Idea A
The Pocket Idea A1, Idea A1 and Idea A are Japanese plate folders made by Rokuoh-sha, the manufacturing branch of Konishi or Konishiroku (predecessors of Konica). They exist in tefuda (8×10.5cm) and daimeishi (6.5×9cm) size. They replaced the Sakura Pocket Prano in 1909, and were replaced in 1923 by the Idea No.1. The cheaper Idea B and Idea Snap, with single extension bellows, were offered simultaneously.
See also the other Idea models.
Contents
Common features
All the models have an all-wooden vertically folding body. The bellows have double extension and are driven by a knob on the photographer's right, with a distance scale on the left. The front standard has a U-shaped main part and horn-shaped handles to pull it forward. It allows vertical and horizontal movements. There is a handle above the main body, and a brilliant finder atop the front standard, to the photographer's left.
The tefuda models
Description
The Pocket Idea A1 and later Idea A tefuda models have a front standard allowing vertical and horizontal movements, and whose main parts are two masts supporting the lensboard. The brilliant finder has a retracting hood and a bubble level attached to the side.
Pocket Idea A1
The Pocket Idea A1 was reportedly introduced in August 1909.[1] It is said that the lens and shutter combinations available at the time were as follows:[2]
- Bausch & Lomb RR lens, Junior shutter;
- Extra Rapid lens, Pronto shutter;
- Dallmeyer Carfac lens, Ibsor shutter;
- [[Voigtländer] Dynar lens, Compound shutter.
The camera appears in a 1909 catalogue by Ueda Shashinki-ten, where it is called "Idea No.1".[3] It was priced at ¥25 with a Bausch & Lomb RR lens and a Gem shutter.
In the December 1911 catalogue by Konishi Honten, the camera is called "Idea Pocket Hand Camera" in English and "Pocket Idea A1 Hand Camera" (ポケット、アイデヤA壹號手提暗箱) in Japanese script.[4] The following lens and shutter combinations are listed:
- Bausch & Lomb Rapid Rectilinear lens, Gem shutter, ¥26;
- Bausch & Lomb Symmetrical lens, Auto shutter, ¥36;
- Carl Zeiss Tessar Ser.IIB No.4 (136mm f/6.3)[5] lens, Koilos shutter, ¥105.
The camera was supplied with three double-sided plate holders.
Another catalogue extract lists the following versions at an unknown date:[6]
- Kō (甲), ¥23.50;
- Otsu (乙), with a Pronto shutter, ¥33.50;
- Hei (丙), Voigtländer Dynar lens, Compound shutter, ¥76.
At least one document shows the model names Pocket Idea A1, A2 and A3, but nothing else is known about the latter two.[7]
An advertisement dated 1914 in Shashin Geppō presents the Idea Camera A1 (アイデアカメラA一號), along with the nimaigake and kabine-size No.2 and No.4 (二號 and 四号).[8] The illustration is the same as in the December 1911 catalogue. The A1 is listed with a Rapid Aplanat lens and a Single shutter, for ¥26, and with an Extra Rapid Aplanat lens and a Pronto shutter, for ¥36.
Idea A
Notes
- ↑ Chronology of the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and Kikuoka, p.27 of the same magazine.
- ↑ Kikuoka, p.30 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, after the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen.
- ↑ Catalogue extract reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
- ↑ December 1911 catalogue of Konishi Honten, p.9.
- ↑ Lens details: p.40 of the same December 1911 catalogue by Konishi Honten.
- ↑ Catalogue extract reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
- ↑ Catalogue extract reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha, with a black background.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha, near the bottom.
Bibliography
- Kikuoka Sei (菊岡清). "Konica history 3. Meiji 41-nen – Taishō 12-nen." (Konica history 3. 明治41年–大正12年. From Meiji year 41 (1908) to Taishō year 12 (1923).) Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.24–32.
- Konishi Honten. Saishin Shashin Kikai Mokuroku (最新写真器械目録, Latest catalogue of photographic apparatus). Published on December 18, 1911. Recent reprint.
- Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). P.23.
- 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.538 and 544.
- Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Items 1086–91.
- Tanaka Yoshirō (田中芳郎). "Meiji–Taishō jidai no Konishi Honten no kamera wo shiru tame no hon" (明治・大正時代の小西本店のカメラを知るための本, Books about the Konishi Honten cameras of the Meiji and Taishō eras). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.92–4.
Links
In Japanese:
- Idea A (tefuda) at Asacame
- Pages of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website:
- Idea cameras, with enlarged illustrations of the Pocket Idea A1 and Idea A (tefuda)
- Pocket Idea A1, Idea A (tefuda) and Idea Hand Camera (including a mention of the Pocket Idea A1) in the camera list
Konishiroku prewar and wartime cameras ( ) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plate | hand cameras | stereo hand cameras | strut folders | box | telephoto | SLR |
Idea (original) | Idea A | Idea B | Idea Snap | Idea No.1 | Idea (metal) | Lily (original) | Lily (horizontal) | Lily (metal) | Tropical Lily | Noble | Ohca | Sakura Palace | Sakura Pocket Prano | Sakura Prano | Idea Binocular | Sakura Binocular Prano | Minimum Idea | Idea Spring | Korok | Champion | Cherry | Sakura Army | Sakura Honor | Sakura Navy | Idea Telephoto | Idea Reflex (1910 and 1911) | Idea Reflex (1932) | Neat Reflex | Sakura Reflex Prano | |
rollfilm | folders | box or collapsible | TLR | |||
Pearlette | Special Pearlette | B Pearlette | Pearl (for plates and rollfilm) | Pearl No.2 | Pearl (Year 8) | Baby Pearl | Semi Pearl | Sakura Palace | Record | Sakura (box) | Sakura (bakelite) | Sakura-flex |