Clover Vest, Friend and Kooa
The Friend is a Japanese folding camera taking 4×6.5cm exposures on 127 film, briefly advertised by Akabane Shashinki-ten in 1937.
Description
The Friend is a copy of the Pearlette by Konishiroku, itself copied from the Piccolette by Contessa-Nettel. All these cameras are inspired by the Vest Pocket Kodak.
The front standard is mounted on a pair of scissor struts and extends towards the bottom to act as a standing leg. It seems that the shutter release slides to the right of the front standard.
There is a brilliant finder at the top right of the front plate and a folding frame finder. The latter consists of a wireframe articulated to the front plate and a simple eyepiece attached to the back. The winding key is situated at the bottom left, as seen by the photographer holding the camera vertically.
The front standard is marked Friend at the bottom and there is an intricate logo at the top left, looking like the RK logo of the Pearlette.
Lens and shutter equipment
An advertisement published in the March 1937 issue of Asahi Camera mentioned a shutter giving T, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds and an Anastigmat f/6.3 lens, with no further detail.[1] The camera cost ¥22 and the case cost ¥3.50.
An example is pictured in Sugiyama.[2] The fixed focus lens is reported to be a Friend Anastigmat. The shutter is dial-set and the shutter plate is plain black, with the aperture scale at the bottom.
Notes
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 91.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 1067.
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 232.
- 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. 44.
- 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 1067.
