Hansa Semi Rollette
The Hansa Semi Rollette[1] (ハンザ・セミ・ローレット) is a Japanese 4.5×6 folding camera, surely distributed by Ōmiya Shashin-yōhin, the owner of the "Hansa" brand. The actual maker is unknown but the lens and shutter names as well as the general aspect of the camera probably indicate a relationship with the Semi Dymos, and it is suspected to be a name variant of the latter.[2]
The camera is an Ikonta copy, with a folding optical finder and no body release. The front leather is embossed HANSA.
The Hansa Rollette Ref was featured in the new products column of the November 1936 issue of Asahi Camera[3], and it appears in the catalogue of Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten dated April 20, 1937[4], for ¥63. The lens is a Lausar[5] f:4.5 and the shutter is an F Light[6] giving T, B, 5–150 speeds.[7] It is possible that the Light shutter was made by Ōhashi Kōki Seisakusho, a company that is known to have used this trademark and to have mounted Light B and Light C shutters on the Roll Light Ref.
Notes
- ↑ The name is spelled "Hanza Semi Rollette" in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 339, but this is a typo.
- ↑ Moreover, an undated leaflet lists the Semi Dymos together with the Union Ref, a name variant of the Hansa Rollette Ref also distributed by Ōmiya and presented in the same Yamashita catalogue.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 339.
- ↑ Reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 84.
- ↑ Inferred from the katakana ローザー.
- ↑ Inferred from the katakana ライト.
- ↑ Shutter: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 339.
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. Item 182.
The Hansa Semi Rollette is not listed in Sugiyama.
