Difference between revisions of "Baby Light"

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(the Baby Light)
 
m (Replaced location of rebollo_fr image due to expected deletion of images on Flickr July 2019, rebollo_fr/314168384)
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{{127 Japan}}
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{{Japanese Baby and Four
The '''Baby Light''' (ベビー・ライト) is a Japanese 3&times;4 camera using [[127 film]], made by [[Ōhashi|Ōhashi Kōki Seisakusho]] in 1936 and 1937.<REF> Dates: {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;342. </REF> It has a metal body and the lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a telescopic tube. The top plate is chromed and supports the tubular optical finder on the right, the advance knob on the left end and some other knob in the middle. It seems that the bottom plate is chromed too.
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|image=[http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48421531597/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48421531597_152b441ea7_m_d.jpg]<br />''Baby Light in a Ōhashi leaflet. {{public domain Japan old}}''
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}}
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The '''Baby Light''' (ベビー・ライト) is a Japanese 3×4 camera using [[127 film]], made by [[Ōhashi|Ōhashi Kōki Seisakusho]] and distributed by [[Ōhashi|Ōhashi Takeji Shōten]] in 1936 and 1937.<REF> Dates: advertisements mentioned in {{Kokusan}}, p.342. </REF>
  
In an advertisement dated April 1937<REF> Advertisement published in ''Asahi Camera'', reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;100. </REF>, the camera is offered in two variants:
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== Description ==
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The Baby Light has a metal body and a telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly. The top and bottom plates are chrome finished. There is a tubular optical finder offset to the right, proudly presented as a "Leica type finder" in an original leaflet.<REF> Undated leaflet by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Ōhashi range. </REF> and the advance knob is at the left end. There is a knob in the middle of the top plate, probably because it is removable for film loading.
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All the versions have a fixed-focus lens and a release lever directly placed on the shutter housing.
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== Advertisements ==
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No example of the camera has yet been observed, but three different advertisements have been found.
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{| class="plainlinks" align="center" style="text-align: center;"
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|-
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|| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48424476567/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48424476567_7a5435bd94_m_d.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48424497552/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48424497552_b51622501d_m_d.jpg]
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|-
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|| ''Baby Light leaflet and close-up of the picture.''<br>''{{Flickr translated}} {{public domain Japan old}}''
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|}
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In a first leaflet by the distributor [[Ōhashi|Ōhashi Takeji Shōten]],<REF> Undated leaflet by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Baby Light. </REF> a single version is announced with Bulb and Instant shutter settings, sold for ¥7. The document pictures the camera with no lens markings and a plain shutter plate only written ''BABY RIGHT'' at the top.<REF> The typo is explained by the fact that the "r" and "l" sounds are not distinguished in the Japanese phonology. </REF> The picture is so heavily retouched that it is not certain that the camera ever had these markings. [[Yamashita|Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten]] and [[Mizuno|Mizuno Shashinki-ten]] are mentioned as authorized dealers, and the manufacturer is quoted as [[Ōhashi|Ōhashi Kōki Seisakusho]].
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{| align="center" class="plainlinks" style="text-align: center;"
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|-
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|| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48424381361/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48424381361_ef3341b9ff_m_d.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48424541497/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48424541497_1cd61c936b_m_d.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48421531597/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48421531597_152b441ea7_m_d.jpg]
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|-
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|| ''Baby Light in a Ōhashi leaflet, mention of the 50% clearance sale and picture close-up.''<br>''{{Flickr translated}} {{public domain Japan old}}''
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|}
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In an advertisement in {{ACA}} April 1937<REF> Advertisement reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.100. </REF> and in another undated leaflet by [[Ōhashi]],<REF> Undated leaflet by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Ōhashi range. </REF> two versions were listed:
 
* [[RR lens]], single 1/25 speed ({{yen|7|1937}});
 
* [[RR lens]], single 1/25 speed ({{yen|7|1937}});
* Genira Special f/6.3 lens, Genira 25, 50, 100, B shutter ({{yen|12|1937}}).
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* Genira Special f/6.3 lens, Genira shutter, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds<REF> The leaflet indicates a T setting that is absent in the pictures. </REF> ({{yen|12|1937}}).
In the advertising picture, the shutter plate is barely legible but it seems to be marked ''GENIRA&ndash;SHUTTER'' at the top and ''OKS'' at the bottom, like the shutter plate of the [[Roll Light Ref]]. OKS probably stands for <U>O</U>hashi <U>K</U>oki <U>S</U>eisakusho.
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The pictures show the f/6.3 version. The shutter plate is marked ''GENIRA–SHUTTER'' at the top and ''OKS'' at the bottom.<REF> The same markings are visible on the version of the [[Roll Light Ref]] pictured in the same documents. </REF> ("OKS" probably stands for <U>O</U>hashi <U>K</U>oki <U>S</U>eisakusho.) The leaflet indicates that the Baby Light weighs 220&nbsp;grams and that the fixed-focus lens allows to take pictures down to 2&nbsp;metres. It also mentions that the company was clearing the stocks and applying a 50% discount to the Baby Light and [[Roll Light Ref]].
  
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
Line 12: Line 36:
 
== Bibliography ==
 
== Bibliography ==
 
* {{Showa10}} Item 288.
 
* {{Showa10}} Item 288.
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* [[Ōhashi|Ōhashi Takeji Shōten]] (大橋武治商店). Leaflet for the Baby Light and the Cross filters and hood. Date not indicated. Document partly reproduced in [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/sets/72157600606072640/ this Flickr album] by Rebollo_fr.
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* [[Ōhashi|Ōhashi Takeji Shōten]] (大橋武治商店). Leaflet for the [[Hope plate folders|Hope]], [[Seves]], Baby Light, [[Roll Light Ref]], Bosch enlarging lens, Cross filters and [[Ricoh|Riken]] hood. Date not indicated. Document partly reproduced in [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/sets/72157600605922591/ this Flickr album] by Rebollo_fr.
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The Baby Light is not listed in {{SUG}}.
  
 
[[Category: Japanese 3x4 viewfinder]]
 
[[Category: Japanese 3x4 viewfinder]]
 
[[Category: B]]
 
[[Category: B]]
 
[[Category: L|Light, Baby]]
 
[[Category: L|Light, Baby]]
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[[Category: 1936]]

Revision as of 17:51, 31 July 2019

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 Light (ベビー・ライト) is a Japanese 3×4 camera using 127 film, made by Ōhashi Kōki Seisakusho and distributed by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten in 1936 and 1937.[1]

Description

The Baby Light has a metal body and a telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly. The top and bottom plates are chrome finished. There is a tubular optical finder offset to the right, proudly presented as a "Leica type finder" in an original leaflet.[2] and the advance knob is at the left end. There is a knob in the middle of the top plate, probably because it is removable for film loading.

All the versions have a fixed-focus lens and a release lever directly placed on the shutter housing.

Advertisements

No example of the camera has yet been observed, but three different advertisements have been found.

In a first leaflet by the distributor Ōhashi Takeji Shōten,[3] a single version is announced with Bulb and Instant shutter settings, sold for ¥7. The document pictures the camera with no lens markings and a plain shutter plate only written BABY RIGHT at the top.[4] The picture is so heavily retouched that it is not certain that the camera ever had these markings. Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten and Mizuno Shashinki-ten are mentioned as authorized dealers, and the manufacturer is quoted as Ōhashi Kōki Seisakusho.

In an advertisement in Asahi Camera April 1937[5] and in another undated leaflet by Ōhashi,[6] two versions were listed:

  • RR lens, single 1/25 speed (¥7);
  • Genira Special f/6.3 lens, Genira shutter, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds[7] (¥12).

The pictures show the f/6.3 version. The shutter plate is marked GENIRA–SHUTTER at the top and OKS at the bottom.[8] ("OKS" probably stands for Ohashi Koki Seisakusho.) The leaflet indicates that the Baby Light weighs 220 grams and that the fixed-focus lens allows to take pictures down to 2 metres. It also mentions that the company was clearing the stocks and applying a 50% discount to the Baby Light and Roll Light Ref.

Notes

  1. Dates: advertisements mentioned in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.342.
  2. Undated leaflet by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Ōhashi range.
  3. Undated leaflet by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Baby Light.
  4. The typo is explained by the fact that the "r" and "l" sounds are not distinguished in the Japanese phonology.
  5. Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.100.
  6. Undated leaflet by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Ōhashi range.
  7. The leaflet indicates a T setting that is absent in the pictures.
  8. The same markings are visible on the version of the Roll Light Ref pictured in the same documents.

Bibliography

The Baby Light is not listed in Sugiyama.