Thank you for this walk down memory lane, Mike. I had a CP-16A very similar to your (but with the mouse-ear mags) back in the 1990s. I bought it while I was still in film school and shot many of my school projects on it (and edited on a Steenbeck). It was such a wonderful beast of a machine: quiet; rugged; dependable. The only thing that I didn't really like was the lack of lens choices. I love the Angenieux lenses for what they are, but the built-in viewfinder took a bit of light away from the film, making it a slow (film sensitivity-wise) camera in general. Plus my Angeniuex breathed a lot when focusing, which I wasn't a fan of. But I really loved the camera and all that it allowed me to do. Thank you, sir! So good to see you using yours and sharing the results with us. Perhaps you could share some other films you shot with it over the years.
Thanks so much, Daniel! Oooooh, editing on flatbed machines, now THAT was filmmaking, albeit quite tedious but that's how it was done! I'm with you, I really wish there was more lens options for these non-reflex models. I do love Angenieux but like you said, they do have limitations. I might keep my eye out for a good running reflex model, which allows for many more options.
Just like the 8mm Bell & Howell 414 Zoomatic is forever linked to the horror of the JFK assassination, the CP-16 is forever linked to some of the scariest footage shot in The Blair Witch Project (1999) and of course it kicked off the horror sub-genre we know today as "found footage." Love it! That sync and film came out very nice too! :)
Nice camera and video Mike. Your camera may not be at risk because the battery that leaks is part of a footage counter system or memory that let's you know when the roll is about to end, but I don't see the selector (switch) inside the camera that allows you to tell the camera if you are using 200 or 400ft rolls of film. It doesn't hurt to check. You can remove the sound amplifier and look for a white battery that is made out of several button cells. I did take the battery out of 3 CP-16rs and none of them had damage, but then I found a super cool S16 version with PL mount and that one was damaged. I had to sacrifice a good working camera to save the S16 one, because nobody can fix them now. They just replace the damaged parts using the ones out of a good working camera.
Thank you, Ruben! I think I'll probably do exactly what you said and pop the side off of my camera and check it. Might as well change the belts too while I'm in there as they've not been changed since I've owned it (and probably long before). If there's a battery in it, do you just snip the wires, pull the battery out and black take (or rubber heat wrap) the wire ends? I'm pretty well versed in soldering, snipping and basic repairs. Thanks again!
@@Filmboy24 No problem. It's a good idea to replace the belts too. I just ordered some belts directly from Whitehouse Audio Visuals. You can contact the man on Facebook and buy them directly or on eBay. He has replacements for the 3 belts that the camera use, plus some other items that help to make the camera more quiet and to extend it's life like grease and some sort of washers. He can provide the black cover that looks like velvet that goes on top of the camera where the magazine seats. I thinks it's a good investment. The battery is solder to the board, that's the why when it leaks it destroys the connections and the board stops working properly. If your camera has the batteries on it you just have to de-soder the battery and that's it. No need to cover anything Some guys were kind to send me some pictures of the battery when I didn't know how it looked on a forum. You can take a look at the pictures there so you can recognize it easily. cinematography.com/index.php?/forums/topic/85619-making-new-crystal-sync-electronics-for-cp16r/page/2/#comments
Very nice! Yep, sync is perfect. No vertical jitter at all, but there is a bit of side to side weave. Still: very steady image. The viewfinder is part of the zoom lens, so I guess choice is very limited. I wonder if this baby can be converted to Ultra 16 without too much hassle and vignetting at wide angle. Thanks, as always, for sharing. Please keep em coming!
Thanks, Christian!! You're right about the slight gate weave side to side. I guess that's the nature of the inexpensive beast 😀. Yes, the lens options are very limited, these Angenieux zooms are the only ones I've ever really seen on the non-reflex models.
@@Filmboy24 yep, you got this great camera for a fantastic price and it was worth every Penny. Film cameras are getting more expensive again (actually a good sign).
@@Filmboy24 A well maintained CP16/CP16R should not weave. At Whitehouse A/V in Thousand Oaks, Southern California a double-exposure registration test was conducted to put to rest a common expression that the CP16 due to lacking a registration pin was not stable. Both image passes were perfectly registered. As for lenses, Cinema Products had T1.25 - T1.35 prime lenses made by Kowa, branded as CP Ultra T* in focal lengths of 9mm, 12.5mm, 16mm and 25mm. They are scarce now but were available on eBay about five years ago. There was a PL-Mount conversion and a Super16mm conversion for the CP16R by Visual Products in Wellington Ohio. I made my own conversion for Super16mm by a different method to the Visual Products version.
Your videos make me short of how interesting they are. A few days ago I was at an exhibition here in Madrid about Kubrick and the camera he used in Eyes wide shut, although it is an arriflex with very expensive lenses, reminds me of this one, especially in terms of weight. I think of poor garret brown with the steadicam and a camera with that weight shooting the shining....one doubt, through the viewfinder can you notice the work of the shutter? nothing else thank you very much for the interesting video mike!ahh the sincro is amazing¡
Thank you Kike!! I can't imagine what some of the old school Steadicam operators must have gone through. You cannot see the shutter flashing in my CP-16, as you're looking directly through the lens.
I always liked the CP. I do repairs on them these days but don’t own one because the commercial cameras are so much better. I always disliked the R versions viewfinder and having to thread the thing every load. The quick change SR and Aatons were the ones we used. It’s unfortunate they are so expensive these days. Nice video Mike, keep up the good work!
Mike, always a pleasure to watch. I have a question about the internal audio module. You said yours was magnetic, did they make an optical one also or was that a different company? I noticed the double sprockets does it shoot single perf too? Other than the under exposure it had a very vintage vibe like some of your found fims. Keep it up
Thanks, Barry!! You know, that's a great question. I've never seen an optical sound head for these CP-16 cameras but that doesn't mean that they never existed. I honestly don't know. Yes, you can run single perf film through this as well as there is only one set of sprockets one the bottom edge of the main drive roller. Thanks again!!
The CP16 A is just a Auricon copy but with rubber mounts on the movement. Sadly they did not make optical heads. The tolerances on optical are too tight, the module would need to be installed permanently.
Thanks for the informative video. I just bought one. It came with two of the old Mitchell magazines. So I don't think I can do daylight spools. I just need to re-cell the battery and I can use it. Edit: nevermind, I realized I can take the core adapters off, so I guess I can use daylight spools. I also have to ask, how much light does the view finder take away from the exposure? I assume there's a prism inside the lens that is doing that. I seem to have the same lens as you. I assume something like a third of a stop.
Thanks, Joshua! I would always use a daylight takeup spool as well, much easier to remove the film after exposing it. I've noticed very little light loss via the prism, probably no more than, like you said, about 1/3 of a stop. I shoot a lot of "expired" film anyway, so I'm always overexposing by a stop or two anyway.
@@Filmboy24 I think my favorite was a Beckman-Whitney 16mm magstripe, it caught a chunk so shrapnel and saved me a nasty head wound. Also liked the old Bell &Howell turret 16mm Flimo. Got real good at winding it on the run. Looking back now from my recliner I can say it was fun times.
Just picked up a cp16. Curious to what tripod I should get or if it really matters as long as it supports the weight of 17 lbs and obviously not made out of plastic.
For those who have CP16s which have died due to the memory battery leakage/corroded circuit board problem, an electronics wizard Aapo Letternan is designing and building two new controller systems, one a multispeed superior to the existing system and a single speed sync version. In basements all over the world there are likely to be CP16s which will be otherwise in serviceable condition except for a covering of white dust from magnesium alloy corrosion. They were built for news work and were not as delicate as some european cameras.
Hey Bernard, I don't really do sound work for others too much but it's pretty easy with most any editing software. I've done several videos showing how I sync sound to film from non-sync cameras. If you're using a camera like the CP-16, which is crystal controlled, then it's really easy.
Hi Victor, unfortunately I have no idea how to recell a Cine 60 belt. I did make my own batteries for my Arri 16S though, they weren't that difficult. I have a couple of videos on that process.
Hi! I have a Canon Scoopic ms with crystal sync unit. What sound recorder will sync up with it, so I can transfer it in my Pinnacle software? Can any digital sound recorder sync up with the crystal sync camera? Thanks! Herb .
Hi Joshua, if your Canon Scoopic has a crystal motor or modification, you can use any digital recorder for audio. I use my cheap Tascam recorder or my iPhone for playing around with syncing,
@@Filmboy24 unfortunately it’s gonna be awhile before I get any “film at 11” camera as I’m calling them. I just put some big bucks into some audio gear and my folks want me to save. I guess I’ll keep my promise and stay off eBay for awhile.
Hello i know this video is a bit dated but i was wondering if it would be possible to make a sound projection set-up using this camera? I had a theory about using a tape deck writer and a video editing software for making some experimental films and splicing everything together
Hey there, it's pretty easy to sync sound with this camera, as it uses a crystal controlled motor. You can record separate audio digitally and as long as you slate it, it should sync up perfectly in post. I'm now wondering if you're talking about cutting the physical film and audio?
@@Filmboy24 i was referring to making a diy sound setup to project the film with audio as all youd need to edit the audio is a tape writer deck to sync up with the film
@@entity9742 I gotcha. I kinda figured after I typed my first response that you were referring to something else. Definitely beyond my pay grade, LOL but definitely sounds feasible.
My all-time favorite film was 7212, Vision2 100T. Very fine-grain, sharp, good for indoors and outdoors. I could do an entire production with the one stock, I miss it! I generally overexposed it slightly to retain more shadow detail and have even less grain.
@@Filmboy24 I might have a 150' short end from a commercial I shot from a few years ago. I left it with the camera op so I'd have to check if he still has it. He's very good about freezing unused film but there's always cosmic rays. I have some unused K-3 footage from a test shoot at the sight on my channel if you want to get an idea of how it looks.
I just bought one of these. I am so excited, it probably needs repair but I’m done with bolex! I’ve been saving up for so long, it’s going to take a lot of effort but I love it
Thank you! That's kind of a tough question because there are so many variables. Namely, what's included and the overall working condition. Just throwing numbers out, in today's market, expect to pay around $2K-$3K for a good working Arri S/T (mine was $2K in 2021 with 3 lenses, VS motor and power cable included). It may sound silly but IMO the most important accessory that should be included is the power cable, They are so hard to find. Hope that helps.
@@brokenguillotine6988 My pleasure!! If you're looking at good, yet budget friendly entry level 16mm cameras, I'd look at a Krasnogorsk-3 (K3) or a Bell & Howell 70 Series camera. Both are rock solid, hand crank cameras that accept 100' loads. The K3 can be converted to S16 relatively easily, or there are some already done. Both of these cameras are usually under $500 each.
@@oldradiosnphonographs Yes, you can usually pick up the Auricon cameras for $500 - $700. I had a couple of them years ago but unfortunately never had the chance to run any film through them. Might need to think about picking up another one.
Yes, I've shot a few in it. It does take a bit more film to thread it through the camera than most but well worth it. You do have to use the magazine, as there's no internal loading capability.
Thank you for this walk down memory lane, Mike. I had a CP-16A very similar to your (but with the mouse-ear mags) back in the 1990s. I bought it while I was still in film school and shot many of my school projects on it (and edited on a Steenbeck). It was such a wonderful beast of a machine: quiet; rugged; dependable. The only thing that I didn't really like was the lack of lens choices. I love the Angenieux lenses for what they are, but the built-in viewfinder took a bit of light away from the film, making it a slow (film sensitivity-wise) camera in general. Plus my Angeniuex breathed a lot when focusing, which I wasn't a fan of. But I really loved the camera and all that it allowed me to do. Thank you, sir! So good to see you using yours and sharing the results with us. Perhaps you could share some other films you shot with it over the years.
Thanks so much, Daniel! Oooooh, editing on flatbed machines, now THAT was filmmaking, albeit quite tedious but that's how it was done! I'm with you, I really wish there was more lens options for these non-reflex models. I do love Angenieux but like you said, they do have limitations. I might keep my eye out for a good running reflex model, which allows for many more options.
Interesting camera and review. Thanks !
Thanks, Cecil!!
Wow, I’m surprised at how well sound syncs and the quality of it I was expecting a crackle through about it like I said wow. Really I am impressed
Thanks! I was pretty happy with it!!
Awesome video! Great content! That camera is so steady and smooth! Enjoy your passion for film!
Thanks so much!!
Just like the 8mm Bell & Howell 414 Zoomatic is forever linked to the horror of the JFK assassination, the CP-16 is forever linked to some of the scariest footage shot in The Blair Witch Project (1999) and of course it kicked off the horror sub-genre we know today as "found footage." Love it! That sync and film came out very nice too! :)
You're right about that, man!! There needs to be another one added to that list, I just haven't finished writing it yet, LOL.
Nice camera and video Mike. Your camera may not be at risk because the battery that leaks is part of a footage counter system or memory that let's you know when the roll is about to end, but I don't see the selector (switch) inside the camera that allows you to tell the camera if you are using 200 or 400ft rolls of film. It doesn't hurt to check. You can remove the sound amplifier and look for a white battery that is made out of several button cells. I did take the battery out of 3 CP-16rs and none of them had damage, but then I found a super cool S16 version with PL mount and that one was damaged. I had to sacrifice a good working camera to save the S16 one, because nobody can fix them now. They just replace the damaged parts using the ones out of a good working camera.
Thank you, Ruben! I think I'll probably do exactly what you said and pop the side off of my camera and check it. Might as well change the belts too while I'm in there as they've not been changed since I've owned it (and probably long before). If there's a battery in it, do you just snip the wires, pull the battery out and black take (or rubber heat wrap) the wire ends? I'm pretty well versed in soldering, snipping and basic repairs. Thanks again!
@@Filmboy24 No problem. It's a good idea to replace the belts too. I just ordered some belts directly from Whitehouse Audio Visuals. You can contact the man on Facebook and buy them directly or on eBay. He has replacements for the 3 belts that the camera use, plus some other items that help to make the camera more quiet and to extend it's life like grease and some sort of washers. He can provide the black cover that looks like velvet that goes on top of the camera where the magazine seats. I thinks it's a good investment.
The battery is solder to the board, that's the why when it leaks it destroys the connections and the board stops working properly. If your camera has the batteries on it you just have to de-soder the battery and that's it. No need to cover anything Some guys were kind to send me some pictures of the battery when I didn't know how it looked on a forum. You can take a look at the pictures there so you can recognize it easily.
cinematography.com/index.php?/forums/topic/85619-making-new-crystal-sync-electronics-for-cp16r/page/2/#comments
@@TheCinematographyLab Thanks for all the info, Ruben! I just checked out that link, a lot of great stuff in that post! Thanks again!!
Kodak should bring back magnetic striped sound film.
Wouldn't that be nice!!
Successful test, bravo! Pleasant to watch.
Thanks so much!!
Very nice! Yep, sync is perfect. No vertical jitter at all, but there is a bit of side to side weave. Still: very steady image. The viewfinder is part of the zoom lens, so I guess choice is very limited. I wonder if this baby can be converted to Ultra 16 without too much hassle and vignetting at wide angle. Thanks, as always, for sharing. Please keep em coming!
Thanks, Christian!! You're right about the slight gate weave side to side. I guess that's the nature of the inexpensive beast 😀. Yes, the lens options are very limited, these Angenieux zooms are the only ones I've ever really seen on the non-reflex models.
@@Filmboy24 yep, you got this great camera for a fantastic price and it was worth every Penny. Film cameras are getting more expensive again (actually a good sign).
@@Filmboy24 A well maintained CP16/CP16R should not weave. At Whitehouse A/V in Thousand Oaks, Southern California a double-exposure registration test was conducted to put to rest a common expression that the CP16 due to lacking a registration pin was not stable. Both image passes were perfectly registered. As for lenses, Cinema Products had T1.25 - T1.35 prime lenses made by Kowa, branded as CP Ultra T* in focal lengths of 9mm, 12.5mm, 16mm and 25mm. They are scarce now but were available on eBay about five years ago. There was a PL-Mount conversion and a Super16mm conversion for the CP16R by Visual Products in Wellington Ohio. I made my own conversion for Super16mm by a different method to the Visual Products version.
Your videos make me short of how interesting they are. A few days ago I was at an exhibition here in Madrid about Kubrick and the camera he used in Eyes wide shut, although it is an arriflex with very expensive lenses, reminds me of this one, especially in terms of weight. I think of poor garret brown with the steadicam and a camera with that weight shooting the shining....one doubt, through the viewfinder can you notice the work of the shutter? nothing else thank you very much for the interesting video mike!ahh the sincro is amazing¡
Thank you Kike!! I can't imagine what some of the old school Steadicam operators must have gone through. You cannot see the shutter flashing in my CP-16, as you're looking directly through the lens.
I always liked the CP. I do repairs on them these days but don’t own one because the commercial cameras are so much better. I always disliked the R versions viewfinder and having to thread the thing every load. The quick change SR and Aatons were the ones we used. It’s unfortunate they are so expensive these days. Nice video Mike, keep up the good work!
Thanks, Tyler!
Mike, always a pleasure to watch. I have a question about the internal audio module. You said yours was magnetic, did they make an optical one also or was that a different company? I noticed the double sprockets does it shoot single perf too? Other than the under exposure it had a very vintage vibe like some of your found fims. Keep it up
Thanks, Barry!! You know, that's a great question. I've never seen an optical sound head for these CP-16 cameras but that doesn't mean that they never existed. I honestly don't know. Yes, you can run single perf film through this as well as there is only one set of sprockets one the bottom edge of the main drive roller. Thanks again!!
The CP16 A is just a Auricon copy but with rubber mounts on the movement. Sadly they did not make optical heads. The tolerances on optical are too tight, the module would need to be installed permanently.
@@CinemaRepository thanks for the information
Thanks for the informative video. I just bought one. It came with two of the old Mitchell magazines. So I don't think I can do daylight spools.
I just need to re-cell the battery and I can use it.
Edit: nevermind, I realized I can take the core adapters off, so I guess I can use daylight spools.
I also have to ask, how much light does the view finder take away from the exposure? I assume there's a prism inside the lens that is doing that. I seem to have the same lens as you. I assume something like a third of a stop.
Thanks, Joshua! I would always use a daylight takeup spool as well, much easier to remove the film after exposing it.
I've noticed very little light loss via the prism, probably no more than, like you said, about 1/3 of a stop. I shoot a lot of "expired" film anyway, so I'm always overexposing by a stop or two anyway.
We used one in college back in the 90s.
I have the lens, but mine has a longer extension, no camera though. Came off an Auricon OSOF
They're pretty good utility lenses, Michael.
Very knowledgeable on this and other cameras Miguel and easy to listen and learn. Liked it a lot.
Thanks, Pop!!
I used quite a few of the and the ones behind you as an 84 Mopic in the Army
That's awesome, Steve! These really are great cameras!!
@@Filmboy24 I think my favorite was a Beckman-Whitney 16mm magstripe, it caught a chunk so shrapnel and saved me a nasty head wound. Also liked the old Bell &Howell turret 16mm Flimo. Got real good at winding it on the run. Looking back now from my recliner I can say it was fun times.
Just picked up a cp16. Curious to what tripod I should get or if it really matters as long as it supports the weight of 17 lbs and obviously not made out of plastic.
Yes, definitely get something with a decent weight rating. Like you said, these little plastic tripods will not suffice at all.
Excellent video, Mike. I'm gonna keep my eye out for one of these. I'd rather put the extra money towards some great lenses.
Thanks, Frank!! So many people discount the fact that lenses really do make a difference.
For those who have CP16s which have died due to the memory battery leakage/corroded circuit board problem, an electronics wizard Aapo Letternan is designing and building two new controller systems, one a multispeed superior to the existing system and a single speed sync version. In basements all over the world there are likely to be CP16s which will be otherwise in serviceable condition except for a covering of white dust from magnesium alloy corrosion. They were built for news work and were not as delicate as some european cameras.
Thanks for that info!!!
Do u do sound transfer work for your fans and customers? How do you sync sound tracks without a flatbed
Hey Bernard, I don't really do sound work for others too much but it's pretty easy with most any editing software. I've done several videos showing how I sync sound to film from non-sync cameras. If you're using a camera like the CP-16, which is crystal controlled, then it's really easy.
Can please help me recell my Cine 60 battery belt for my arri s. Please. 🙏🏽
Hi Victor, unfortunately I have no idea how to recell a Cine 60 belt. I did make my own batteries for my Arri 16S though, they weren't that difficult. I have a couple of videos on that process.
Hi! I have a Canon Scoopic ms with crystal sync unit. What sound recorder will sync up with it, so I can transfer it in my Pinnacle software? Can any digital sound recorder sync up with the crystal sync camera? Thanks! Herb .
Hi Joshua, if your Canon Scoopic has a crystal motor or modification, you can use any digital recorder for audio. I use my cheap Tascam recorder or my iPhone for playing around with syncing,
@@Filmboy24 wow! That's great! I have the same Tascam recorder you have. Thankyou so very much!
I would love to have one of these but I don’t have the $2000 they go for on ePay ☹️
Yeah, they are up and down for sure. I got lucky when I got mine, it was when everyone was stepping away from analog and they were much cheaper.
@@Filmboy24 so that would be in the 90s or early 00s?
@@oldradiosnphonographs Yes, I've had mine for at least 15 years, maybe a bit longer.
@@Filmboy24 unfortunately it’s gonna be awhile before I get any “film at 11” camera as I’m calling them. I just put some big bucks into some audio gear and my folks want me to save. I guess I’ll keep my promise and stay off eBay for awhile.
@@oldradiosnphonographs Ebay is a dangerous place 🤣
That looked fun 🤩
Thanks, P!
Hello i know this video is a bit dated but i was wondering if it would be possible to make a sound projection set-up using this camera?
I had a theory about using a tape deck writer and a video editing software for making some experimental films and splicing everything together
Hey there, it's pretty easy to sync sound with this camera, as it uses a crystal controlled motor. You can record separate audio digitally and as long as you slate it, it should sync up perfectly in post.
I'm now wondering if you're talking about cutting the physical film and audio?
@@Filmboy24 i was referring to making a diy sound setup to project the film with audio as all youd need to edit the audio is a tape writer deck to sync up with the film
@@entity9742 I gotcha. I kinda figured after I typed my first response that you were referring to something else.
Definitely beyond my pay grade, LOL but definitely sounds feasible.
@@Filmboy24 i kinda wonder if theres a way to rig a stereo player and a projector to run at the same time
@@entity9742 I'm sure there probably is, unfortunately I wouldn't have a clue how though.
My all-time favorite film was 7212, Vision2 100T. Very fine-grain, sharp, good for indoors and outdoors. I could do an entire production with the one stock, I miss it! I generally overexposed it slightly to retain more shadow detail and have even less grain.
I love slower speed film like that, wish I could track down a reasonably priced roll of it to test.
@@Filmboy24 I might have a 150' short end from a commercial I shot from a few years ago. I left it with the camera op so I'd have to check if he still has it. He's very good about freezing unused film but there's always cosmic rays. I have some unused K-3 footage from a test shoot at the sight on my channel if you want to get an idea of how it looks.
I just bought one of these. I am so excited, it probably needs repair but I’m done with bolex! I’ve been saving up for so long, it’s going to take a lot of effort but I love it
That's so exciting, Mateo! These really are awesome cameras! Best of luck with it.
How much money is an arriflex 16st worth? Great video by the way
Thank you!
That's kind of a tough question because there are so many variables. Namely, what's included and the overall working condition. Just throwing numbers out, in today's market, expect to pay around $2K-$3K for a good working Arri S/T (mine was $2K in 2021 with 3 lenses, VS motor and power cable included). It may sound silly but IMO the most important accessory that should be included is the power cable, They are so hard to find. Hope that helps.
@@Filmboy24 thank you I’m looking into 16mm film on a budget and I love how the arriflex 16st looks bit probably cannot afford it.
@@brokenguillotine6988 My pleasure!! If you're looking at good, yet budget friendly entry level 16mm cameras, I'd look at a Krasnogorsk-3 (K3) or a Bell & Howell 70 Series camera. Both are rock solid, hand crank cameras that accept 100' loads. The K3 can be converted to S16 relatively easily, or there are some already done. Both of these cameras are usually under $500 each.
@@Filmboy24 thank you
I think John Waters filmed Pink Flamingos 50 years ago on one of these?
You're right, I believed he used either one of these or an Auricon, which is essentially the same thing only a studio model.
@@Filmboy24 doing my research it is an Auricon. They’re cheaper than a CP-16 I guess.
@@oldradiosnphonographs Yes, you can usually pick up the Auricon cameras for $500 - $700. I had a couple of them years ago but unfortunately never had the chance to run any film through them. Might need to think about picking up another one.
@@Filmboy24 you do so and tell us your experience with it! Do they still make sound films for these or am I limited to just silent audio?
@@oldradiosnphonographs Unfortunately there is no more sound film being produced :(
Can you shoot 100' reels of film in this camera? Specifically with the Mitchell Magazines?
Yes, I've shot a few in it. It does take a bit more film to thread it through the camera than most but well worth it. You do have to use the magazine, as there's no internal loading capability.