Doris (3×4)

The Doris (ドリス) is a Japanese 3×4 folding camera, distributed from 1939 to 1941 by Fukada Shōkai.

General description

The Doris is a strut-folder: the lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a square metal plate, supported by scissor struts placed on both sides. There is a tubular viewfinder above the middle of the top plate. There is a button on the right of the finder, meant to look like a body release but which is only the release of the front standard. The back is hinged to the right and contains two red windows, protected by a pivoting common cover.

Doris (3×4), Doris Anastigmat 50/4.5 lens, Doris shutter. Pictures courtesy of eBayer shoppingcartz. (Image rights)

Evolution

Advertising

The Doris was advertised in Japanese magazines from August 1939. The October 1939 advertisement in Asahi Camera says that the camera is a new model and lists three versions priced at ¥58, ¥48 and ¥43, with no description and no picture. In the April 1940 issue of Asahi Camera, more details are available, but only two variants are described:

• Doris Anastigmat 50/4.5 lens, Doris shutter (25, 50, 100, T, B), ¥43;
• U.L.L. Anastigmat 50/4.5 lens, Selon II shutter (5, 10, 25, 100, 250, T, B), ¥58.

The case is offered for extra ¥6. The illustration shows the camera with the advance knob at the top right, as seen by the photographer, and a Selon shutter identified by the SELON marking at the top of the shutter plate.

The camera was reportedly advertised in February 1940 with a U.L.L. Anastigmat 50/4.5 lens and a Kerio shutter (T, B, 25–150). The Doris was also featured in the new products column of the May 1940 issue of Asahi Camera. The August 1940 advertisement in the same magazine shows the same illustration as in April, and adds a third version:

• Doris Anastigmat 50/4.5 lens, Doris shutter (25, 50, 100, T, B), ¥43;
• U.L.L. Anastigmat 50/4.5 lens, Selon shutter (5, 10, 25, 100, 250, T, B), ¥58.
• U.L.L. Anastigmat 50/3.5 lens, same shutter (¥68).

The list of set prices compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941 has various Doris models, called "Doris I" (¥44), "Doris II" (¥60), "Doris III" (¥50) and "Doris IV" (¥68) with no further detail. It is not known if these models correspond to the strut-folding Doris or to its successor the Baby Doris.

Actual examples

The three actual examples observed so far have the advance knob at the top left, the reverse of the advertising illustration. All three have a Doris Anastigmat 50mm f/4.5 lens and a shutter plate marked DORIS at the top, the same as the cheaper advertised version, but with an extended range of speeds: 150, 100, 50, 25, B, T.

The three examples present minor variations. The camera pictured in Sugiyama has a chrome front plate, a small button to open the camera, and an advance knob with three milled rows. The example pictured in this page has a black painted front plate, a larger opening button and the same advance knob. The third example has hammered black painting on the front plate, the same large opening button and a different advance knob with two milled rows.

The successor of the Doris is the Baby Doris, a 3×4 vertical folder also distributed by Fukada Shōkai.

Maker

The maker of the Doris is not known for sure. In the advertisements observed, the camera was presented as a "sister of the Semi Prince" ("セミプリンスの姉妹品"), but it was not explicitly attributed to any specific company. Some sources say that it was made by "Prince Camera Works", but this was certainly not the name of any actual company (see the discussion in Fukada and in Camera Works).

The "Doris" name might be related to the name of Mr. Motodori, founder of the Motodori company. At least this was the case for the postwar Doris cameras made by Tōkyō Seiki and later Doris Camera (successors of the Motodori company).

The April 1943 government inquiry on Japanese camera production mentions a Doris camera (certainly the later Baby Doris) as made by Shinkō, this was perhaps also the case of this model too.

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 155. (See also the advertisement for items 230–1.)
• "Kokusan shashinki no kōtei kakaku" (国産写真機の公定価格, Set prices of the Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of October 25, 1940 and setting the retail prices from December 10, 1940. Published in Asahi Camera January 1941 and reproduced in 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. Pp.108—9. Type 1, sections 4A, 5, 6A and 8A.
• 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.803.
• Niimi Kahee (新見嘉兵衛). Kamera-mei no gogen sanpo (カメラ名の語源散歩, Strolls in the etymology of camera names). 2nd ed. Tokyo: Shashin Kōgyō Shuppansha, 2002. ISBN 4-87956-060-X
• 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 1038.

Links

• Doris at the AJCC