The Mikroma II was made c1964 in Czechoslovakia by the Meopta Corporation. It is all metal construction with leatherette cover, and has a nice, solid feel in the hand.
Specifications:
Lens: 3-element 20 mm f/3.5 Mirar with continuous diaphragm stop to f/16.
Shutter: 1/5 s - 1/400 s and B.
Focus: 0.5 m to infinity
Film: 16 mm loaded into 2 cassettes (supply and take-up, not interchangeable). Transport is by winding onto a spool and a single sprocket tooth, so single perforations are necessary. Advancing is done with a not-very-convenient sliding bar.
Image: 14 mm x 11 mm
Misc: For such a small camera, there are many features! In addition to the variable focus, shutter speed and f/ stop mentioned above, the camera has: tripod socket on the bottom, PC (?) flash connector, threaded shutter release for cable, and 0-60 frame counter. A copy stand is also available with a variety of leg lengths and close-up lenses.
Variations:
According to Jerry Friedman*, the Mikroma (version I) was first introduced "a few years after World War Two." This camera advanced the film by sliding the advance bar, and tripped the shutter on the bar's release. The II abandoned this for the more conventional top-mounted shutter button. In 1961 a Stereo Mikroma was produced, looking very much like 2 Mikromas set side-by-side. A special and quite rare all-black Police version was made and which included a waist-level finder
Value:
McKeown's** lists the black Mikroma II value at $100 - $150 as of 1997/98 publication.
My Observations:
1. Film cassettes are hard to come by. If you want to buy one of these to use, make sure you get cassettes with it! A single take-up cassette would be sufficient, if you loaded the camera in total dark.
2. This camera has the feel of quality, with its solid metal construction, but you wouldn't want to carry it in your shirt pocket.
3. If you have plenty of time to prepare for your shot, the full-manual f/ stop, focus and shutter speeds give you just about all the creative control you might want in a submini. (No double exposures, though.)
*The New Subminiature Camera and Darkroom Guide by Jerry Friedman,
Double J Small Camera Works, 1996
**McKeown's Price Guide to Antique & Classic Cameras 1997/1998, Amphoto/Watson-Guptill, NY