasing from eBay. You can read it below:

 

Purchasing an Arriflex 16S off of eBay.

 

The other nice thing about the cameras is that they were built like tanks, so even if you get one that is not in the greatest shape, it can be rebuilt. I have gotten cameras in that have been pretty much a mess, but after careful inspection and careful reconstruction, they are back purring like kittens, or whirling like blenders, depending on your point of view. And a reputable service technician will not charge you and arm and a leg to rebuild these little cameras. To find out more about service, you can visit the page below:

 

Arriflex 16S Camera Service.

 

And they really can make some nice images:

 

Arriflex 16S Camera Performance.

 

Here's a picture of my personal Arriflex 16S camera:

Open1.jpg

-Tim

 

PS: "Isn't the ST the one with no internal film capacity,". Matthew, the Arriflex 16M is the camera without internal film capacity. The 16S, 16St, and 16S/B all take 100 ft. internal loads.

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Not trying to be greedy, but what about the CP-16R, could one of them be bought for the same price ?

And what about those more modern, all black, Bolex H 16's ? (the EL, I think)

Edited by Matthew Buick
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  • 2 weeks later...
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It's an APEC exposure meter.

 

I wouldn't pay extra for it... but I think having the APEC door makes it easier to convert the camera to S16 down the road... or something along those lines, don't quote me though...

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but I think having the APEC door makes it easier to convert the camera to S16 down the road... or something along those lines, don't quote me though...

 

News to me, but then you are in the city of Duall, so maybe you folks have the inside track on Super 16 conversions on Arriflex 16S cameras.

 

At the point you are in your filmmaking career Matthew, the APEC exposure meter would not be a benefit. In fact, I can't think of anyone I know with an Arriflex 16SR who uses the APEC, and it came standard on those cameras. Visual Products removes them and replaces them with a video tap. Don't know if that conversion would work on a 16S with APEC, but maybe.

 

-Tim

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What exactly does it do, because I know I'm going to have a problem with exposure.

 

On my SR it is like an automatic exposure control on the old 35mm SLR cameras. It has a light sensor that would read the light coming into the lens and stop the lens down mechanically to the proper aperture. You needed special lenses that were set up to work with it. Again, I have never met anyone who ever used it. I had the mechanical linkage removed from my Zeiss 10-100 T2 as soon as I got it.

 

Get yourself a light meter and a good book on cinematography, like the one David wrote. If you are going to have a problem with exposure, you are definitely in the wrong field. Cinematography is all about understanding light, with exposure being a rather large part of understanding light.

 

-Tim

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