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. It is said the film advance takes place before 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. The serial number of the lens is indicated on the distance ring. There is a metal cap engraved RKK.

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.

Note: Gokoku is written 護国 and means "Protector of the country", a "patriotic" wartime name.

The Ricohl

Later, around late 1940, 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. It was marked Ricohl Mod.I and R.K.K above the finder, and the serial number was in front of the accessory shoe. The Ricohl I had the same Gokoku Anastigmat 50/3.5 lens as the Gokoku, probably in fixed mount.

In 1942 followed the Ricohl IIB, with an interchangeable Neutar (?, ノイタール) four element lens. This lens mount was a screw mount specific to this camera. The lens looks even more like the Leitz Elmar 50/3.5.

There is an ad for the Ricohl IIB shown here, dated 2602 in Japanese calendar, ie 1942. The price was 256 yen. In an ad for the Riken Heil shown at the same site, two Ricohl variants are listed: the IIB (barely readable) for 256 yen and another model (looks like Ricohl II) for 314 yen.

It is said at Ricoh's corporate site that more versions were planned and abandoned because of the war effort.

They also say that the Roico 4x4 camera used the same body, but with a lens shutter.

Serial numbers

An unverifiable source (Japanese seller) says about the Ricohl I that 1500 were produced. It is unknown if this number also includes the Ricohl IIB, or even the Gokoku.

It is said that only very few functioning Gokoku / Ricohl still exist, and even the one exposed at Ricoh's service center is not operational.

Some serial numbers observed:

• Gokoku: 1168 (probably interchangeable lens No 10168, for sale by a dealer with Gokoku rangefinder), 2818 (reported in a forum)
• Ricohl I: 3309 (Gokoku lens No 11275, ebay auction), 3600 (Gokoku lens No 11923, pictured in McKeown)
• Ricohl IIB:

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, with technical drawing of the mechanism
• Riken wartime camera names: featured article
• A Ricohl I at the All Japan Classic Camera Club website
• Old Japanese ads, including the Ricohl