Fries Mitchell 35R #1437

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Item #C12099

The Fries Mitchell 35R is one of the most reliable and compact high speed motion picture film production cameras ever made. Modified from an original Mitchell GC, the 35R’s dual-pin registration and four-pin pull-down mechanism make for exceptionally steady images. This camera features a pellicle mirror reflex viewfinding system and is ideal for registered plate photography, second unit, and MOS production. This particular camera, serial number 1437, is in very good used condition. It features a pin registered ground glass assembly for precise visual effects line up, an orientable viewfinder, a Nikon lens mount, a Fries crystal motor, a Sony XC-38 CCD video tap, and one 400' magazine. Fries Mitchell 35R #1437 began its life as a Mitchell GC and was originally sold to the Continental Electronics Manufacturing Company in 1965. James O. Weldon founded the Continental Electronics Manufacturing Company in 1946 as a spin-off of his previous consulting firm, Weldon & Carr. The company built high powered AM transmitters and custom AM phasors for Western Electric, until the FTC broke up the AT&T broadcast group and Continental began manufacturing independently. Continental developed a reputation for quality and reliability, and continues to manufacture broadcast transmitters today from their home base in Dallas, TX.

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.
2. "CEC History," (last updated 2021), View source.