Difference between revisions of "Letix"

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{{127 Japan}}
 
{{127 Japan}}
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The '''Letix''' is a 4×4cm format camera, using [[127 film]], released by [[Ricoh|Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō]] (Asahi Optical Industries) around 1940. This company was a sub-company of Riken (today [[Ricoh]]). At about the same time, Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō was making the [[Roico]], another 4×4 camera.
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The '''Letix''' is a 4&times;4cm format camera, using [[127 film]], made by [[Ricoh|Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō]] from 1940 to 1942.<REF> Dates: {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;343. </REF> This company was a sub-company of Riken (today [[Ricoh]]). At about the same time, Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō was making the [[Roico]], another 4&times;4 camera.
  
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The Letix has a [[bakelite]] body, like the [[Olympic]], but the lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a metal telescopic tube. The Letix has a tubular optical finder in a short top housing with an accessory shoe and what seems to be an exposure counter. This device was necessary because at the time, the film paperback was not marked for 4×4cm pictures. The advance knob is on the left end of the top plate. The back seems to be removable together with the bottom plate. The front of the body is sometimes embossed ''LETIX'' in uppercase and sometimes ''Letix'' in lowercase. {{McKeown}} also shows a picture of a body embossed ''Retix''. This funny mistake can be explained because the Japanese language does not distinguish between the "l" and "r" letters.
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== Description of the body ==
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The Letix has a [[bakelite]] body, like the [[Olympic]], but the lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a metal telescopic tube. The name of the camera is moulded in the front of the body. It is written ''LETIX'' in some examples,<REF> Example pictured in [http://asacame.fc2web.com/hspbest/riken.htm this page] and [http://asacame.fc2web.com/hspbestaz/bestl.htm this page] at [http://asacame.fc2web.com/ Asacame], example pictured in ''Ricoh Camera no Subete'', pp.&nbsp;21&ndash;2, and example pictured in [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/letix.html this page] of the [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/ Ricoh official website]. </REF> and ''Letix'' in advertising pictures.<REF> Advertisements reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, pp.&nbsp;61 and 104. </REF> At least one example is known with the body marked ''Retix''.<REF> Example pictured in McKeown, p.&nbsp;85. </REF> An explanation for that funny mistake is that the Japanese phonology does not distinguish between the "l" and "r" letters.
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The Letix is covered by a top housing except the space around the advance knob, at the left end of the top plate. The advance knob itself is quite thick, and the camera is equipped with auto-stop film advance. The tubular optical finder is a distinct part, centred above the top housing, and there is an accessory shoe on the right end. Between the shoe and the finder is an exposure counter made of a fully exposed disc engraved from ''1'' to ''12''. This device was necessary because at the time, the film paperback was not marked for 4×4cm pictures. Between the finder and the advance knob there is a button that perhaps unlocks the auto-stop advance device. The back is removable together with the bottom plate, and has a single red window to set the first exposure. The back is locked by a knob surrounding the tripod mount, at the centre of the bottom plate.
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The [[Kraft]] by [[Ehito|Ehito Kōgaku Kōgyō]] is very similar to the Letix, but with a metal body instead of bakelite. It is unknown if the two cameras are related, or if Ehito simply copied the Letix.
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== Evolution of the lens and shutter ==
  
 
The lens is a front cell focusing Ukas Anastigmat 50mm f:4.5. It is said to be a triplet, and it is also said that the lens name later became Helios Anastigmat<REF> According to [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/letix.html this page of the Ricoh official website]. The name Helios Anastigmat is mentioned by {{McKeown}} on the [[Seica]]. </REF>. The shutter has T, B, 150, 100, 50, 25 speeds, and is probably the same as on the [[Olympic]] cameras. The shutter plate is marked ''Letix'', with an ''AKK'' logo (for <U>A</U>sahi <U>K</U>ōgaku <U>K</U>ōgyō).
 
The lens is a front cell focusing Ukas Anastigmat 50mm f:4.5. It is said to be a triplet, and it is also said that the lens name later became Helios Anastigmat<REF> According to [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/letix.html this page of the Ricoh official website]. The name Helios Anastigmat is mentioned by {{McKeown}} on the [[Seica]]. </REF>. The shutter has T, B, 150, 100, 50, 25 speeds, and is probably the same as on the [[Olympic]] cameras. The shutter plate is marked ''Letix'', with an ''AKK'' logo (for <U>A</U>sahi <U>K</U>ōgaku <U>K</U>ōgyō).
  
 
The Letix appears in an advertisement dated 1940<REF> {{Showa10ad|Letix|319|October 1940|Asahi Camera}} </REF> and 1941, with the mention of Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō as the maker and K.K. Kaneki Shōten (株式会社カネキ商店) as the distributor, and in an advertisement dated 1941<REF> {{Showa10ad|[[Semi Okaco]], [[Oko folders|Oko Six]] and Letix|35|August 1941|Asahi Camera}} </REF> by the distributor Kawara Shashinki-ten (河原写真機店). The cost in 1941 was &yen;55.
 
The Letix appears in an advertisement dated 1940<REF> {{Showa10ad|Letix|319|October 1940|Asahi Camera}} </REF> and 1941, with the mention of Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō as the maker and K.K. Kaneki Shōten (株式会社カネキ商店) as the distributor, and in an advertisement dated 1941<REF> {{Showa10ad|[[Semi Okaco]], [[Oko folders|Oko Six]] and Letix|35|August 1941|Asahi Camera}} </REF> by the distributor Kawara Shashinki-ten (河原写真機店). The cost in 1941 was &yen;55.
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The [[Kraft]] by [[Ehito|Ehito Kōgaku Kōgyō]] is very similar to the Letix, the main change being a body in metal instead than bakelite. It is unknown if the two cameras are related.
 
  
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
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* {{Showa10}} Item 319. (See also the advertisement for item 35.)
 
* {{Showa10}} Item 319. (See also the advertisement for item 35.)
 
* {{McKeown12}} P.&nbsp;85.
 
* {{McKeown12}} P.&nbsp;85.
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* ''Ricoh Camera no Subete'' (リコーカメラのすべて, All the Ricoh cameras), issue no. 14 (1 October 1989) of ''Classic Camera Senka'' (クラシックカメラ専科). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama.
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* ''Ricoh Camera no Subete'' (リコーカメラのすべて, All the Ricoh cameras), issue no. 14 (1 October 1989) of ''Classic Camera Senka'' (クラシックカメラ専科). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama. Pp.&nbsp;21&ndash;2.
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==
 
In Japanese:
 
In Japanese:
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* [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/letix.html Letix] in the [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/index.html camera list] at the [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/ Ricoh official website]
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* [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/letix.html Letix] in the [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/camera/cameralist/index.html camera list] of the [http://www.ricoh.co.jp/ Ricoh official website]
 
* Related pages at [http://asacame.fc2web.com/ Asacame]:
 
* Related pages at [http://asacame.fc2web.com/ Asacame]:
 
** [http://asacame.fc2web.com/hspbest/riken.htm Riken 127 cameras]
 
** [http://asacame.fc2web.com/hspbest/riken.htm Riken 127 cameras]

Revision as of 21:19, 13 October 2006

Template:127 Japan The Letix is a 4×4cm format camera, using 127 film, made by Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō from 1940 to 1942.[1] This company was a sub-company of Riken (today Ricoh). At about the same time, Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō was making the Roico, another 4×4 camera.

Description of the body

The Letix has a bakelite body, like the Olympic, but the lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a metal telescopic tube. The name of the camera is moulded in the front of the body. It is written LETIX in some examples,[2] and Letix in advertising pictures.[3] At least one example is known with the body marked Retix.[4] An explanation for that funny mistake is that the Japanese phonology does not distinguish between the "l" and "r" letters.

The Letix is covered by a top housing except the space around the advance knob, at the left end of the top plate. The advance knob itself is quite thick, and the camera is equipped with auto-stop film advance. The tubular optical finder is a distinct part, centred above the top housing, and there is an accessory shoe on the right end. Between the shoe and the finder is an exposure counter made of a fully exposed disc engraved from 1 to 12. This device was necessary because at the time, the film paperback was not marked for 4×4cm pictures. Between the finder and the advance knob there is a button that perhaps unlocks the auto-stop advance device. The back is removable together with the bottom plate, and has a single red window to set the first exposure. The back is locked by a knob surrounding the tripod mount, at the centre of the bottom plate.

The Kraft by Ehito Kōgaku Kōgyō is very similar to the Letix, but with a metal body instead of bakelite. It is unknown if the two cameras are related, or if Ehito simply copied the Letix.

Evolution of the lens and shutter

The lens is a front cell focusing Ukas Anastigmat 50mm f:4.5. It is said to be a triplet, and it is also said that the lens name later became Helios Anastigmat[5]. The shutter has T, B, 150, 100, 50, 25 speeds, and is probably the same as on the Olympic cameras. The shutter plate is marked Letix, with an AKK logo (for Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō).

The Letix appears in an advertisement dated 1940[6] and 1941, with the mention of Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō as the maker and K.K. Kaneki Shōten (株式会社カネキ商店) as the distributor, and in an advertisement dated 1941[7] by the distributor Kawara Shashinki-ten (河原写真機店). The cost in 1941 was ¥55.

Notes

  1. ↑ Dates: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 343.
  2. ↑ Example pictured in this page and this page at Asacame, example pictured in Ricoh Camera no Subete, pp. 21–2, and example pictured in this page of the Ricoh official website.
  3. ↑ Advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp. 61 and 104.
  4. ↑ Example pictured in McKeown, p. 85.
  5. ↑ According to this page of the Ricoh official website. The name Helios Anastigmat is mentioned by McKeown on the Seica.
  6. ↑ Advertisement for the Letix, published in the October 1940 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 319.
  7. ↑ Advertisement for the Semi Okaco, Oko Six and Letix, published in the August 1941 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 35.

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. Item 319. (See also the advertisement for item 35.)
  • 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). P. 85.
  • Ricoh Camera no Subete (リコーカメラのすべて, All the Ricoh cameras), issue no. 14 (1 October 1989) of Classic Camera Senka (クラシックカメラ専科). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama. Pp. 21–2.

Links

In Japanese:

Asahi Bussan and Riken prewar and wartime cameras (edit)
rigid or collapsible
Vest Adler | Gokoku | Semi Kinsi | Letix | Olympic | New Olympic | Regal Olympic | Semi Olympic | Super Olympic | Vest Olympic | Riken No.1 | Ricohl | Roico | Seica | Zessan
folders pseudo TLR TLR
Semi Adler | Adler III | Adler A | Adler B | Adler C | Adler Four | Adler Six | Gaica | Heil | Kinsi Chukon Ref Ricohflex | Ricohflex B
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