Large-format film is returning to the center of high-end cinema. As The Odyssey pushes IMAX film capture further than any previous feature, ARRI Rental has spotlighted another formidable analog large-format system: the ARRIFLEX 765.
The mighty ARRIFLEX 765
ARRI Rental has shared a rare operational look at the legendary 65mm camera, showing what first ACs see while lacing film through its movement. More than three decades after entering service, the featured unit appears remarkably pristine and fully prepared for contemporary production. The company has not announced a new version of the camera or confirmed that this particular body recently underwent a complete restoration. Nevertheless, its decision to showcase the ARRIFLEX 765 now feels highly relevant. Large-format film is once again being treated as an active production medium rather than merely a legacy format.
Large-format film is back in the conversation
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has brought unprecedented attention to large-format analog capture. The production was photographed entirely with IMAX film cameras, making it the first feature to commit fully to the format. The achievement demonstrates that large-format negative can still sit at the center of one of the world’s largest and most technically ambitious productions. The ARRIFLEX 765 and IMAX film cameras should not be treated as interchangeable systems. IMAX 15/65 transports the film horizontally and exposes an enormous frame across 15 perforations. The ARRIFLEX 765 runs 65mm film vertically through a five-perforation gate. The IMAX format prioritizes maximum negative area and theatrical scale. The ARRIFLEX 765 was designed to make 65mm production feel more like working with a professional 35mm camera. Not every production can accommodate the size, noise, film consumption and workflow demands of IMAX capture. The ARRIFLEX 765 offers authentic large-format film acquisition in a quieter and more conventional production package.
A sync-sound large-format camera
ARRI introduced the ARRIFLEX 765 as a sync-sound 65mm camera suitable for dialogue photography. ARRI Rental specifies a speed range of 2 to 100 fps, a bright optical viewfinder, iris-compensated speed ramps, and a mechanically adjustable 180-degree mirror shutter. The camera combines those functions with the image area and visual qualities of a five-perforation 65mm negative. This is especially relevant in the context of The Odyssey. One of the technical challenges surrounding IMAX film production has been making the loud 15-perf cameras practical for synchronized dialogue. The production addressed this through newly developed camera and sound-isolation technology. The ARRIFLEX 765 solved the same general production problem from another direction decades earlier: rather than maximizing the frame at almost any operational cost, it brought large-format film into a quieter and more familiar camera architecture.
A remarkably pristine production unit
ARRILFEX 765 panels, controls, internal movement, and markings appear exceptionally clean. Current ARRI Rental branding and the operational presentation indicate that this is not merely a historical exhibit. ARRI Rental has not described the featured unit as newly renovated, and it has not disclosed details concerning recent upgrades or restoration. It would therefore be inaccurate to call it a new or officially modernized ARRIFLEX 765. However, a camera that has remained in professional service for more than 30 years necessarily depends on specialist maintenance, calibration and replacement of worn components. Its immaculate appearance reflects the infrastructure required to preserve increasingly rare analog production systems. The ARRIFLEX 765 represents the company’s mechanical large-format heritage. The ALEXA 65 and the more compact ALEXA 265 represent its digital evolution.
Wrapping up
The ARRIFLEX 765 has never been a mass-market production camera. Its relevance does not depend on widespread adoption. What matters is that filmmakers working at the highest levels still have access to it. The Odyssey demonstrates that a major studio feature can be structured entirely around IMAX film acquisition. ARRI Rental’s pristine ARRIFLEX 765 demonstrates that five-perforation 65mm remains another viable analog option for productions seeking large-format negative with a more traditional workflow. Large-format film is back in the game, and the cameras built to capture it are not being treated as museum pieces. They are being maintained for production.
