Topic: My camera's bigger than yours

[Francois]

Mine's bigger than yours!
well... not really... but I figure you're all going to find it so sweet anyways!

When I got my Yashica Electro last week, I also got in the deal something I just couldn't leave there.
The tiny camera is a Japanese Hit subminiature camera. It takes 17.5mm film with a backing paper to count the frames. Film goes spool to spool like on 120... but only about a gazillion times smaller.

The camera was made by the Tougodo company in Toyohashi (Japan). The camera has an aperture of f/11 and the shutter sports both a Bulb and Instant setting. The shutter is of the Everset type so all that's needed is to press the lever to make the exposure. The lens is said to be a 30mm with fixed focus. It has a square exposure mask so it makes 14x14 mm exposures on the film.

I must admit it's so small you'd instantly dismiss it as a serious picture taking machine. Now, all I have to do is find a way to source some film for it

Like said, here's the picture or the tiny camera

[Suzi Livingstone]

Wow, so cute.. I want one!   

[moominsean]

A friend lent me one of these, and gave me the film for it (6 rolls in a box). Need to finally use it! I see the film all the time on ebay...it's the developing that I need to figure out.

[Phil Bebbington]

François, are you sure you don't just have an enormous hand? 

[Suzi Livingstone]

I was overcome with camera envy so just bought one with film on ebay. The seller seems to use HIT cameras a lot and added this useful info:

Mine's coming with this film: Size 00 rollfilm Eastman PLUS-X 100, (DIN 21) process-by dated 11/2011, for the HIT and compatible subminiature still cameras.

HOME PROCESSING. Eastman Plus-X can be processed in any black & white negative processing chemistry: HC-110, Microdol-X, Dektol (1:10), D-76, X-Tol, etc. Use at least 5% less time than the manufacturer's time recommended for 35mm. You won't be able to find a 17.5mm reel, and you won't need to. This is 16mm single-perforated film wrapped in the 17.5mm paper. The 14mm square image will fall just to the side of the perforations. If you see some perforation on the edge of one or two frames, they will be cropped out by your enlarger or scanner mask. My developer of choice is "MIXER" my Technidol-mimic (at 1/10th the price): In 200 ml. water, add 21 drops HC-110 (stock), plus 19 drops Agfa Rodinal. Agitate 5 secs. every 30 for 19mins @ 68F. For Minox tanks the ratio is 17dps. HC-110, plus 15dps. Rodinal, in 75ml water. Enjoy.

D-76 B & W NEGATIVE FILM DEVELOPER

Water...........................750cc

Elon...............................2.0 grains

Sodium Sulfite, (des)..100.0 grams

Hydroquinone................5.0 grams

Borax, granular..............2.0 grams

Cold Water to make.......1.0 liter

For Plus-X, dilute 1:1. 8 mins @68F. Agitate 5 secs. every 30. 2 min water stop-bath. Fix per mfrs. instructions.


--- this is just an excerpt, he writes a whole lot more about processing and the camera itself but I thought it was too much to post here..

[moominsean]

I have no issue with the chemicals...I just need to find a spool.

[Terry]

Thanks for that Francois--my brother and I had one of those as kids many many years ago.  I remember the tiny little neg.  I guess we must have printed some pictures from it but I don't remember how we did it.  I think we sent the film away somewhere to get it developed.  I suppose you could soup it in a Morse tank...

[Heather]

I got one of these years ago when they were getting cheaper on ebay. Hoping they go up in value and resell it on but haven't managed to slit down film to go in it yet. I did take some old 120 backing paper and slit it down and try to write the frame numbers on in pencil but that's as far as I got (have two spools amazingly)

The midget is here!! by akki14, on Flickr

[Francois]

I know these contain so little film that you can simply tray process them using a see-saw like method (holding both ends and passing the strip in the tray).

The Minox tanks are as rare as hen's teeth... I saw a picture of one only once. It looks more like a sea shell (nautilus) than anything else... it's also very tiny.

As for Heather's Coronet midget... I've never seen one but love how it looks. It has a definite Victorian turn of the century look to it

[Andrea.]

Wonderful looking beasts they are :-) Talking of which, there's a chap here on the island wanting to sell his 11x14" ultra large format camera if anyone wants one !

[Wensleydale Blue]

Is the 14"x11" a point and shoot model?  Slips into the pocket?  Autofocus?  Titanium body? If so, I might be interested.

G