Chinon Bellami

Photos by PS text by Sylvain Halgand. From the collection of PS. Last update 2020-04-01 par Eric Borel.

Manufactured or assembled in Japan from 1980 to (After) 1982.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 10584

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Chinon

Traduction de Alphonse Khuu

Bellami! A certain idea of luxury and about the old Europe...

Inspired, the Japanese eyes of Chinon should look at Germany where Minox with its series of 35 had paved the way.

So same intentions but different means. Although the lens gets the same focal length and the same aperture (2.8/35mm) than the camera it tries to compete, although the lens is retractable, but mounting is different. In the case of Bellami, a small bellows lurks inside the camera. Phot'Argus by presenting it at its release deems it as the unique internal bellows camera.
Here no horizontal flap, but two panels that are opened by activating a lever.

The lens, a 2.8/35mm, has four elements. Its focusing is done from 1m. The distance of three meters is engraved in green on the ring of distances.
The shutter is a SEIKO electronically programmed from 1/8 to 1/100 per sec.

A specific flash Chinon S-20 can be grafted on the left side of the camera, like an Olympus XA. It has a switch to three positions: ON (sync on 1/60), Daylight (sync at all shutter speeds) and OFF.

The possible sensitivity of films is 25 to 400 ASA.

The power of this camera is done by a PX26 battery. At the top of the camera, there is a battery checking button.

The viewfinder is bright framing. There is an indicator of under and overexposure. Obviously, it does not have a rangefinder like the Olympus. The classification of the latter in its contemporary competitors is the mere fact of its size fairly close.

This camera was introduced at PMA (Chicago) in 1980.