Question about a Film Camera...
 

Hey guys, now I know this site is focused on DV, but Im sure some people in here know a few things about film cameras...and I find this a good resource and don't know where else to ask.


I am thinking about learning how to shoot on film. I've been looking around for some cheap cameras and I ran across this auction on Ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1392706388

Right now this is going for 950 dollars. Now I have to ask myself, whats the catch? I emailed this guy and asked him if there was one and he said no...everything is there - lens, mount, viewfinder, moters, etc... The camera is an Arriflex 16S 16mm Camera.

Can someone here check out this page and see if there is anything fishy about this auction? I know absolutley nothing about film cameras and I wouldn't want to get this thing and realize I need to spend 20,000 to make it work....supposedly he said its ready to roll, all I need is film and talent (also a tripod etc...)


Thanks for any help guys.

There's no catch. It's about what you should pay for an ArriS. I would not pay any more than the $950. It's a very old MOS camera. I recently sold my mint condition 16BL. I think cameras that has no S-16 capability is a waste of expensive film stock. Still have my Russian Krasnogorsk though. Perhaps I rebuild it to S-16 some day if I ever make another film on film. But I doubt it.

I would say there is a catch. . .it's Ebay! Be wary, be very wary.

I'd price out the batteries. it may cost hundreds to have the cells replaced. ebay is a sellers market, buyers beware.

Jeff

Brad:

What the others said about eBay, but the package seems pretty comprehensive. The main thing to make sure about is, are you ready to absorb the costs of shooting film? I don't know what you intend to do with your footage, but assuming you intend to work with the footage digitally (i.e. cut on an NLE and deliver a final project on tape or DVD rather than cut on a flatbed and make a print for projection), it can certainly get expensive. An hour of raw stock plus processing and decent telecine will cost you anywhere from $1000-$2000 in my very rough estimation--a far cry from $5 for a single DV tape, eh?

The Arri S is a solid workhouse camera, but certainly from another era...the viewfinder image is small and dark, and although I have seen blimps for the camera, they are unwieldy at best, so plan to only shoot silent movies with it. However, I think the issue with the battery is not a big deal. You can probably have the camera converted to 12v fairly inexpensively, then you can use any number of available batteries such as an NP-1 (under $100 a pack) or an Anton-Bauer brick which will run it for many mags. This will be a much more portable solution than the lunchbox battery shown in the picture.

Thanks for all the advise guys.

Yea Im very wary about Ebay, but this guy has 275 postives out of 275..

Basically, I just wanted to get a film camera so I could mess around with it, try to learn it. I don't plan on shooting anything with it yet, but I think it would be a good idea for me to at least know that basics if I plan on ever breaking into hollywood. :)

What attracted me to this camera was the cost. For the most part, film cameras have been WAY over 10,000...so I was just wondering why this one was so cheap...but now I know thanks to you guys. I don't think that I will be bidding on this item, I need to do a lot more research.

Thanks for the help!

Ebay generaly has a slew of Arri 16mm cameras in the $2000-$3000 range, loaded with accessories. If that camera stays under $1000 it's probably a good deal. Don't feel like you have to have that one. There will be many more. It will probably go up in price as the auction nears the end.

Brad,

I think you have to shoot with the camera to learn it ;)

Seriously. Buy an 8mm camera. It's cheaper and basically no different from a pro filmcamera. I mean, all pro cameras differ from each other in how you load them anyway. Exposure is the same. Optics you learn later when you can afford working in PL-mounts.