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.
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]
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.
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 |