16mm Filmmaking | INSIDE / RESTORING a 50 Year Old Arriflex 16BL Camera

I restored this 50 year old movie camera to (nearly) silent running condition. Take a deep dive into this Arri 16BL sound camera - a 16mm filmmaking classic. Used to film thousands of great movies like The Beatles "Let it Be / Get Back", these cameras have withstood the test of time - still delivering pristine film images today!

[@ScreengageLLC]

Great camera! We used on on a feature film I directed in the 90's. Not one problem with it. It was even modified to have a video tap.

[@tr.richards5096]

This is exactly what I was looking for! I would love to see more tear downs of 16 and 35mm cameras. It can be pretty intimidating to get into these old cameras, but videos like this REALLY help. Information about this stuff can be scarce so this video is a gold mine of information.

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks very much! These cameras have generated a lot of new interest, and there isn't much out there. I've accumulated a lot of tidbits through the years and wanted to share them. I'm not a repair tech, but I've done a lot of my own work, and have spoken to many old-time service people as well as Arri techs.

[@richardsisk1770]

I used this camera for a couple of weeks in about 1974. Excellent camera but a bit heavy!

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks for watching - these were really well-built!

[@Multi_ToBi]

Great video! Great job explaining! I own a 16ST from the Swedish TV Company and when I found out that there was one very knowledgeable professional at Studio Hamburg, I took it there. Although looking slightly beaten, he said that the insides were perfect. I LOVE these cameras! More please...

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks very much!

[@MatthewRethage]

This is great!! I own a non working BL and I always wanted to retrofit it to digital. This is perfect.

[@fbnx4219]

That was a great watch!

[@The1983333]

these are great valuable Archive Videos....after 50 years maybe we need these guides to re run these amazing cameras...

[@fivefandownunder1462]

Thanks for sharing your know-how and this fabulous restoration. My favourite childhood TV show was shot on this exact model camera in the late 1970s, ( running at 25 fps ) and I have learnt so much from your informative video. Many thanks again. I am very tempted to buy and experiment with a 16BL after watching this!!

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks for watching!

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

I am simply in awe at the incredible crafmanship and engineering that went into the creation of these cameras. And i still wanna own one of these 16mm Arri cameras myself one day. Preferably the 16BL but i would be fine even with a regular 16 with big magazine and blimping it myself. I just cannot justify the costs yet....

[@yolklab]

Wonderful restoration John. The 16 BL was my fist film camera that I bought from the Swiss national TV company almost 30 years ago. Your beautifully shot video brought back some fond memories ♥

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks for watching! I used to shoot 16 with an Eclair ACL, and 35 with an Arri 2C. I'm no master technician, but I still learned a lot about many cameras.

[@chaidle]

Is yours working now?

[@Jack_Warner]

Very informative. I owned a 16 BL and a 16 ST. I had plenty of money 20 years ago to be able to afford 16mm film and processing.

[@Antonio_Bourge]

wow this is really well done clean and to the point I shot on the SR2 but nothing like these BLs I love the Blimp such a wacky invention, Im going to prep a short film now and get a BL for me and my dp.. wish me luck!

[@HDCAMAN]

Well done

[@Gumaamug]

I'm really grateful for the visual resource you provide with this video. I wonder if you can advise during the reassembly process: what is the correct way to get the two bottom bumpers seated before tightening the side screws? I have a bevy of spacer washers that fell out during disassembly and I'm not sure how to determine how many go on each bumper. I also noticed there is some lateral play in the recessed space where the bumpers tighten up on the bottom - is the idea to get them as centered as possible in that space?

[@truefilm6991]

Great presentation! I still saw these cameras in action for news gathering at the tv station back in the early 1980s, short before 3/4 inch U-Matic hi band video took over. I read in online forums that the Arriflex 16BL can be converted to Ultra 16, which has a native 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks for watching! Yes, this camera can be converted to Ultra 16. I have not seen a lot of feedback on this, so I don't know if there's any issues. I just got a 16M that needs some work, so I'll probably do a video on that camera. BTW, when TV stations used the 16BL they usually installed a single-system magnetic sound recorder system inside the camera - there's a couple of threaded holes that secured it. I forgot to mention this in the video. It's pretty useless now as I don't think you can get magnetic-striped film anywhere.

[@truefilm6991]

@@FreshGroundPictures Thanks for sharing this information. I remember very well the days of film in my native Germany at the Frankfurt TV Station. They didn't use any in-camera sound recording. This apparently was much more in use in the US, both optical and magnetic sound. They used separate tape recorders, receiving the pilot signal from the camera (as you stated) and later the cameras got crystal sync motors. The sound was then transferred onto 16mm magnetic film to be edited together with the film on a Steenbeck flatbed editor.

[@stephanemandelkern]

@@FreshGroundPictures Thank you very much for this video. I am very interested in a video on the 16M as far as I recently purchased one which needs service and there are so few people in the world than can do the job, one has to learn how to do it by oneself.

[@johnodonnell955]

I bought a an Arri 16BL over 20 years ago for a documentary which fell through in the end.Then digital appeared and the BL was pushed aside until 2 months ago when I took it out to shoot a sequence using 10 + year old stock. The results were fantastic, rock steady and pin sharp. My only issue was the weight of this beast to hand hold. Since then I have been looking at the possibility of converting to Ultra 16 as I love the wide image and if it's not going to break the bank then I think it might be an option. I've only come upon one place so far that seems to do the Ultra conversions, which is BolexSuper16. Any further thoughts on this would be greatly welcome.

[@johnodonnell955]

@@FreshGroundPictures I bought a an Arri 16BL over 20 years ago for a documentary which fell through in the end.Then digital appeared and the BL was pushed aside until 2 months ago when I took it out to shoot a sequence using 10 + year old stock. The results were fantastic, rock steady and pin sharp. My only issue was the weight of this beast to hand hold. Since then I have been looking at the possibility of converting to Ultra 16 as I love the wide image and if it's not going to break the bank then I think it might be an option. I've only come upon one place so far that seems to do the Ultra conversions, which is BolexSuper16. Any further thoughts on this would be greatly welcome.

[@TrailerHomeVideo]

I was send here for the funky turn-knobs 😁

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks for watching!

[@staswlad]

enjoy interesting!!

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks for the visit!

[@JONBEEOTCH]

Been waiting a decade for a video that shows a 16BL teardown 😀 I've had mine for 25 years or so, but haven't use it in a 10 or so years. Mine has a crystal sync motor with a separate variable speed setting. Sometimes when overcranking, the registration pin will jam on the film. I've been wanting to clean and lubricate everything to see if that would fix it... but also wondering if there is some kind of adjustment for it? Are you just cleaning the gears in place and then re lubricating?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

I'm just cleaning and lubricating without taking apart the actual mechanism. It's amazing how much dirt and film chips can accumulate over the years. I don't know for sure why the mechanism would jam, but a likely cause is that the tension on the magazine reels is not correct, so the film feeding out or taking up at high speeds causes a slip. If you can find one, Arri made a little tension gauge device for checking that. Adjusting the magazine tension is pretty easy though - there's a double-holed disc on each spindle that is rotated, however you'd need the tension gauge to know where to set it. If you have some old test film, you can try high-speed filming on different mags to see if that causes the problem.

[@stephanemandelkern]

Thank you for the sharing. I own a 16M and rust is a problem especially for the screws. Somme screws are M2.2 type very difficult to find on the market. Do you have advice on rust problem ? I tried a lot of solutions. You mention treatment with vinegar. Is it efficient and do you have other solutions ? Thank you.

[@FreshGroundPictures]

There are some commercial rust-removers for sale, but they sometimes work too well - they remove any anodizing color as well as the rust. If you remove the rusty screws and drop them into a cup of vinegar, it may take a day or so to completely get rid of the rust. Because it's slow, you can remove them whenever you feel they're finished. They might also need a little polishing with a thin wire brush like those sold for Dremels. If it's an exterior screw, I'll wipe a little WD40 on it before reinstalling. You can also try CRC 2-26 lubricant - it's for electronic contacts, but it also works on screws and plug connectors. It doesn't leave an oily film after it dries. As for the 16M, I bought one a few weeks ago and plan on making a video about it. There's a bit of rust and corrosion, so I want to disassemble it and clean and lubricate everything. The movement is essentially the same as an Arri 16S, but the casing and mounting is very different. I have the 16S service manual, but I don't think Arri ever printed one for the 16M, so I'll be taking it slow. Thanks for you interest!

[@MrXut123]

Awesome video! I do have a question about power supply and the motor. I have a BL that im trying to get working, I can get the Crystal Sync light to turn on and i hear an electrical buzz but nothing moves in the camera. Would this be a burnt motor?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

It could be a lot of things. Sometimes the motor brushes develop a "dead" spot and don't turn - you could try turning on the power and manually inching to see if it starts. That at least will diagnose that problem, but the motor would still need to be fixed. There were several different motors made for the 16BL - some crystal, some not. It would be helpful to understand the electronics and motor installed in your camera. Unfortunately it could be anything from a simple wire connection to stuck motor brushes or another electronic problem.

[@MrXut123]

Thank you. I'll try to test some stuff out. I also don't know how to get the bottom stoppers (the ones connected to the rubber bumpers) out. I undid all the screws but I'm not sure how they pop out.

[@OrlandoWind]

Fantastic video, thanks so much for documenting your process! I’ve just got my hands on one of these, hoping to use it on a short film. The camera had been gathering dust in an attic for years! So far it’s not working so was wondering if you’d have any ideas. When I press go, the red light flashes once, and I hear a click that sounds like a relay switching back off. Nothing else happens. I’ve tried inching it along a bit, and removing the motor (it’s the older, non-crystal-sync version) and nothing looks obviously wrong. Any leads would be hugely appreciated!

[@FreshGroundPictures]

I assume you inched the camera manually and the shutter and movement rotates normally - there's nothing binding it. There is one thing you can try - unscrew the electronics panel on the back and carefully pull it out - its just a couple push-in connectors. You can try cleaning and reseating. Also, make sure the 12 volt battery you're using has enough amperage - at least 3amps. The final thing, and the worst-case scenario is a dead motor. Arri made a lot of motors with carbon brushes that were spring loaded. Over time, the brush or brushes get stuck not touching the motor shaft. I've never taken apart a 16BL motor, but I've done a couple others - it's tricky and sometimes the brush breaks and you're totally screwed because they don't make them anymore. Not sure what else to tell you, unless you can find a cheap replacement motor on ebay.

[@OrlandoWind]

@@FreshGroundPictures Thanks so much for getting back to me! All good ideas and I tried them out today - sadly no luck. I didn’t take the motor apart, but could see and nudge the brushes from outside and they seemed to be contacting fine. Nothing looked suspicious anywhere so I’m pretty stuck! Do you know if there’s a service manual available somewhere?

[@deansherry4155]

How does this camera record sound onto the film?

[@RossDuClair]

Excellent review. Is it any wonder I still have mine today. Could you help me? I have an angenieux 12-120 F2.0 that just needs a rebuild and TLC. I simply cannot find anyone, or any resource, that will rebuild my lens. I want to use it on an Ari 16M. The lens is as popular now as it always was then, but I cannot find a person or shop who will touch it. Would you have any recommendations or suggestions? Your help is valuable. Thank you.

[@FreshGroundPictures]

The only place I can think of that might service it is Duall in the New York area. They have a good web site: DuallCamera.com

[@jonathanwesterley]

hello! I am a film student in Uruguay, and we are about to shoot with the ARRIFLEX 16 BL. We are having problems with the camera, before it gave us 25fps, but currently it is giving us 50fps, the change happened after there was a shoot and a film in poor condition was used, which strained the motor. Do you know how we can solve this problem? thank you so much!

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Yeah this thing doesn't need to be Super16 capable. There are plenty of Super16 cameras available. I don't get why every 16mm camera has to be converted anyway. I would also not want to convert a Super8 camera to Pro8 either. When you shoot 16mm and get it properly scanned at at least 4K, there's plenty of headroom to either crop it or just leave it as it is. Especially when shooting on Vision3 50D nobody would really tell a difference if it's cropped or not if the DoP frames properly. Or just use an anamorphic lens, if there is one that also fits the lens blimps. I wonder how much light loss you had with the big glass screen of the lens blimp?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

It's important to use the Arri glass filter in the blimp - it's about 1/4" thick and it has some anti-reflection coating on it. It's perfectly clear and has no noticeable effect on exposure. They also made an 85 filter as well - harder to find though.

[@supercine35]

@@FreshGroundPictures Really hard to find such filters? Because I have so many of them, and other "rare" accessories too.

[@guitarman30001]

5:26 What’s the tool you’re using to reinstall the rubber bumpers? I’m having a hard time removing mine. I don’t want to force it, any advice?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

It's a pin spanner wrench. It comes with multiple size pins that you can switch out. Many times, these bumpers are hard to turn at first (especially if they have not been removed for decades) - try dripping some alcohol on and around them. Alcohol will help loosen them up if corroded, but will evaporate and not leave a film. Do it a couple times, and try moving them when still wet.

[@guitarman30001]

@@FreshGroundPictures Thank you so much! And thank you for your videos, I just completed a refinish on my BL (the original finish was flaking heavily) and your video here was a great resource.

[@FreshGroundPictures]

Thanks - I'm glad it worked out!

[@petrukeh]

Does anybody have the schematics of the 9 pin amphenol power plug? i'm trying to run mine using a 12 volt battery. Need to change the connector to xlr on the crystal control (Georg Jensen electronics)?

[@DethronerX]

Is anyone selling the battery and bellows matte box? Im purchasing this camera but it comes without those two setups and its depressing me

[@tr.richards5096]

Hi John, you wouldn't happen to know how to update the 9 pin power connector to a 4 pin would you?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

I have not done it, but it's certainly possible. The standard original 12 volt cable had the unique 9 pin on one end, and a 4 pin XLR power plug on the other. Offhand, I don't know which pins on the 9 pin connector carry the positive and negative twelve volts, but I do have it somewhere. Besides the actual power voltage, I think the other pins were related to sync, pilotone and bloop which are no longer relevant. I currently own a 16BL with the BLEQ motor which has a 4 pin XLR built in, so I don't have an immediate reference. As a side note, I was going to change the connector on my old camera when I couldn't find a proper cable, but I ended up finding one - in fact I just saw a 9 pin to 4 pin XLR cable on eBay the other day.

[@tr.richards5096]

@@FreshGroundPictures Ok that is good to know! I did unscrew the connector and saw a whole slew of wires so I just put it back. But that makes sense that it would power all the other features the camera doesn't necessarily need anymore. Thanks for the help!

[@FreshGroundPictures]

@@tr.richards5096 Just FYI, before I got the proper power cable, I just found the positive and negative pins in the connector, applied 12 volts power, and the camera ran fine. Essentially, that's all the 4 Pin XLR connector does.

[@UKtopTeslafaninvesting]

What was the black paint you used?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

It's VHT Crinkle Finish Black. I used a heat gun for the final dry after 3 coats per the instructions. The key is a heavy coat built up without dripping. A heat gun used for a couple minutes after the 3rd coat really brings out the finish - air-drying doesn't seem to work as well. Thanks!

[@CINEmprises]

@@FreshGroundPictures Do you remember if this is the GSP201 variant, or the more widely available SP201 version that can be found at AutoZone?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

@@CINEmprises It was the standard SP201 version.

[@reverbdave]

😊 I have an old 16 BL camera that’s body needs to be repainted. Do you know of anyone who has any experience with this and could advise me on how to do this?

[@tbip2001]

Amazing. Do any modern film conema cameras use electronic shutters? I wonder if using cnc and 3d printing tech, is a new motion film camera could be made at reasonable cost?

[@RushOrbit]

I have one that powers on but the motor doesn't run, unfortunately. Idk what to do with it.

[@FreshGroundPictures]

It could be something simple like a connection problem, or it could be the brushes in the motor. If the camera sits for a while, sometimes the brush or brushes get dirty and stuck and don't actually touch the motor shaft. You could try powering on and quickly give the inching knob a twirl. If the motor kicks in, it's a dead spot caused by the brush. If it doesn't start at all, it could still be stuck brush or other problems. Unfortunately, the only way to fix a brush problem is to tear down the motor or replace it. Duall in New York might be able to help.

[@RushOrbit]

@@FreshGroundPictures Oh nice, I'll check them out. I'm from NY so that helps. Thanks!

[@r.c.reidfilms]

Just curious if you know anything about the cp16? I recently got one over the summer and a film student. Was curious if you knew any information on if it could be converted to super16. I also am cut about a tripod. I have no idea what kind of tripod to get or if I can just use a new one that can support the weight. New to all of this 16mm so anything helps.

[@FreshGroundPictures]

I'm not too familiar with the Cinema Products cameras - one of the few I've not owned. They have a good reputation as they were used extensively for TV and documentary footage in the 1970s, and many had internal magnetic-stripe sound recorders. I honestly have never seen a CP16 converted to Super 16. The later CP camera - the GSMO, I have seen converted to Super 16. I would think that any medium duty tripod would work - maybe an older Vision 10 head from Vinten. You can usually find the weight capacity of the tripod head somewhere on-line.

[@r.c.reidfilms]

@@FreshGroundPictures thank you.

[@cinemartini]

How could a mag get rusted inside?

[@FreshGroundPictures]

There are lots of small parts made from steel. My guess is that it's years in a damp basement, humid garage or an open boat for some reason.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

You'd be surprised... i once saw an Arri 16 with big magazine on a flea market, completely rusted and corroded and the one trying to sell it wanted over 400 bucks for it. I was like "you kidding me?". That thing looked like it was stored in a crate that was found in a ship wreck.....or stored in someone's very very wet basement.

[@supercine35]

@@KRAFTWERK2K6 I once bought such a 16 ST camera in the net and was shocked about the horrible condition. Nothing worked, everything was moist, stiff and immovable. I looked for the water tap to drain the water. The whole equipment real rubbish. I was so annoyed and wanted to trash it straight away. But then I started a restoration. And after 2 weeks of "hard" work the camera funcionated flawlessly.

[@cameramanhicham]

there is no microfone on these old camera cinematoghraphy