Arri PL

Last updated

Arri PL is a lens mount developed by Arri for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm movie cameras. The PL stands for "positive lock". It is the successor mount to the Arri bayonet; unlike the bayonet mount, however, it is incompatible with older Arri-mount lenses, due to the larger diameter. (This can be rectified with an adapter relatively easily, as the flange focal distance is identical.)

Contents

Overview

The mount contains four pronged flanges that each contain a notch towards the center. Any of these four notches can be used to align the mount to a locating pin located approximately 45 degrees clockwise from the top of the camera's lens mount. This means that the lens can be oriented in any of four different configurations, which may be decided by factors such as focus puller position, camera position, and preference to working with meters or feet (if a lens has different line indicators on each side). The mount is locked into place using a friction locking ring that, in conjunction with the four prongs of the flange, creates a very strong lens seating. This has become a crucial factor in recent years, as bigger lenses with zoom capabilities, longer focal lengths, or larger lens elements have increased the need for mount stability due to the greater stress placed upon the mount by these devices.

Furthermore, the tendency is for flange focal distance to become a more critical factor as sharper lenses, film stock with higher resolving power, and post-production workflows that preserve more of the original camera negative's information continue to make technological progress and advancement. Flange focal distance is also more likely to be rigorously checked as tastes for wider angle lenses continue to push the envelope, as wider lenses have a much narrower tolerance for lens displacement.

Technical specifications

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canon EF lens mount</span> Standard lens mount on the Canon EOS family

The EF lens mount is the standard lens mount on the Canon EOS family of SLR film and digital cameras. EF stands for "Electro-Focus": automatic focusing on EF lenses is handled by a dedicated electric motor built into the lens. Mechanically, it is a bayonet-style mount, and all communication between camera and lens takes place through electrical contacts; there are no mechanical levers or plungers. The mount was first introduced in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canon EF-S lens mount</span> Digital camera lens mount model

The Canon EF-S lens mount is a derivative of the EF lens mount created for some Canon digital single-lens reflex cameras with APS-C sized image sensors. It was released in 2003. Cameras with the EF-S mount are backward compatible with the EF lenses and, as such, have a flange focal distance of 44.0 mm. Such cameras, however, have more clearance, allowing lens elements to be closer to the sensor than in the EF mount. Only Canon cameras released after 2003 with APS-C sized sensors support the EF-S mount.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lens mount</span> Interface between a camera body and lens

A lens mount is an interface – mechanical and often also electrical – between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is a feature of camera systems where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the rangefinder camera, single lens reflex type, single lens mirrorless type or any movie camera of 16 mm or higher gauge. Lens mounts are also used to connect optical components in instrumentation that may not involve a camera, such as the modular components used in optical laboratory prototyping which join via C-mount or T-mount elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arri</span> Supplier of motion picture film equipment

Arri Group is a German manufacturer of motion picture film equipment. Based in Munich, the company was founded in 1917. It produces professional motion picture cameras, lenses, lighting and post-production equipment. It is cited by Hermann Simon as an example of a "hidden champion". The Arri Alexa camera system was used to shoot several films that won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, including Hugo (2011), Life of Pi (2012), Gravity (2013), Birdman (2014), The Revenant (2015) and 1917 (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M42 lens mount</span> Screw thread mounting standard for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras

The M42 lens mount is a screw thread mounting standard for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily single-lens reflex models. It is more accurately known as the M42 × 1 mm standard, which means that it is a metric screw thread of 42 mm diameter and 1 mm thread pitch.

Arri bayonet is a lens mount developed by Arri for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm movie camera lenses. Lenses of this type are distinguished by "outer wings" which both control aperture and bayonet alignment, and are placed in the mount while two pressure tabs are simultaneously depressed at the side of the lens mount on the camera. These tabs provide a relatively strong locking mechanism which allows for higher quality lens seating than offered by the Arri standard mount. Debuting in 1965 with the 16BL, the Arri bayonet mount superseded the Arri standard mount, but cameras with the bayonet mount were also able to accommodate Arri standard lenses due to both mounts having the same flange focal distance and diameter. However, cameras with Arri standard mounts were unable to fit lenses with Arri bayonet mounts, due to the locking mechanism. The bayonet mount began to be superseded around 1980 by the Arri PL mount, which has since become an overwhelmingly predominant mount for most modern cameras, along with Panavision and their PV mount.

A PV mount is a lens mount developed by Panavision for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm film and digital movie cameras of various sensor sizes. It is one of the mounts offered with Panavision cameras and Panavision-designed lenses. Panavision also modifies ("Panavises") its third party camera and lens equipment in the interest of allowing clients to retain their personal preferences regarding equipment. As they are the only company who can offer this, customers wanting to use Panavision lenses on non-Panavision cameras or vice versa must rent this equipment directly through Panavision.

BNCR is a lens mount developed by Mitchell for use with its reflex 35 mm movie cameras. It was an update of the BNC mount done to accommodate the reflex viewer in the later cameras. BNC mount lenses cannot be used in reflex Mitchell cameras as their shorter back-focus will hit and damage the reflex viewer, which, in various versions, was a pellicle mirror or a rotating mirror. The initials stand for Blimped Newsreel Camera Reflex, which meant that it is a 35 mm camera originally intended for news reporting but included a blimp housing for sound stage shooting plus a reflex viewer to allow the camera operator to view the action through the lens while filming. The reflex option was only added in 1967, while the blimp option - thereby converting an NC into a BNC, - was available at the camera's introduction in 1934, but only a few BNC examples were made before the onset of WW-II, during which manufacture of "production" cameras was suspended.

The Arriflex 435 is a movie camera product line created by Arri in 1995 to replace the Arriflex 35-III line. The number reflects its position as a successor camera to the Arri III and the fact that it is designed for 35 mm film. The 435 cameras are specifically designed as MOS cameras, which means that they are conventionally considered to be too loud to record usable location sound. However, this also frees the camera up to be optimized for non-sync sound uses, particularly any filming which either doesn't require sound or shooting at non-sync speed, shooting in reverse, or ramping between different speeds. As such, its potential applications are widespread, and thus it is regularly used on music videos, commercials, second unit work on features, special effects work, and motion control, among other usage. Rival Panavision even owns more 435s for rental than Arri's own hire houses; Panavisions, however, can be converted to Pan-Arri 435s where they are modified to accept Panavision lenses and accessories. In recognition of the achievements of the 435 system, AMPAS awarded Arri a Scientific and Engineering Academy Award in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Codex Digital</span> Manufacturer of digital production workflow tools

Codex Digital is a company that creates digital production workflow tools for motion pictures, commercials, independent films, and TV productions.

A digital movie camera for digital cinematography is a motion picture camera that captures footage digitally rather than physical film, known as film stock. Different digital movie cameras output a variety of different acquisition formats. Cameras designed for domestic use have also been used for low-budget independent productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micro Four Thirds system</span> Digital camera design standard

The Micro Four Thirds system is a standard released by Olympus Imaging Corporation and Panasonic in 2008, for the design and development of mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras, camcorders and lenses. Camera bodies are available from Blackmagic, DJI, JVC, Kodak, Olympus, OM System, Panasonic, Sharp, Logitech Mevo and Xiaomi. MFT lenses are produced by Cosina Voigtländer, Kowa, Kodak, Mitakon, Olympus, Panasonic, Samyang, Sharp, Sigma, SLR Magic, Tamron, Tokina, TTArtisan, Veydra, Xiaomi, Laowa, Yongnuo, Zonlai, Lensbaby, Venus Optics and 7artisans amongst others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arri Alexa</span> Digital motion picture camera system by Arri

The Arri Alexa is a digital motion picture camera system developed by Arri. The Arri Alexa was introduced in April 2010 and was Arri's first major transition into digital cinematography, after previous efforts including the Arriflex D-20 and D-21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony E-mount</span> Lens mount designed by Sony for their camcorders and mirrorless cameras

The E-mount is a lens mount designed by Sony for their NEX and ILCE series of camcorders and mirrorless cameras. The E-mount supplements Sony's α mount, allowing the company to develop more compact imaging devices while maintaining compatibility with 35mm sensors. E-mount achieves this by:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arriflex D-21</span> American digital motion picture camera

The Arriflex D-21 is a film-style digital motion picture camera introduced by Arri in 2008 to replace their earlier generation Arriflex D-20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canon Cinema EOS</span>

The Canon Cinema EOS autofocus digital photographic and cinematographic SLR and mirrorless interchangeable lens camera system was introduced in late 2011 with the Canon EOS C300 and followed by the Canon EOS C500 and Canon EOS 1D C in early 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lens adapter</span>

In photography and videography, a lens adapter is a device that enables the use of camera and lens combinations from otherwise incompatible systems. The most simple lens adapter designs, passive lens adapters provide a secure physical connection between the camera and the lens. Some passive adapters may include a mechanism for manual iris control. So called, active lens adapters will include electronic connections, enabling communication between the lens and the camera.

The Blackmagic URSA is a digital movie camera developed and manufactured by Blackmagic Design, released on August 8, 2014. It is the first camera to be user-upgradeable for additional equipment manufactured by Blackmagic and other third-party makers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leica L-Mount</span> Lens mount

The Leica L-Mount is a bayonet mount developed by Leica Camera AG for interchangeable-lens autofocus digital cameras.

References

    Preceded by Arri lens mounts Succeeded by
    -