Difference between revisions of "Atom Six"
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{{Japanese Six postwar}} | {{Japanese Six postwar}} | ||
| − | The '''Atom Six''' is a | + | The '''Atom Six''' is a 6×6 folding camera made by [[Atom|Atom Kōki Seisakusho]]. Advertisements for both model I and model II were published from the July 1952 to the September 1953 issues of the Japanese photographic magazines.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p. 345. </REF> The Atom Six looks from the front as if it is a rangefinder camera, with two or three windows depending on the model, but these are separate viewfinders. the viewfinder window at the center and the extra rangefinder window to the right. |
| − | The | + | == Common features == |
| + | The Atom Six I and Atom Six II have the same body and mainly differ by the top housing. The folding struts are styled after the [[Ikonta]] and display the ''AOW'' logo of <U>A</U>tom <U>O</U>ptical <U>W</U>orks. The back is hinged to the right, the advance knob is at the top right and has an arrow to indicate the winding direction. | ||
| − | + | All the models have a 75mm f/3.5 lens; focusing is by movement of the front lens element. The shutter has speeds of 1–200 and B. | |
| − | == | + | == The Atom Six I == |
| − | + | The '''Atom Six I''' has two viewfinders: a direct-vision finder at the center, with a rectangular window, and a right-angle finder on the left (as seen by the photographer), with a smaller round window and a small viewing screen on top of the camera. There is an accessory shoe between the two finders. The name ''ATOM–6'' is engraved at two places of the top housing: above the camera between the eye-level finder and the advance knob, and behind the camera on the left of the finder eyepiece. The ''AOW'' logo is repeated on the right of the shoe. | |
| + | |||
| + | This model normally takes 6×6cm pictures only and has a single red window in the middle of the back, surrounded by a small plate marked ''12EX.'' The name ''ATOM–SIX'' is also embossed in the back leather under this red window. The back was modified with two red windows at some time, presumably after the introduction of the Atom Six II for parts standardization. On the modified back, the red windows are surrounded by small plates marked ''12EX'' and ''16EX,'' and the name ''ATOM–SIX I'' is embossed at the bottom right. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The camera has a Seriter or Atom lens. The shutter is said to be either an [[NKS]] or AKS shutter. The picture in McKeown's book shows a B, 1–200 shutter marked ''ATOM''. <!-- I think that what the big book calls AKS = Atom Kōki Seisakusho --> A dealer mentions an EKS B, 1–200 shutter, and the camera pictured at the [http://rd2h-ari.hp.infoseek.co.jp/JA_ATOM_PIC.htm Japan Family Camera page] has a shutter marked ''[[Luna|S. LUNA]]''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == The Atom Six II == | ||
| + | The design of the '''Atom Six II''' is very distinctive; viewed from the front, it has ''two'' rectangular viewfinder windows (that to the left for 6×6 and that to the right for 6×4.5), with the extra window for the right-angle finder between the two. It has either a four-element Atomic lens and an NKS shutter or a three-element Atom lens and an AKS shutter. There is also an Atomar lens, seen on an example at a Yahoo Japan auction. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Sources / further reading == | ||
| + | * {{Showa10}} Items 363–4. | ||
| + | * [[Lewis}} Pp. 75 and 79 (brief mentions only). | ||
| + | * {{McKeown12}} P. 86. | ||
| + | * {{Zukan}} Items 1273–7. | ||
== Links == | == Links == | ||
Revision as of 16:39, 9 May 2007
The Atom Six is a 6×6 folding camera made by Atom Kōki Seisakusho. Advertisements for both model I and model II were published from the July 1952 to the September 1953 issues of the Japanese photographic magazines.[1] The Atom Six looks from the front as if it is a rangefinder camera, with two or three windows depending on the model, but these are separate viewfinders. the viewfinder window at the center and the extra rangefinder window to the right.
Common features
The Atom Six I and Atom Six II have the same body and mainly differ by the top housing. The folding struts are styled after the Ikonta and display the AOW logo of Atom Optical Works. The back is hinged to the right, the advance knob is at the top right and has an arrow to indicate the winding direction.
All the models have a 75mm f/3.5 lens; focusing is by movement of the front lens element. The shutter has speeds of 1–200 and B.
The Atom Six I
The Atom Six I has two viewfinders: a direct-vision finder at the center, with a rectangular window, and a right-angle finder on the left (as seen by the photographer), with a smaller round window and a small viewing screen on top of the camera. There is an accessory shoe between the two finders. The name ATOM–6 is engraved at two places of the top housing: above the camera between the eye-level finder and the advance knob, and behind the camera on the left of the finder eyepiece. The AOW logo is repeated on the right of the shoe.
This model normally takes 6×6cm pictures only and has a single red window in the middle of the back, surrounded by a small plate marked 12EX. The name ATOM–SIX is also embossed in the back leather under this red window. The back was modified with two red windows at some time, presumably after the introduction of the Atom Six II for parts standardization. On the modified back, the red windows are surrounded by small plates marked 12EX and 16EX, and the name ATOM–SIX I is embossed at the bottom right.
The camera has a Seriter or Atom lens. The shutter is said to be either an NKS or AKS shutter. The picture in McKeown's book shows a B, 1–200 shutter marked ATOM. A dealer mentions an EKS B, 1–200 shutter, and the camera pictured at the Japan Family Camera page has a shutter marked S. LUNA.
The Atom Six II
The design of the Atom Six II is very distinctive; viewed from the front, it has two rectangular viewfinder windows (that to the left for 6×6 and that to the right for 6×4.5), with the extra window for the right-angle finder between the two. It has either a four-element Atomic lens and an NKS shutter or a three-element Atom lens and an AKS shutter. There is also an Atomar lens, seen on an example at a Yahoo Japan auction.
Sources / further reading
- 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 363–4.
- [[Lewis}} Pp. 75 and 79 (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. 86.
- 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 1273–7.
Links
In Japanese:
- Atom Six I at Japan Family Camera
- Atom Six I at Minosan's blog
- Atom Six I in the Zeppan Tōsan photo site (incorporating this photograph). If the link does not work, go to the Zeppan Tōsan photo site, follow the link marked "武器庫" in the page menu, and then the link marked "アトム光機製作所 アトムシックス" in the "next" menu
