The Sweet 16 is a Japanese subminiature camera taking 17.5mm rollfilm, made in the mid or late 1950s by Tougodo.[1]
Description[]
The Sweet 16 has a sleek body, inspired by contemporary 35mm viewfinder cameras. It takes ten exposures in a rectangular format, reported as 14×18mm or 14×20mm in the available sources.[2] It is significantly larger than other Hit-type cameras, and looks oversized even when compared to the relatively large Toyoca 16.
The back is hinged to the right for film loading, as seen by the photographer, and is retained by a spring-loaded latch on the left. The advance knob is at the top left, and has an exposure counter at the base, graduated from 1 to 10. Because of the non-standard film format, it seems that the advance is controlled via these graduations only, and that the camera has no red window in the back. There is a fake rewind knob at the top right, to increase the similarity to 35mm cameras.
The shutter gives B, 1/25, 1/50 speeds, selected by a lever placed at the front of the camera. It is tripped by a release button placed on the top cover, and it is synchronized for flash via a socket placed behind the main release. The camera also has an accessory shoe above the viewfinder.
The lens is a Meika S 30mm f/8, and has a fixed focus and aperture. The lens barrel is silver finished and has various fake rings and a black front bezel, imitating the chrome lenses of 35mm rangefinder cameras.
The model name is inscribed as Sweet–16 on the top cover, and as Sweet model–A on the lens bezel.
Actual examples[]
No original document mentioning the Sweet 16 is known yet. The camera is uncommon, and only two examples have been observed so far, including that pictured in Sugiyama.[3]
Notes[]
- ↑ Attribution to Tougodo: Sugiyama, item 5144, McKeown, p.931.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 5144, says 14×20mm. McKeown, p.931, says 14×18mm, and says that the camera takes twelve pictures on a film roll. The latter point is certainly wrong: the exposure counter is only graduated to 10.
- ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 5144, and example observed in an online auction.
Bibliography[]
- 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.931.
- 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 5144.
The Sweet 16 is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi.
Links[]
In English:
- Sweet 16 (text only) at Submin.com
- Sweet 16 (text only) among 17.5mm film cameras at Subclub.org