Best 16mm Cameras

That's a CP16/A. It's okay, it's the predecessor to the CP16/R. There's no reflex viewing system on that model, so the only lenses you can use with it are special "dogleg" lenses that actually have the viewfinder built into the lens.
 
Postmaster said:
Check out German Ebay for Arri - we are not actually knee deep in them, but you get nice under 1000 Euro deals any week.

Good Luck, Frank
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Yeah, but what about the shipping costs. I recently turned part of my 30 year anniversary trip into a 'pick up portable typewriters in Germany' excursion (fortunately that was the Wife's idea... if it had been a 'Honey I want to pick upsome audio/camera gear')... I think I couldn't buy enough flowers for the rest of my natural life to make up for that...

I have seen some prices down around 40 Euros for shipping to the US... Portable typewriters run about 7-10 kilos or so, so perhaps cameras are lighter.

(The guy at the rental car place in Amsterdam was sort of amazed at the mileage on the car... 1300 Km in about 48 hours... I shrugged it off with 1) I'm american... 2) I'm Southern California american...)
 
Barry_Green said:
The K-3 can take still camera lenses. Cheap glass is available, but not wide glass. The widest you normally will see in still cameras is down to around 14mm, which isn't that much wider than the stock zoom lens.

Other cameras use c-mount, and there are plentiful c-mount lenses out there that were designed for cinema use.
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That's pretty wide for a 35mm (or even a nearly full frame 35mm digital) still camera. But obviously for 16mm film if the 'diagonal' of the frame gives the 'standard' lens length rule applies, then 14mm is just about a 'standard' length lens for 16mm.
 
I think I'll just go with a K3 from du-all camera in NY. They sell a Super 16 modded version (all done by them) for under $1k. That way if it has any problems (manufacturing problems) at least I have an American company around the corner to turn to.
 
Joe Calabrese said:
I think I'll just go with a K3 from du-all camera in NY. They sell a Super 16 modded version (all done by them) for under $1k. That way if it has any problems (manufacturing problems) at least I have an American company around the corner to turn to.
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Hm...Just be careful that you don't overpay. A good price would be 200 bucks. I wouldn't push much further than 300. IMO

And see what kind of warranty (if any) that they offer. I have some mechanics just "around the corner" who would steal the last penny from my blood soaked fist if I was slowly bleeding to death on the floor of their garage.

God I hate mechanics...
 
Joe Calabrese said:
Hey all,

I'm looking at getting a 16mm film camera. Nothing too complicated, just something I can begin learning to use film with. I would rather not get a spring wound camera. I was looking at some used Arriflex 16BL cameras and waiting for the prices to drop, but now I'm not sure.

The 400 foot reels are not necessary. I looked at the K3 as well, but heard that they were hit or miss and are spring driven camera.

My target budget was under $1,000 USD.

Thanks,
Joe
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For just a little more you should be able to get an Aaton LTR. It's a better Super 16 camera too.

Im ASTOUNDED how cheap 16mm gear is now. I guess RED has really knocked the socks out of gear. I saw a top of the range XTR prod for only US 10K. These used to sell for close to 10 times that price new.

jb
 
John Brawley said:
For just a little more you should be able to get an Aaton LTR. It's a better Super 16 camera too.

Im ASTOUNDED how cheap 16mm gear is now. I guess RED has really knocked the socks out of gear. I saw a top of the range XTR prod for only US 10K. These used to sell for close to 10 times that price new.

jb
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Where? Im seeing it for like 3000 GBP (cheapest), which turns out like $7000 with conversion rates and shipping.
 
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I was also taking a look at some videos shot with some stocks, and some looked really clean and sharp with accurate colors, and others looks dull with that kind os "80s" looks with dull, faded colors. Does anyone know if I should be trusting these comparisons as a way to judge the stock itself, or could it be a number of other things like lenses, cameras, expired film, processing, telecine, editing, color correction, compression, youtube, vimeo, etc.
Here's some examples of what I'm talking about:
This is the grainy, old looking, "80s" footage I'm talking about:
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I AGREE


But here's an example of another Kodak film stock that is clean. The colors are less saturated than I like, but could easily fix:
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I AGREE




And i decided on the K3 Super 16 mod from Du-All Camera for something like $950. BTW, are these cameras still made (because people talk about them like they're still being manufactured)?
 
Yeah, I think matty_g here bought it, lucky guy! He posted in this thread.
Arris and Aatons are my favorite 16mm bodies, Arri's by a bit more.
He got a set of cooke kinetals with it, lucky guy.

Starshine Video said:
check out the cinematography.com marketplace. Tim Carroll a well known member over there, just sold both his Arri S and his Aaton XTR. The arri without lenses but with pretty much everything else sold for $750 and his Aaton Xtr with a set of 4 Cooke Kinetal primes sold for $4000. He had been selling Just the Aaton for $2500.
http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=39084
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Heck - for these prices, let's talk 35mm. That gives you a great 16x9 center extraction or you can shoot full academy aperture. I picked up a fully-functioning Arri 2c (one of Stanley Kubrick's favorite cameras) with battery, lenses, tripod and magazines for $2,000 on eBay. INCREDIBLE. ALL film gear is dropping like a rock. And let me tell you, nothing gives me more cred while shooting on a mini dv camera then pulling out my 35mm motion picture camera and letting the cast and crew know that it is an option. Granted, the film and processing is tough, but I am viewed as a 'professional' when I have it standing nearby.
 
You'd be looking for a conversion called "techniscope" - usually done on...the Arriflex 2c!! Great suggestion Starshine Video.
 
Or a Kinor 35h. I put together a cost estimate on a camera package for a producer, he wanted a total cost for a 2 perf project from camera rental to post.

on a 3 week shoot for a 120min film in a 5:1 ratio (kinda tight I know) Camera package (kinor 35h, prime lens set, video tap and monitor, 500ft and 1000ft mags, long and short viewfinder, follow focus) Oconnor head, tripod, baby legs, hi hat, film costs, processing, and transfer costs. Not including any volume discounts and basing rental on standard week costs.

Cost for shooting on short ends $18,645
"new" Vision 3 250D cost was $33,045

Now of course that isn't the final cost for the film but anyone who has made an indie film can put together the rest of the budget.
 
Oh and for those interested the "vendors" for this cost analysis were:
Camera and equipment: Indi35.com
Processing from: Cinelab.com
Stocks from Tapesupersource.com
 
cyclone said:
Heck - for these prices, let's talk 35mm. That gives you a great 16x9 center extraction or you can shoot full academy aperture. I picked up a fully-functioning Arri 2c (one of Stanley Kubrick's favorite cameras) with battery, lenses, tripod and magazines for $2,000 on eBay. INCREDIBLE. ALL film gear is dropping like a rock. And let me tell you, nothing gives me more cred while shooting on a mini dv camera then pulling out my 35mm motion picture camera and letting the cast and crew know that it is an option. Granted, the film and processing is tough, but I am viewed as a 'professional' when I have it standing nearby.
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Yeah, but 35mm is so much more expensive to process. If the OP is wanting to do theatre release stuff with his newfound film route, then I guess 35mm is an option, but if we're talking DVD, I see no reason for the extra expense of 35mm (or maybe even S16).
 
I am suprised that Techniscope has not caught on more. BTW, with 35mm, I have been seeing Arri 35 BLs going for under $10 grand, and have some 35 BL IVs going for just a tad under $20 grand, it is crazy.
 
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