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MDKfilms

MDKfilms

Well-known member
This is off the dvx topic, but I know there are some knowledgable guys here, like the barrys or jarred. Question, i'm looking at getting an older 16mm cam, don't ask why, and would like to know if anyone has info on the old ARRI M? ie; lens availability and sync sound capabilities.






"Anyone, anyone? It was the Holly Smoot tariff act."
 
Re: Info

I'm not that familiar with the 16M; it's my understanding that it's a modified 16S.

The 16S is completely unsuitable to sync sound; it's not crystal and it's one of the loudest cameras ever made. You can probably still get a sync motor for the 16S, but that won't do much for the noise level. You can get a blimp, but by that time you're talking about a very, very, very heavy, clumsy, difficult-to-use system. I'd say ditch it and get a CP or Eclair at that point.

The 16BL was Arri's first 16mm self-blimped camera, and I believe it was built off the 16M chassis, but with a self-blimping system which included a lens blimp, which made it very inconvenient to try to change lenses.

On the whole, if you're looking for a camera for sync sound, I think the 16M is the wrong place to start (and in the interest of full disclosure, it must be pointed out that the 16S is what Rodriguez used to shoot all of "El Mariachi"...)
 
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Thanks barry. I didn't know he shot El Mariachi with a 16s, if so he must have looped all the dialogue after, is that right?
 
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..correct, if you watch the DVD (cant remember if its special edition or not)he explains  recording all the dialog and SFX in post agian. .. he had a tape recorder  + mic to do the sound on set or for pickups and such.  
 
Re: Info

The Arri M is a later model than the S. It accepts magazines only...no 100' daylight loads.
Look for a used CP16 (bullet proof if you don't mind the high profile with 400' mags) or an Eclair NPR or late model ACLII (my old camera). The Eclair ACL is only 11 lbs with lens, film, 400' mag and attached battery, and has the option of many lens mount adaptors (Eclair, Arri, Nikon,etc.). Also has 24,25,50&75fps speeds. They weren't supposed to be as rugged as Arri SR's, but mine went 20 years and 'round the world many times without a problem. You can probably find a decent one for $3,500-$4,500 nowadays...depending on accesories and condition.
Ken
 
Re: Info

As IAL said, yes Rodriguez looped the sound -- he'd film a take, then he'd immediately run the scene again, without the camera, with him running around with his little Radio Shack cassette recorder having the actors act out the scene again exactly as they had just performed it.

Nowadays if you had a crystal-sync camera you could do the same thing only much more efficiently using software called VocAlign.  I tested it with my Konvas 35mm camera and it works great.  You record the scene with the camera running, blaring away in all its loudness, and then you record the scene without the camera.  In post, VocAlign will use the crystal-sync but noisy camera version to conform the "clean" (but non-sync'd) audio version, automatically lining everything up.  It eliminates the horrible process of syncing up phrase-by-phrase in post...

A note to kplo's exxcellent answer, which I agree with 100%: there are two versions of the Eclair ACL, often called ACL 1 and ACL II. (and you'll occasionally find an ACL 1.5, for that matter).  kplo's describing the ACL II.  The ACL 1 came with a light-duty motor that ran at *only* 24fps, and couldn't drive magazines larger than 200'.  Avoid the ACL 1, but the ACL II's a great little camera.
 
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