Korok
The Koroku (コロク) or Vest Koroku (ベストコロク) is a Japanese strut-folding plate camera. It was made from about 1914 by Rokuoh-sha, manufacturing branch of Konishi (predecessor of Konica), and it exists in 6.5×9cm (daimeishi) and 8×10.5cm (tefuda) size.[1] It was the successor of the Minimum Idea.
Contents
Description
The Koroku is one of the first Japanese cameras to have a metal body. It is inspired from the Vest Pocket Kodak and has a pop-out rectangular front standard mounted on trellis struts. This front standard contains a single brilliant finder at the top, in the middle, a meniscus lens and a simple shutter giving Time, Bulb and Instant settings selected by an index above the lens. The words MANUFACTURED BY ROKUOH-SHA TOKYO. are inscribed around the lens. The aperture is set by an index at the bottom, with four positions indicated both by the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and by words in kanji script.[2]
The rear part of the camera has no similarity with the Vest Pocket Kodak, and simply consists of a box with attachment rails for the ground glass or plate holders. The camera was certainly sold with six single-sided plate holders, the same as the Minimum Idea. A full set is pictured in Sugiyama, complete with the original buck-skin wallets for the camera and for the plate holders.[3]
Versions
For some reason, it is said in Lewis that the picture format of the Koroku is 57×83mm;[4] this does not correspond to any known standard format and is not confirmed by the other sources. The only surviving example observed so far, pictured in various sources, is in 6.5×9cm (daimeishi) format.[5] According to Kikuoka, apparently quoting the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, the camera also existed in 8×10.5cm (tefuda) size, and there was a wooden version in meishi (5.5×8cm) format, called the Sketch Camera.[6] The Koroku reportedly cost ¥15 at the time it was sold.[7]
Notes
- ↑ Date: Kikuoka, p.32 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, Sugiyama, item 1080, Lewis, p.35.
- ↑ Words in kanji script: Sugiyama, item 1080.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 1080.
- ↑ Lewis, p.35.
- ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1080, in Kikuoka, p.32 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and in Lewis, p.35. The format is quoted as 6.5×9cm or daimeishi in the two first sources.
- ↑ Kikuoka, p.32 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10.
- ↑ Kikuoka, p.32 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10.
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.
- 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.35 (the camera is called "Korok").
- 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. Item 1080.
