Fries Mitchell 35R3 #TA-46

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Item #C12097

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 Triangulation Camera, this 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 camera was originally manufactured by the Mitchell Camera Corporation in 1948 as a triangulation camera. In its current state, it is nearly identical in design to a Mitchell GC, but we have not been able to find more information about this particular model of triangulation camera from the Mitchell records. Fries Mitchell 35R3 #TA-46 features a Lynx C50GC crystal motor, a Sony XC-75 video tap, and a PL lens mount.

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.