Fujimoto
Fujimoto is a Japanese company that still exists, making lab systems, enlargers and slide projectors. It was founded in 1913 to make photogravure equipment. It was established as Fujimoto Seisakusho (藤本製作所, meaning Fujimoto Mfg Co) in 1933, began the production of cameras in 1934 and the production of enlargers in 1935. The company began to make its own leaf shutters, with the Rapidex equipping the Semi Sport from 1940. Some cameras were distributed by the Fukada Shōkai (深田商会) company. All activity stopped in 1945. In 1950 it was revived as Fujimoto Shashinki Seisakusho (藤本写真機製作所, meaning Fujimoto Camera Mfg Co), also using the name Fujimoto Camera Works (藤本カメラワークス).[1] It very soon dropped the production of cameras, and in 1966 it became Fujimoto Shashin Kōgyō K.K. (藤本写真工業株式会社, the officially translation is Fujimoto Photo Industrial Co., Ltd.)
4.5×6 folders
- Semi Prince (1934), with Schneider lenses and German shutters，distributed by Fukada Shōkai
- Semi Lucky (1934), first with Schneider lenses and German shutters, has been observed at a Yahoo Japan auction with a Neumann & Heilemann Radionar 7.5cm f/4.5 lens and a Neumann & Heilemann Perfekt 5–250, B, T shutter
- Semi Sport (1940–3, sold again in 1949 by Nihon Kōki Kōgyō)
- Luck (1951–2)
McKeown lists the Semi Lucky under "K.S. Fabrik", together with a Semi Rosen. A Semi Prince case has been observed with K.S.U. embossed in the back, and a K.S. logo has been observed on a Vero Four.
The name Lucky is still used by Fujimoto for enlargers.
Other
Other cameras named Prince are often attributed to Fujimoto:
- Prince, 6.5×9 folding plate
- Prince Peerless, 6.5×9 folding plate
- Pocket Prince, 4×6.5 folding
- Prince Flex, 6×6 TLR, probably made by Neumann & Heilemann
This is discussed in the Prince page.
Notes
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.
- McKeown Pp. 331–2, 572.
Links
In Japanese:
