Fujimoto
Fujimoto is a Japanese company, founded in 1913 to make photogravure equipment and established as Fujimoto Seisakusho (藤本製作所, meaning Fujimoto Mfg Co) in 1933. It is said that it began the production of cameras in 1934 or 1935[1] with the Semi Prince, distributed by Fukada Shōkai. The Semi Lucky, introduced in 1937, was the first camera sold under the Fujimoto name. The production of enlargers began in 1935 and continues until today (2006), some of them still having the name Lucky. The company began to make its own leaf shutters in 1940, with the Rapidex equipping the Semi Sport. All activity stopped in 1945.
In 1950 the company 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).[2] It made a camera called Luck for a short time before dropping camera production. In 1966 the company 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.).
The company still exists (2006) and makes lab systems, enlargers and slide projectors.
Contents
4.5×6 folders
- Semi Lucky (1937–9)
- Semi Sport (1940–3, sold again in 1949 by Nihon Kōki Kōgyō)
- Luck (1951–2)
The Semi Prince (1935–9) is said to be made by Fujimoto for the distributor Fukada Shōkai. However, the company name that appears in original advertisements is Prince Camera Works.[3]
Others
Other cameras named Prince are often attributed to Fujimoto[4], but this seems to be untrue. Here is a list:
- Prince, 6.5×9 plate folder
- Prince Peerless, 6.5×9 plate folder
- Pocket Prince, 4×6.5 folder
- Prince Flex, 6×6 TLR
These cameras are discussed in the Prince page.
Notes
- ↑ 1934: Company history at the Fujimoto official website, and Supuringu kamera de ikou, p. 78–9. — 1935: First advertisements for the Semi Prince mentioned in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 340.
- ↑ McKeown lists "Fujimoto Camera Works" and "Fujimoto Mfg. Co." as two different companies, but this is a mistake.
- ↑ See the sources in the Semi Prince page.
- ↑ For example in McKeown, pp. 331–2.
Bibliography
In Japanese:
- 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.
- Kawamata Masataku (川又正卓). Semi Prince — Luck. In Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: The use of and actual examples from 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp. 78–80.
In English:
- 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. 331–2, 572.
Links
In Japanese:
