Koho
Koho (Kōhō) was the name of the first leaf shutter made from 1936 by Takachiho (later 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.
Contents
Versions and Olympus cameras equipped
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.[1] The name "Laurel" was dropped because it was already registered, and the transitional name "Dauled" was used.[2]
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.
The second version had the same controls and a top speed of 1/200. It has been observed on some Semi Olympus II.[3]
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.[4]
Other cameras equipped with a Koho shutter
This list is incomplete.
- first version
- V Semi First (with a First Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5 lens)[5]
- Semi Kelly[6]
- second version
- a New Semi Condor.[7] It had what looks like a complicated linkage to a body release.
- third version
- a Mamiya Six III pictured in McKeown
- a Zeitax with a folding optical finder and a Zeitax Anastigmat 7.5cm f:3.5 lens[8]
- the Sintax
- unknown version
- Semi Proud II (Baldax copy)
On all the above cameras except perhaps the Sintax, 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. The Sintax has a SINTAX marking at the bottom of the shutter plate, probably filling the cut.
The Kōhō name
The name Kōhō was written コーホー in katakana, but it was apparently formed from the word 高峰, which means "high peak" or "high mountain". This is a clear allusion to the Olympus name (itself from Mount Olympus).
Notes
- ↑ In the Oct 1937 issue of Asahi Camera and in a 1937 brochure available at this page of the Olympus corporate site.
- ↑ "Laurel" already registered: Francesch and the Olympus Photo Club history pages. "Dauled": Olympus Photo Club history pages.
- ↑ See for example here.
- ↑ For example in a brochure available at this page of the Olympus corporate site.
- ↑ Example pictured in Baird, p. 75, and observed in an online auction.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 336.
- ↑ Seen at a Yahoo Japan auction.
- ↑ See here.
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.
- Baird, John R. Collectors guide to Kuribayashi-Petri Cameras. Grantsburg, WI (USA): Centennial Photo Service, 1991. ISBN 0-931838-16-9. P. 75.
- Francesch, Dominique and Jean-Paul. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Olympus de 1936 à 1983. Paris: Dessain et Tolra, 1985. ISBN 2-249-27679-X.
Links
- Olympus history pages at the Olympus Photo Club website, with exhaustive information:
- A page at the Olympus corporate site, with links to brochures of the Semi Olympus II and Olympus Six, in pdf format
