MODEL BNC VIEW FINDER

Mitchell Camera Corporation, Glendale, California 1946-1968

View finder for the Mitchell Model BNC (Blimped Newsreel Camera) 35mm motion picture camera, identified for the BNC by its Mitchell "acorn" style manufacturer's tag and its parallax cam set equipped for use with the BNC model.

This cam set which attaches to the view finder, was part of a focusing system designed to correct for the parallax between the view finder and the camera's taking lens. Through a series of cams, the view finder was automatically set based upon the focal length of the lens selected. The five cams are variously marked 35, 40, 50, 75 and 100 corresponding to the typical focal lengths of lenses in use at the time.

This focusing system was designed by George A. Mitchell, under Patent No. 2,012,515 dated August 27, 1935 and assigned to Mitchell Camera Corporation:

Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Mitchell's NC (Newsreel Camera) was introduced in 1932, with the BNC following it in 1934. The BNC would continue to be manufactured into the 1960's, becoming reflexed by 1968 as the BNCR. I've yet to determine as to when Mitchell actually began incorporating this patented focusing system, but with the manufacturer's tag having a Glendale, California address, this view finder was made no earlier than 1946 when Mitchell Camera Corporation relocated to Glendale from West Hollywood.

This Model BNC view finder having Serial No. 2241, cites ten patent numbers ranging in date from No. 1,646,829 (October 25, 1927) to No. 2,068,699 (January 26, 1937):

Mitchell's Model BNC View Finder is rarely seen today, in comparison to the other view finder models used on Mitchell's Standard and GC 35mm cameras and their Pro 16mm cameras. This follows given that less than 400 BNC's were built, compared to some other Mitchell models with much higher production figures.