Mycro
The Mycro (マイクロ) is a Japanese subminiature camera, released in 1939. It was made by Akita Seisakusho and distributed by various companies until 1945. After World War II, it was exclusively distributed by Sanwa Shōkai, and the maker's name perhaps became Mycro Camera Co. Ltd. at some time.
General description
The Mycro takes ten 14×14mm exposures on unperforated 17.5mm film, the same as its competitor the Midget, which was released two years earlier. The Midget and Mycro were certainly the first still cameras in the world to use this type of film, certainly obtained by slicing 35mm film in two. After World War II the same format was adopted by Tougodo's Hit and a host of similar "Hit-type" cameras.
All the Mycro models have the same main body made of pressed metal. The lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a tube at the front. The lens is a fixed-focus 20mm f/4.5; the shutter has B, 25, 50, 100 settings selected by an index at the top, and the release lever is on the shutter casing itself. 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.
Notes
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 248 and 841–2. (See also the picture on p.13.)
- Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Maikuro kamera (senzen-gata)" (マイクロカメラ[戦前型], Mycro camera [prewar type]). In Camera Collectors' News no.274 (April 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.
- Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Maikuro sengo-gata (1)" (マイクロ戦後型[1], Mycro postwar type [1]). In Camera Collectors' News no.275 (May 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.
- Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Maikuro sengo-gata (2)" (マイクロ戦後型[2], Mycro postwar type [2]). In Camera Collectors' News no.276 (May 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.
- Jonkman, Peter. "A new vision on the history of the Asahiflex". In Spotmatic no.27, January 2001. Available in this page of the Asahi Optical Historical Club. (States that the lens of the Mycro was made by Asahi Kōgaku.)
- 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). Pp.62, 64 and 68.
- 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.869–70.
- 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 5005–6 and 5098–101.
Links
In English:
- Mycro pages in English and in Japanese at Mycro.jp
- Mycro at Submin.com
- Mycro at Subclub.org
- Mycro in a page at Ioannis' camera collection
- Mycro IIIA at the Living Image vintage camera museum
- Mycro with sample pictures at Light of Day
In Japanese:
- Advertisement for the Mycro in Asahi Graph September 23, 1942, reproduced in the Japanese camera page and the small format camera page at Gochamaze
- Advertisement for the Mycro in Ars Camera December 1949, reproduced in Nostalgic Camera by Toshio Inamura
