Apollo and Mikado
The Apollo and Mikado are Japanese 4.5×6 folders, made from at least as early as 1949[1]. The Apollo and Mikado seem to differ only by the name, and they are attributed both to Sumida Kōki and Nishida Kōgaku.[2]
Contents
General description
The camera is a horizontal folder, nearly identical to the earlier Roavic made in 1941 and 1942 by Miyoshi Kōgaku. The body and folding struts are copied on the Duo Six-20 Series II by Kodak AG, except that the back is hinged to the left. The lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a chromed metal plate. The optical finder is enclosed in a chromed top housing, with the advance knob on the right end, a body release and an accessory shoe offset to the left, just behind the bed release button.
Evolution
Two production variants of the Apollo and Mikado are distinguishable. The early variant has a back latch copied on Kodak designs, a small advance knob with a recessed top inherited from the Roavic and no depth-of-field dial. There are two rectangular red windows in the back near the bottom, protected by a common cover sliding under a metal plate. Given their position, these red windows correspond to the numbers from 1 to 16 marked on the rollfilm's paper back for the 4.5×6 format, thus the rationale for having two of them is unclear.
The late variant have a flat back latch covered by a rectangular leather piece, a larger advance knob with a flatter top and a depth-of-field dial on the left end of the top plate. During the production of this variant, the right-hand red window was suppressed, leaving space for a SUMIDA OPTICAL WORKS engraving. It is also said that the covering was changed from leather to vulcanite at some time.[3]
Lens, shutter and markings
The lens is usually a Wester Anastigmat 75/3.5 made by Nishida, but some examples are reported with a S.O.W. Anastigmat 75/3.5 lens.[4] These initials probably stand for Sumida Optical Works.
The shutter is usually a Northter Model II on the early variant and an NKK on the late one, both made by Nishida and both giving T, B, 1–200 speeds. The last examples have flash synchronization. A late example of the Mikado has been observed with a Proud-Rapid shutter, reportedly giving B, 1–500 speeds.[5]
Markings are found on the top housing above the viewfinder and on the back. The serial number is engraved in the top housing, it seems that there is a common sequence for the Apollo and Mikado cameras, and it is perhaps common with the Roavic too. Markings observed so far are:
- APOLLO on top, APOLLO 120 embossed in the back;[6]
- "Apollo II" and description as the 1950 model on top, "Apollo 120" embossed in the back, metal plate in the rear marked "Sumida Optical Works";[7]
- MIKADO on top (uppercase), nothing in the back;[8]
- Mikado on top (lowercase, different font), Mikado 120 embossed in the back, SUMIDA OPTICAL WORKS engraved in the red window plate;[9]
Sources / further readings
- Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Item 366; unusually, the book does not show any advertisement for the Apollo II, whose makers it names as both Sumida and Nishida.
- McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). Pp. 737–8 and 907.