Rarest WWII Movie Camera Motion Picture Cineflex PH-330 Combat Cinematograpghy: An American alternative to the German Arriflex 35
$19,800
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Item Details
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International
Please note that this item is shipped via DHL under the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms to buyers in the United States, Canada, Germany, England (United Kingdom), and Australia.
Under the DDP shipping method, all import duties, taxes, and customs clearance fees are fully prepaid by us prior to delivery. This guarantees that you will not have to pay any extra customs duties, fees, or unexpected import taxes upon arrival—ensuring a smoo hassle-free transaction directly to your doorstep.
ITEM DESCRIPTION
THE HOLY GRAIL OF COMBAT CINEMATOGRAPHY: THE CINEFLEX PH-330
I. The Ultimate Relic of War
In the high-stakes realm of historical militaria and vintage cinematic technology, one piece stands alone at the absolute apex of rarity, engineering, and historical gravity: The Cineflex PH-330.
It is, without hyperbole, the Holy Grail of reflex movie cameras.
While legendary cinema cameras like the German Arriflex 35 or the American Bell & Howell Eyemo 71 were manufactured by the tens of thousands and used for over half a century, the Cineflex PH-330 is the rarest mass-produced reflex cinema camera ever built. Acquiring a complete unit today is virtually impossible. Manufactured under strict wartime secrecy for the United States Government during World War II, it was produced in an extraordinarily small run over a fleeting window of time, exclusively for military deployment.
II. The Genesis: Reverse-Engineering under Fire (1943–1948)
The story of the Cineflex PH-330 begins on the battlefields of Europe. In 1937, the German firm Arnold & Richter (ARRI) introduced the revolutionary Arriflex 35—the world’s first 35mm motion picture camera featuring a rotating mirror reflex shutter. For the first time in cinema history, a cameraman could view the precise, full-aperture frame directly through the taking lens in real time, completely eliminating parallax error.
When the United States entered World War II, the U.S. Army Signal Corps and Combat Camera Units relied heavily on non-reflex cameras, such as the Bell & Howell Eyemo 71. While virtually indestructible, the Eyemo’s side-mounted optical viewfinder suffered from severe parallax misalignment—making precise telephoto framing, critical focus adjustment, and rapid combat intelligence gathering exceptionally difficult.
Recognizing that Nazi combat cameramen possessed a decisive technological advantage with the Arriflex 35, the U.S. military captured several German Arriflex units, brought them to New York, and tasked Cineflex Corporation with a critical mission: reverse-engineer the German mirror-reflex mechanism and produce a 100% American-made combat reflex camera.
Thus, the Cineflex PH-330 was born: the very first reflex motion picture camera manufactured in the United States.
III. Battle-Hardened Construction: True Wartime Combat Spec (1943–1945) vs. Post-War Variations
Although internally identical in mechanical concept to its German counterpart, the Cineflex PH-330 was built to withstand the punishing realities of global warfare. Finished in heavy-duty tactical black wrinkle enamel, the camera featured a reinforced chassis engineered to endure extreme thermal variations, dirt, vibration, and combat shock aboard reconnaissance bombers, landing craft, and artillery-swept frontlines.
The Extraordinary Rarity of the 1943–1945 WWII Battlefield Model
A crucial distinction must be drawn between true Wartime Combat Units (1943–1945) and the later Post-War Commercial/Surplus Variations (1946–1948):
True 1943–1945 WWII Battlefield Production (This Specimen): Manufactured under strict War Department contracts specifically for immediate deployment in Europe and the Pacific. These genuine wartime units feature dense anti-glare tactical black wrinkle paint, specialized military-threaded lens mounts designed exclusively for tactical optics (such as American Goerz lenses), and most importantly, the official Joint Army-Navy (AN) War Department inspection stamp hand-punched at the factory.
Post-War Commercial / Surplus Modifications (1946–1948): Following the armistice, Cineflex/Cameraflex attempted to liquidate remaining inventory and adapt production for the civilian newsreel market. These post-war variants were manufactured without military oversight: they completely lack the AN military acceptance stamps, feature altered lens threading and commercial mounts to accept varied civilian optics, and utilize less dense, refined commercial paint finishes.
The production life cycle of the Cineflex was abruptly cut short due to three primary factors:
1. Astronomical Production Costs: Manufacturing such intricate rotary-mirror reflex mechanisms in wartime New York without pre-existing industrial tooling was immensely expensive and heavily subsidized by U.S. defense contracts.
2. Post-War Trade Normalization (1946–1948): Following the end of WWII, Arnold & Richter rebuilt its Munich facilities and introduced the updated Arriflex 35 II in 1946. By 1947–1948, international trade resumed, and official German-made Arriflex cameras became available for commercial import at a fraction of the cost.
3. Cancellation of Military Contracts: With war production halted, the U.S. Government cancelled its procurement contracts. Manufacturing of the Cineflex PH-330 ceased completely around 1948.
While standard Arriflex 35 models were produced continuously for decades in numbers exceeding tens of thousands, the wartime Cineflex PH-330 remained an extraordinarily limited military run.
IV. The Survival Crisis & Provenance Distinction
The survival rate of the Cineflex PH-330 is extraordinarily low:
Combat Attrition: The vast majority of genuine 1943–1945 battlefield units were destroyed during WWII and Korean War aviation reconnaissance flights, amphibious assaults, and field bombings.
Scavenging and Dispersal: In the late 1940s and 1950s, a small quantity of surplus units were liquidated via War Surplus auctions. Over the decades, most were cannibalized for parts, modified by independent film houses (removing original military mounts), or stripped of their original military accoutrements.
Finding a surviving Cineflex PH-330 is rare enough; finding an authentic 1943–1945 WWII combat-issued kit featuring the original military paint, dedicated tactical lens threads, and the verified Joint Army-Navy acceptance stamp is a historic miracle.
V. Detailed Physical & Technical Profile of the Set
The centerpiece of this archival collection is an intact, operational 1943–1945 WWII Cineflex PH-330 setup comprising the full tactical combat ensemble:
1. Camera Body & Turret:
Housing engineered from heavy-gauge cast metal with authentic wartime tactical Black Wrinkle finish, incorporating a top-mounted reflex optical viewfinder system (45-degree rotating mirror shutter) and a three-position rotating turret with original military-spec lens couplings for instant focal switching.
2. American Goerz Optics:
Equipped with a C. P. GOERZ AM. OPT. CO. APOGOR 3 in. f/2.3 lens (Serials 764198 / 764800), manufactured in New York by C. P. Goerz American Optical Co. This is an apochromatic 75mm-equivalent telephoto cine lens offering uncompromising resolution and tactical optical clarity, seated in its original wartime dedicated mount.
3. Dual Dated Military Magazines & Acceptance Markings:
Includes two original 35mm film magazines, factory engraved and numbered "CINEFLEX 1" and "CINEFLEX 2", designed for rapid-swap military operations in the field.
The Joint Army-Navy Inspection Stamp (AN P 246): Highlighted on Magazine No. 1 is an encircled, hand-punched military quality assurance mark AN P 246. The AN designation certifies full compliance with Joint Army-Navy standards required for combat aviation and field operations, while P 246 represents the unique inspector code of the War Department official stationed at the Cameraflex Corp. plant in New York to audit light-tightness and mechanical feed tolerances before deployment. This stamp is 100% absent on post-war civilian models, irrevocably proving this outfit's wartime military lineage.
4. Dual Interchangeable Motor Systems:
Features an operational 12V DC motor engineered for field battery operation, tactical vehicles, and aircraft mounting, alongside an operational 110V AC motor engineered for base-camp testing, studio soundstages, and post-production processing.
5. Cinematic Support System:
Supported by original heavy-duty period wooden tripod legs paired with a fluid mechanical cinema head for smooth tactical panning.
VI. Institutional Archives and Preservation Status
Due to its extremely low production volume and its origin as a classified, short-lived military camera, the Cineflex PH-330 is not on mass permanent display in most commercial film museums.
However, key institutions and specialized collections in the United States preserve units of this camera within their technical archives:
1. U.S. Army Signal Corps Museum (Fort Eisenhower / Fort Gordon, Georgia, USA):
As a camera commissioned, cataloged (under official nomenclature PH-330), and used directly by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, the official museum of U.S. military communications holds standard photographic and motion picture equipment from the conflict in its historical reserves.
2. National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (Dayton, Ohio, USA):
Cineflex PH-330 cameras equipped with 12V DC motors were operated in aerial reconnaissance missions by the Army Air Forces. The museum's WWII aerial technology collections house military reflex cameras from this era.
3. ASC Museum (American Society of Cinematographers – Hollywood, California, USA):
The ASC technical archives document and preserve the Cineflex PH-330 as the pioneering milestone of reflex technology in the United States.
4. Smithsonian Institution / National Museum of American History (Washington D.C., USA):
The Smithsonian's Photographic and Military Technology collections preserve specimens of WWII combat cameras, recording the Cineflex as the first American adaptation of the mirror-reflex system.
5. Private Collections & High-End Antiques Galleries:
Several display-quality Cineflex PH-330 outfits reside in high-end cinematic galleries (such as Cinema Antiques in Dallas, Texas) or elite private collections of optical militaria, serving as historical benchmarks for collectors and museum technical consultants.
VII. Monument to American Heritage
The Cineflex PH-330 is far more than a vintage piece of photography gear: it is a monumental milestone in American industrial and military history.
It stands as the tangible bridge where wartime ingenuity met cutting-edge optical engineering—a camera born out of sheer necessity to capture the defining moments of World War II through American eyes. As a true 1943–1945 combat-issued specimen—complete with its heavy wrinkle tactical finish, specialized Goerz optics, dual-voltage motors, and the definitive AN P 246 War Department inspection pedigree—this Cineflex PH-330 remains one of the most historically significant, technically remarkable, and astonishingly rare artifacts of 20th-century cinema.
International
Please note that this item is shipped via DHL under the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms to buyers in the United States, Canada, Germany, England (United Kingdom), and Australia.
Under the DDP shipping method, all import duties, taxes, and customs clearance fees are fully prepaid by us prior to delivery. This guarantees that you will not have to pay any extra customs duties, fees, or unexpected import taxes upon arrival—ensuring a smoo hassle-free transaction directly to your doorstep.
ITEM DESCRIPTION
THE HOLY GRAIL OF COMBAT CINEMATOGRAPHY: THE CINEFLEX PH-330
I. The Ultimate Relic of War
In the high-stakes realm of historical militaria and vintage cinematic technology, one piece stands alone at the absolute apex of rarity, engineering, and historical gravity: The Cineflex PH-330.
It is, without hyperbole, the Holy Grail of reflex movie cameras.
While legendary cinema cameras like the German Arriflex 35 or the American Bell & Howell Eyemo 71 were manufactured by the tens of thousands and used for over half a century, the Cineflex PH-330 is the rarest mass-produced reflex cinema camera ever built. Acquiring a complete unit today is virtually impossible. Manufactured under strict wartime secrecy for the United States Government during World War II, it was produced in an extraordinarily small run over a fleeting window of time, exclusively for military deployment.
II. The Genesis: Reverse-Engineering under Fire (1943–1948)
The story of the Cineflex PH-330 begins on the battlefields of Europe. In 1937, the German firm Arnold & Richter (ARRI) introduced the revolutionary Arriflex 35—the world’s first 35mm motion picture camera featuring a rotating mirror reflex shutter. For the first time in cinema history, a cameraman could view the precise, full-aperture frame directly through the taking lens in real time, completely eliminating parallax error.
When the United States entered World War II, the U.S. Army Signal Corps and Combat Camera Units relied heavily on non-reflex cameras, such as the Bell & Howell Eyemo 71. While virtually indestructible, the Eyemo’s side-mounted optical viewfinder suffered from severe parallax misalignment—making precise telephoto framing, critical focus adjustment, and rapid combat intelligence gathering exceptionally difficult.
Recognizing that Nazi combat cameramen possessed a decisive technological advantage with the Arriflex 35, the U.S. military captured several German Arriflex units, brought them to New York, and tasked Cineflex Corporation with a critical mission: reverse-engineer the German mirror-reflex mechanism and produce a 100% American-made combat reflex camera.
Thus, the Cineflex PH-330 was born: the very first reflex motion picture camera manufactured in the United States.
III. Battle-Hardened Construction: True Wartime Combat Spec (1943–1945) vs. Post-War Variations
Although internally identical in mechanical concept to its German counterpart, the Cineflex PH-330 was built to withstand the punishing realities of global warfare. Finished in heavy-duty tactical black wrinkle enamel, the camera featured a reinforced chassis engineered to endure extreme thermal variations, dirt, vibration, and combat shock aboard reconnaissance bombers, landing craft, and artillery-swept frontlines.
The Extraordinary Rarity of the 1943–1945 WWII Battlefield Model
A crucial distinction must be drawn between true Wartime Combat Units (1943–1945) and the later Post-War Commercial/Surplus Variations (1946–1948):
True 1943–1945 WWII Battlefield Production (This Specimen): Manufactured under strict War Department contracts specifically for immediate deployment in Europe and the Pacific. These genuine wartime units feature dense anti-glare tactical black wrinkle paint, specialized military-threaded lens mounts designed exclusively for tactical optics (such as American Goerz lenses), and most importantly, the official Joint Army-Navy (AN) War Department inspection stamp hand-punched at the factory.
Post-War Commercial / Surplus Modifications (1946–1948): Following the armistice, Cineflex/Cameraflex attempted to liquidate remaining inventory and adapt production for the civilian newsreel market. These post-war variants were manufactured without military oversight: they completely lack the AN military acceptance stamps, feature altered lens threading and commercial mounts to accept varied civilian optics, and utilize less dense, refined commercial paint finishes.
The production life cycle of the Cineflex was abruptly cut short due to three primary factors:
1. Astronomical Production Costs: Manufacturing such intricate rotary-mirror reflex mechanisms in wartime New York without pre-existing industrial tooling was immensely expensive and heavily subsidized by U.S. defense contracts.
2. Post-War Trade Normalization (1946–1948): Following the end of WWII, Arnold & Richter rebuilt its Munich facilities and introduced the updated Arriflex 35 II in 1946. By 1947–1948, international trade resumed, and official German-made Arriflex cameras became available for commercial import at a fraction of the cost.
3. Cancellation of Military Contracts: With war production halted, the U.S. Government cancelled its procurement contracts. Manufacturing of the Cineflex PH-330 ceased completely around 1948.
While standard Arriflex 35 models were produced continuously for decades in numbers exceeding tens of thousands, the wartime Cineflex PH-330 remained an extraordinarily limited military run.
IV. The Survival Crisis & Provenance Distinction
The survival rate of the Cineflex PH-330 is extraordinarily low:
Combat Attrition: The vast majority of genuine 1943–1945 battlefield units were destroyed during WWII and Korean War aviation reconnaissance flights, amphibious assaults, and field bombings.
Scavenging and Dispersal: In the late 1940s and 1950s, a small quantity of surplus units were liquidated via War Surplus auctions. Over the decades, most were cannibalized for parts, modified by independent film houses (removing original military mounts), or stripped of their original military accoutrements.
Finding a surviving Cineflex PH-330 is rare enough; finding an authentic 1943–1945 WWII combat-issued kit featuring the original military paint, dedicated tactical lens threads, and the verified Joint Army-Navy acceptance stamp is a historic miracle.
V. Detailed Physical & Technical Profile of the Set
The centerpiece of this archival collection is an intact, operational 1943–1945 WWII Cineflex PH-330 setup comprising the full tactical combat ensemble:
1. Camera Body & Turret:
Housing engineered from heavy-gauge cast metal with authentic wartime tactical Black Wrinkle finish, incorporating a top-mounted reflex optical viewfinder system (45-degree rotating mirror shutter) and a three-position rotating turret with original military-spec lens couplings for instant focal switching.
2. American Goerz Optics:
Equipped with a C. P. GOERZ AM. OPT. CO. APOGOR 3 in. f/2.3 lens (Serials 764198 / 764800), manufactured in New York by C. P. Goerz American Optical Co. This is an apochromatic 75mm-equivalent telephoto cine lens offering uncompromising resolution and tactical optical clarity, seated in its original wartime dedicated mount.
3. Dual Dated Military Magazines & Acceptance Markings:
Includes two original 35mm film magazines, factory engraved and numbered "CINEFLEX 1" and "CINEFLEX 2", designed for rapid-swap military operations in the field.
The Joint Army-Navy Inspection Stamp (AN P 246): Highlighted on Magazine No. 1 is an encircled, hand-punched military quality assurance mark AN P 246. The AN designation certifies full compliance with Joint Army-Navy standards required for combat aviation and field operations, while P 246 represents the unique inspector code of the War Department official stationed at the Cameraflex Corp. plant in New York to audit light-tightness and mechanical feed tolerances before deployment. This stamp is 100% absent on post-war civilian models, irrevocably proving this outfit's wartime military lineage.
4. Dual Interchangeable Motor Systems:
Features an operational 12V DC motor engineered for field battery operation, tactical vehicles, and aircraft mounting, alongside an operational 110V AC motor engineered for base-camp testing, studio soundstages, and post-production processing.
5. Cinematic Support System:
Supported by original heavy-duty period wooden tripod legs paired with a fluid mechanical cinema head for smooth tactical panning.
VI. Institutional Archives and Preservation Status
Due to its extremely low production volume and its origin as a classified, short-lived military camera, the Cineflex PH-330 is not on mass permanent display in most commercial film museums.
However, key institutions and specialized collections in the United States preserve units of this camera within their technical archives:
1. U.S. Army Signal Corps Museum (Fort Eisenhower / Fort Gordon, Georgia, USA):
As a camera commissioned, cataloged (under official nomenclature PH-330), and used directly by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, the official museum of U.S. military communications holds standard photographic and motion picture equipment from the conflict in its historical reserves.
2. National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (Dayton, Ohio, USA):
Cineflex PH-330 cameras equipped with 12V DC motors were operated in aerial reconnaissance missions by the Army Air Forces. The museum's WWII aerial technology collections house military reflex cameras from this era.
3. ASC Museum (American Society of Cinematographers – Hollywood, California, USA):
The ASC technical archives document and preserve the Cineflex PH-330 as the pioneering milestone of reflex technology in the United States.
4. Smithsonian Institution / National Museum of American History (Washington D.C., USA):
The Smithsonian's Photographic and Military Technology collections preserve specimens of WWII combat cameras, recording the Cineflex as the first American adaptation of the mirror-reflex system.
5. Private Collections & High-End Antiques Galleries:
Several display-quality Cineflex PH-330 outfits reside in high-end cinematic galleries (such as Cinema Antiques in Dallas, Texas) or elite private collections of optical militaria, serving as historical benchmarks for collectors and museum technical consultants.
VII. Monument to American Heritage
The Cineflex PH-330 is far more than a vintage piece of photography gear: it is a monumental milestone in American industrial and military history.
It stands as the tangible bridge where wartime ingenuity met cutting-edge optical engineering—a camera born out of sheer necessity to capture the defining moments of World War II through American eyes. As a true 1943–1945 combat-issued specimen—complete with its heavy wrinkle tactical finish, specialized Goerz optics, dual-voltage motors, and the definitive AN P 246 War Department inspection pedigree—this Cineflex PH-330 remains one of the most historically significant, technically remarkable, and astonishingly rare artifacts of 20th-century cinema.
Item id: A-0078Color: Black, Brown, GrayItem type: Antique
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