SHARAN CAMERAS USING THE MINOX CASSETTE
SHARAN CAMERAS USING THE MINOX CASSETTE
In 2000, Megahouse started producing Sharan miniature-sized replicas of historically important, and interesting, cameras. These were not pint-sized models; they were actual, functioning 1/3rd-sized cameras -- and in some cases, these replicas sell for more than the originals!
Sharan opted for the Minox cassette for these cameras, due to their small size. This allowed them to decrease the size of the replicas to about 1/3rd of the originals. The new mini-cameras could not have all of the features of the originals due to their size. And their size required the mechanics of their cameras to be as simple as possible -- like the Minox MX and EC. The 3-elements in 3-groups lens is a 15mm fixed-focus f5.6 Azonon. The fixed, small aperture allows the lens to be fixed-focus and have adequate depth of field from four feet to infinity. The shutter is fixed at 1/250 of a second. In practice, this shutter speed & aperture combination produces correct exposures under sunny conditions with ISO 25-50 film. Under cloudy conditions, ISO 100-200 works fine, and in shade or bright interiors, ISO 400-800 (or pushed) film will work.
The buttons and levers on the various cameras are largely non-functioning, but this varies from model to model. For example, on the Pen F model, the film rewind lever causes the built-in viewfinder to pop-up -- there's no need to rewind Minox film! Some models have built-in viewfinders, while others have slip-on viewers in a shoe on the top plate. The film is loaded from the bottom,
and a classically-styled handle electronic flash was available as an accessory -- which screwed into the bottom of the camera.
Some models are very easy to find, but others are not. Prices can be all over the place as well, especially for the hard-to-find versions -- just as it is with Hit-style cameras. Initial sales were good enough, though and Sharan soon added to their initial line-up -- and later an additional, completely new line of mini-cameras, the Sharan B, was introduced as well -- see below.
Like the original, it has a separate, slide-on viewfinder.
( 2001) Like the original, it has a separate, slide-on viewfinder.
(2000) The "Leica IIIf" is 75mm wide, and 41mm high, weighs in at 93 grams. It came in chrome or black, and depending on how you look at it, in four versions. The first was pretty basic, while another added an accessory shoe on the top and modified the film advance knob slightly. The third is marked "Swedish Army" on the back -- and like the original of 1950, was only available in black. The fourth version is marked "BANDAI" on the lens, and was a promotional model of the original version made for the 50th anniversary of the Bandai Toy company of Japan.
(2000) Most frequently seen in chrome or black, but several 24-karat gold models were made if you have a few extra GRAND hanging around!
No, Sharan didn't make a miniaturized Minox -- that would be much too small to use -- but they did make a couple of miniaturized Leicas for Minox. These are covered in the Minox camera page.
(2000) Unlike the original, it's not really an SLR -- the pentaprism pops up to reveal a viewfinder. The "Nikon F" is 77mm wide and 45mm deep, and is 98 grams in weight. It came is four versions. The original was chrome with a knob film advance. This was "improved" with an "EX" version which replaced the knob with a typical film advance lever...how difficult was that? Then a black version of the EX appeared -- perhaps the most desirable. Last, but not least was the MINI CLUB version, which was a promotional model of the chrome EX version made for the Marklin model railroad company. The two noticeable differences are the missing "F" on the top of the fake pentaprism, and that the red "S" is now a red "M".
Comes in chrome or black.
(2001) Unlike the original, it's not really an SLR -- the porroprism pops up to reveal a viewfinder by turning the film rewind knob slightly. The "Olympus Pen F" is 75mm wide by 37mm high and 45mm deep, and is 80 grams in weight. Comes in chrome or black.
(2001 Unlike the original, it's not really an SLR -- the pentaprism pops up to reveal a viewfinder.
(2001)
(2001) The top lens really is used as a viewing lens.
Sharan decided to produce a line of completely new cameras, using a style similar to their Leica models,
but much simpler. Some are marked "B" (# 06/33) and some are marked "New Style" (#
16/33). They have the same lens and shutter as the other models, and differ mainly in the color scheme.
If you are able to provide more accurate information than is listed here, please contact us.
To return to the main index for the Sub Club click here.
COPYRIGHT @ 1995-2021 by Joe McGloin. All Rights Reserved.
