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Meikai 4353 SSN
France Version française
Photos by Bernard Faure text by Sylvain Halgand. From the collection of Bernard Faure. Last update 2024-04-11 par Sylvain Halgand.
new

Manufactured or assembled in China from (Circa) 1984 to (After) 1984.
Index of rarity in France: Very usual (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 14997

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Meikai 

Meikai was a brand used by several companies called Tougodo (or Togodo), run by three brothers in Japan, both before and after World War II. Tougodo specialized in very inexpensive cameras designed to be sold in major department stores in Japan and the USA. The later models from the 1960s were designed to use 135 film and had only one shutter speed and a single lens, with apertures formed by a rotating metal piece with variable-sized holes. Tougodo ceased camera production in the early 1970s, and from there, several Taiwanese companies began producing cameras using the same formula but entirely made of plastic. The first of these was likely the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG). In January 1986, the Arrow Trading Company Inc of New York filed a trademark in the USA with the word Meikai. Shortly after, the unique and original logo appeared, suggesting the silhouette of bows and arrows. The registered trademark remained in effect until 2007. (Meikai = "Clarity, Clear Understanding" in Japanese).

Arrow Trading Company initially commissioned its toy cameras from Taiwanese manufacturers, but from around 1989, they started sourcing from Chinese manufacturers. The Taiwanese examples resemble real cameras of the time, while the Chinese ones became increasingly flamboyant over the years.

1 The trademark was also registered in the UK in 1992.
2 Meikai cameras typically have model numbers starting with AR or AW (from the word Arrow) or DI, suggesting the silhouette of a bow and arrow.

__________

This copy probably announces, perhaps too optimistically, an objective opening at f/5.6.

This model is close to the Odette X3000, but the shape of the handle is slightly different.

Meikai 4353 SSN



__________

The cameras manufactured by Formosa Plastics Corporation are recognizable by the adhesive label marked "FPC Quality Passed." The problem is that this label easily peels off. The markings on the lens cannot help with identification because the same ones are found on cameras manufactured by Ouyama, suggesting that the lens is a common subcontract among several manufacturers in Taiwan. These markings are fanciful, using a fictitious serial number. They sometimes suggest functions that do not exist. For example, "Auto Fix focus" simply means there is no focus adjustment; it is a fixed focus. The word "Auto" is there to deceive.

One can attempt to determine main types among this production. It is noticed that the differences between two types are sometimes minimal. Dating is very difficult, although there is an evolution in shapes to follow the design of major brands.

To add to the confusion, the cameras bear various commercial trademarks, which are mostly hollow shells. The same model name can be used for different devices (e.g., Licom MXF-700). Some models bear well-known brands because they have been used for advertising purposes (e.g., Time). Other names, such as Nikanon, are only there for their resemblance to major brands like Nikon and Canon.

      Markings on lens # on lens
Like a Haking camera
Oval window above the lens, serving no purpose
 Kinon
SL-III		 Color Optical Glass Lens
F 6 50 mm		  

Opaque window in line with the lens (non-functional)
Film advance lever

 Super II Optical Color Lens

Auto Fix Focus 50 mm Lens 1:6 		 
Off-center viewfinder
Prominence of the bulge towards the front
 Luminox
356 SL		 Optical Glass Lens
1:6 f=50mm series 432462		 432462
Premier
PC-90		 Optical Glass Lens
series 198523		 198523
Off-center viewfinder
Opaque window in line with the lens (non-functional)
Film advance lever		 Nishiki
Super II		 Nishiki Optical Glass Lens
Auto Fix Focus 50mm Lens 1:6		  
Off-center viewfinder
Opaque window in line with the lens (non-functional)
Frame counter on the top cover		 Optiflex
NF-1		 Optiflex Color Optical Glass Lens
1:6 f=50mm series 746277		 746277
Off-center viewfinder
Opaque window aligned with the lens (non-functional)
 Optiflex
NF-1		 Optiflex Color Optical Glass Lens
1:6 f=50mm series 746277		 746277
Film advance lever
Wide and low shoe base		 Kinon
SL-IV		 Color Optical Glass Lens
F 6 50 mm		  
Off-center viewfinder.
Covered window under the bulge.
The shutter release button is on a small platform.		 BW-7000 Optical Color Lens
Auto Fix Focus 50mm Lens 1:6		  
UCC UC300

SLR-like form. Side viewfinder. Bulge for better grip.		 GMTEX GT-304 Debonair New Optical Lens

1:5.6 f 50 mm Series

 
Comax LT-002 Debonair Comax Optical Lens

1:6 f 50 mm Series		  

SLR-like shape. Side viewfinder. Bulge for better grip.
Advance lever.		 Comax GT-306 Comax Optical Lens

1:6 f 50 mm Series		  

SLR-like shape. Side-mounted viewfinder. Bulge for improved grip.		 Meikai 4353 SSN New Optical Lens

1:5,6 f=50 mm Series 626326		 626326
ESC

SLR-like shape.
Viewfinder aligned with the lens.		 ESC Debonair New Optical Lens

1:5,6 F = 50 mm Series		  
Roniflex X3000 Debonair
GM Tex GT-304 Debonair

Off-center viewfinder.
Window obscured beneath the bulge.		 (Time) Kinetic Optical Color Lens
Auto Fix Focus 50mm Lens 1:6		  
Nikanon
RX-7		 Nikanon Color Optical Glass Lens
1:6 f=50mm series 746277		 746277
FC-100 (Time) Color Optical Lens
1:6 f=50mm series 746277		 746277
Finger rest at each end.
Off-center viewfinder.
Window obscured beneath the bulge.		 Licom
MXF-700		 Optical Glass Lens
Auto Fix Focus 50mm Lens 1:6		  

Reflex-like appearance.
Viewfinder within the faux prism bulge.		 Oppex 2 7090 New Color Optical Lens
f=50mm 1:6		  
Oppex 7090
Reflex-like appearance.
Viewfinder within the faux prism bulge.
Advance lever.		 Licom
MXF-700		 Optical Glass Lens
Auto Fix Focus 50mm Lens 1:6		  
Reflex-like appearance.
Viewfinder within the faux prism bulge.		 Alto Optical Color Lens
Auto Fix Focus 50mm Lens 1:6		  
Deluxe-III  

SLR-like shape. Two viewfinder windows aligned with the lens.		 Leo.35 Debonair Leo. 35 Optical Color Lens
Auto Fix Focus 50 mm Lens 1:6		  
Reflex-like appearance.
Finger rest at one end.
Off-center viewfinder.
Window obscured beneath the bulge.		 Eureka 2436 New Color Optical Lens
1:6 f=50mm series 347859		 347859
Weyburn F6
Reflex-like appearance.
Off-center viewfinder.
Finger rest on the right-hand side.
 Yashiwa
XR90		 Agfa New Color Optical Lens
1:6,3 f=50mm series 624181		 624181





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