SUZUKI OPTICAL CAMERAS

Suzuki cameras use 8mm film in a pair of tiny metal cassettes. Specifically, you have to take regular 16mm film, which has perforations on both sides, and split it down the middle. Then you load the cassettes. You can't use regular or Super 8mm as the sprocket holes are not the same as with 16mm film. The lighters in the Suzuki cameras really work and are a separate unit in the body. The camera operates very much like a 110 camera -- but well before the 110 camera was ever thought of. There is a tiny pin that catches the perforation of the film. This stops the film advance and allows the shutter to release. So you can't use unperforated film in the Suzuki cameras. That means we are stuck with using films available in 16mm perforated size. Fortunately there are lots to choose from -- color, B&W, negative and slide.

Echo 8 (model 1)
Camera Lite (model 1)
Camera Lite (model 2)

(1955) An improved version of the Camera Lite. It has the same fixed-focus 17mm (f8.0) lens, but added two shutter speeds -- B and I (1/50). Produced a 6x6mm format. You can tell if you have a Camera Lite (model 2) as it is marked "Camera Lite" on the bottom and has a lever for the shutter speed -- next to the lens.
Seastar

(1955) A variant of the Camera Lite is the Seastar. It's the same camera, but has "SEASTAR" inscribed on one side. Fixed-focus 17mm (f8.0) lens. Produced a 6x6mm format.
Echo 8 (model 2)

(1956) This was an improved model of the original Echo 8. Like the original, it was a cigarette lighter with built-in camera using 8mm film. Fixed-focus 15mm (f3.5-11) lens. It differs from the original in subtle ways. There was a slight change in the body size and apparently in the cassettes that they used. The original has a square lens-window, this model has a round lens-window to accept filters! The shutter speeds on this model are B and 1/75. Produced a 6x6mm format. Suzuki also made a 16mm to 8mm film slitter as well as screw-in filters (UV, yellow, red) and even a close-up filter for use at eight inches.

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SUZUKI OPTICAL CAMERAS

Echo 8 (model 1)

Camera Lite (model 1)

Camera Lite (model 2)

Seastar

Echo 8 (model 2)