I'm interested in filming with a 16 mm camera. Is ebay the way to go in order to buy a camera? I see a lot of wind up cameras, are those a safe bet? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
-rob h.

That's were most people buy them it seems. If I were you I would start out with a K-3 or a Bolex.

Bolex with a Switar or TTH prime has the best picture quality unless you spend quite a bit more. Reflex is unnecessary and the lenses are cheaper and more abundant for non-reflex. You can also get a Scoopic, but I'd recommend the M or MS (black body) models which run $400-500. A non-reflex Bolex used to be obtainable for $60-70 without lenses, but now expect to pay $150 or so. Lenses are $20-100 depending on condition. Switar is the highest-end line of OEM lenses and give superb picture quality. The 10mm is one of the most desirable types, since it is fast (f/1.6), highly corrected, and offers a wide angle with huge depth of field. Great for cramped interior filming or vehicle filming.

The Russian cams are interesting. Usually well-engineered and durably built, but with some shortcuts in terms of ergonomics and aesthetics. There are also some loading and reliability issues that make some people feel they aren't trustworthy. I have a Kiev 16U, which is similar to a spring-wound Arri 16S (it has a three lens turret mount, mirror shutter, etc).