The early history of motion picture cameras can be traced back to the invention of the phenakistoscope in 1832 by Belgian physicist Joseph Plateau. The phenakistoscope was a simple device that featured a spinning disc with illustrations on its periphery, creating the illusion of motion when viewed through a small window. This innovation provided the conceptual groundwork for more advanced devices that would later be used to create motion pictures.

In 1878, British photographer Eadweard Muybridge famously captured a series of photographs of a galloping horse, which proved that all four hooves left the ground simultaneously. Muybridge’s work, known as “The Horse in Motion,” laid the foundation for the development of motion picture cameras, as it demonstrated the potential of sequential photography to create the illusion of movement.

The first true motion picture camera was invented by Frenchman Louis Le Prince in 1888. Le Prince’s camera, dubbed the “Roundhay Garden Scene,” utilized a series of glass plates to capture 16 frames per second. Although his invention was rudimentary, it marked the beginning of the motion picture era.

Shortly thereafter, in 1891, American inventor Thomas Edison and his assistant, William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, developed the Kinetograph, a motion picture camera that used celluloid film to record images. The Kinetograph was accompanied by the Kinetoscope, a single-viewer peephole device that allowed individuals to view the moving images. Celluloid film allowed for more efficient and cost-effective film production.

In 1895, French inventors Auguste and Louis Lumière created the Cinématographe, a lightweight, portable motion picture camera that also served as a projector and printer. The Cinématographe was capable of recording at 16 frames per second and used a hand-crank mechanism to advance the film.

In 1905 the French company Pathe Studio released their first movie camera.  Pathe would produce cameras throughout the silent picture era.

In 1908 French inventor Joseph Jules Debrie introduced the Debrie Parvo motion picture camera.  This camera was preferred for out-of-studio work because of its light weight and relatively compact form.

In 1911 the Bell & Howell 2709 camera was introduced. It featured a four lens turret and a more precise film transport mechanism.  The durability of this camera made it the Hollywood standard by 1918.

The Mitchell Standard, released in 1920, featured the innovative three-toothed claw for intermittent film movement, a four-lens turret, and a sturdy cast aluminum body. Mitchell Standard cameras would go on to dominate studio production in the “Golden Age of Hollywood.”

The Bell & Howell 2709 and the Mitchell Standard models were the major cameras utilized by cinematographers for 35mm studio productions from about 1915 through to the early 1930’s.  Hand cranks would be replaced with powered motors, and lenses and film stocks evolved — yet the cameras, remained the same.  Both companies additionally offered compact (relatively) models in both 35mm and 16mm film formats for news and documentary applications.