Difference between revisions of "Baby Germa"

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{{Japanese Baby and Four}}
 
{{Japanese Baby and Four}}
The '''Baby Germa''' (ベビーゲルマー)<REF> This camera is called "Baby Gelmer" in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;336, but the shutter face reads ''BABY GERMA''. ("Gelmer" and "Germa" are two possible readings of the ''katakana'' ゲルマー.) </REF> is a Japanese camera taking 3&times;4cm exposures on [[127 film]], made from late 1937 by [[Tōkyō Shashin|Tōkyō Shashin Kōgaku Kōgyō-sho]].<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;336. The camera was featured in the new products column of the ''Asahi Camera'' November 1937. </REF>
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The '''Baby Germa''' (ベビーゲルマー)<REF> This camera is called "Baby Gelmer" in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;336, but the shutter face reads ''BABY GERMA''. ("Gelmer" and "Germa" are two possible readings of the ''katakana'' ゲルマー.) Filters were distributed by [[Eikō-Dō]] under the same name ゲルマー at least between 1938 and 1943. The name is written "Gelmer" in the advertisements and ''GELMAR'' on the adverising pictures. Source: advertisements reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, pp.&nbsp;81 and 99&ndash;100. </REF> is a Japanese camera taking 3&times;4cm exposures on [[127 film]], made from late 1937 by [[Tōkyō Shashin|Tōkyō Shashin Kōgaku Kōgyō-sho]].<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;336. The camera was featured in the new products column of the ''Asahi Camera'' November 1937. </REF>
  
 
== Description of the body ==
 
== Description of the body ==

Revision as of 17:17, 3 January 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 Germa (ベビーゲルマー)[1] is a Japanese camera taking 3×4cm exposures on 127 film, made from late 1937 by Tōkyō Shashin Kōgaku Kōgyō-sho.[2]

Description of the body

The Baby Germa has a metal body, looking like it was made for a folding camera but the bellows part was obturated as an afterthought. It seems that there is a telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly.

The advance knob is at the left end of the top plate. There is an eye-level finder in the middle, contained in a housing extending to the right end of the top plate. This housing contains an additional brilliant finder and supports an accessory shoe.

The back is hinged to the right.

Lens and shutter equipment

According to Kokusan kamera no rekishi, the lens and shutter combinations offered were:

  • Trinar 50/4.5, Compur (T, B, 1–300);
  • Trinar 50/4.5, Germa A (T, B, 5–250);
  • Trinar 50/4.5, Germa B (T, B, 25–150).[3]

The only known example of the Baby Germa is pictured in Sugiyama. It has a shutter giving 5–250, B, T speeds, certainly corresponding to the Germa A. The shutter plate is marked BABY-GERMA at the top and TSK at the bottom, probably for Tōkyō Shashin Kōgaku. The release lever is on the shutter housing itself. The lens is a front-cell focusing 5cm f/4.5, reportedly called Helios Anastigmat. The aperture scale is at the bottom of the shutter plate.[4]

Notes

  1. This camera is called "Baby Gelmer" in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 336, but the shutter face reads BABY GERMA. ("Gelmer" and "Germa" are two possible readings of the katakana ゲルマー.) Filters were distributed by Eikō-Dō under the same name ゲルマー at least between 1938 and 1943. The name is written "Gelmer" in the advertisements and GELMAR on the adverising pictures. Source: advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp. 81 and 99–100.
  2. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 336. The camera was featured in the new products column of the Asahi Camera November 1937.
  3. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 336.
  4. Sugiyama item 4036.

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. Item 100. (The book does not show any advertisement copy nor picture.)
  • 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 4036.