ARRI's legendary 35mm studio camera (1964), the workhorse of classic Hollywood. Compact, rugged, and reliable — the 2C shot hundreds of classics from Lawrence of Arabia to Apocalypse Now.
The ARRI 2C (1964) is a 35mm film camera that, as a further development of the legendary Arriflex series, became the standard tool of professional filmmaking. With its compact design, robust steel housing, and precise reflex viewfinder, it established itself as the most versatile 35mm camera of its era – equally usable on shoulders, tripods, dollies, and in blimps.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | 35mm (Academy 4-perf) |
| Weight (Body) | 4.8 kg |
| Dimensions | 280 × 175 × 220 mm |
| Frame Rate | 5–50 fps |
| Shutter | 180° Reflex |
| Noise Level | ~35 dBA (without blimp) |
| Mount | ARRI Standard (later ARRI Bayonet) |
| Magazine | 120m / 300m |
| Run Time | 4 Min / 11 Min @ 24 fps |
| Model | Year | Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Arriflex 35 | 1937 | First reflex film camera |
| Arriflex II | 1946 | Improved mechanics |
| Arriflex IIA | 1953 | Optimized viewfinder |
| Arriflex IIB | 1960 | Variable shutter angles |
| ARRI 2C | 1964 | Modernized design |
| Film | Year | DP | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence of Arabia | 1962 | Freddie Young, BSC | 2nd Unit |
| 2001: A Space Odyssey | 1968 | Geoffrey Unsworth, BSC | Handheld sequences |
| The Godfather | 1972 | Gordon Willis, ASC | Primary camera |
| Apocalypse Now | 1979 | Vittorio Storaro, ASC | Jungle sequences |
| Raging Bull | 1980 | Michael Chapman, ASC | Ring scenes |
| The Shining | 1980 | John Alcott, BSC | Steadicam (adapted) |
| Blade Runner | 1982 | Jordan Cronenweth, ASC | Alongside BL |
The 2C directly competed with the American Mitchell BNC:
| Feature | ARRI 2C | Mitchell BNC |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 4.8 kg | 45 kg (with blimp) |
| Viewfinder | Reflex | Parallax-corrected |
| Mobility | Very good | Tripod-bound |
| Noise | 35 dBA | 18 dBA (blimped) |
| Popular for | Moving shots | Studio dialogue |
| Price (then) | ~$8,000 | ~$25,000 |
Conclusion: The 2C was more mobile and affordable, the Mitchell quieter and more precise for studio dialogue.
Handheld:
Studio (blimped):
Dolly/Tripod:
| Mount | Lenses |
|---|---|
| ARRI Standard | Zeiss Standard Speed, Cooke Speed Panchro |
| ARRI Bayonet | Zeiss Super Speed, ARRI/Zeiss |
| Adapter | Nikon, Canon FD, Leica R |
The 2C was too loud for dialogue scenes without a blimp (~35 dBA). Solutions:
The ARRI 2C is no longer produced (discontinued approx. 1990), but:
Die 2C ist die Kamera, mit der Generationen von Kameraleuten gelernt haben. Kompakt genug für Schulterarbeit (mit Blimp für Ton), zuverlässig wie ein Uhrwerk. Ich habe sie bei -30°C in Alaska und +50°C in der Wüste benutzt – sie läuft einfach.
Die 2C bedeutet für mich klassisches Kino. Diese Kamera hat den Look definiert, den wir heute 'cinematic' nennen. Wenn ich einen Film mit Vintage-Ästhetik will, ist sie immer noch eine Option – der Bildstand und die Mechanik sind unübertroffen.
Gebrauchte ARRI 2Cs kosten heute 3.000-8.000 Euro – günstig für eine Kamera, die Filmgeschichte geschrieben hat. Für Spezialeffekte und Rückprojektionen wird sie immer noch genutzt, weil der Bildstand perfekt ist.
1. Was beschreibt „ARRI 2C" am besten?
2. Zu welchem Department gehört „ARRI 2C"?
3. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.