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My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:48 am
by Scope235
Hi Everyone! New member here: Jeff Barklage, s.o.c. DP

I still own several films cameras: Moviecam Compact, Arri 35-3, Mitchell BNCR, Mauer 05, Bolex Rex 5 and Arri 16BL [mostly just for fun now...my current workhorses that bring home the bacon: 2 x Epic Dragons, Red One and BMPC] Full size Worrall, Arri Gearhead, O'Connor 2575C, O'Connor 100, etc.

But my pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198, "born" July 1957 to J. Burgi Contner, ASC...used on his TV series NAKED CITY. It was also used on SGT. BILKO and, if my sources are correct, headed back from NYC [where Mr. Contner was stationed] to Paramount, where it shot the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE & I:SPY series.

I have a full set of R-35 mount Super Baltar primes and she runs like a champ! We used her on a film noir short recently and the image created with the Baltars is [of course] terrific! I'll post some behind the scenes stills.
P1010055.JPG

Re: Mitchell Cameras; ownership history

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:55 am
by Scope235
A note on the above photo: the sticks that the Worrall head is mounted is a full sized set of Ronford Heavy-Duty sticks! Look how massive the Worrall head is upon these big sticks :-)

A funny story..I traded a full Arri 2C package for this Mitchell [a rare variable shutter 2C with a modified PL lens mount and a Tobin crystal motor and Ang 25-250 zoom]. Martin Hill did the swap...of course the Mitchell arrives at my house when I am out of town on a shoot...so my poor wife has to haul in these massive cases into our garage. When I returned home from that gig, I started to build the camera on a rubbermaid camera cart. I sat the body [no head] on the cart, attached the crystal motor and blimp, then attached a 1K mag and blimp, then had to run out of room to catch a phone call. When I returned, the rubbermaid cart's top shelf was sagging very badly and I realized just how much the built camera weighed! With the head and lens, its some 165lbs! Men were true men in those days.......

Re: Mitchell Cameras; ownership history

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 1:34 pm
by mitchellbnc
Hello Jeff, great shot of your BNCR and I enjoyed reading your comments. Looking forward to any future shares that you might offer.

Regards,

Theodore Wilhelm
MitchellCamera.com administrator

Re: My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 10:12 am
by Cinemachinery
So, I'm wondering if this is scope235's camera in the picture I attached. This was in A.C. 8/1959. There was a 2 page article about J. Burgi Contner shooting "Naked City". I attached it in this post for your and Jeff's enjoyment.

Charlie

Re: My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:01 pm
by Scope235
Thanks Charlie for the info on Burgi from the 1959 ASC mag! I was informed that this particular camera shot the 1960's MISSION:Impossible series at Paramount/Desilu.

Today, I mounted this BNC onto a beautiful Moviolo crab dolly at the about to open STAR TREK: ORIGINAL SERIES SETS museum, run by a friend of mine in Ticonderoga, NY.

Since there is some possibility that it might have also worked occasionally next door on Stages 9 & 10 on the TREK series, it seemed fit to let this camera spend a year or so on display amongst the beautiful recreations of the USS Enterprise's Bridge or transporter room, etc !!! Truth is, we recently moved and I had to place this camera in storage...and with the Ohio humidity, I feared that it would not do well sitting in a case...now, it will be marveled at in its vintage setting..I removed the CP crystal motor and housing and installed a period "can" blimp motor cover and side finder :-)

Re: My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:05 pm
by Scope235
Here are 2 photos of the BNC on the Moviola crab dolly

Re: My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 5:36 pm
by mediaed
Jeff,

Great setup and pix. Sent you a Private Mssg. ED.

Re: My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 8:22 pm
by Guest
Nice, keep em coming. I enjoy the info and background. I also own a Paramount BNCR, which coincidentally may have been used on Mission: Impossible as well. It was last used on Cheers as the cases are marked as such. It was the X camera. I will have to look thru my photos and find the one I have a of a BNC on a similar dolly working on Star Trek.

Mark

Re: My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 9:47 am
by mediaed
We are in the last week of our camera registration drive specials. This is an important feature of MitchellCamera.com to give these cameras a better future and resource documentation of what has survived. Please contact me. Ed Johnson, director.

Re: My pride and joy is Mitchell BNCR #198

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 8:55 am
by mediaed
You can PM me here or contact me at ejohnson@mitchellCamera.com. Would be interested in hearing your story about your camera(s).

Best

ED.