Let’s learn a bit about this fascinating 65mm film camera, the ARRIFLEX 765, which was the 2nd unit camera for the latest James Bond movie – “No Time To Die”. Read on. 

“No Time To Die” aims for the huge canvas

The latest James Bond movie (No Time To Die) which directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and filmed by cinematographer Linus Sandgren, was aimed to be screened on the huge canvas. As a pure IMAX masterpiece, when it was possible, the IMAX cameras were fully utilized to shoot the film. Almost all the action sequences were shot using the MSM beast with 65mm film stock runs through it. However, the IMAX MSM has big noise issues which make it impossible in dialogue shots. We wrote an in-depth article regarding IMAX filmmaking and especially the MSM cameras, so if you are eager to learn more about IMAX mighty cameras, read our article: “IMAX Filmmaking: What is it like to Shoot on an IMAX Film Camera?”

No Time To Die – Tech Spec: 

1. Arriflex 235
2. Arriflex 435
3. Arriflex 765
4. IMAX MKIV
5. IMAX MSM 9802
6. Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2
7. Panavision Panaflex System 65 Studio

ARRIFLEX 765: A quieter 65mm alternative

The ARRIFLEX 765 is a 65 mm movie camera created by ARRI in 1989 after 6 years of development. The goal was to design a 65 mm movie camera, which had low noise capabilities to fit sync-sound productions and had a similar ergonomic to 35 mm cameras, to answer the growing demand for large format cinematography. Thus, the ARRIFLEX 765 transformed into the logical alternative to IMAX when quieter camera operation was needed. As for the IMAX, the size of the photograms forces the camera to run faster than a classic camera, to be able to print twenty-four frames per second. This makes the camera very noisy and forbids the shooting of quiet scenes. Christopher Nolan and Wally Pfister A.S.C considered shooting “The Dark Knight Rises” entirely on IMAX, but after some tests, they realized that is was not possible.

However, the ARRIFLEX 765 uses four crystal sound motors, two in the body and two in the magazine, due to the wider and thus heavier film stock. This way it achieves less than 25 dBA at 24fps. As stated by ARRI: The ARRIFLEX 765 was silent, sync sound, 2–100 fps, with an adjustable, motorized mirror shutter, and a separate motor for the camera movement, synchronized electronically to reduce noise — something unheard of at the time” Furthermore, according to American Cinematographer Magazine, the ARRIFLEX 765 was more often used by the production’s 2nd unit for dialogue within IMAX sequences. Moreover, The ARRIFLEX 765 has decent slow-motion capabilities with a maximum speed of 100 fps. The camera with a loaded 500 ft magazine weights 70 lbs (32 kg).

Films that were shot with the ARRIFLEX 765:

1. Shutter Island   (2010)
2. The Hateful Eight   (2015)
3. Gravity   (2013)
4. Far and Away   (1992)
5. Unknown   (2011)

The goal was to design a 65 mm movie camera, which had low noise capabilities to fit sync-sound productions and had a similar ergonomic to 35 mm cameras

ARRI

ARRI ALEXA 65 as a successor to the ARRIFLEX 765

Continuing ARRI’s involvement with this iconic larger format where the 765 left off, the ALEXA 65 has now been taken up in earnest by the world’s leading filmmakers. One early adopter was Emmanuel Lubezki ASC, AMC, who combined it with ALEXA Mini and ALEXA XT on “The Revenant” (2015). From then on, the ALEXA 65 is the ultimate modern solution to shoot for the IMAX screen. Furthermore,  the ALEXA 65 has been utilized by IMAX technology due to business and creative partnership between ARRI and IMAX for use by filmmakers that are eager to shoot in the IMAX format.