I've been wanting to make a film using a 16 mm for a while, but I have never really looked into it much. How much does the camera cost to buy or rent and how much is the film?

Depending on the kind of film camera you want, the prices will vary. If you're going with a decent Arri 16s, or BL, it will set you back about $2000 to $3000. For Bolex 16mm cams, they can range from $300-$1000 depending on lens configurations (but stay away from bolex if you are going to be working with sound; they are very noisy cameras). As far as renting goes, I've seen some good Arri cams go for about 100-150 dollars a day (or for 2-day weekends), but it all depends on what kind of lenses you want + other accessories.

400ft rolls of kodak 16mm (which is about 11 minutes, 40 seconds of footage if you're shooting at a constant 24fps film speed) are about 80-100 dollars depending on the stock you get. you can find out on the kodak website.

If you're just doing it for the look, I don't recommend it. With DV and HD, 16mm is not as compelling as it once was. In addition to the film cost, you have to consider development costs and how you're going to work with the footage after it's developed. Even the cheapest way, getting a one light print on to video, will still cost a significant amount of money. Not including camera rental/purchase, I would estimate film/development costs for a 10 minute short to be at least $750. Not only that, you need to have access to some equipment to edit on... if your school has 16mm production facilities, you might be able to sneak in, but many schools only allow those enrolled in production classes to use the equipment.

Trespasser, those sound like used prices.

A new Arri S should be around $5000-8000, and a new Bolex Rex 5 should be around $3000-5000 depending on the accessories you get.

An Arri SR or an Aaton LTR are around $40,000-$60,000 from the dealer, but they calibrate it for you for free and make any other adjustments you need to. Plus you get a longer warranty on the parts. An Aaton XTR is $90,000 I think.

These are all prices from like 1-2 years ago though, so they might have gone done, but probably not by much.