Lyrax

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folding
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Japanese SLR, TLR, pseudo TLR and stereo models ->
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The Lyrax (ライラックス) is a 4.5×6 camera that was made from 1939 by Fuji Kōgaku. The lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a telescopic tube. There is an uncoupled rangefinder on the top plate, with two round windows and a folding optical finder on top of the rangefinder housing. Between the rangefinder windows the name Lyrax is engraved in handwritten style. The advance knob and body release are on the left of the top plate, on a small housing that probably contains an automatic film advance mechanism. On the right of the top housing there is another knob, obviously meant to look like the rewind knob of a 35mm camera. The lens is a front cell focusing Fuji-kō Anastigmat Terionar.

The original model is advertised in 1939[1], sometimes together with the Lyra Six, in four variants:

  • f:4.5 lens, Fujikō B shutter (B, 5–250), ¥185;
  • f:4.5 lens, Fujikō A shutter (B, 1–300), ¥195;
  • f:3.5 lens, Fujikō B shutter, ¥200;
  • f:3.5 lens, Fujikō A shutter, ¥210.

The Fujikō B shutter has B, 5–250 speeds and the Fujikō A shutter has B, 1–300 speeds. The shutters are mounted on the Semi Lyra and Lyra Six. The shutter plate is marked FUJIKŌ at the top and is sometimes black with white markings or of a clear color with black markings[2].

The Lyrax F (ライラックスF型) is equipped with a new Fujikō F shutter (1–200). The shutter plate is probably yellowish with black markings. These markings are almost the same as on the previous Fujikō shutters, except that the FUJIKō marking at the top is written in two parts: FUJ and IKō, with an arrow between both. It is offered in 1941[3], with the f:3.5 lens only, for ¥220.

Notes

  1. Advertisement for the Lyrax, published in the July 1939 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 302. — Advertisement for the Lyrax and Lyra Six, published in the August 1939 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 296. — Advertisement for the Lyrax and Lyra Six, originally published in the October 1939 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in this page of the Heiki Seikatsu website.
  2. See this page of th JCII.
  3. Advertisement for the Lyra range, published in the May 1941 issue of Shashin Bunka, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 303.

Printed bibliography

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