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Meikai ID4396 |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in China from (Circa) 1999 to (After) 1999.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 5715
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.
We know that this was made by Ouyama / New Taiwan Photographic Corporation because there are very similar cameras labeled Ouyama Mango, and Quickshot Mango DI 4410.
It is extremely light and poorly made, the aperture of this one is not even on the central axis of the lens, but it has one interesting feature which it shares with much more expensive cameras. The shutter cannot be operated if there is no film in the camera. The small aperture would require the use of 400 ISO film for flash.
It demonstrates that some (at least ) of the 'new' Meikai were made by NTPC.
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