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).