Apollo and Lloyd
The Apollo is a Japanese 6.5×9cm plate folder, made by Sone Shunsuidō in the 1920s. The Lloyd is a cheaper version of this camera.
Contents
Description
The Apollo has an all-metal body and double extension bellows driven by a small wheel on the photographer's right. There is a brilliant finder offset to the left, and there is no wireframe finder. The U-shaped front standard allows vertical and perhaps horizontal movements.
Evolution
The Apollo was advertised in the April and May 1924 issues of Ars Camera.[1] The advertisements say that the camera was supplied with six single-sided plate holders and one film pack holder. Two lens and shutter combinations are listed:
The Testar lens was a four-element lens specially made by a French company in Paris for Tokyo Camera Works, the manufacturing branch of Sone Shunsuidō.
The advertisement in the September 1924 issue of Ars Camera only lists the Testar f/4.5 and Compur combination, at the higher price of ¥105.[2] A special version with "red leather", probably corresponding to maroon leather, is mentioned for ¥5 extra. The text also says that the camera can take both "continental meishi" (大陸名刺, 6.5×9cm) and "British meishi" (英国名刺, 5.5×8cm) plates.
Another advertisement lists the following versions:[3]
- Testar f/4.5 lens, dial-set Compur shutter, ¥115;
- Testar f/6.3 lens, Ibsor shutter, ¥85;
- Triplar f/6.3 lens, Vario shutter, ¥56.
The Triplar lens was not made for Sone.[4]
One surviving example of the Apollo is known with a Testar 105mm f/6.3 and an Ibsor shutter (1–100, B, T).[5] The lens marking reads T C W PARIS – TESTAR f:6.3 F105 N°13025. Another example is known with a Testar Anastigmat 90mm f/4.5 lens and a dial-set Compur.[6] The lens marking reads TESTAR ANASTIGMAT – f4.5 F90 N°11517 and does not mention Tokyo Camera Works or Paris.
Notes
- ↑ Advertisements reproduced in Yazawa, p.18 of Camera Collectors' News no.98, p.13 of Camera Collectors' News no.171 and pp.15–6 of Camera Collectors' News no.264.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Yazawa, p.19 of Camera Collectors' News no.98.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Morishita, p.70 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.22.
- ↑ The advertisement says that it was "made elsewhere" (別製).
- ↑ Example pictured in this page at ksmt.com.
- ↑ Lens and shutter pictured in Yazawa, p.17 of Camera Collectors' News no.98. Whole camera pictured in Yazawa, pp.11 and 14 of Camera Collectors' News no.264.
Bibliography
- 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). P.44.
- Morishita Hajime (森下肇). "Atomu-han kamera no subete" (アトム判カメラのすべて, All of Atom-size cameras). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.22, September 1992. No ISBN number. Airesu no subete (アイレスのすべて, special issue on Aires). Pp.55–70.
- Yazawa Seiichirō (矢沢征一郎). "Renzu no hanashi (17) Chinpin renzu Tesutā" (レンズの話[17]珍品レンズ・テスター, Lens story [17] A rare lens: the Testar). In Camera Collectors' News no.98 (August 1985). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Pp.17–9.
- Yazawa Seiichirō (矢沢征一郎). "Renzu no hanashi (88) Modelā" (レンズの話[88]モデラー, Lens story [88] The Modelar). In Camera Collectors' News no.171 (September 1991). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Pp.11–3.
- Yazawa Seiichirō (矢沢征一郎). "Renzu no hanashi (174) Tesutā" (レンズの話[17]珍品レンズ・テスター, Lens story [174] The Testar). In Camera Collectors' News no.264 (June 1999). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Pp.11–6.
Links
In Japanese:
- Apollo plate folder with T.C.W. Testar 105mm f/6.3 lens and Ibsor shutter, at ksmt.com (with a small addition about its origin)