Difference between revisions of "Baby Minolta"

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The '''fourth variant''' has a black bakelite advance knob instead of the metal knob. It appears in an advertisement dated December 1939<REF> [http://syasinsyuu.cool.ne.jp/camera/Mi1.jpg Advertisement] published in ''Shōgakusei no Kagaku'', reproduced in the [http://kyoto.cool.ne.jp/syasinsyuu/index.htm Gochamaze website]. </REF>, where it was offered for {{yen|12|1939}}.
 
The '''fourth variant''' has a black bakelite advance knob instead of the metal knob. It appears in an advertisement dated December 1939<REF> [http://syasinsyuu.cool.ne.jp/camera/Mi1.jpg Advertisement] published in ''Shōgakusei no Kagaku'', reproduced in the [http://kyoto.cool.ne.jp/syasinsyuu/index.htm Gochamaze website]. </REF>, where it was offered for {{yen|12|1939}}.
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<br>''Early and late Baby Minolta case.''
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<br>''Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. {{with permission}}''
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Two types of cases are known. One has the ''MTS'' logo and probably corresponds to the first and second variants. The other is embossed ''Baby Minolta'' and probably corresponds to the third and fourth variants.
  
 
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Revision as of 14:33, 17 December 2006

322533521_5766c1cd5d_m_d.jpg
Picture courtesy of eBayer hbpartner.
(Image rights)
Japanese Vest (4×5 and 4×6.5) (edit)
folding
4×4.5 Orient
4×5 Minion
4×6.5 Clover Vest | Dianette | Eagle | Friend | Kooa | National | New Vest | Nifcarette | Pearlette | B Pearlette | Special Pearlette | Pionette | Pocket Prince | Sirius Bebe | Speed Pocket | Tsubasa Spring | Victory
rigid or collapsible
4×5 Alfax | Olympus Standard | Sakura (bakelite) | Well Standard
4×6.5 Vest Adler | Vest Alex | Kowa Kid | Light | Light Super | Baby Minolta | Minolta Vest | Regal Olympic | Vest Olympic | Tsubasa Chrome | Zen-99
box
4×6.5 Baby Clover | Sakura (box) | Spirit
unknown
4×5 Vesten
4×6.5 Victor Vest
unknown Meiro
Japanese 3×4 and 4×4, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->

The Baby Minolta (ベビー・ミノルタ) is a Japanese camera taking 4×6.5cm pictures on 127 film, made by Molta then Chiyoda (later Minolta) between 1936 and 1940.[1]

Description

324848572_159a77fc87_t_d.jpg 324848570_c7391d233d_t_d.jpg
Bakelite tube collapsed and extended.
(Image rights)

The Baby Minolta is a simpler camera than the Minolta Vest released one year earlier. It has a bakelite body and a bakelite telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly. There is a folding frame finder in the middle of the top plate, indicating the field of view for both 4×6.5 and 3×4 formats. The advance knob is at the left end of the top plate and film advance is controlled via two uncovered red windows in the back.

322532595_623928ef2a_t_d.jpg 324848550_c316752a74_t_d.jpg
Bottom lock with MTS logo
and camera in the open position.
(Image rights)

The film plane is curved to compensate some of the lens aberrations. To load the film, the top plate is removed together with the spool holders and exposure chamber. It is locked into place by a lever placed at the bottom. The bakelite is recessed around this lever and the words OPEN and CLOSE are moulded, together with the MTS logo, TRADE MARK and MADE IN JAPAN.

The lens is fixed focus and has a single element.[2] It is sometimes said to be a Coronar 80/8[3] but it has no engraving and the name is unconfirmed. There is no aperture setting.

The shutter gives 25, 50, 100, B speeds set on a dial at the top. It is everset and the release lever is attached to the shutter plate.

Evolution

322533515_b1f5544163_m_d.jpg 322532586_aa981a14d6_t_d.jpg
322532592_e2ebc45a4c_t_d.jpg
Baby Minolta, first variant.
Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

The first variant has small indexes in the finder to indicate the field of view for 3×4cm exposures. There is a metal advance knob with a low profile and either a flat top or concentric rings.[4] The shutter plate is marked PATENTS PENDING at the top and BABY MINOLTA at the bottom. It has the MTS logo of the Molta company on the right and a chain of small circles drawing a decorative pattern on the contour.

The camera was first featured in the new products column of the April 1936 issue of Asahi Camera.[5] The first variant appears in advertisements dated April[6], May[7] and August[8] 1937 and January 1938[9]. The price was ¥9.50 in 1937 (case ¥2 extra) and ¥11 in 1938.


322533519_8cd4a2ef7d_m_d.jpg 322532589_0e72ba9d7c_t_d.jpg
322532593_e41fd08522_t_d.jpg
Baby Minolta, second variant.
Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

322533511_daecffa874_t_d.jpg
Shutter plate. (Image rights)

The second variant has two bars in the finder for 3×4 format. The metal advance knob has a higher profile and a recessed centre and the shutter plate is marked PATENTS NIPPON instead of PATENTS PENDING.


322533521_5766c1cd5d_m_d.jpg 322533513_86850377d6_t_d.jpg
Baby Minolta, third variant.
Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

The third variant has a new shutter plate design with concentring rings on both sides. It is marked PATENTS NIPPON at the top and BABY MINOLTA at the bottom, and it does not have the MTS logo.


322533522_44f8e56a82_m_d.jpg 322532594_ddb86a45c0_t_d.jpg
Baby Minolta, fourth variant.
Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

The fourth variant has a black bakelite advance knob instead of the metal knob. It appears in an advertisement dated December 1939[10], where it was offered for ¥12.


324848547_0707401f26_m_d.jpg 324848549_54c7dd673a_m_d.jpg
Early and late Baby Minolta case.
Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

Two types of cases are known. One has the MTS logo and probably corresponds to the first and second variants. The other is embossed Baby Minolta and probably corresponds to the third and fourth variants.


Notes

  1. ↑ Dates: advertisements mentioned in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342. Francesch, p. 252, Scheibel, p. 21, Lewis, pp. 52–3, McKeown, p. 673 and Sugiyama, item 4056, all give 1935 as the release date, but all these sources make other mistakes about the early Minolta release dates and Kokusan kamera no rekishi is considered more reliable.
  2. ↑ Advertisement dated August 1937, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
  3. ↑ Francesch, p. 252. McKeown, p. 672, says Coronar Anastigmat and Scheibel, p. 21, says Achromat-Coronar.
  4. ↑ Flat top: examples pictured in Francesch, p. 252, and in Sugiyama, item 4056. Concentric rings: example pictured in this page.
  5. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
  6. ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 98.
  7. ↑ Advertisement published in the 9 May 1937 issue of Sunday Mainichi, reproduced in the Gochamaze website.
  8. ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
  9. ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Tanimura, p. 15 of Camera Collectors News n°118.
  10. ↑ Advertisement published in Shōgakusei no Kagaku, reproduced in the Gochamaze website.

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 277. (See also the advertisements for item 272.)
  • 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. P. 252.
  • 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. 52–3 (brief mention only).
  • 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. 673.
  • 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. 20–1.
  • 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)) Camera Collectors News, n°118 (April 1987). P. 15: advertisement for the Minolta range, published in the January 1938 issue of Asahi Camera.
  • 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 4056.

Links

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In Japanese:

In Chinese:

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