When I think about motion picture cameras, the first models that come to mind are probably the same ones that occur to you – Arriflex, Panavision, Red, Sony, etc. The usual suspects. Go back in time a little and you might mention Mitchell, whose ad below makes me feel like a total rookie. I can’t count how many deep-dives I’ve conducted to the remotest corners of the cinematography world, yet I’m completely surprised at discovering their Sportster 164.
I mean, what is that thing and who ever used it?
Apparently, it was a 16mm action-oriented camera designed to shoot at speeds of 16 to 240 fps with the S-model or 24-500 fps with the H-model. It’s similar in many ways to the Photosonics Actionmaster 500, right down to the variable speed switch built into the grip. I’ve used that camera on a number of occasions and despite its nearly impossible-to-load magazines, it has remained a viable tool to this day. Not so for the Sportster, however. I asked many of my colleagues and no one had any recollection of it, let alone any experience with it.
Two nice features are the automatic iris adjustment that compensates for exposure during speed changes and the classic Mitchell Dual Register Pin Movement. I’m not so sure about the viewfinder, though. I can’t tell if it’s a built-in reflex system or a through-the-lens reflex set-up like the one highlighted in my August 2, 2024 post. On the ergonomic scale, the Sportster’s profile is akin to a cakebox with a lens sticking out of it. Judging from the illustration, I don’t imagine it was too much fun to operate.
The rest of the stats can be found below.
I just love the ads in the old issues of American Cinematographer. They’re a portal to another time, when camera companies could afford to produce things that not many people noticed, fewer used – and no one remembers. What a quaint notion! Try running a business with that approach today and see how long you’ll be able to keep the doors open…
Let’s find one and use it!
WOW. I have spent a good deal of time with Mitchell equipment and have never heard of this. I can imagine the pain that must have come from those hard boxy corners out on an action shoot…
Photosonics was the go to high speed camera in the 1970’s USAF, I also never heard of that Mitchell model. There’s a typo on the first page. Duel pin registered should be dual.
I recall making several trips by myself, carrying a 35 mm HS Mitchell plus the tripod, extra 1000ft loads and a 24V battery for power up hillside near Riverside CA. The assignment: to shoot in slo-mo just before sunset, a full frame image of the sun without showing landscape. The image would be used in a composite to illustrate the need to drink lots of water to prevent dehydration. I cannot recall the focal length but is was long enough that I had to guess-to-mate where the sun would enter & exit the frame so the orb would be centered in the middle of the frame. I was young and ambitious!
Looks like a design model (anti-ergonomic) for today’s digital cameras!
High-speed dual-pin 16mm movement? That’s pretty impressive! But would mean it couldn’t be converted to Super-16…