Bell & Howell 2709 (1912–1958)

Name: Bell & Howell 2709
Brand: Bell & Howell

It shot movies, and it built Hollywood one hand-cranked frame at a time.

Overview

The Bell & Howell 2709 Standard Cinematograph was a 35mm motion picture camera that debuted in 1912. It was built like a bank vault. The body was cast aluminum alloy with a black enamel finish, and it was the first all-metal, commercially available motion picture camera. Earlier wooden models had fallen to termites and mildew, and the 2709 was the answer. Donald J. Bell and Albert S. Howell founded their Chicago company in 1907, and the 2709 was the cornerstone of the system they were building.

By 1916, it had dethroned the Pathe Professional as the go-to camera in Hollywood. By 1919, nearly every inch of film shot in the industry was captured with Bell & Howell gear. The 2709 became the standard because it was precise, durable and reliable in a way no camera had been before. Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford used one, though ownership was rare. At about $1,000, it cost as much as an average home in 1918. Most ended up in studio hands, not private collections.

The 2709 weighed 27 pounds with magazines and lenses (16 without). It measured 7 x 14¼ x 15 inches including lenses, compact enough for field use and sturdy enough for daily studio work. The original model came with 200-foot internal magazines, but later versions supported 400' and even 1000' capacities. It wasn’t reflex, so you couldn’t see through the lens. The original viewfinder showed an inverted image, and filmmakers of the era adapted quickly, using a sliding or rotating mechanism to focus and frame via the taking lens. Later models improved on this with a spyglass side viewer or projected image viewfinder.

The movement was what set the 2709 apart. This was the Unit-I shuttle system, a two-cam high-precision intermittent mechanism that pulled each frame into place with a claw and held it steady in the gate during exposure. It was steady enough that the camera stayed in use for optical printing and visual effects work well into the 1980s, long after sound had made hand-cranked operation obsolete. It was also loud. Owners report the mechanism was “quite noisy,” a fatal flaw once talkies arrived and a non-issue in the silent era.

Maintenance wasn’t a nightmare, despite the complexity. The entire intermittent mechanism could be drawn out as a unit for cleaning and lubrication. Ball bearings were used on most moving parts. The camera could run forward or reverse, had a unique sliding-rack tripod mount, and featured an automatic safety gate that closed when the side door was opened, a safeguard against light leaks.

Specifications

Manufacturer	Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, Illinois
Product type	35mm motion picture camera
Production years	Introduced in 1912. Production lasted approximately 46 years.
Original price	about $1,000
Weight	27 pounds including magazines and lenses; 16 pounds without magazines and lenses
Size/Dimensions	7 x 14¼ x 15 in. including lenses
Film format/gauge	35mm
Standard film magazine capacity	200-foot internal magazines on original model; 200', 400', and 1000' magazines available for the 2709.
Lens turret/mount	4-lens turret
Standard movement	Unit-I shuttle movement (intermittent mechanism based on a two-cam high precision system)
High-speed movement	Ultra-Speed Attachment. The 2709 DD model was capable of 200 frames per second.
Standard operating speed	Hand-cranked at 16 frames per second.
Shutter	Variable angle with a maximum opening of 170 degrees.
Automatic dissolve	operating from 0 to 170 degrees over a length of 64 frames (four feet)
Mount	Unique sliding-rack tripod mount.
Drive	Hand-cranked; an electric motor (Cinemotor) was introduced as an option in 1919/1920.
Body material	Cast aluminum alloy
Finish	black enamel
Film travel	single plane
Sprocket	32-tooth sprocket wheel
Operation	could operate forward or reverse
Footage counter	Veeder counter attached to the rear or directly on the crankshaft
Lens aperture	Usually f/3.5, f/4, f/5.6, or thereabouts.
Type	Non-Reflex.

Key Features

The All-Metal Revolution

Before the 2709, motion picture cameras were often delicate, wooden-framed affairs, vulnerable to warping, moisture and termites. The story goes that an early Bell & Howell prototype was ruined by mildew and insect damage, which prompted the shift to an all-metal design. The result was the 2709, the first commercially available all-metal motion picture camera, built from cast aluminum alloy. Metal allowed tighter tolerances, better alignment and a rigidity that wood could never match. The black enamel finish reduced glare and held up to the grime of daily use on set.

Unit-I Shuttle Movement: The Heart of the Machine

At the core of the 2709’s reputation was its Unit-I shuttle movement, a two-cam intermittent mechanism. Each frame was drawn into position by a claw, held steady in the gate during exposure, then advanced again. That made the 2709 a good fit for optical printing and special effects work, where registration consistency was critical, as well as for shooting features. The entire mechanism could be pulled out as a single unit for servicing, which made maintenance far easier than on competing models. Ball bearings on most moving parts reduced wear and smoothed operation.

Four-Lens Turret and Variable Shutter

The 4-lens turret saved a lot of time. Cinematographers could switch between lenses, typically in the f/3.5 to f/5.6 range, without breaking stride. The shutter offered variable angle control, maxing out at 170 degrees. There was also an automatic dissolve mechanism, which could transition from 0 to 170 degrees over 64 frames (four feet of film), enabling in-camera dissolves without manual cranking tricks.

Non-Reflex Design and Viewing Options

The 2709 was non-reflex, so you couldn’t see through the lens. The original viewfinder showed an inverted image, which was standard practice then. Framing and focusing were done via a sliding or rotating mechanism that let the operator look through the taking lens. Later models upgraded to a spyglass side viewer or a projected image viewfinder.

Drive and Accessories

The 2709 was hand-cranked at a standard 16 frames per second. In 1919 or 1920, Bell & Howell introduced the Cinemotor, an electric motor option that brought consistent speed and reduced operator fatigue. The camera could run forward or reverse, and its unique sliding-rack tripod mount held it securely. A rear-mounted Veeder counter tracked footage, and a shutter-angle lever gave direct control over exposure timing.

Historical Context

The Bell & Howell 2709 was born from a simple problem: a camera eaten by termites. That early failure led directly to the 2709’s all-metal construction. Introduced in 1912, the first unit went to Essanay in Chicago, though sales were slow at first. By 1916, it had become the Hollywood standard, overtaking the Pathe Professional. By 1919, nearly all camera equipment used in Hollywood was made by Bell & Howell.

It was expensive, about $1,000, equivalent to a house, so ownership was limited. Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and explorers Martin and Osa Johnson were among the few individuals who owned one. Most were studio property. The camera’s precision made it indispensable for silent films, and even after sound arrived and its noisy mechanism became a liability, it lived on in animation, optical printing, and effects work. Variants like the 2709 B and 2709 DD introduced updates, including the Ultra-Speed Attachment that pushed the DD model to 200 frames per second for high-speed photography.

Mitchel and Kodak would later enter the market, but the 2709 had already set the standard. It was the foundation of a system that helped standardize 35mm motion picture equipment across the United States. Only about 1,225 units of all 2709 models were ever made, so original examples are now extremely rare, especially in complete, unrestored condition. Some, like serial #1015 sold to the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1936, carry good provenance. Many surviving units are missing key parts like lenses, gates, or the claw mechanism.