Difference between revisions of "Baby Ōso"

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(Oso -> Ortho; New Gold and Lausar are probably separate; 1940 prices)
m (magazine mistake)
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The '''Baby Ortho''' (ベビー・オーソ)<REF> The Roman spelling "Ortho" is inferred from the ''katakana'' オーソ (''ōso''), by analogy with the orthochromatic films which are called オーソ in Japan. The name could be "Oso", "Autho", "Awso" or a variation, {{Kokusan}} exceptionnally gives no Roman equivalent. </REF> is a 3&times;4 camera announced in 1937 by the Japanese company [[Kigawa|Optochrom]].
 
The '''Baby Ortho''' (ベビー・オーソ)<REF> The Roman spelling "Ortho" is inferred from the ''katakana'' オーソ (''ōso''), by analogy with the orthochromatic films which are called オーソ in Japan. The name could be "Oso", "Autho", "Awso" or a variation, {{Kokusan}} exceptionnally gives no Roman equivalent. </REF> is a 3&times;4 camera announced in 1937 by the Japanese company [[Kigawa|Optochrom]].
  
The only advertisement mentioned by {{Kokusan}} is dated February 1937.<REF> Advertisement published in ''Asahi Camera'', reproduced in {{Kokusan}} in two parts, pp.&nbsp;61 (items 34 and 91) and 70 (items 89&ndash;90). </REF> The Baby Ortho was presented as soon to be available, with no price indicated.
+
The only advertisement mentioned by {{Kokusan}} is dated February 1937.<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Camera Art]],'' reproduced in {{Kokusan}} in two parts, pp.&nbsp;61 (items 34 and 91) and 70 (items 89&ndash;90). </REF> The Baby Ortho was presented as soon to be available, with no price indicated.
  
 
The camera pictured has a metal top housing, containing the viewfinder, not unlike the [[Letix]] or the [[Kraft]]. The shutter gives T, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds. The lens aperture is f/4.5 and it seems that there was a choice of two lens models, called New Gold and Lausar.<REF> The advertisement reads "New Gold &mdash; Lausar" (ニユーゴールド・ローザー). This might mean that the lens was called New Gold Lausar, but it is more likely that the New Gold was one lens offer and the Lausar was another. The Lausar lenses were made by [[Tomioka]]. </REF>
 
The camera pictured has a metal top housing, containing the viewfinder, not unlike the [[Letix]] or the [[Kraft]]. The shutter gives T, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds. The lens aperture is f/4.5 and it seems that there was a choice of two lens models, called New Gold and Lausar.<REF> The advertisement reads "New Gold &mdash; Lausar" (ニユーゴールド・ローザー). This might mean that the lens was called New Gold Lausar, but it is more likely that the New Gold was one lens offer and the Lausar was another. The Lausar lenses were made by [[Tomioka]]. </REF>

Revision as of 10:43, 19 March 2007

Japanese Baby (3×4) and Four (4×4) (edit)
folding
3×4 Baby Balnet | Doris | Baby Doris | Baby Germa | Kinsi | Baby Leotax | Loren | Baby Lyra | Baby Pearl | Baby Pilot | Baby Rosen | Baby Suzuka | Walz
4×4 Adler Four | Rosen Four
rigid or collapsible
3×4 Baika | Baby Chrome | Comet | Cyclon | Gelto | Baby Germa | Gokoku | Hamond | Baby Hawk | Kinka Lucky | Lausar | Light | Baby Light | Molby | Mulber | Olympic | Baby Ōso | Peacock | Picny | Ricohl | Rorox | Shinko Baby | Slick | Baby Sport | Tsubasa Arawashi | Baby Uirus | Zessan
3.5×4 Kenko 35
4×4 Alma Four | Andes Four | Anny 44 | Arsen | Balnet Four | Bonny Four | Freude | Kalimar 44 | Auto Keef | Kraft | Letix | Mykey-4 | Olympic Four | Roico | Royal Senior | Seica | Terra Junior | Vero Four | Welmy 44 | Yashica Future 127
unknown
Baby First | Baby Lyra Flex
Japanese SLR, TLR, pseudo TLR and stereo models ->
Japanese 4×5 and 4×6.5, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->

The Baby Ortho (ベビー・オーソ)[1] is a 3×4 camera announced in 1937 by the Japanese company Optochrom.

The only advertisement mentioned by Kokusan kamera no rekishi is dated February 1937.[2] The Baby Ortho was presented as soon to be available, with no price indicated.

The camera pictured has a metal top housing, containing the viewfinder, not unlike the Letix or the Kraft. The shutter gives T, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds. The lens aperture is f/4.5 and it seems that there was a choice of two lens models, called New Gold and Lausar.[3]

It is not known if the camera was ever sold. The official price list compiled on October 25, 1940 and published in January 1941, mentions a "Tsubasa Ortho I" (ツバサオーソⅠ) and a "Tsubasa Ortho II" (ツバサオーソⅡ), respectively for ¥60 and ¥77 with no further details.[4] It is not known if they were related to the Baby Ortho announced in 1937 or if the name was re-used for another camera model.

Notes

  1. The Roman spelling "Ortho" is inferred from the katakana オーソ (ōso), by analogy with the orthochromatic films which are called オーソ in Japan. The name could be "Oso", "Autho", "Awso" or a variation, Kokusan kamera no rekishi exceptionnally gives no Roman equivalent.
  2. Advertisement published in Camera Art, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi in two parts, pp. 61 (items 34 and 91) and 70 (items 89–90).
  3. The advertisement reads "New Gold — Lausar" (ニユーゴールド・ローザー). This might mean that the lens was called New Gold Lausar, but it is more likely that the New Gold was one lens offer and the Lausar was another. The Lausar lenses were made by Tomioka.
  4. Template:Kakaku1940 short, type 1, sections 5 and 7.

Bibliography

This camera is not listed in Sugiyama.

Timeline

Kigawa timeline (edit)
Type 1930s 1940s 1950s
6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3
                                                                                                                                                                                   
3×4 rigid Baby Chrome
Baby Oso Tsubasa Oso
Tsubasa Arawashi ...
4×6.5 telescopic Tsubasa Chrome ...
folding Tsubasa Spring ...
4.5×6 strut folding Semi Chrome B
horizontal folding Tsubasa Super Semi ... _
Tsubasa II Super Semi
Tsubasa Nettar Tsubasa Kiko Three
vertical folding Semi Chrome A Semi Sixteenth
(dates unclear)
Semi Kulax Kiko Semi ... _ Tsubasa Semi
6×6 horizontal folding Gotex ... ... Poppy Six
(dates unknown)
... Carl Six
TLR Kiko Flex Tsubasaflex Graceflex
16mm subminiature ... Poppy
(dates unknown)
...
Manufacturer: ... Kigawa Seimitsu ... Kigawa Kōgaku Carl Kōgaku
Shin Nippon
Distributor: Optochrom-sha ... Nichiei Shōkai Kikō Shōji ...
Cameras whose actual existence is dubious are in a lighter shade.
Cameras in yellow are variants sold and maybe assembled by other companies.