Kamerette

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Japanese no-need-darkroom cameras (edit)
box Baby Camera | Camerette | Chitose | Congo Camera | Hit-Go | It | Kamerette | Katei | Maruso Camera | Mikasa-Go | Nymco | Speed-Go | Super Camera | Tougo
folding Baby Camera | Best Camera | Hero-Go | Highking Camera | Katei | Lead-Go | Maruso Camera | Meiko | Midori | Nice-Go | Special Camera | Yuuhi-Go
viewfinder Meikai | Meisupi | Meisupi
SLR Auto Reflex | Baby Reflex | Chitose | Speed-Go Reflex
TLR Light-Go | B Light-Go | Maruso Camera | Meikai | Meisupi
unknown Alps | Lion | Tōkō
Plate cameras: monocular, box, folding bed, strut-folding and SLR ->
3×4 and 4×4, 4×5 and 4×6.5, 4.5×6, 6×6, 6×9 ->

The Kamerette is a simple box camera, made in Japan around 1930. It takes 3×5cm no-need-darkroom film sheets, and is sometimes described as a "yen-camera" because most of these cameras were sold for ¥1. The Kamerette has a single brilliant finder at the top, a fixed-focus lens, no diaphragm and Bulb exposure only. Many versions exist, and all are very similar to other box-shaped no-need-darkroom cameras.

The Kamerette Junior No.1, Kamerette Junior No.4 and Camerette are very similar to each other. They have a nameplate attached to the body under the lens, respectively inscribed KAMERETTE JUNIOR NO.1, KAMERETTE JUNIOR NO.4 and CAMERETTE.[1] The Camerette is very similar, with a CAMERETTE nameplate.

The Kamerette Junior No.2 has a hexagonal plate around the shutter assembly, and has the words Kamerette and Junior No2 around the lens.[2] The Super Camera is similar but has a SUPER CAMERA nameplate attached to the body under the lens, and no marking around the lens itself.[3] It is very likely that the box-shaped Baby camera is a mere variant of the Kamerette, as a baby Camera was observed issued with an instruction sheet for a "Super Camera"[4]

McKeown also reports a "Kamerette No.1" and "Kamerette No.2", perhaps a confusion with the Junior models.[5]


Notes

  1. Kamerette Junior No.1: example pictured in Pritchard, p.49. Kamerette Junior No.4: example pictured in Sugiyama, item 4042. Camerette: example pictured in McKeown, p.176.
  2. Examples pictured in McKeown, p.456, in Pritchard, p.49, and formerly in this page at Infocam (archived).
  3. Examples pictured in Pritchard, p.49, and formerly in this page at Infocam (archived). The Super Camera is also mentioned in McKeown, p.908, where it is wrongly dated "c.1950".
  4. See this item; Text of instructions can be found here
  5. McKeown, p.456.

Bibliography

  • 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). Pp.176, 456 and 908.
  • Pritchard, Michael and St. Denny, Douglas. Spy Cameras — A century of detective and subminiature cameras. London: Classic Collection Publications, 1993. ISBN 1-874485-00-3. P.49.
  • 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 4042.

Links

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