MDP Arri III

The Arriflex 35 is built around a cast aluminum shell of asymmetrical triangular design. The front of the camera employs a three-lens rotating turret, as did all cameras of the time. Early models had three ARRI standard mounts. Later models had one ARRI Bayonet mount and two standard mounts. Many cameras were later upgraded with a PL mount "hard front" which is non-rotating.

 

The viewfinder is mounted in the film compartment door, which is detachable. Except for the ground glass and a single mirror, the entire optical viewing system is located in the film door. It consists of a straight tube viewfinder. The IIA and IIB cameras had fixed eyepices, the IIC model has a detachable eyepiece. The same eyepiece was used on the ARRI 16BL and 16 SR I/II cameras. Later model eyepieces designed for the 35BL-3 and 35BL-4 cameras can be fitted, as can replacement eyepieces from P+S Technik and Kish Optics.

 

The 35IIC has no internal electronics (except for optional items such as pilotone generators). The motor mounts to the bottom of the camera and can be used as a handgrip. ARRI supplied either constant speed (24 or 25 fps) or variable speed DC motors. The motors were very simple with no control electronics.

 

The interchangeable magazines, 200, 400 and 500ft magazines mount to the top of the camera.

 

The inside of the camera is simply a film chamber with the gate, the single pull-down claw (no registration pin is used) and chrome plated brass film guides. The film sprockets are part of the magazine, although the partially protrude into the camera when the magazine is fitted.

 

The film transport and mirror shutter mechanism was designed by Erich Kastner, ARRI’s chief engineer, and August Arnold. It incorporated a single claw acting on the perfs next to the 35mm soundtrack area. The claw was actuated by a cam that allowed the claw to dwell in the perf at the end of the stroke, just long enough to stabilize the film without the use of a registration pin. The gate has a spring loaded side rail that applies pressure to the film edge to effect horzontal (weave) and vertical (jitter) stabilization. This also design made the 35-II compact and lighweight.

 

200 foot and 400 foot displacement magazines were designed for the camera. These magazines had the sprockets located at the magazine throat. Most cameras at the time had the sprockets inside the film chamber of the camera. The sprockets in the mags kept the film loop constant. Once the mag was properly loaded, it was very easy to thread the camera’s film loop and start shooting. This allowed for much faster re-loads when shooting. The 35-II is one of the easiest to thread 35mm cameras ever made.

 

Arriflex 35 III C: 1982. Final refinement of the 35 II design. Featured PL mount (no turret). Hinged film door with new optics, three viewfinders available: Straight Door, Pivoting Door, and Hand-Held Door. Crystal sync handgrip motor of new design, 12VDC, forward-reverse 5-50fps. Very few were made.