Doryu 2-16

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2967162731_b5148fb83f_m_d.jpg
From Shashin Kōgyō March 1955. (Image rights)
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The Doryu 2-16 (ドリウ2-16型) is a pistol-shaped camera taking 16mm film, made from 1954 to 1956 by the Doryu company (certainly later called Nihon 16-miri Shashin Kōgyō).

History

The Doryu pistol-shaped cameras were developed for police and surveillance tasks, mainly to catch photographic proof of criminal behaviour in the act.[1] After the bloody incidents of May Day 1952, the police forces also felt the need for a camera specially designed to photograph protesters during demonstrations, and the specifications asked for a pistol-shaped camera, easy to use with a single hand (see Mamiya Pistol).[2] Despite what is said in some sources, none of these cameras was designed for shooting training.[3]

The first model was the Doryu 1, taking 9.5mm film, which was completed in 1952 and was rapidly abandoned for durability problems, and because of the low availability of the film stock.[4] The company immediately began to develop its successor the Doryu 2-16, taking 16mm film, which was completed in July 1954.[5] By the time, the police forces had already selected the Mamiya Pistol, made to the same specifications[6] and supplied just in time for May Day 1954, and they rejected the Doryu. The camera was nonetheless produced for the civilian market, albeit it was hardly meeting any need. The camera internals were heavily modified before entering actual production: the number of parts was cut from 232 on the first prototype (not including the lens and shutter) to 93 on the production version.[7] This move improved the durability and reliability and contributed to cutting costs.[8]

The Doryu is mentioned in Japanese magazines as early as July 1954.[9] Advertisements are found in Sankei Camera from July 1955.[10] The earliest advertisement, placed by Doryu Camera, says that the "Doryu 2-16 Flash Camera" would be "available soon", with a Doryu 17/2.5 lens.[11] The September 1955 advertisement mentions a choice of three Dorymar lenses: 15/2.2, 17/2.5 and 17/2.7.[12] It mentions the maker Doryu Camera and the company Komamura Shōkai, distributor for the Kansai area (Western Japan). The price is not mentioned in either document, but one recent source reports ¥12,500.[13] Later advertisements, placed until February 1956, reportedly show the company name Nihon 16-miri Shashin Kōgyō, certainly a successor to Doryu Camera.[14]

It is said that the camera part was incompetently made. One author, who seems to have actually tried the camera, says that "the shutter is poor, the film planeity is not good, there are light leaks and the lens quality is bad".[15] These faults certainly explain the failure to meet the police specifications. The only advantage of the Doryu was arguably its built-in flash system, allowing to take pictures in the night. This relied on magnesium cartridges contained in the camera's handgrip and loaded by pulling the breech block. The shutter actually has no internal synchronization, and the flash exposures only work in Bulb setting, obviously detracting from the usability.[16] Rumour says that the flash cartridges also used to explode in your face,[17] making the camera a complete failure.

Description

The device is shaped as an automatic pistol, with a handgrip and a trigger. The total weight is 582g, with 282g for the camera part alone (including the f/2.7 standard lens), and 300g for the rear part with the flash system (including five magnesium cartridges).[18] It is ideally distributed around the trigger,[19] for good hand-held stability with focal lengths lower than 30mm.[20]

The rear part is very realistic, with a predominantly black finish. The handgrip contains a magazine, just as the bullet magazine of a real pistol, loaded with six magnesium cartridges.[21] The magazines are locked by a latch and are easily recognized by the name DORYU 2–16 engraved at the bottom. The breechblock can be pulled to the rear, apparently extracting the magnesium cartridges and erecting them in firing position. The left-hand side is inscribed DORYU 2 FLASH CAMERA MADE IN JAPAN. The trigger both trips the shutter and fires the magnesium cartridge. It is locked by a lever on the left, next to the handgrip.

The camera part is placed at the front end, instead of the gun barrel. It can be separated from the rear part,[22] apparently by fully unscrewing the round knob visible on the right, in front of the trigger. The left-hand side plate is removable for film loading: it is apparently unlocked by turning the same knob by 180 degrees. The film cassettes are the same as on the Mamiya 16, and the camera nominally takes thirty exposures in 10×10mm format.[23] The film door supports an exposure counter, graduated from 0 to 35, and a small fixed knob.

There is a lever at the rear of the camera part, actuated by the right thumb, used to advance the film and cock the shutter. There is an accessory shoe on the same side, whose function is unclear: the shutter has no synch socket, and attaching an external viewfinder or rangefinder would be little practical in that position. The camera's built-in viewfinder consists of a single folding frame at the top. The name DORYU 2–16 and serial number are repeated under the accessory shoe.

The shutter is behind the lens mount, and normally gives B, 25, 50, 100 speeds.[24] These are selected by turning a ring, driven by a tab at the bottom. The lens is interchangeable, and the camera takes C-mount cine lenses.

Variations on actual examples

One source says that about five or six hundred units were made, no more than 1,000.[25] The serial numbers observed on actual examples run from 10017 to 10542.

The early examples (observed from 10017 to 10133) have a non slip brown covering on both sides of the handgrip, whereas the late examples (observed from 10322 to 10490) have chrome plates instead, displaying a small DORYU logo. The cartridge magazines are nickel-finished on the early examples and chrome-finished on the late ones. Most cameras have the regular speed range (B, 25–100), but at least one camera reportedly has B, 50, 100, 200 engravings, perhaps without any actual internal change..[26]

The cameras are found with various lenses, including the Dorymar 17/2.5 or Hokutar 17/2.7.[27] Of these, the Dorymar was obviously specific to the Doryu. It is difficult to know for sure whether this was the case of other lenses as well.

The Doryu 2-16 sometimes comes in its presentation box, with a small plastic box containing flash cartridges.[28] Two types of leather cases are known: one is a closed zipped case, embossed with the DORYU logo,[29] and the other is a leather holster, probably made specifically for the camera.[30]

Notes

  1. ↑ Andō, p.214: 防犯警備用を目的として設計されている and 犯人や現状の証拠撮影.
  2. ↑ Nakajima, p.144 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35, says that the Doryu 2-16 and Mamiya Pistol were answering the same specifications.
  3. ↑ See for example Pritchard, p.146, who mentions "use in police training".
  4. ↑ Andō, p.214: この[ドリウ1-9.5型]カメラは耐久力とフィルムの入手困難のため、発売するに至らず[...].
  5. ↑ Andō, p.214: 同年新たにドリウ2-16型を設計、昭和29年7月完成しました.
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Nakajima 144
  7. ↑ Andō, p.215: 2型の試作1号では、レンズ、シャッターを除き二三二点の部品を現在は僅か九三点まで切り詰めています.
  8. ↑ Andō, p.215: これは相当の衝撃に耐えるためには部品を少くし、それだけ故障箇所を無くするためでコストの切り下げはそれに従ったのであります.
  9. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
  10. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
  11. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.153.
  12. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.153.
  13. ↑ Price: this page at Sepia World.
  14. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
  15. ↑ Nakajima, p.144 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35, who seems to have actually taken pictures with the camera.
  16. ↑ Nakajima, p.144 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35.
  17. ↑ This is reported in this page at Subclub.org.
  18. ↑ Andō, p.215: 総重量五八二グラムで各部分の重量はカメラ部(F二・七レンズを含み)二八二グラム、発光装置部分(弾倉、閃光弾5発を含み)三〇〇グラムで[...].
  19. ↑ Andō, p.215: 引金上部が全重量の中心となっております.
  20. ↑ Andō, p.215: 撮影時の安定度は30ミリ以上の交換レンズを取付けぬ限り、カメラブレはほとんどありません.
  21. ↑ Six cartridges: Sugiyama, item 5029, Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
  22. ↑ This is obvious from the instruction sheet reproduced in this page by Auction Team Breker.
  23. ↑ Mamiya cassettes: Nakajima, p.144 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35. Thirty exposures: advertisement in Sankei Camera September 1955, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.153. 10×10mm format: McKeown, p.250, Sugiyama, item 5029, Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.356.
  24. ↑ B, 25, 50, 100: instruction sheet reproduced in this page by Auction Team Breker.
  25. ↑ Nakajima, p.144 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35.
  26. ↑ Nakajima, p.144 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.35, mentioning the camera owned by the Pentax Gallery.
  27. ↑ The lens name "Dormar" given in Pritchard, p.147, is a mistake.
  28. ↑ The set is pictured in Pritchard, p.147.
  29. ↑ Camera sold as lot no.643 of Westlicht Photographica Auction no.3 (May 24, 2003).
  30. ↑ Camera sold as lot no.722 of Westlicht Photographica Auction no.9 (May 20, 2006).

Bibliography

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