The Petty is a Japanese subminiature taking 14×14mm pictures on 17.5mm paper backed rollfilm, and having a characteristic round shape. It is only known from a single example, pictured in Sugiyama.[1]
Description[]
The Petty has a round shape, reminding a pocket watch. It is conceptually similar to the Ticka watch camera, but was made at a much later time. The lens is concealed on the side, with a small lug enhancing the similarity with a watch winder. The lens itself has a fixed focus and aperture and no marking, though Sugiyama says that it is a 25mm f/8.[2]
There is a frame finder at the top, whose front frame folds into the camera's top, and whose rear frame slides down. The film is advanced by a small knob placed to the viewfinder's left, as seen by the photographer. It seems that the camera's bottom plate opens to load the film, but this is unconfirmed. The camera is identified by the name PETTY engraved at the front of the top plate.
The everset shutter is tripped by a small lever protruding on the camera's right. Another small lever is visible at the top, in front of the advance knob, certainly with S, B, I indications.[3] The B and I positions correspond to Bulb and Instant exposures, and the S position certainly functions as a shutter lock, needed because accidental exposures are made easy by the position of the release lever.
Origin[]
The Petty and the Pet have a similar name and a similar position of the controls. The two cameras perhaps originated from the same workshop, which is currently unidentified. The Hallow might have been made by the same manufacturer too. The date of 1955 quoted in Sugiyama for the Petty seems too late,[4] and the Pet and Petty were likely made in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
Notes[]
Bibliography[]
- 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. Item 5114.
The Petty is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi.
Links[]
In English:
- Brief mention of the Petty among 17.5mm film cameras at Subclub.org