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WANTED: Low cost -Working- 35 mm motion picture camera

JanneJansson

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Hi,
A bit funny to post this here, but I hope someone can help me out.

I need a working 35 mm camera for a upcoming project. With a 400-foot mag. I need to shoot time lapse with a speed of 1 frame/sek.

I can not use normal home 35 mm (ff or vista vision) camera, I need a normal academy format.

I need to buy the camera, because it will be heavily modified.
I also need a 50mm lens, or close to that for this camera.

Any old Arriflex, Mitchell, .. will be wonderful.
Really like to get a Mitchell S35R Mark II (2 perf)

My budget is about $2000. (so far)
Weight is not a issue. It can be large as a house, just need 100% working.

Any one? :)
 
Hi Janne,

Get an original Mitchel GC, Standard or BNC camera, they are totally light tight for time lapse with any delay between exposures.
The MK II or any Arri is NOT light totally light for more than about 5-10 seconds delay between exposures. & will need a capping shutter, same goes for a the Fries 35R3 conversion with a spinning mirror.

If you really only need 1 second delay then you don't need to worry, even an old Konvas would be fine. PM me as I have one that will end up on Ebay soon!

Best,

Stephen

Hi,
A bit funny to post this here, but I hope someone can help me out.

I need a working 35 mm camera for a upcoming project. With a 400-foot mag. I need to shoot time lapse with a speed of 1 frame/sek.

I can not use normal home 35 mm (ff or vista vision) camera, I need a normal academy format.

I need to buy the camera, because it will be heavily modified.
I also need a 50mm lens, or close to that for this camera.

Any old Arriflex, Mitchell, .. will be wonderful.
Really like to get a Mitchell S35R Mark II (2 perf)

My budget is about $2000. (so far)
Weight is not a issue. It can be large as a house, just need 100% working.

Any one? :)
 
If you're shooting timelapse, why not use a DSLR? Then again, RED can handle 1fps.. I suppose you have your reasons for wanting the old camera -- probably the heavy modification issue. But a DSLR may be a good way to go since you can pick one up along with a 50mm prime and intervalometer (if needed) within your $2K budget. Although, 1fps is a tall order for most DSLRs...
 
Although, 1fps is a tall order for most DSLRs...

Hi Jeff,

My Nikon D300 will happily manage 1fps. The software in camera limits to 999 frames which is a pain.

Stephen
 
If you're shooting timelapse, why not use a DSLR? Then again, RED can handle 1fps.. I suppose you have your reasons for wanting the old camera -- probably the heavy modification issue. But a DSLR may be a good way to go since you can pick one up along with a 50mm prime and intervalometer (if needed) within your $2K budget. Although, 1fps is a tall order for most DSLRs...


It's a -really- special job. I'll write some about it when I can :) Our deal is to produce a 35 mm film neg of this event. There is no way I can use anything else then a mechanical film camera (with electric motor).

Feels funny. I have grown up all digital, and now when I have digital tools that produce amazing quality, I get a job that I can not do on anything BUT a old 35 mm camera. :)
 
Do you need a speed of 1 fps, or do you need one frame to be exposed every second, but the length of exposure to be, say 1/48th of a second?

If you need the latter, then you probably want to find an Arri 2c or Mitchell with a Norris intervalometer, and perhaps the capping shutter for the 2c. I see these on eBay from time to time and they are pretty cheap these days, but I don't know about 2 grand.

But if you want the camera to run really slow, at 1 fps and the exposure will be 1/2 second, then you can get a 2c or Konvas and put a simple slow turning motor or motor and step down arrangement for well under 2 grand, no doubt. Both have shafts on them that would be pretty easy to hook up to a slow turning motor/gear arrangment. Then you'd put some NDs on to deal with the exposure . . .
 
Thanks all. I have already got a few good offers. Not decided yet exactly what I'll do yet. Yes I just need 1/2 sek exposure.
 
FILM CAMERAS

FILM CAMERAS

You need to look on "In Sync" a LA based camera sales book thats published monthly. also on web. You will find what you need. Also consider the Fries F35 Camera which will have a academy gate or silent gate already in it from original. With easy GG extraction I reccomend a Fries. Should come with a video viewfinder, Unless the camera has been highly modified like the English S35 Mitchells I would not choose this camera as they let light into the Aperture thro the Registartion pin areas. and more. Not for the unknowing. A Fries will do the job and be just what you need. Animation motors are off the shelf for these cameras.
Just finished shooting is another animation movie in the UK Similar to Corpse Bride. These were shot on Nikon digi2 Stills cameras with the output straight into a computer as well as the image being recoded by the camera on dongles. Its how Hollywood now do it for a lot of big productions. You get a huge frame that is bigger than 35mm 5gb and can be easily manipulated.
GOOD SHOOTING. Sorry I do not have anything in stock at the moment. But let me know and I can find something before long. Tony Covell
London Based.:smile5:
 
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