For Sale: Two Arriflex Cameras

Jim Keller · May 14, 2008

I'm selling my Arri IIb and my Arri 16 (ST?).

I'm a digital video guy, but I've always loved film. I bought these two cameras a few years back with the hopes that I could use one of them on a feature. Well, that never happened, and now my bravado can be your gain!

Now, I have to start with the caveat that I bought both cameras used (and they're clearly used, with a good amount of brassing evident) and have never shot with them. I was assured that both were in good working order and had been recently serviced when I bought them (I'm told the IIb had just finished shooting a German direct-to-video feature and the 16 came from an Australian film school that was going digital), but I can make no personal warranties about their production-readiness. If you're an ambitious filmmaker who (like me) is less familiar with these cameras, I suggest partnering with someone who really knows the Arri before buying. But if you're a collector, skilled repairperson, Arri guru, etc., this is a great deal!

Here are the details:

Arri 16 package:

Ariflex 16 (serial number 6934) with variable speed motor

Angenieux 12-120mm zoom (serial number 186052)

8v 4A Battery

120/240 switchable battery charger

hard metal case

400' Magazine

(I have powered this camera up and confirmed that the mechanisms all work, but have never pushed film through it.)

The Arri 16 has been a workhorse in film schools for decades. (I personally used a 16M and found it quite easy to work with.) I see no reason why this one should be any less indestructible.

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Arri IIb package:

Arriflex IIb (serial number B6769)

Carl Zeiss 50mm prime lens (serial number 3342030)

25fps motor (serial number 3628) [yes, 25, not 24. 24 and variable-speed Arri II motors crop up on eBay from time to time and generally sell for $100-200.]

hard metal case

100' magazine

200' magazine

(I do not have batteries or cables for this camera and have never powered it up.)

As you can see in the last image, this appears to be one of the rare Pilotone models, intended for sync sound production.

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I'm asking $1000 for each package, or $1800 for both of them.

I live and work in Pasadena, California, and if you live in the area, I can arrange for inspection and local pickup. (I also have a home in Fresno, and can arrange local pickup there, but on a much more limited basis [read: one weekend a month].)

Elsewhere, shipping and handling will be your own responsibility. If shipping internationally, I WILL declare the full purchase price as the value for insurance and customs, and WILL NOT send it as a "gift."

I WILL NOT ship without receiving CONFIRMED payment. I can accept PayPal as well as cash, check (which must clear before shipping/pickup), and money order.

You can contact me here, or call me at 626-786-3483.

Thanks!

Jim Keller · May 15, 2008

I'm asking $1000 for each package, or $1800 for both of them.

Oh, and I should say, price is always negotiable -- especially if you would be willing to give me a screaming deal on the photography if I ever do get my next feature financed. :P

John Sprung · May 15, 2008

Jim --

Can you post a picture of the inside of the II-B? I'm interested in which pulldown mechanism it has.

Thanks --

-- J.S.

Jim Keller · May 15, 2008

Can you post a picture of the inside of the II-B? I'm interested in which pulldown mechanism it has.

Sure. I'll shoot one when I get home this evening.

Jim Keller · May 16, 2008

Can you post a picture of the inside of the II-B? I'm interested in which pulldown mechanism it has.

Hopefully these show what you're interested in. I'm afraid I'm not up on the Arri II line enough to know what changed over the years. Looks like a 180 degree shutter to me, but I didn't take it apart to look closely and couldn't get a good photo, but that's a different question.

As you can sort of see in the last picture, someone for some reason drew vertical lines and a big X on the ground glass. I'd forgotten all about it until I took the picture. (What can I say? I was born with the producer ability to ignore anything that will cost money to fix.) Obviously, ground glass isn't that big a deal to replace if it bothers you.

Tim Carroll · May 16, 2008

As you can sort of see in the last picture, someone for some reason drew vertical lines and a big X on the ground glass. I'd forgotten all about it until I took the picture. (What can I say? I was born with the producer ability to ignore anything that will cost money to fix.) Obviously, ground glass isn't that big a deal to replace if it bothers you.

The vertical lines you see when looking at the ground glass are actually light baffles between the ground glass and the mirror shutter. Don't remove those or you can get weird flaring and light bounce onto your film.

I do not believe the ground glass in a IIB is "user swappable" though I may be wrong about that. I thought it wasn't until the IIC that the ground glass became "user swappable".

Best,

-Tim

John Sprung · May 16, 2008

Hopefully these show what you're interested in.

Yes, it shows that you have the new movement, the cardiod cam that makes the claw dwell for better registration, and enables the use of a 180 degree shutter. That you still have the vertical light baffles is pretty amazing -- most of the old cameras have had them removed. Newer models never had them in the first place. It's only an issue if you shoot with your eye off the finder and a fairly bright light gets in there.

Damn, I wish I wasn't so broke. This is a steal for only $1K.

-- J.S.

Tim Carroll · May 16, 2008

Newer models never had them in the first place. It's only an issue if you shoot with your eye off the finder and a fairly bright light gets in there.

John,

Interesting that you say that. I've got an Arriflex 35 IIC in the shop with a serial number in the 15,700 range, making it one of the last IIC's that ARRI made, and it has the baffles. I was told that the baffles had more to do with certain lenses allowing the light to spread far enough that it bounced off the ground glass and back onto the film, that is why they were baffled.

Best,

-Tim

Nate Downes · May 16, 2008

I let some folk I know, well, know. I know one person that would be very keen on both.

Jim Keller · May 16, 2008

The vertical lines you see when looking at the ground glass are actually light baffles between the ground glass and the mirror shutter. Don't remove those or you can get weird flaring and light bounce onto your film.

I do not believe the ground glass in a IIB is "user swappable" though I may be wrong about that. I thought it wasn't until the IIC that the ground glass became "user swappable".

Fascinating!

I'm pretty sure the "X" is in Sharpie, though... :)

Jim Keller · May 16, 2008

I let some folk I know, well, know. I know one person that would be very keen on both.

Thanks! I appreciate that!

John Sprung · May 16, 2008

I've got an Arriflex 35 IIC in the shop with a serial number in the 15,700 range, making it one of the last IIC's that ARRI made, and it has the baffles.

Not the II-C, but everything from the BL onward, as well as all the other mirror shutter camera manufacturers, did without the baffles. In the old days, we used to reach in there with needle nose pliers and pull them. Never had a problem from it, either. They were always a pain in the compositional tush.

-- J.S.

Jim Keller · May 21, 2008

I was cleaning out my filing cabinets last night and found that I actually have photocopies of an old manual for each of the cameras, which I plan to include as well.

Jim Keller · June 9, 2008

The IIb has found a new home (and is currently packing up its stuff for the big move). However, its little brother is still available.

Edited June 9, 2008 by Jim Keller

Matthew Buick · June 23, 2008

What's the very VERY least you can do on the 16S? I'm mucho poor and want to break into 16mm now that I have some film.

Regards. :)

Jim Keller · June 26, 2008

What's the very VERY least you can do on the 16S? I'm mucho poor and want to break into 16mm now that I have some film.

Regards. :)

Personally, I regard 16mm to be mostly a "learning" medium at this point. True, with a super-16 modification, it's possible to do feature and HD-television work with 16mm, but you're going to need to do some sort of a bump at some point to make that happen. But if you're doing your first shorts, love doing MOS work, want to shoot film for the look but will be mastering standard-def, etc., an old Arri is like a tank.