Fries Mitchell 35R3 #452

$8,000
Item #C14521

The Fries Mitchell 35R3 is one of the most reliable and compact high speed motion picture film production cameras ever made. Modified from an original Mitchell GC, the 35R3’s dual-pin registration and four-pin pull-down mechanism make for exceptionally steady images. This camera features a spinning mirror reflex viewfinding system and is ideal for registered plate photography, second unit, and MOS production. This Fries 35R3 package includes 4 lens mounts, PL, Nikon, Panavision, and BNCR, all of which are easily interchangeable to make this camera particularly versatile. Also included is a Lynx Robotics crystal motor, a Lynx Robotics C-50 Battery Eliminator, video tap, two 1000' magazines, one 400' magazine, cables and cases. This camera appears to have been converted from a pellicle reflex to a spinning mirror reflex at some point in its life. It has been fully serviced and is in excellent working condition. While the camera itself is in A condition, the mirrored shutter shows signs of heavy use and is in B- condition. This is the perfect second unit MOS or VFX production camera, ready to use on your next project!

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.