Midget

New Midget II. (Image rights)

See also the Ensign Midget.

The Midget (ミゼット) is a Japanese subminiature camera, distributed by Misuzu Shōkai from 1937 to the early 1950s.

General description

The Midget takes ten 14×14mm exposures on unperforated 17.5mm film. It was perhaps the first still camera in the world to use this type of film, certainly obtained by slicing 35mm film in two. The same format was soon adopted by the Mycro, another Japanese subminiature and Midget's main competitor; after World War II it was popularized by Tougodo's Hit and a host of similar "Hit-type" cameras.

All the Midget models have the same main body made of pressed metal. The lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a tube at the front, and the release lever is on the shutter casing itself. The lens is fixed-focus and has 25mm focal length. The film is advanced by a knob at the top left, as seen by the photographer. The back is hinged to the left and contains a single red window to control the advance. All the models are identified by the word MIDGET inscribed on the shutter plate, above the lens.

Original model

Description and variations

Original Midget, Jilona markings. Picture courtesy of Pacific Rim Camera. (Image rights)

The original Midget has a spring-loaded folding finder at the top, containing a piece of plain transparent glass. and a small nameplate at the top right. The red window on the back is uncovered and surrounded by a round metal frame. The back latch consists of a small sliding button. The lens has no marking and no diaphragm setting; its aperture is about f/8 or f/11. The shutter has two settings only Bulb and Instant (about 1/25).

Variations are known in the camera markings. Most cameras have Jilona under the lens and Jilona MIDGET No.1233 on the nameplate at the top; the same fake serial number 1233 appears on all the examples. Some cameras have a patent number instead: PAT. No. 253654 under the lens and PAT'ED MIDGET 253654 above. It seems that yet other cameras have no inscription at all under the lens. There are variations in the advance knob too: most cameras have an arrow engraved, but some have an additional Made in Japan marking and others have no arrow at all. Finally, the body covering exists in various colours; the most common are black and red, but others are reported.

History and documents

The Midget was released in Spring 1937. The earliest known advertisement is in Asahi Camera April 1937, where the price is given as ¥10 (one roll of film cost ¥0.25). The camera is featured in the August issue of the same magazine, which also has an advertisement showing the revised price of ¥11, including a purse-shaped leather pooch (蟇口型皮ケース).

All the advertisements were placed by the distributor Misuzu Shōkai, but the camera was actually manufactured by Jilona Shōkai. The company was ruled by Shibuya Takashige (渋谷高重) and Nakamura Jirō (中村次郎) was one of the officers, certainly the main engineer and production head. In August 1938, Shibuya fired Nakamura and announced that he would establish a contract with Ōmiya, regardless of the agreement already tying Jilona to Misuzu Shōkai. As a result of these tensions, Jilona piled up a stock of 3,000 unsold cameras. In October, Mr Imamoto of Kyoto bought Jilona's stocks; he later tried to sue Misuzu Shōkai, presumably disputing the exclusivity on the distribution of the Midget, but the court persuaded him to reach an agreement with the company in March 1939.

After these troubles, Misuzu Shōkai became the camera's sole distributor again, and the eventual fate of the Jilona company and his head officer Shibuya Takashige is unknown. The advertisement in Asahi Camera March 1939 still shows the original Midget for ¥13.50; this is the last occurrence of the original version.

New Midget

New Midget II in a leaflet by Kankyū Hyakkaten. Click on the image for a translation. (Image rights)

Bibliography

• Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Items 264–6 and 900–2. (See also the picture on p.12.)
• Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Mizetto" (ミゼット, Midget). In Camera Collectors' News no.271 (January 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.
• Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Nyū Mizetto II-gata to Mizetto no akusesarī" (ニューミゼットⅡ型とミゼットのアクセサリー, New Midget II and Midget accessories). In Camera Collectors' News no.272 (February 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.
• Kankyū Hyakkaten. Leaflet for the New Midget II, Romax, Semi Leotax and Well. Date not indicated. Document reproduced in this Flickr album by Rebollo_fr.
• Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). P.54.
• 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.692.
• "Shōwa-ki no shashin gyōkai" (昭和期の写真業界, Photography business world of the Showa era.) Extract of an article in Nihon Shashin Kōgyō Tsūshin, reproduced in Awano, p.6 of Camera Collectors' News no.271.
• 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. Items 5003–4 and 5065–6.

Links

In English:

• Midget at Submin.com
• Midget at Subclub.org
• Midget (original) in the PBase camera database
• Midget, lot no.595 of auction no.10 (18 November 2006) by Westlicht Photographica Auction

In Japanese:

• Midget pages at Mycro.jp