`BLAIR WITCH' CAMERA GOES ON AUCTION BLOCK

`BLAIR WITCH' CAMERA GOES ON AUCTION BLOCK

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- Would you pay $5000 for a beat-up old 16mm camera? What if the camera was the same one used to film parts of "The Blair Witch Project?" Believe it or not, the original camera used by actor Josh Leonard in his role as cameraman in the spooky sleeper will be auctioned off on September 17 on the eBay website. The cult camera has a suggested opening bid of $5000 -- a lot considering it's damaged goods. According to Neal Fredericks, the film's director of photography, the camera was "manhandled" and the lens was broken halfway through the shoot. The Blair Witch camera also picked up a few scuff marks, dirt and dust collected from the actual film shoot. The lens has since been reconditioned and Fredericks claims the camera still functions quite nicely.