Petal

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Japanese subminiature
on paper-backed roll film and round film (edit)
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The Petal (ペタル) is a Japanese subminiature camera taking circular images on round film stock.

General description

The Petal has a round or octagonal main body. It takes round pictures, 6mm in diameter,[1] on a round film disc, 25mm in diameter,[2] contained in a special circular cassette.

The light-tight film cassette is made of two parts: the rear part unscrews, revealing the film stock and factory-loaded paper shims, and the front part contains a spring-loaded dark slide, which opens only when the cassette is secured inside the camera. Preloaded cassettes were sold as "Petal film",[3] and new film discs can be cut in the darkroom from standard 35mm film — it is said that a special film cutter was sold to that purpose.[4]

The Petal can take six exposures on one film disc. The rear part of the camera rotates to move the film from one exposure to the next; the available positions, numbered from 1 to 6, are secured by click-stops.

There is a tubular viewfinder at the top of the camera, showing a round image. The 12mm f/5.6 lens[5] is recessed in a hole in the camera's front plate, and has no aperture control. The shutter is tripped by pressing a button on the top right, as seen by the photographer. It is everset and only has bulb and instant settings, selected by a wheel at the front of the camera.

Commercial life and evolution

The Petal was introduced in 1947 or 1948.[6] It was reportedly available for $10 on the US market.[7]

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. Item 803 (see also the picture on p.15).
  • 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.64.
  • 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.867.
  • 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. Pp.54–5.
  • 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 5035 and 5110–2.

Links

In English:

  • Film size is reported as 6mm in Sugiyama, item 5110, and in this page at Submin.com; it is reported as 5mm in Lewis, p.64.
  • Film size is reported as 25mm in Sugiyama, item 5110, and in this page at Submin.com; it is reported as 24mm in Lewis, p.64.
  • An original box for "Petal film" is displayed in this page by Nigel Richards.
  • Film cutter: this page at Submin.com.
  • Lens features: Sugiyama, items 5110–1.
  • This page at Submin.com says 1947. Sugiyama, item 5110, and Lewis, p.64, say 1948, perhaps corresponding to the release on the Japanese domestic market.
  • This page at Submin.com.