A few weeks ago, an old friend of mine, Bob Bailey, reconnected with me and asked if I could help him re-home a Mitchell NC camera that he has been holding on to. Bob shot plates and 2nd unit for several movies with this camera, which he acquired from my professor and mentor Peter Gibbons. […]
Mitchell NC 184: A Treasure Unearthed Read More »
To honor the 249th birthday of our country, we hearken back to a time when we fought the rise of fascism rather than welcomed it in. One of the ways in which the United States pursued this fight during World War II was with the Army Air Forces First Motion Picture Unit, also known as
The First Motion Picture Unit and Mitchell NC #239 Read More »
Continuing on with last week’s project of seeing what motors I have, and which of them actually work, I took every motor in inventory out of its case, connected it to the appropriate power, and made sure it ran. This process ended up taking much longer than anticipated, as these things generally do, but I
Sorting Motors: Choosing Who Will Go and Who Can Stay Read More »
I know I said it was going to be a couple of weeks before I reported back on the problem with this Fries VistaVision camera, and at the time, it seemed it was going to take a lot more detective work. It turns out that the problems were simpler than I feared. The first problem
Revisiting the Fries VistaVision Camera Read More »
When last we talked, I shared with you a collection of lenses that were used by visual effects master David Allen. With the exception of one particularly stubborn zoom lens, I have finished cleaning, lubricating, and collimating all of the lenses I shared. This week I promised to give you a look at one of
A Fries Mitchell 35R from the Studio of David Allen Read More »
I was away much of the week doing my civic duty as a potential juror, so actual projects were on hold once again. In between waiting in the jury room and freedom, this absolutely stunning collection of motion picture cameras and equipment came into the shop. We only have time to give you a brief
An Amazing Camera Haul! Read More »
I am out of town for a couple of days this week at my daughter’s wedding, but I didn’t want to leave you all without a post. While I am away, I thought we might revisit the fascinating Mitchell FC 70mm Fox Grandeur camera. We recently passed the 94th anniversary of the release of the
Out of Town … And A Visit with the Mitchell FC Read More »
One of my daughters had an event to attend in San Francisco, so I decided to take a few well earned days off and join her. The 400 plus mile drive up highway 101 was pleasant and uneventful. My wife and I visited relatives while our daughter went to her event, but the highlights of
Visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum Read More »
As we celebrate the nation’s birthday, I thought it would be fun to take a look at one of America’s great camera manufacturers, the Mitchell Camera Corporation. Presented here is a slideshow showing the history of the Mitchell Camera Corporation, one of America’s premiere motion picture camera manufacturers. Beginning with the Mitchell Standard in 1921,
A Brief History of the Mitchell Camera Corporation Read More »
This week has been crazy busy with many projects, including work on the Super Baltar lenses I showed you last week. Along with my fellow members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences History and Technology Subcommittee, we have been preparing the Dykstraflex for its appearance at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
A Guided Tour of the CinemaGear Showroom Read More »
