Gokoku and Ricohl

The Gokoku

The Riken Gokoku was a Japanese camera taking 3x4cm pictures on 127 film, developed from 1938. It had a focal plane shutter and it looked like the Leica screw models, without rangefinder. It was not the only 3x4 camera with a focal plane shutter: other examples were the Foth Derby and the French Lumière Elax, Gallus Derlux and Pontiac Lynx II. However it was probably the only one with an exposure counter and film advance fully coupled to the shutter winding. Reliability problems plagued the mechanism and delayed the introduction of the camera.

Riken announced the first Gokoku model with interchangeable lens in 1939 and sales began in 1940. It could take Leica screw lenses and was normally equipped with a Gokoku Anastigmat 50/3.5 triplet lens. This lens was collapsible, with helical focusing and focusing tab, looking like the Leica Elmar 50/3.5.

Later lens interchangeability was abandoned and the Gokoku was sold with a fixed lens, the same Gokoku Anastigmat 50/3.5.

The Gokoku had a B-20-30-40-50-100-200-500 focal plane shutter. The shutter speed selector was above the top housing like on the Leica. The Gokoku was marked above the finder Gokoku No 1 (with a stylized G) and R.K.K. (for Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō). The serial number was in front of the accessory shoe. At the left end there was what looks like a rewind knob, but 127 film do not need rewind, so presumably it was only there to look like the Leica. There was one red window in the back, probably to set the first exposure. The back and bottom plate were removable with two keys.

There was also an accessory shoe, and Riken sold an external rangefinder for the Gokoku, marked RKK and GOKOKU RANGE-FINDER. It was copied on the external rangefinder of the Leica Standard, with a shorter base.

The Ricohl

Later Riken completely reworked the mechanism and launched the Riken Ricohl I. It had a longer top housing and a bigger finder. The exposure counter was now inside the advance knob, and there was no fake rewind knob. There was a screw thread around the release button. It was marked Ricohl Mod.I and R.K.K above the finder, and the serial number was in front of the accessory shoe.

Serial numbers

Some serial numbers observed:

• Gokoku: 1168 (probably interchangeable, matching 10168 lens), 2818
• Ricohl I: 3309 (Gokoku lens No 11275)

Links

Ricoh's corporate site:

• Gokoku / Ricohl, with pictures of a fixed lens Gokoku, a Ricohl I and a Ricohl IIB (from top to bottom)
• Ricohl: featured article
• Riken wartime camera names: featured article

Other: