Difference between revisions of "Fuji Kōgaku"
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* Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). ''Nihon no niganrefu: Zenpen'' (日本の二眼レフ：前編, The TLRs of Japan, vol. 1). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1983. ISBN 4-257-08088-4 | * Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). ''Nihon no niganrefu: Zenpen'' (日本の二眼レフ：前編, The TLRs of Japan, vol. 1). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1983. ISBN 4-257-08088-4 | ||
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[[Category: Japanese camera makers]] | [[Category: Japanese camera makers]] | ||
Revision as of 12:04, 8 November 2006
Fuji Kōgaku is a Japanese camera maker that was active at least between 1936 and 1944, and maybe also for some time after the war. It is unrelated to the much better known company Fuji Film.
Contents
History
The company's full name was Fuji Kōgaku Kikai Seisakusho (富士光学器械製作所) between 1936 and 1938, then Fuji Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (富士光学工業株式会社, Fuji Optical Industries Co Ltd) between 1939 and 1944. The company sometimes used the short name Fujikō (富士光). The distributor of the Fujikō cameras was Fuji Kōgaku Shōji K.K. (富士光学商事株式会社), at least in 1941 and 1942.[1] The company made a range of cameras called "Lyra" (ライラ). This name was certainly meant to recall "Leica" (ライカ in Japanese).
The company logo is FUJI KŌGAKU written in a cemented doublet lens scheme (a type of logo used by many other optical companies). There was a protuberance on top of the logo, maybe an allusion to Mount Fuji.
The company probably survived the war: a version of the Lyra Six has been observed that is probably postwar, as indicated by the style of the top housing and the presence of a synchronized shutter with a PC connector. This camera has a logo similar in shape to the one described above, but written LYRA FUJIKŌ.
It is said that Fuji Kōgaku was split in two parts: Taisei Kōki and Katsuma Kōgaku, with the latter one keeping the Lyra brand name.[2] Katsuma made cameras called Semi Lyra and Lyraflex in the 1950s. All three companies used the Terionar lens name and have similar logos.
120 film
4.5×6 rangefinder, collapsible
4.5×6 folding
- Semi Lyra (prewar models)
The Bakyna strut-folder is attributed by some sources[3] to Fuji Kōgaku, but this is unsure.
6×6 folding
6×6 TLR
- Lyra Flex (prewar camera)
127 film
3×4 folding
McKeown mentions a Baby Balnet 3×4 folder, copy of the Baby Ikonta, with a Nomular 50/2.9 and a Blanet shutter, in two variants, with rigid or folding finder.
4×6.5 folding
Special film
McKeown mentions a Comex subminiature in 14×14mm format.
Notes
- ↑ Advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp. 100–1.
- ↑ According to Tanaka, p. 44, and this page at Japan Family Camera.
- ↑ McKeown, p. 328.
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.
- 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). Pp. 328–9.
- Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). Nihon no niganrefu: Zenpen (日本の二眼レフ：前編, The TLRs of Japan, vol. 1). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1983. ISBN 4-257-08088-4
