Arriflex 35BL

The Arriflex 35BL is a 35mm motion picture camera released by ARRI in 1972.

The original Arriflex 35BL

Function

The Arriflex 35BL was the first silent 35mm camera (BL stands for blimped). It uses a fixed butterfly reflex shutter, which gave the cinematographer an exact representation of the recorded frame. It recorded up to 100fps, which was revolutionary to document sport events. It uses a dual registration pin system. Further it has an odometer styled analogue footage counter. The camera uses both 400ft and 1200ft magazines.

History

The development of the 35BL began in 1966, since there was no handholdable, silent, reflex 35mm camera at that time. The release of this camera, together with the in 1975 released Panaflex Lightweight changed the filmmaking process profoundly and made big camera setups like the Mitchel BNCR obsolete.[1] The Arriflex 35BL was released just in time to document the 1972 Summer Olympics, in Arri's hometown Munich. This led to a huge boost in popularity of this camera. It was also one of Arri's longest running product lines, being produced from 1972 till 1990, when the Arriflex 535 took over.

Models

Arriflex 35BL I
  • released in 1972
  • up to 100 fps
  • Arri bayonet lens mount
  • external blimps for certain lenses, like the Zeiss Super Speed Primes

Arriflex 35BL II
  • released in 1975, alongside the Arriflex 16SR
  • only up to 50 fps, new motor with higher torque, overall more silent

Arriflex 35BL III
Camera Assistant with a Arriflex 35BL III on the set of Chinese Service
  • released in 1980
  • uses the new acoustic isolated PL Mount, which made lens blimps obsolete
  • new 180° half moon shutter replaced the bowtie shutter, Shutter can be manually adjusted
  • similar eyepiece to the one used in the Arri 35 III is installed

Arriflex 35BL 4
  • introduced in 1986
  • new viewfinder system, brighter image in the eyepiece, Arriglow is introduced, which illuminates the frame lines, to make framing of dark scenes easier.
  • only up to 40 fps, but sound level reduction to 22 dBA.

Arriflex 35BL 4S
  • released in 1988
  • new film movement block, even quieter operating noise
  • discontinued in 1990 with the release of the Arriflex 535


References
  1. http://cinematechnic.com/resources/arri_35bl


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