Fries Mitchell 35R #769

$5,900
Item #C14607

Fresh off the service bench is this immaculate Fries Mitchell 35R camera that features a Nikon lens mount. The camera also comes with an XC-77 ⅔” PAL black and white video tap camera, which is easily upgradable to a modern digital high definition video tap camera, as well as two 400' magazines. The included Fries 120M motor features crystal speeds from 12 to 120 fps and can run forward and reverse. This camera began its life as Mitchell GC #769, which was originally sold to the U.S. Navy in 1949. Fries Engineering converted it into their 35R model which maintains all of the highly sought after features of the original Mitchell GC, including dual pin registration with four pin pull-down claw for absolute steadiness, the original Mitchell 170 degree variable shutter and manual shutter control, and the original mechanical footage/ frame counter. Fries improved on this already excellent camera by replacing the rackover L-base with reflex viewfinding, an orientable viewfinder with focusing eyepice, optics for a video tap, and the Fries crystal controlled variable speed motor. The Fries 35R camera features a pellicle mirror reflex system that is made up of an optical block that houses a reflex beam splitter, interchangeable ground glass, field lens, film clip register pins, and a frame to hold behind-the-lens gelatin filters. The Fries Mitchell 35R camera has proven itself ideal for live action, registered plate photography, stop motion, high speed, motion control, animation, second unit, and MOS production thanks to the superior registration of the Mitchell movement and the upgrades Fries added to an already great camera.

A Brief History of Fries Engineering

Fries Engineering was established in 1973 by Doug Fries, whose career includes stints at Librascope, Photosonics, Mitchell Camera Co., Film Effects of Hollywood, Todd A.O., Cinema Research, Stereovision, and Cinemobile, among others. Fries Engineering is most famous for its 35R and 35R3 conversions of Mitchell cameras, but Doug has a much more in-depth history of providing equipment and technology to almost every corner of the motion picture industry. Doug first became interested in photography and photographic equipment during his time in the Air Force as a photo interpreter. Through good friends like Ed DGiulio, John Jergens, Lin Dunn, and Hal Scheibe, Doug was able to hone his engineering skills before he started Fries Engineering. Other notable projects Fries Engineering worked on include 40 cameras for Aardman Animations, IMAX, underwater cameras for Jacques Cousteau, the Mitchell AP 65 camera for Todd A.O., the Fries Directors Finder, and scratch-built Fries 435 cameras.

Sources:

1. Doug Fries, interview by Richard Bennett and Marc Wheeler, October 9, 2020.