Difference between revisions of "Condor folders"
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{{Japanese Semi and Six}} | {{Japanese Semi and Six}} | ||
'''''Work in progress''''' | '''''Work in progress''''' | ||
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The '''Condor''' is a series of 4.5×6 and 6×6 folders made by a Japanese company called sometimes Nissan Kōgaku Kōgyō-sha (日産光學工業社) and sometimes just Condor Camera Works in Roman writing. | The '''Condor''' is a series of 4.5×6 and 6×6 folders made by a Japanese company called sometimes Nissan Kōgaku Kōgyō-sha (日産光學工業社) and sometimes just Condor Camera Works in Roman writing. | ||
| − | The '''Semi Condor''' and '''Condor Six''' appeared together in 1939{{ref|1}}. The Semi is the 4.5×6 version and the Six is the 6×6. These two models are advertised in 1939{{ref|2}} as made by Nissan Kōgaku Kōgyō-sha{{ref|3}}. It seems that both share the same body, copied on the bigger model of the [[Baldax]], that also exists in both 4.5×6 and 6×6 versions. They have a folding optical finder and a body release. The Condor Six added an automatic film advance with an exposure counter, externally similar to the device mounted on the [[Plaubel]] rollfilm backs and on the [[Roll-Op II]] camera. | + | == Semi Condor and Condor Six == |
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| + | The '''Semi Condor''' (セミコンドル) and '''Condor Six''' (コンドルシックス) appeared together in 1939{{ref|1}}. The Semi is the 4.5×6 version and the Six is the 6×6. The Condor Six is embossed ''Condor-Six'' in the front leather while the Semi Condor is simply embossed ''Condor''. These two models are advertised in 1939{{ref|2}} as made by Nissan Kōgaku Kōgyō-sha{{ref|3}}. It seems that both share the same body, copied on the bigger model of the [[Baldax]], that also exists in both 4.5×6 and 6×6 versions. They have a folding optical finder and a body release. The Condor Six added an automatic film advance with an exposure counter, externally similar to the device mounted on the [[Plaubel]] rollfilm backs and on the [[Roll-Op II]] camera. A variant of the Condor Six without the exposure counter and with film advance by red window is offered as the '''Condor Six ordinary model'''{{ref|4}}. | ||
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| + | In the advertisements, the lens name is uncertain{{ref|5}} and the shutter is a [[Rulex]] made by [[Neumann & Heilemann]], available in A and B variants with speeds not precised. Each of the three models is offered with a Rulex A and either an f:3.5 or an f:4.5 lens. The Rulex B is only offered with the f:4.5 lens on the Semi Condor and the Condor Six ordinary model. The price of all these variants is comprised between ¥70 and ¥98. | ||
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| + | The advertisement dated Sep 1939 tells that the Semi Condor can in fact take 17 exposures on each film roll and the Condor Six 13 exposures.<!--More about it when I have translated this big chunk of text--> | ||
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| + | Later in 1939{{ref|6}}, the Semi Condor was advertised alone by the distributor [[Sanwa Shōkai]] (三和商会). The shutter speeds were now mentioned as T, B, 1–250 for the Rulex A and T, B, 5–150 for the Rulex B. | ||
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| + | The '''New Semi Condor''' (ニューセミコンドル) appears in 1940{{ref|7}} in 1941{{ref|8}} advertisements. Apart from the reference to an exposure table, certainly applied on the back, the difference with the Semi Condor is unclear. By June 1940 the Rulex B shutter option had been upgraded with a 1/200 top speed. | ||
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At a Yahoo Japan auction, a 4.5×6 folder with the name Condor embossed in the leather has been observed with a [[Koho]] 1–200, B, T shutter, a Delter (or Deller or Deltar?) Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5 lens and a case marked ''Semi Condor''. It was obviously a copy of the [[Baldax]]. It had what looks like a complicated linkage to a body release. | At a Yahoo Japan auction, a 4.5×6 folder with the name Condor embossed in the leather has been observed with a [[Koho]] 1–200, B, T shutter, a Delter (or Deller or Deltar?) Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5 lens and a case marked ''Semi Condor''. It was obviously a copy of the [[Baldax]]. It had what looks like a complicated linkage to a body release. | ||
Revision as of 09:30, 13 June 2006
Work in progress
The Condor is a series of 4.5×6 and 6×6 folders made by a Japanese company called sometimes Nissan Kōgaku Kōgyō-sha (日産光學工業社) and sometimes just Condor Camera Works in Roman writing.
Semi Condor and Condor Six
The Semi Condor (セミコンドル) and Condor Six (コンドルシックス) appeared together in 1939[1]. The Semi is the 4.5×6 version and the Six is the 6×6. The Condor Six is embossed Condor-Six in the front leather while the Semi Condor is simply embossed Condor. These two models are advertised in 1939[2] as made by Nissan Kōgaku Kōgyō-sha[3]. It seems that both share the same body, copied on the bigger model of the Baldax, that also exists in both 4.5×6 and 6×6 versions. They have a folding optical finder and a body release. The Condor Six added an automatic film advance with an exposure counter, externally similar to the device mounted on the Plaubel rollfilm backs and on the Roll-Op II camera. A variant of the Condor Six without the exposure counter and with film advance by red window is offered as the Condor Six ordinary model[4].
In the advertisements, the lens name is uncertain[5] and the shutter is a Rulex made by Neumann & Heilemann, available in A and B variants with speeds not precised. Each of the three models is offered with a Rulex A and either an f:3.5 or an f:4.5 lens. The Rulex B is only offered with the f:4.5 lens on the Semi Condor and the Condor Six ordinary model. The price of all these variants is comprised between ¥70 and ¥98.
The advertisement dated Sep 1939 tells that the Semi Condor can in fact take 17 exposures on each film roll and the Condor Six 13 exposures.
Later in 1939[6], the Semi Condor was advertised alone by the distributor Sanwa Shōkai (三和商会). The shutter speeds were now mentioned as T, B, 1–250 for the Rulex A and T, B, 5–150 for the Rulex B.
The New Semi Condor (ニューセミコンドル) appears in 1940[7] in 1941[8] advertisements. Apart from the reference to an exposure table, certainly applied on the back, the difference with the Semi Condor is unclear. By June 1940 the Rulex B shutter option had been upgraded with a 1/200 top speed.
At a Yahoo Japan auction, a 4.5×6 folder with the name Condor embossed in the leather has been observed with a Koho 1–200, B, T shutter, a Delter (or Deller or Deltar?) Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5 lens and a case marked Semi Condor. It was obviously a copy of the Baldax. It had what looks like a complicated linkage to a body release.
Notes
- ↑ They are both featured in the new product column of the May 1939 issue of Asahi Camera according to Kokusan kamera no rekishi.
- ↑ Advertisement for the Semi Condor and Condor Six, published in the Aug 1939 and Sep 1939 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 115–6.
- ↑ The three authorized dealers cited were Sanwa Shōkai (三和商会), Mizuno Shashinki-ten (水野寫眞機店) and Yamamoto Shashinki-ten (山本寫眞機店).
- ↑ Picture of the Aug 1939 advertisement mentioned above.
- ↑ A translation of 普及型.
- ↑ It is written デルター・アナスチグマット, most probably Deltar Anastigmat.
Printed 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. Items 112–6.
