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, sold in 1936 and 1937.[2] It was certainly distributed by Ōmiya Shashin-yōhin, the owner of the "Hansa" brand.
Maker
The Hansa Semi Rollette was certainly a name variant of the Semi Dymos, as suggested by the camera's general aspect and by the lens and shutter equipment. At least one recent source says that the Semi Dymos was made by Mori,[3] but this is unconfirmed.
The Hansa Semi Rollette was advertised side by side with the Hansa Rollette Ref, a name variant of the Union Ref.[4] The Semi Dymos and Union Ref were also advertised together in another context, and were perhaps produced by the same company.[5]
Description
The Hansa Semi Rollette is an Ikonta copy, with the typical Ikonta struts. There is a folding optical finder in the middle of the top plate. Its front part folds above the back one and it is certainly of the Newton type. There is no body release and the folding bed release on the right — as seen by the photographer holding the camera horizontally. The back is hinged to the left and the back latch is covered by a leather handle. The brand name HANSA is embossed in the front leather.
The lens is a Tomioka Lausar f/4.5, and the shutter is reported as an F Light (T, B, 5–150).[6]
Advertisements and other documents
The Hansa Rollette Ref was featured in the new products column of the November 1936 issue of Asahi Camera.[7] It also appears in the catalogue of Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten dated April 20, 1937, together with the Hansa Rollette Ref 4.5×6 pseudo TLR.[8] The document gives the price of ¥63 with the Lausar f/4.5 lens, and says nothing of the shutter.
Notes
- ↑ The name is spelled "Hanza Semi Rollette" in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.339, but this is a typo.
- ↑ Dates: articles and advertisements listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.339.
- ↑ Tanaka, p.132 of Nigan-refu no hanashi (zenpen).
- ↑ Extract of the catalogue of Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten dated April 20, 1937, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.84.
- ↑ Undated leaflet for the Victory, Semi Dymos, Reex, Baby Ref, Union Ref and Baby Chrome, published by an unknown company.
- ↑ Shutter: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.339.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.339.
- ↑ Extract of the catalogue reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.84.
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.
- Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). Nigan-refu no hanashi (zenpen) (二眼レフのはなし[前編], TLR stories [first part]). Gendai Kamera Shinsho (現代カメラ新書) no.68. Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1980. No ISBN number. P.132. (Attributes the Semi Dymos to Mori.)
The Hansa Semi Rollette is not listed in Sugiyama.
