Auto Semi Minolta

The Auto Semi Minolta (オート・セミ・ミノルタ) is a Japanese 4.5×6 folding rangefinder camera, released in 1937 and available at least until 1943. It was made by Chiyoda Kōgaku (the predecessor of Minolta) and distributed by Asanuma Shōkai. This camera was inspired by the Weltur and it is completely different from the viewfinder Semi Minolta, with which it only shares a few parts.

Description

The body of the Auto Semi Minolta is largely copied from the Welta Weltur, in particular the folding struts and the focusing system are identical. The focusing is controlled by a small knob placed on the right of the folding bed, moving the whole lens and shutter assembly (unit focusing).

(Image rights)

The range- and viewfinder is contained under a top housing, whose shape is again inspired by the Weltur. Both devices are combined and share the same eyepiece at the right end of the camera. The Auto Semi Minolta was certainly the first serial-produced Japanese camera to have a combined range and viewfinder, only preceded by the Olympus Standard and perhaps the Lord prototypes.

The name Minolta is engraved between the rectangular viewfinder window and the round rangefinder window. The same Minolta engraving is present on a small black plate inside the folding bed, covering the focusing mechanism. Above the top housing there is an Auto Semi engraving, the serial number and an accessory shoe. The front leather is embossed Minolta.

Film advance mechanism, with close-ups of the unlock button and folding bed release. (Image rights)

The Auto Semi Minolta has an automatic film advance device inspired by Plaubel products like the Roll-Op folder or the rollfilm backs of the Makina. It is placed in a housing at the right end of the bottom plate, near the back latch. This housing supports a big advance knob and a large and thin exposure counter disc, with 1 to 16 graduations facing a red-dotted index. On the back, there is a sliding button to unlock film advance, and the same housing also supports the folding bed release. The case of the Auto Semi Minolta has a flap to cover the advance knob and exposure counter.

Back view (Image rights)

The tripod screw is located at the opposite end of the bottom plate. The back is hinged to the left, with a red window protected by a vertically sliding cover at the top left, only used to position the film for the first exposure. The film chamber contains two pivoting cradles, one on each side, maintaining the film spools in place.

All the cameras have a Promar 75mm f/3.5 four-element lens, the same as on the Minoltaflex (I). It was made by Asahi Kōgaku (predecessor of Pentax), which also made the three-element Coronar lens of the Semi Minolta. The aperture scale is always screwed to the bottom of the shutter plate.

Evolution

The Auto Semi Minolta somewhat evolved during its production run. The shutter was first a Compur (T, B, 1–250) then a Crown-Rapid (T, B, 1–400) in #0 size, made by Chiyoda itself. The latter is a down-sized version of the shutter made for the Auto Press Minolta. The use of an imported Compur on the early cameras perhaps indicates that the small Crown-Rapid was not yet ready for production when the camera was released.

Compur shutter

Auto Semi Minolta no.4606, Promar Anastigmat Nippon f/4.5 lens, Compur shutter, early back latch. Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

Front view showing the peculiar shutter release. Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

On the first version, the shutter is a Compur S with T, B, 1–250 speeds and a self-timer, and the shutter release is on the folding bed. The shutter plate has the usual engravings: Deckel-München at the top and COMPUR at the bottom, with an FD logo (for Friedrich Deckel) on the right. The advance knob has a convex top and a single row of grooves.

The camera was announced in late 1937: it was advertised in Asahi Camera in October and was featured in new products column of the November issue of the same magazine. It was displayed together with the Minoltaflex and Auto Press Minolta at the show organized in December 1937 in the Tōkyō Kaikan by Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō and Asanuma Shōkai to celebrate their new commercial agreements. Pictures of the first version with Compur shutter appear in advertisements dated October 1937 to March 1938 and perhaps later.

Crown shutter

Auto Semi Minolta no.7208, Promar Anastigmat Nippon f/4.5 lens, Crown shutter, early back latch. The self-timer control is certainly broken. Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

The second version has a Crown shutter giving T, B, 1–400 speeds. The shutter release has moved to the top plate, above the hinge of the folding bed. This version appears in advertisements dated January, July and November 1939, April and December 1940, and in a catalogue by Asanuma Shōkai dated October 1941.

Extract of the October 1941 catalogue by Asanuma Shōkai. (Image rights)

The shutter is advertised as a Crown II in the early advertisements and as a "Crown RS" in the October 1941 catalogue. It is externally a copy of the Compur-Rapid and it is probable that the mechanism is too. The speed rim is engraved CROWN–RAPID and the shutter plate is marked CROWNII–TIYOKO at the top. Tiyoko is an alternate writing for Chiyoko, itself an abbreviation of the company name Chiyoda Kōgaku.

The camera usually has a self-timer exactly similar to the one mounted on the Compur. Of the advertisements cited above, only the one dated January 1939 does not explicitly mention this device. However at least two examples are known without the self-timer button (one is pictured in this page). In both cases, the hole in the shutter housing is present and it seems that the part is simply broken.

Advance knob, old and new type. (Image rights)

Supply spool cradle, old and new type. (Image rights)

Most examples have a new type of advance knob with a flatter top and three grooved rows. At least one example is known with the old type of knob; this example was kept by the Minolta company and might be a prototype. Minor variations are known in the folding bed release button (striated or flat tip) but they perhaps occurred independently.

Inside the camera, the cradle for the supply spool is different from the corresponding part in the Compur model. It also seems that the actual size of the picture frame was slightly reduced (from 44×58mm to 43×57mm). It would be further reduced on later examples, to 42×55mm. It is possible that edge sharpness was considered insufficient and that the image size was slightly cropped as a result.

New back latch

Auto Semi Minolta no.14792, Promar Nippon f/4.5 lens, Crown shutter, self-timer, late back latch. The shutter's synch post is probably not original. Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

Back latch, old and new type (seen from behind). (Image rights)

The third version has a modified back opening and no holding strap. These parts were presumably modified around 1941, some time after the back latch of the Semi Minolta II. This version is pictured in an advertisement dated March 1942. The shutter is advertised as a "Crown RS" but it has identical CROWNII markings and no apparent modifications.

One example has been observed without the CROWNII and TIYOKO markings (only the intermediate hyphen is present), but it also seems to have an incomplete lens engraving and it surely left the factory by mistake with unfinished markings.

Like for the Semi Minolta II, the lens engraving was changed at some time from Promar Anastigmat Nippon to Promar Nippon.

A late example, pictured in this page, is known with a synchronized shutter and a PC synch. It is not known if this is original. The speed rim is unmarked on this example.

The Auto Semi Minolta was still mentioned in the government inquiry listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943.

Price and accessories

The price was ¥195 in late 1937 and early 1938, ¥210 in early 1939, ¥255 in late 1939, ¥248 in early 1941 and ¥290 in late 1941 and 1942. The Auto Semi Minolta was among the most expensive Japanese cameras (see Japanese prices).

The October 1941 catalogue by Asanuma Shōkai lists the following accessories:

• hood with filter holder (30mm diameter): ¥1.70;
• all chrome hood with filter holder: ¥3.50;
• prism reflex finder: ¥21.35;
• case: ¥13.04.

Production

The Auto Semi Minolta was produced in the Mukogawa (武庫川) plant, together with the other bellows models, at a rate of about 250 units per month. The lowest reported body number is 4039 and the highest is 15069; it is not sure that the number sequence was continuous and specific to the Auto Semi Minolta, and it is difficult to give a total production estimate.

Bibliography

Original documents

• Asanuma Shōkai. Shashinki to zairyō (写真機と材料, Cameras and supplies). Catalogue dated October 1941. P.12. Document partly reproduced in this Flickr album by Rebollo_fr.
• "Kamera no kōtei kakaku kanpō happyō" (カメラの公定価格官報発表, Official announcement of the set prices of the cameras), November 1941. Extract of a table listing Japanese camera production and setting the retail prices, reproduced in "Bebī Semi Fāsuto 'Kore ha bebī wo nanotta semi-ki da'" (ベビーセミファースト"これはベビーを名乗ったセミ機だ", Baby Semi First, 'this is a Semi camera called Baby'), an article by Furukawa Yasuo (古川保男) in Camera Collectors' News no. 277 (July 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. P. 27. Type 3, section 9.
• "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7. Item 51.
• "Kokusan shashinki no kōtei kakaku" (国産写真機の公定価格, Set prices of the Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of October 25, 1940 and setting the retail prices from December 10, 1940. Published in Asahi Camera January 1941 and reproduced in 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. Pp.108—9. Type 3, section 9.

Older historical accounts

• Minolta Camera. Minolta 50-nen no ayumi (Minolta・50年のあゆみ, Minolta 50-year history). November 1978. Pp.6 and 65.
• Shashin Kōgyō no.77 (September 1958). "Hensen kamera ichiran-pyō" (変遷カメラ一らん表, Table of camera evolution.) P.295. (This is a chronology of Minolta cameras from the Nifcarette onwards. This document is also reproduced in Tanimura, p.7 of Camera Collectors' News no.116.)
• Taniguchi Masao (谷口匡男), from the commercial department (営業部) of Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō. "Minoruta kamera no sakujitsu, konnichi" (ミノルタ・カメラの昨日、今日, Minolta cameras, yesterday and today). In Shashin Kōgyō no.77 (September 1958). Pp.275–9.

Recent sources

• 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 275. (See also the pictures on pp.11 and 425.)
• Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Minoruta ryakushi" (ミノルタ略史, "Minolta short history"). 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.6–8.
• Francesch, Dominique and Jean-Paul. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Minolta de 1929 à 1985. Paris: Dessain et Tolra, 1985. ISBN 2-249-27685-4. Pp.24 and 81.
• Fujioka Shunichirō (藤岡俊一郎). "<Ōto semi minoruta> bunkai-ki" (<オートセミミノルタ>分解記, "'Auto Semi Minolta' dismantling notes"). 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.76, June 2005. ISBN 4-257-13078-4. Kurashikku kamera katachi to kinō 'supuringu kamera hen' (クラシックカメラ形と機能「スプリングカメラ編」, special issue on spring cameras). Pp.116–21.
• Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Kōkoku ni miru Minolta kamera no rekishi" (広告に見るミノルタカメラの歴史, "Minolta camera history seen through the advertisements"). 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.9–12.
• The Japanese Historical Camera. 日本の歴史的カメラ (Nihon no rekishiteki kamera). 2nd ed. Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 2004. P.32.
• 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.54 and 182.
• 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.672.
• Omoide no supuringu-kamera-ten (思い出のスプリングカメラ展, Exhibition of beloved self-erecting cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P.9.
• Saeki Kakugorō (佐伯恪五郎). "Tashima Gizō-shi ni kiku" (田嶋義三氏に聞く, "Asking Tashima Gizō"). 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.76–9.
• Scheibel, Anni Rita and Joseph. 70 Jahre Minolta Kameratechnik — Von der Nifcalette bis zur Dynax 9. Stuttgart: Lindemanns Verlag, 3rd edition, 1999. ISBN 3-89506-191-3. Pp.24–5.
• 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 1205–1206.
• Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Supuringu kamera <semi minoruta>" (スプリングカメラ<セミミノルタ>, "'Semi Minolta' self-erecting camera"). 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.19–24.
• Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minolta I-gata to II-gata (sono 2)." (セミミノルタⅠ型とⅡ型(その2), "Semi Minolta I and II (part 2)") In Camera Collectors' News no.118 (April 1987). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.

Links

General links

In English:

• Auto Semi Minolta in the 70th anniversary Minolta poster, reproduced at Photoclub Alpha
• Auto Semi Minolta among Minolta folding cameras at the Manual Minolta website

In German:

• Auto Semi Minolta at kefk.net

In Japanese:

• Auto Semi Minolta in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology
• Auto Semi Minolta at With Zakka
• Auto Semi Minolta and more pictures in Miyazawa Noriyuki's camera site
• Auto Semi Minolta in the Map Camera Museum
• Auto Semi Minolta in the Kitamura Camera Museum

Original documents

In Japanese:

• Advertisements reproduced in the Gochamaze website:
  • Advertisement for the Minolta range published in the 23 March 1938 issue of Asahi Graph
  • Advertisement for the Auto Semi Minolta published in the 5 January 1939 issue of Asahi Graph
  • Advertisements for the Auto Semi Minolta published in the 26 July 1939 and 17 April 1940 issues of Asahi Graph
• Advertisement for the Auto Semi Minolta published between 1942 and 1945, reproduced in Nostalgic Camera, a page by Toshio Inamura.