FUJI HALF FRAME CAMERAS
(1963) Fuji jumped into the half-frame war the same year that Canon did. In fact, their first half-frame -- the Fuji Half -- had a camera body that looked a lot like the Canon Demi. The features were similar as well. Auto or manual exposure with selenium meter next to the viewfinder. One nice feature was the aperture/shutter speed readout in the viewfinder. The scale runs from 1/250 at f22 down to 1/30 at f2.8. In auto mode, the camera selected the correct f-stop/shutter speed combination and displayed the results. In manual mode, both the aperture and the shutter speed could be set individually -- unlike the Demi. It had a 28mm (f2.8 - 22) focusing lens. Close focusing to two feet. Speeds B, 30, 60, 125, 300. Self-timer. Cold shoe for flash. Tripod socket and cable release socket. Film speeds of 12 to 200. PC contact. A definite winner, feature-wise and quality-wise.
(1967) Same body as the Fuji Half. An improved version of the Fuji Half, this is a full-featured half-frame. It has a 33mm (f1.9) manually-focusing lens (to 36 inches). The film speed is dialed into the selenium meter (ISO 25-400) and a match needle system in the viewfinder indicates the correct exposure by selecting the correct shutter speed (1/8 - 1/500, plus B) and aperture (f1.9 - 22) combination. Both the aperture and the shutter speed selected are visible in the viewfinder -- in addition to distance setting information. The camera also has a cold shoe with PC connector, self-timer, film reminder dial, cable release socket and tripod socket. Nowadays, it seems like a big camera, but at the time they packed a lot of features into a small body. It does not have a spring drive.
(1964) Perhaps the smallest half-frame camera (3.5"x2.5"x1.5") it has a 25mm (f2.8) fixed-focus lens. Single speed of 1/200. Once the film speed is dialed in (ISO 25-200), the correct aperture is selected by turning a lever in a match-needle system. The camera's built-in selenium meter displays the exposure information in a tiny window on the top of the camera. The film is advanced with a turn of the camera while the thumb and index finger hold one end of the camera -- very fast and convenient. Available in black and chrome or all black bodies. Built-in UV filter. It is often reported that the Mini used special cassettes, but this is not the case. It uses regular 35mm cassettes.
(1966) Similar to the Fuji Drive, but designed for Rapid cassettes. 28mm f2.8 lens with speeds of B, 1/30 - 1/300. Automatic and manual exposure modes. Spring motor drive. Selenium cell surrounds the lens. 52mm filter thread.
(1985) Another dual lens half-frame. It has two lenses -- 24mm and 100mm. Built-in motor drive.
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