Makinon MK-II
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The Makinon MK-II is a simple camera for 35mm film dating from circa 1982, produced by Makina Optical. It has a plastic build and quirky styling: its flash swings outwards through 90° from the end of the camera, and its lens is protected under "barn doors" somewhat like the Chinon Bellami. In addition to basic black the MK-II seems to have been offered in red, yellow, green, and blue suede-like coverings.
The nominal 38mm f/5.6 lens has a simple diamond-shaped aperture controlled by a slider on the top of the camera. In addition to sunny/cloudy icons, this has icons of people at different distances, to chose the proper aperture for indoor flash exposure—although the lens is fixed focus. The flash is powered by two penlight batteries loaded into the bottom.
This model was widely rebadged by other distributors, as the Carena EF-250, Eumig UC 35, Keystone Everflash 3590, Petri CF-35, Porst 135 KE, and the Zemax CF-35.
In front of the rewind crank sits a switch for 100 or 400 ASA. On some of the rebadged variants this seems connected to a window indicating 1/125 or 1/250 shutter speeds. There is a light sensor to give a warning in the viewfinder when flash must be used.
Links
- Notes on the MK-II introduction from a Popular Photography report on the PMA show, May 1982, pg. 100; via Google Books
- A short user report at Camera Go Camera
