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Sharan Replica Cameras

From 2000 through 2001, the Japanese company Sharan (also known as Megahouse) produced a series of miniature replica cameras of historically significant models. The list of cameras was surprisingly lengthy and included models such as:

Contax I
Hasselblad SWC
Leica M3 (in chrome, black or Swedish Army)
ROBOT I
Rolleiflex 2.8F
Nikon F
Nikon SP
Pentax Spotmatic
Leica IF and IIIF

While seemingly a novelty, they are actually functional and use Minox film cartridges (or our Spy Film for Minox cartridges). Camera functions are generally pretty limited. Focus and aperture are both fixed, as is the shutter speed at 1/250th. The lens is a three element 15mm f/5.6 Azonon. Many cameras have moving parts to simulate the functions on the cameras they are imitating, but these don't perform any actual function.

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Sharan Miniature Rolleiflex 2.8F

Longtime customer, Matt Adamik, mostly comes by the shop in order to pick up Spy Film for his Rolleiflex. Wait, "Spy Film for a Rollei" you say? That's right. This mini Rolleiflex TLR is actually a subminiature camera that makes use of the Minox cassettes and produces the typical 8x11mm frame - and yes, it would have been much cooler if it made 8x8mm square images. ⁠

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Back in 2000, a Japanese company called Sharan Megahouse started producing a whole series of miniature replicas of historically significant cameras. The list included such luminaries as the Rolleiflex 2.8F, the Leica M3 (available in chrome, black or the Swedish military model), the Nikon SP, Olympus Pen F, Robot I (we'd love to see this), and even a Hasselblad SWC. All of them were functional cameras, albeit in a limited fashion. They typically had a 15mm f/5.6 Azonon lens, fixed shutter speed of 1/250th, fixed f/5.6 aperture, and fixed focus. They also all used Minox film. Of course, Minox no longer produces their film but we have stepped in and filled that void with our very own, Spy Film for Minox.

Matt also owns the Sharan miniature Leica M3, which you can find an image of elsewhere in this same exhibit. Despite its diminutive size, it didn't take long for Matt's mini Rollei to get our attention. Two of our staff made sure to get portraits of the camera. Renee had him pose out in front of our shop, where she made this portrait with her Yashica Mat-124.

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Sharan Miniature Leica M3 Chrome

We will present you with two equally likely scenarios in this image: the smallest Leica M3 ever OR the largest customer ever... we'll let you and your imagination decide.⠀ ⠀

Jokes aside, we do see some tiny cameras and some giant customers - if not stature, than in personality alone. Once upon a time, Minox "made" (the cameras were actually made by another company and rebadged as Minox) a series of subminiature look-a-likes that used their Minox cassette film. These offshoot cameras included the pictured Leica M3, a Leica If, IIIf, Contax I, Rolleiflex TLR, and even a Hasselblad SWC. They all had the same lens, a single shutter speed, and accepted Minox film. They are mostly known as novelty cameras, but they are definitely still functional. Our shop has been around long enough that we can say that we remember selling these cameras when they were brand new, back in the day. ⠀ ⠀

Turns out one of our customers, Matt Adamik, (maybe gigantic, maybe not) purchased one of these cameras when they were new and he is still shooting it. He brought it by for a visit, knowing we'd get a chuckle out of seeing one again.

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Minox "Leica M3"

Some of our cameras are smaller than life, like this miniature Leica M3 camera sold by Minox that came through at some point or another. We no longer have this guy but while we did we had fun posing it with our customers and making them look like giants.

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Blue Moon Camera and Machine llc

sales@bluemooncamera.com
(503) 978-0333
(503) 978-0370
8417 North Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203