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for other camera makers to
follow. The 2709 with the
"Mickey Mouse Ears" later
became the instantly recognised
logo for the Film Production
Industry- and my Museum.

• The master stroke of the 2709
was the 'Unit 1' type fixed pin
intermittent shuttle, "the most
precise film mechanism ever
developed for a piece of Motion
Picture equipment. Its precision
exceeds that of the film
“S perforations". This superb Top left, the variable shutter setting control and indicator gauge,
intermittent movement is still in with footage indicator to the right. The adjustable prismatic focus
use today where 100% rock magnifier is in the centre, with the matte mask slot on the shutter
steady accuracy is required, as in housing. This matches a similar slot adjacent to the film aperture.
special-effects, title and Lower left is the crank handle and main drive shaft with holes in
animation cameras and in optical the flange for mounting a Veeder-Root footage counter (missing).
printers.
I believe this camera came to Australia and
Walt Disney used a modified 2709 camera to was used on Feature production in Sydney.
film his first animated cartoons in (Does anyone out there know anything about
Technicolor, including Snow White and the the Australian adventures of Walt's camera,
even Dwarfs. Each of the three colour Serial No. 50? It was originally sold by Bell &
separation negatives was photographed Howell to Pacific Mutual Productions in 1914,
separately and required perfect registration. so it was a secondhand teenager when Walt
The 'Unit-1 ' shuttle with the film bought it! ).
and leaves in the locked position
for exposure. The claw pin can be The two fixed "pilot pins" pro- The complete 'Unit-1 ' assembly
seen returning for the next pull- trude through the leaves in the can be removed for cleaning by
down cycle. The knurled button lock position. The claw shuttle releasing two latches top and
(centre) retracts the claw pins for is at the bottom of its stroke. bottom of the gate, allowing the
threading the film. unit to slide out.

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