Idea A

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Japanese plate film: monocular, box, strut-folding and SLR ->
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This is a work in progress.

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.

See also the other Idea models.

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]

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:

The camera was supplied with three double-sided plate holders.

Another catalogue extract lists the following versions at an unknown date:[6]

At least one document shows the model names Pocket Idea A1, A2 and A3, but nothing else is known about the latter two.[7]

Notes

  1. 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.
  2. Kikuoka, p.30 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, after the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen.
  3. Catalogue extract reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
  4. December 1911 catalogue of Konishi Honten, p.9.
  5. Lens details: p.40 of the same December 1911 catalogue by Konishi Honten.
  6. Catalogue extract reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
  7. Catalogue extract reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha, with a black background.

Bibliography

Links

In Japanese:


Konishiroku prewar and wartime cameras (edit)
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