Alma Four

The Alma Four (アルマ・フォアー) is a Japanese camera taking 4×4cm pictures on 127 film. According to Kokusan kamera no rekishi, it was made by Miyoshi Kōgaku. It was distributed by Banno Bōeki from 1939 to 1943.

Description

The Alma Four has a rounded metal body. There is a telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly. The top plate is removed for film loading, a practice that is common in Japanese 3×4 and 4×4 cameras and initiated by the Picny and Gelto.

The whole top plate is covered by a top housing containing the viewfinder, slightly offset to the left. This housing also supports the advance knob at the right end, an accessory shoe and a knob at the left end that looks like the rewind knob of a 35mm camera. This knob is perhaps used to open and close the top plate.

There is a small window in front of the accessory shoe, probably displaying an exposure counter. A lever placed behind the top plate perhaps interacts with this exposure counter. The back contains a single red window, protected by a horizontally sliding cover. It is certainly used to set the first exposure. There is a tripod thread in the bottom plate, offset to the right.

The name ALMA FOUR is engraved above the viewfinder and it is sometimes embossed in the back leather.

Advertising

In an advertisement dated January 1941, two versions of the Alma Four were offered, both with a U.L.L. f/4.5 lens:

• Selon shutter, T, B, 5–300 speeds (¥70);
• Kerio shutter, T, B, 25–150 speeds (¥60).

The version with Kerio shutter is called Junior (ジュニアー型). The pictured camera is of the more expensive version. The shutter plate is marked ALMA at the top and probably SELON at the bottom.

In an advertisement dated May 1943, the camera is called Alma Four New (アルマ・フォアー新型). It seems that the picture is exactly the same as in the previous advertisement. The same lens is mentioned and two versions are still offered, for ¥77.70 and ¥89.80. These versions are probably the same as before, but only the shutter's low speed is given: neither the shutter name nor the top speed is written.

Actual examples

The Alma Four has been observed with a shutter giving 5–300, B, T speeds, probably corresponding to the Selon but with no marking on the shutter plate. On this version, the aperture is set by an index above the shutter housing.

It has also been observed with an everset Kerio shutter and a U.L.L. Anastigmat 5.0cm f/4.5 lens. This version corresponds to the advertised Alma Four Junior. The shutter plate is marked KERIO at the top and the aperture scale is at the bottom.

The Alma Four is also pictured in this page at Cameracatalogus with a Kerio shutter and a Ukas Anastigmat 50mm f/4.5 lens, of the type mounted on the Olympic. It is not known if this is an original fitting.

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 12–4.
• 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. 111.
• 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. Item 3002.

Links

In English:

• Alma Four at Cameracatalogus

In Japanese:

• Advertisement for the Alma Four published in Asahi Camera November 1940, visible in this post of Xylocopal's photolog