Oldest Spy Cameras
Oldest Spy Cameras
Arrow
Hong Kong
Beica
Japan
Click
Japan
Hit
Silver face
two rings on winder
Japan
Hit
Silver face
three bands on winder
squared-off viewfinder
Japan
Homer
Japan
Mycro
Japan
Speedex
Japan
Star-Lite
Japan
Walklenz
Japan
Variations
There are seemingly infinite variations in the "Hit" camera genre, so that even though these cameras all look alike, many are subtly different -- even cameras made by the same company. Some of the differences are obvious -- different names, different colored bodies, different colored lens rings. Some are more subtle, as we explore. Here are some of the ways the cameras differ...
The Winder
The humble winder comes in a variety of styles, from the el cheapo knob to the more robust four-ring variety...
From left to right: Speedex, Minetta, Hit (silver), Hit (Black)
One can have winder variations even within the same type of camera, witness these two Hit cameras with a silver lens ring.
The viewfinder
The two Hit cameras directly above illustrate another difference among these cameras: in some (left, above, the viewfinder section, or top, of the camera goes all the way across and the winder rest upon it; in others (right, above), the viewfinder section is cut off and the winder rests on the camera body itself. There are variations even on this theme.
Squared off on left (Star-Lite, left above) versus sloped on left (Walklenz, right above).
The Screw (Speedex, left) and no screw (Arrow, right).
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