Just purchased a modified Medical 2C! Questions!

Jonathan Yi · April 12, 2005

Hey everyone!

I'm a longtime reader but new poster. I just received my own Arri 2C in the mail today, and I thought it'd be a good time to post with questions.

Here is the camera I got!

SPECS:

-Arriflex 2c... This camera started life as a Medical 2C. It was rebuilt about 3 years ago and I have not had a chance to use it. It has:

-Crystal base

-PL Mount

-High speed gate

-Built in Video tap (12V) (uses an included barrel plug that needs to be re wired)

-Adjustable eyepeice (does not orient)

-Standard groundglass and Anamorphic groundglass

-Two additional motors 1/ variable and 1/ for a medical 2c but I don't know how it is wired.

-Two 200ft magazines

-8mm Peleng Lens

I purchased this to use as a C-camera for specialty use, but I had a few questions for you 2c veterans out there...

It is very clean and looks to be in good condition, but I wanted to ask your opinions on doing a camera overhaul before attempting to shoot with it the first time. It currently has a 2.35 anamorphic ground glass installed, and I have an additional TV/Academy Ground Glass that I'd like to get marked for 1.85 (or just replace it all with a 1.85 Ground Glass). Has anyone done this before? Which camera service place would you suggest for my Ground Glass servicing? It's a former Medical 2C, so it's different from the standard turret style, but I also question the lines in the viewing system. Unlike the other 2Cs I've seen, this only has one black light baffle line to the right of the viewfinder and also a curved line to the left (caused by some sort of glass the Ground Glass sits inside).

Also, he viewfinder's image flips when moving, much like a CP16. Is there a place I can modify that? In addition, the viewfinder's eyecup is pretty terrible. It's small, prone to light leaks and doesn't hug your eye like normal 2C eyecups. I'm wondering if there's someone who's replaced the eyecup before, and who they went to for that service. Ideally, I'd like to upgrade to a cup that's atandard Arricam sized and that can also lock the diopter position (since this bad eyepiece was a modified addition to this camera).

And finally, where would you recommend I find the following...

-replacement camera covers (on open mag area and on pl mount lens port)

-additional 400' mags for this former Medical 2C (but regular mags probably work. It looks normal now).

-baseplate and rods for accesories

-used mattebox

-fallback all purpose (not so terrible) PL Mount lens (primes or zoom). Types recommended?

And any conclusive ideas on making this camera handholdable with this crystal base?

Sorry about this long post. I hope some of you can pick some stuff out of it and give some advice. I'm excited to be a part of the group!

Rolfe Klement · April 12, 2005

where are you based?

I would get some short ends from Dr Rawstock etc and just shoot some tests. It looks like you have a handheld motor in there - you can take off the crystal base and use handheld with the pistol motor. But if you must have crytsal for handheld it is possible to hold the camera from the left gripping the weird thumb handle unit and palm thing - I use the right hand to pull my own focus. - you can rest by holding the base

Get an Arri maintenace kit (I have a blue one) it has the grease, lube and most of the allen keys, screwdrivers etc. Get some compressed air to clean but don't use too much force.

Check the gates, check the mags for chips, open the cover inside the camera for chips etc. Check the motion.

Shoot some tests into bright hard sources and check for issues. Changing the groundglass is very easy but someone needs to demo it to you. Check the shutter for any deformations - see post in this forum about it

The lines in the eyepiece are caused by the baffles. Just get used to them. I have heard of guys taking them all out -but...

Lenses (anything by Cooke or Arri (Zeiss) and you are fine but it is expensive. Call Visual Products or go and see any of the big compaines in LA (Alan Gordon, Otto Nemenz, Birns and Sawyer - they will have bits lying around you can buy)

Sometimes having a standard T2.1 Arri prime and a 3x3 clip on matt box (to the lens) works fine and it much lighter than getting baseplates, risers and matt boxes etc

Speak to one of the companies abut changing the eyepiece - I have a Video Assit which plugs into the eye piece -so changing it must be easy but gettin parts are going to be your concern.

You seem to missing power and cables - cinepower kit - check the power ratings for the base motor in case it is different from the other motors

thanks

Rolfe

Michael Baltazar · April 19, 2005

Get an Arri maintenace kit (I have a blue one) it has the grease, lube and most of the allen keys, screwdrivers etc. Get some compressed air to clean but don't use too much force.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where can you get one of these maintenance kits, and is there one specific for the 2c?. I'm located in New Zealand.... and its hard to find anything Arri out here.

Rolfe Klement · April 19, 2005

It is nothing fancy just has about 10 screw drivers and Allen keys with some arri grease and oil. Comes in a little pouch with Arri branding all over it.

thanks

Rolfe

John Pytlak RIP · April 19, 2005

I believe those cameras are most often used for cardiac (heart) studies and other cinefluorography. Likewise, Arri's Loc-Pro Projector (popular for 35mm motion-picture location projection) grew out of a projector they designed for use by physicians projecting these films in a hospital environment.

Here are some of the Kodak medical films used:

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/health/prod...floro/cfe.jhtml

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/health/prod...loro/cfhb.jhtml

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/health/prod...floro/cft.jhtml

Note these films are all thin 4-mil polyester (ESTAR) base.

Jonathan Yi · April 20, 2005

It is nothing fancy just has about 10 screw drivers and Allen keys with some arri grease and oil. Comes in a little pouch with Arri branding all over it.

thanks

Rolfe

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the information! I would like to buy a maintenance kit as well. I'm NYC based. Can I get one at CSC?

April 26, 2005

And any conclusive ideas on making this camera handholdable with this crystal base?

One thing to note...I think that model of the base motor was 'recalled' due to a flicker problem.

So you might want shoot a test with it before shooting anything important.

- Dom

NCS Products

Jonathan Yi · May 6, 2005

One thing to note...I think that model of the base motor was 'recalled' due to a flicker problem.
So you might want shoot a test with it before shooting anything important.

- Dom

NCS Products

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where can I find information about the recall? I searched online and it said that 24fps and above should be fine. I think only 12fps creates flicker, but I haven't heard anything else. Thanks for the info!

September 7, 2005

Hi Jonathan,

I was just wondering how your camera is working and if you know where I might be able to find one? Either the original medical xray camera (and I'll have it converted) or a converted one?

Thanks

Mike Emmer

Hey everyone!
I'm a longtime reader but new poster. I just received my own Arri 2C in the mail today, and I thought it'd be a good time to post with questions.

Here is the camera I got!

SPECS:

-Arriflex 2c... This camera started life as a Medical 2C. It was rebuilt about 3 years ago and I have not had a chance to use it. It has:

-Crystal base

-PL Mount

-High speed gate

-Built in Video tap (12V) (uses an included barrel plug that needs to be re wired)

-Adjustable eyepeice (does not orient)

-Standard groundglass and Anamorphic groundglass

-Two additional motors 1/ variable and 1/ for a medical 2c but I don't know how it is wired.

-Two 200ft magazines

-8mm Peleng Lens

I purchased this to use as a C-camera for specialty use, but I had a few questions for you 2c veterans out there...

It is very clean and looks to be in good condition, but I wanted to ask your opinions on doing a camera overhaul before attempting to shoot with it the first time. It currently has a 2.35 anamorphic ground glass installed, and I have an additional TV/Academy Ground Glass that I'd like to get marked for 1.85 (or just replace it all with a 1.85 Ground Glass). Has anyone done this before? Which camera service place would you suggest for my Ground Glass servicing? It's a former Medical 2C, so it's different from the standard turret style, but I also question the lines in the viewing system. Unlike the other 2Cs I've seen, this only has one black light baffle line to the right of the viewfinder and also a curved line to the left (caused by some sort of glass the Ground Glass sits inside).

Also, he viewfinder's image flips when moving, much like a CP16. Is there a place I can modify that? In addition, the viewfinder's eyecup is pretty terrible. It's small, prone to light leaks and doesn't hug your eye like normal 2C eyecups. I'm wondering if there's someone who's replaced the eyecup before, and who they went to for that service. Ideally, I'd like to upgrade to a cup that's atandard Arricam sized and that can also lock the diopter position (since this bad eyepiece was a modified addition to this camera).

And finally, where would you recommend I find the following...

-replacement camera covers (on open mag area and on pl mount lens port)

-additional 400' mags for this former Medical 2C (but regular mags probably work. It looks normal now).

-baseplate and rods for accesories

-used mattebox

-fallback all purpose (not so terrible) PL Mount lens (primes or zoom). Types recommended?

And any conclusive ideas on making this camera handholdable with this crystal base?

Sorry about this long post. I hope some of you can pick some stuff out of it and give some advice. I'm excited to be a part of the group!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Clive Tobin · October 25, 2005

Where can I find information about the recall?

It wasn't precisely a recall. We did offer a well publicized upgrade some years ago, where people could trade in their flickering TXM-18 and TXM-21 motors for the near-perfect TXM-21A and perfect TXM-21Aa models, just paying the difference in price. To be fair, the flicker was not actually caused by the motor but by the highly erratic friction level of the Arri camera and takeup clutch, which require a larger inertia and heavier duty motor than usual, (which would not fit in the flat base that buyers insisted upon,) to deal with it.

The units that were traded in were re-sold as flickering motors on Ebay and elsewhere, and some were sent to users in India I think. The overseas buyers loved them as I recall, flicker and all. Maybe they used them for candlelight or firelight shots?

The current flickerless motor is still available as the TXM-21Ab. There are not many left, when these are gone the line will likely be discontinued. The catalog page is at http://www.tobincinemasystems.com/page42.html .