Tsubasa Super Semi
The Tsubasa Super Semi (ツバサ・スーパー・セミ) was a 4.5×6 folding camera made by the Japanese company Optochrom. It had a horizontal style folding body with curve shaped struts, and a folding optical finder.
It has been observed with a Lucomar Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens and an everset shutter with T, B, 25-50-100-150 speeds. On the cameras observed (see the links below), the shutter plate is marked TSUBASA SHUTTER at the top, with a NE logo between the two words, and NEW GOLD at the bottom. The knobs at both ends of the top plate are conical and quite high. On the right of the top plate, there is a button that looks like a shutter release, but according to Aya's page, it only opens the folding bed. The shutter release is hidden at the right under the folding bed. There is a film advance key at the bottom right of the body. The back has two red windows and is embossed TSUBASA SUPER SEMI.
The Tsubasa Super Semi was advertised in the September 1938 issue of Asahi Camera (ad visible here). It was announced with a Tsubasa T, B, 25-50-100-150 shutter. In the picture, the shutter seems to have the same markings as described above. However the folding bed opening button was at the left, and the knobs at both ends were lower. The camera was advertised with a body release; it is probable that it was just the same folding bed release as described above. There was a choice of two f/4.5 lenses (names barely readable):
- Lucomar (probably, reads ルコマ), for ¥45
- Royal (maybe, reads ローヤー), for ¥50
The case was sold for ¥6.
A name variant called Rondex is described in Kokusan kamera no rekishi. According to this source, it is featured in the new products section of the May 1940 issue of Asahi Camera. The characteristics are the same as the Tsubasa Super Semi, only the names of the lens and shutter differ. In the picture provided, the only other difference is the presence of an accessory shoe on the left of the viewfinder. Kokusan kamera no rekishi attributes this camera to Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten (山下友治郎商店), but it is probable that it was only the distributor.
Bibliography
- 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 344.