Jenic
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The Jenic is a Japanese subminiature camera, made around 1948 by an unknown company.
Contents
Description
The Jenic takes 14×14mm pictures (some sources say 15×15mm) on 17.5mm paper backed rollfilm.[1] It has a vertical shape, just like a miniature movie camera. There is a rigid optical finder at the top. The left side of the camera is removable for film loading, and is locked by a wheel at the middle. The film chambers only use the rear portion of the camera's internals, and there is plenty of room left, including a compartment storing an additional film roll. The advance knob is on the photographer's right, and there is a single uncovered red window on the back.
The lens is a Jenic Anastigmat 3.5cm f/2.8, giving some telephoto effect, equivalent to the use of an 85mm lens on a 24×36mm camera. The aperture is adjustable from 2.8 to 11 by a knob placed under the lens, but the focus is fixed.
The shutter is tripped by a button placed on the right side, near the bottom. It is reportedly cocked by the lever visible on the same side, in front of the advance knob.[2] The speeds (B, 200, 100, 50, 20) are selected by a knob above the lens, replicating the aperture knob.
The camera is identified by a Jenic nameplate screwed to the right side. The lens has a serial number, engraved on the outer part of the rim.
Origin
The Jenic (ゼインックス) is briefly mentioned in a column about the Meteor in Kohga Gekkan January 1948.[3] Its manufacturer is unknown, but it might be distantly related to the Baby Colon, which shows some similarities in the shape and in the control layout.
Notes
- ↑ 14×14mm: Sugiyama, item 5046 (this is the nominal size of most other cameras using 17.5mm film). 15×15mm: McKeown, p.451, and this page at Submin.com.
- ↑ See this page at Submin.com.
- ↑ Column reproduced in Awano, p.4 of Camera Collectors' News no.239.
Bibliography
- Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Meteōru, Besutokamu, Epokkusu" (メテオール、ベストカム、エポックス, Meteor, Vestkam, Epochs). In Camera Collectors' News no.239 (May 1997). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. (Contains a reproduction of a column in Kohga Gekkan January 1948, which briefly mentions the Jenic.)
- McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). P.451.
- Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Item 5046.
The Jenic is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi.
Links
In English:
- Jenic at Submin.com
- Brief mention of the Jenic among 17.5mm film cameras at Subclub.org
