Difference between revisions of "Baby Light"

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<br />''Baby Light in a Ōhashi leaflet, mention of the disposal sale and close-up of the picture. {{fair use}}''
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<br />''Baby Light in a Ōhashi leaflet, mention of the 50% clearance sale and picture close-up. {{fair use}}''
 
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In an advertisement dated April 1937<REF> Published in ''Asahi Camera'', reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;100. </REF> and in another undated leaflet by [[Ōhashi]]<REF> Undated Ōhashi leaflet, presenting the Ōhashi range. </REF>, two versions are listed:
 
In an advertisement dated April 1937<REF> Published in ''Asahi Camera'', reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;100. </REF> and in another undated leaflet by [[Ōhashi]]<REF> Undated Ōhashi leaflet, presenting the Ōhashi range. </REF>, two versions are 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 shutter, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds<REF> The leaflet indicates a T setting that is absent in the pictures. </REF> ({{yen|12|1937}}).
 
* 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}}).
The pictures show the f/6.3 version. The shutter plate is marked ''GENIRA&ndash;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.
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The pictures show the f/6.3 version. The shutter plate is marked ''GENIRA&ndash;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 ==

Revision as of 22:20, 6 December 2006

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 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 Ōhashi[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[4] at the top. The picture is so heavily retouched that it is not certain that the camera ever had these markings.

In an advertisement dated April 1937[5] and in another undated leaflet by Ōhashi[6], two versions are 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 Ōhashi leaflet, presenting the Ōhashi range.
  3. Undated Ōhashi leaflet, 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. Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 100.
  6. Undated Ōhashi leaflet, 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

  • 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 288.
  • Leaflet published by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Baby Light and the Cross filters and hood. Date not indicated.
  • Leaflet published by Ōhashi Takeji Shōten, presenting the Hope, Seves, Baby Light, Roll Light Ref, Bosch enlarging lens, Cross filters and Riken hood. Date not indicated.