Difference between revisions of "Koho"

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'''Koho''' (Kōhō) was the name of the first leaf shutter made from 1936 by [[Olympus]]. All the Koho versions had a selftimer and were in #0 size. Francesch says that it was inspired by the German [[Prontor II]]. The Koho was mainly mounted on the [[Semi Olympus]] and [[Olympus Six]], but Takachiho also sold it to other makers.
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The '''Koho''' (Kōhō) is a [[leaf shutter]], made from 1937 by Takachiho (predecessor of [[Olympus]]). It was inspired by the German [[Prontor]].<REF> Sakurai Eiichi, p.65 of {{KKS}} no.20. </REF> All the versions are in #0 size and have a [[self-timer]]. The Koho was mainly mounted on the [[Semi Olympus]], [[Semi Olympus II]] and [[Olympus Six]], but Takachiho also sold it to other makers.
  
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== Versions and Olympus cameras equipped ==
+
== Laurel predecessor ==
 +
The first shutter made by [[Olympus|Takachiho]] was called '''Laurel''' (ローレル, ''rōreru''), it is the direct predecessor of the Koho. The Laurel has 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, B, T speeds. The early version of the [[Semi Olympus II]], with off-center finder, was advertised in late 1937 with a Laurel shutter.<REF> Advertisement in {{ACA}} October 1937, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.62, and in Hibi, p.62 of {{KKS}} no.8; [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/pdf/semi_olympus.pdf brochure] available in pdf format in [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/vol01/index.html this page of the Zuiko Club website]. </REF> The name "Laurel" was dropped because it was already registered,<REF> Francesch, p.24. Hibi, p.63 of {{KKS}} no.8, says that it was registered by [[Tōkyō Kōgaku]] but this is perhaps a confusion with the postwar [[Laurelflex]] made by that company. </REF> and the picture of a [[Semi Olympus II]] appears in an advertisement dated May 1938 with the transitional name ''DAURED'' on the shutter rim, certainly the result of a retouch.<REF> Advertisement reproduced in Hibi, p.62 of {{KKS}} no.8. </REF>
  
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The original name of the Koho shutter was '''Laurel''' (ローレル, ''rōreru''). It had 1-2-5-10-25-50-100-150-B-T speeds. The first version of the [[Semi Olympus II]] (off-centered finder) was advertised with a Laurel shutter in the Oct 1937 issue of Asahi Camera and in a 1937 brochure available at [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/vol01/index.html this page of the Olympus corporate site]. The book by Francesch and the Olympus Photo Club history pages both indicate that the name "Laurel" was dropped because it was already registered, and the latter pages also mention the existence of the transitional name "Dauled".
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== Versions of the Koho ==
 +
{| class="plainlinks" align="center" style="text-align: center;"
 +
|| [https://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48983800903/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48983800903_961ed19859_m_d.jpg] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48984370976/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48984370976_17d5e53b0f_m.jpg] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48521600372/in/pool-camerawiki https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48521600372_4969190d77_m_d.jpg]
 +
|-
 +
|| Left: Koho, first version to 1/150  <small>image by Adrian Gotts</small> {{with permission}}<br/>Middle: Koho, second version to 1/200  <small>image by Henk</small> {{with permission}}<br/>Right: Koho, third version to 1/200  <small>image by M. Walters</small> {{with permission}}
 +
|}
 +
{| class="plainlinks" align="right" width=250px style="text-align: center;"
 +
|| [https://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48497308167/in/pool-camerawiki https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48497308167_83965503d6_m_d.jpg]
 +
|-
 +
|| Second version to 1/200,<br/>unusual variant with no T setting<br/><small> image by Richard Marks</small> {{with permission}}
 +
|}
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The '''first version''' of the Koho is similar to the Laurel, with the same speed range: 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, B, T. As seen from the front, it has the winding lever at the top right, the release lever at the top left, the self-timer lever at the bottom left (with a red dot), and a thread on the left for a cable release. There is a serial number engraved on the side of the casing — numbers are confirmed in the 13xxx and 14xxx range, in a sequence that certainly started at 10000 or 10001. The first version was mounted on the [[Semi Olympus II]], and at least one example is known on a [[Semi Olympus]].<REF> See [[Semi Olympus|Semi Olympus (I)]]. </REF>
  
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The '''first version''' of the Koho had 1-2-5-10-25-50-100-150, B, T speeds and was similar to the Laurel. It had the winding lever at the top right, the release lever at the top left, the selftimer lever with a red dot at the bottom left and a soft release screw at the left. It was mounted on a [[Semi Olympus I]] variant and on the second version of the [[Semi Olympus II]].
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The '''second version''' has the same controls and a top speed of 1/200. It has been observed on late examples of the [[Semi Olympus II]] and on at least one example of the [[Semi Olympus|Semi Olympus (I)]].<REF> See [[Semi Olympus]] and [[Semi Olympus II]]. </REF> This version has a serial number too, on the same location — known numbers are in the 15xxx range.
  
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The '''second version''' had the same controls and a top speed of 1/200. It has been observed on some [[Semi Olympus II]] (see for example [http://www.geocities.jp/o_photoclub/OLYHistory/photodata/jpg/1930/1930_07_2.jpg here]).
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The '''third version''' has the same speed range (1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, B, T) but it is adapted for a body release. It has the winding lever at the top left, the self-timer lever with a red dot at the bottom left, and the release also at the bottom left, activated by the cam of the body release. The aperture setting has moved to the top of the shutter housing. No cable release attachment is provided, and no serial number is visible. This version was mounted on most variants of the [[Olympus Six]]. In some advertisements for the Olympus Six the shutter was sometimes called Koho II, Koho III or New Koho III.<REF> For example in an [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/pdf/olympus_six.pdf Olympus Six brochure] available in [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/vol01/index.html this page of the Olympus corporate site]. </REF>
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{{br}}
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The '''third version''' had the same 1-2-5-10-25-50-100-200, B, T speeds, but its controls were different, with the winding lever at the top left, the selftimer lever with a red dot at the bottom left, and the release also at the bottom left, activated by a body release. The aperture setting was moved to the top of the shutter housing. It was mounted on most variants of the [[Olympus Six]]. In some advertisements for the Olympus Six the shutter is sometimes called Koho II or Koho III (for example in a brochure available at [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/vol01/index.html this page of the Olympus corporate site]).
 
  
 
== Other cameras equipped with a Koho shutter ==
 
== Other cameras equipped with a Koho shutter ==
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{| class="plainlinks" align="center" style="text-align: center;"
 +
| width=350px | [https://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/48078663827/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48078663827_c59ed01214_m_d.jpg]
 +
| width=50px |
 +
| width=350px | [https://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/33892356078/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33892356078_09d4b500df_m_d.jpg]
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|-
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|| Second version on a [[National and Ugein|Ugein]],<br/>with additional body release linkage<br><small>image by Stephan Van den Zegel</small> {{with permission}}
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||
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|| Third version on a [[Zeitax]] <br/><small>image by Dan Orton</small> {{with permission}}
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|}
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The Koho shutter was supplied to various camera makers and distributors, in all three versions. Some cameras equipped with a body release have the first or second version of the Koho, with a linkage added behind the shutter casing to connect the top-mounted release lever to the body release mechanism.
  
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This list is incomplete.
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On all the Koho shutters supplied to other manufacturers, the front plate is the same as on the [[Semi Olympus II]], inscribed ''Olympus-Tokyo-N'' at the top. This plate has room at the bottom for an aperture scale; this room is left blank on the cameras which have the aperture scale above the shutter housing.
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* first version
 
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** a folder identified as a [[Semi First|Semi First II]] by the seller in a Yahoo Japan auction, with a First Anastigmat 7.5cm f:3.5 lens
 
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* second version
 
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** a [[Condor folders|New Semi Condor]], seen at a Yahoo Japan auction. It had what looks like a complicated linkage to a body release.
 
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* third version
 
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** a [[Mamiya Six|Mamiya Six III]] pictured in McKeown
 
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** a [[Zeitax]] with a folding optical finder and a Zeitax Anastigmat 7.5cm f:3.5 lens (see [http://www.andows.com/blog/archives/2004/01/03-0409.php here])
 
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On all the above cameras, the shutter plate is marked ''Olympus Tokyo N''. This plate has a cut for an aperture scale placed at the bottom, and it does not fit very well with the third version of the Koho.
 
  
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Cameras reported with an unknown version of the Koho:
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List of equipped cameras:<REF> See the corresponding camera pages for the sources. </REF>
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* [[Sintax]], top speed 1/200
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* [[Semi First and First Six|V Semi First]] (first version observed)
 +
* [[Kelly]] (reportedly advertised with 1–150 speeds, first and third versions observed)
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* [[Semi Proud]] (reportedly announced at the time, first version observed with body release linkage)
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* [[Sintax]] (second version observed, with body release linkage; third version advertised with the word ''SINTAX'' added at the bottom of the shutter plate)
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* [[Semi Rody]] (unknown version advertised)
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* [[Condor folders|New Semi Condor]] (second version observed, with body release linkage)
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* [[Zeitax]] (third version observed)
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* [[National and Ugein]] (first version advertised; second version observed, with body release linkage)
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* [[Mamiya Six|Mamiya Six III]] (third version observed)<REF> Example pictured in {{MK}}, p.644. </REF>
  
 
== The Kōhō name ==
 
== The Kōhō name ==
 +
The name Kōhō was written コーホー in ''katakana'', but it certainly comes from the word 高峰, which means "high peak" or "high mountain".<REF> See [https://www.olympus.co.jp/company/milestones/history/01.html this page of the Olympus corporate site], and Francesch, p.24. </REF> This is a clear allusion to the [[Olympus]] name (itself from Mount Olympus).
  
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The name Kōhō was written コーホー in katakana, but it was apparently formed from the word 高峰, that means "high peak" or "high mountain". This is a clear allusion to the Olympus name (itself from Mount Olympus).
+
== Notes ==
 +
<references />
  
 
== Bibliography ==
 
== Bibliography ==
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* Dominique Francesch and Jean-Paul Francesch. ''Histoire de l'appareil photographique Olympus de 1936 à 1983.'' Paris: Dessain et Tolra, 1985. ISBN 2-249-27679-X
+
* {{Showa10}}
 +
* {{Baird Petri}} P.75.
 +
* {{Francesch Olympus}}
 +
* Hibi Takashi (日比孝). "Nihon no supuringu kamera: Orinpasu" (日本のスプリングカメラ・オリンパス, "Japanese folding cameras: Olympus"). {{KKS008}} Pp.62–5.
 +
* [[Maitani Yoshihisa]] (米谷美久). [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/vol01/index.html "Kamera-zukuri e no bōken"] (カメラ創りへの冒険, "Venturing into camera production"). Volume 1 of [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/index.html ''Haikei — Sekkeisha yori''] (拝啓・設計者より, "Dear Sir, from the designer"). Published in the [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/ Zuiko Club website], belonging to the Olympus Imaging Corp.
 +
* {{McKeown12}}
 +
* ''Orinpasu-ten — oputo-dejitaru-tekunolojī no kiseki'' (オリンパス展・オプトデジタルテクノロジーの軌跡, Olympus exhibition, the tracks of opto-digital technology). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 2005. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.)
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==
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* [http://www.geocities.jp/o_photoclub/OLYHistory/index.htm Olympus history pages] at the [http://www.geocities.jp/o_photoclub/ Olympus Photo Club website], with exhaustive information:
+
*[https://www.olympus-global.com/technology/museum/camera/products/camera/semi-oll/?page=technology_museum Semi-Olympus I page] at [https://www.olympus-global.com/ Olympus Global]
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** [http://www.geocities.jp/o_photoclub/OLYHistory/category/semi/semi.htm The Semi models]
+
In Japanese:
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** [http://www.geocities.jp/o_photoclub/OLYHistory/category/6x6sp/6x6sp.htm The Six and Chrome Six models]
+
* [http://olyphotoclub.g1.xrea.com/OLYHistory/index.htm Olympus history pages] at the [http://olyphotoclub.g1.xrea.com/ Olympus Photo Club website]:
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* [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/vol01/index.html A page at the Olympus corporate site], with links to brochures of the Semi Olympus II and Olympus Six, in pdf format
+
** [http://olyphotoclub.g1.xrea.com/OLYHistory/category/semi/semi.htm The Semi models]
 +
** [http://olyphotoclub.g1.xrea.com/OLYHistory/category/6x6sp/6x6sp.htm The Six and Chrome Six models]
 +
<!--Commented out link, page no longer present/available, please remove if not returned by 5/2023 * Brochures reproduced (in pdf format) in the in [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/vol01/index.html this page] of the [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/ Zuiko Club website]:
 +
** [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/pdf/semi_olympus.pdf brochure of the Semi Olympus II] dated 1937
 +
** [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/maitani/pdf/olympus_six.pdf brochure of the Olympus Six] -->
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[[Category: Leaf shutter]]
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[[Category: Leaf shutters]]
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[[Category: Japanese shutters]]
 
[[Category: Olympus]]
 
[[Category: Olympus]]
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[[Category: Japan]]
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[[Category: Topography]]
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[[Category: 1937]]

Latest revision as of 06:23, 6 May 2022

The Koho (Kōhō) is a leaf shutter, made from 1937 by Takachiho (predecessor of Olympus). It was inspired by the German Prontor.[1] All the versions are in #0 size and have a self-timer. The Koho was mainly mounted on the Semi Olympus, Semi Olympus II and Olympus Six, but Takachiho also sold it to other makers.

Laurel predecessor

The first shutter made by Takachiho was called Laurel (ローレル, rōreru), it is the direct predecessor of the Koho. The Laurel has 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, B, T speeds. The early version of the Semi Olympus II, with off-center finder, was advertised in late 1937 with a Laurel shutter.[2] The name "Laurel" was dropped because it was already registered,[3] and the picture of a Semi Olympus II appears in an advertisement dated May 1938 with the transitional name DAURED on the shutter rim, certainly the result of a retouch.[4]

Versions of the Koho

48983800903_961ed19859_m_d.jpg 48984370976_17d5e53b0f_m.jpg 48521600372_4969190d77_m_d.jpg
Left: Koho, first version to 1/150 image by Adrian Gotts (Image rights)
Middle: Koho, second version to 1/200 image by Henk (Image rights)
Right: Koho, third version to 1/200 image by M. Walters (Image rights)
48497308167_83965503d6_m_d.jpg
Second version to 1/200,
unusual variant with no T setting
image by Richard Marks (Image rights)

The first version of the Koho is similar to the Laurel, with the same speed range: 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, B, T. As seen from the front, it has the winding lever at the top right, the release lever at the top left, the self-timer lever at the bottom left (with a red dot), and a thread on the left for a cable release. There is a serial number engraved on the side of the casing — numbers are confirmed in the 13xxx and 14xxx range, in a sequence that certainly started at 10000 or 10001. The first version was mounted on the Semi Olympus II, and at least one example is known on a Semi Olympus.[5]

The second version has the same controls and a top speed of 1/200. It has been observed on late examples of the Semi Olympus II and on at least one example of the Semi Olympus (I).[6] This version has a serial number too, on the same location — known numbers are in the 15xxx range.

The third version has the same speed range (1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, B, T) but it is adapted for a body release. It has the winding lever at the top left, the self-timer lever with a red dot at the bottom left, and the release also at the bottom left, activated by the cam of the body release. The aperture setting has moved to the top of the shutter housing. No cable release attachment is provided, and no serial number is visible. This version was mounted on most variants of the Olympus Six. In some advertisements for the Olympus Six the shutter was sometimes called Koho II, Koho III or New Koho III.[7]

Other cameras equipped with a Koho shutter

48078663827_c59ed01214_m_d.jpg 33892356078_09d4b500df_m_d.jpg
Second version on a Ugein,
with additional body release linkage
image by Stephan Van den Zegel (Image rights) 		Third version on a Zeitax
image by Dan Orton (Image rights)

The Koho shutter was supplied to various camera makers and distributors, in all three versions. Some cameras equipped with a body release have the first or second version of the Koho, with a linkage added behind the shutter casing to connect the top-mounted release lever to the body release mechanism.

On all the Koho shutters supplied to other manufacturers, the front plate is the same as on the Semi Olympus II, inscribed Olympus-Tokyo-N at the top. This plate has room at the bottom for an aperture scale; this room is left blank on the cameras which have the aperture scale above the shutter housing.

List of equipped cameras:[8]

  • V Semi First (first version observed)
  • Kelly (reportedly advertised with 1–150 speeds, first and third versions observed)
  • Semi Proud (reportedly announced at the time, first version observed with body release linkage)
  • Sintax (second version observed, with body release linkage; third version advertised with the word SINTAX added at the bottom of the shutter plate)
  • Semi Rody (unknown version advertised)
  • New Semi Condor (second version observed, with body release linkage)
  • Zeitax (third version observed)
  • National and Ugein (first version advertised; second version observed, with body release linkage)
  • Mamiya Six III (third version observed)[9]

The Kōhō name

The name Kōhō was written コーホー in katakana, but it certainly comes from the word 高峰, which means "high peak" or "high mountain".[10] This is a clear allusion to the Olympus name (itself from Mount Olympus).

Notes

  1. ↑ Sakurai Eiichi, p.65 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.20.
  2. ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera October 1937, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.62, and in Hibi, p.62 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8; brochure available in pdf format in this page of the Zuiko Club website.
  3. ↑ Francesch, p.24. Hibi, p.63 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8, says that it was registered by Tōkyō Kōgaku but this is perhaps a confusion with the postwar Laurelflex made by that company.
  4. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Hibi, p.62 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8.
  5. ↑ See Semi Olympus (I).
  6. ↑ See Semi Olympus and Semi Olympus II.
  7. ↑ For example in an Olympus Six brochure available in this page of the Olympus corporate site.
  8. ↑ See the corresponding camera pages for the sources.
  9. ↑ Example pictured in McKeown, p.644.
  10. ↑ See this page of the Olympus corporate site, and Francesch, p.24.

Bibliography

Links

In Japanese:

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