Wester 6×6 folders
|
The Japanese company Nishida made a number of folders called Wester in the 1940s and 1950s. See also the 4.5×6 wartime Wester and the 4.5×6 postwar Semi Wester. These cameras have NKK leaf-shutters and lenses marked Wester, Wescon or Welcon that were made in house.
The Wester Chrome Six (1951) is a simple viewfinder model with double-exposure prevention and the ability to switch between 6x6 and 6x4.5 formats using a mask in the film chamber. The Wester Chrome Six R (1953) is a variant with an uncoupled rangefinder, some had a Zuiko F.C. 75/3.5 lens.
The Super Wester (1955) has a coupled rangefinder with a unit focusing 75mm f/3.5 lens, and shutter This is a dual format camera, and uses a film mask to switch from 6x6 to 6x45, and has 2 windows in the back for advancing either format.
|
|
| |||||||
NKK Super Wester w/ELCON 75mm f/3.5
Images by Scott (Image rights) |
The Wester S2 and Wester Autorol (1956) are coupled rangefinder only 6x6 format and added automatic film advance, dispensing with the red windows.
The Wester Atlasix was another simple viewfinder model 6x6 only. The lens was a Welcon 7.5cm f/4.5 with a shutter speed to 1/300.
The Fodor Six was a name variant of the Wester Atlasix, rebadged for the Dutch distributor Fodor, with the same Welcon 7.5cm f/4.5 lens.
|
|
|
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. Items 387–93 and 1124.
- Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). Pp.83 and 86 (brief mentions only).
- 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). P.738.
- Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Items 1439–44.
Links
In English:
- Wester S2 in English and the original Japanese version, at Takahara Minoru's website (archived)
- Wester Atlasix in Greg Christies' pbase gallery
In Japanese:
- Wester Chrome Six repair notes at Takasaki Motohiro's camera site
- Wester Chrome Six in a post by Arcticchar at his Fishing Diary blog
- Super Wester at doraDD's clacamera blog
- Wester Autorol at Aya's camera site
- Wester Autorol recorded by Minosan, at Minosan's blog
- Wester Autorol, brief mention with one picture, at Glossostigma's website (archived)
- Wester Autorol in the first page of the Yamada Camera Museum
- Wester 6×6 folder at Ito Sadanobu's camera collection (archived)