Minolta Six

The Minolta Six (ミノルタ・シックス) is a bakelite collapsible 6×6 camera, made by Molta (the predecessor of Minolta) from late 1936. It was distributed by Asanuma Shōkai and was advertised until 1940. It is sometimes said that the Minolta Six was the first Japanese 6×6 camera, but it was predated at least by the Mulber Six released in late 1935.

Description

Bakelite sliding boxes,
collapsed and extended. (Image rights)

The construction of the Minolta Six is very similar to the previous Minolta Vest 4×6.5 camera. The body is made of some sort of plastic, perhaps bakelite. The lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a front plate, itself attached to a collapsible structure composed of three rectangular sliding boxes. These boxes are made of the same plastic as the rest of the body, reinforced with metal parts. The result is like a folding camera with no bellows.

Nameplate. (Image rights)

The front plate is pulled out by two small handles and there is a table stand attached to the bottom. There is a folding optical finder in the middle of the top plate, with a red hairline cross on the front element. The advance knob is on the left end of the top plate and film advance is controlled by red window. The back is hinged to the right and a leather handle is attached to the back latch. The bottom plate has film flanges on both ends and a tripod thread in the middle. A nameplate marked Minolta Six is screwed to the front of the body.

Film knob of the Minolta Six
and Semi Minolta (Image rights)

It seems that the camera shares some parts with the original Semi Minolta: the bottom film flanges, back latch and folding optical finder look the same as the parts mounted on the early versions of the 4.5×6 folder.

All the models are equipped with a version of the Crown rimset shutter. The shutter plate is marked PATENTS–NIPPON at the top and CROWN at the bottom, and has three metal strips on each side of the lens. The shutter is everset and the release lever is at the top left of the shutter housing. Next to the release lever there is a distant release connector.

The lens is front-cell focusing and is called Coronar Anastigmat Nippon on all the models. It has 80mm focal length unless noted, and the aperture is set by an index at the bottom of the shutter plate. This lens was certainly made by Asahi Kōgaku, like the lenses for the prewar Semi Minolta, and the serial numbers probably run in the same sequence.

Evolution

Original model, three red windows

Minolta Six n°3299, f/5.6 lens, three red windows.
Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

Back plate with three red windows
and winding indications. (Image rights)

The original model has three red windows in the back, near the bottom. Each has a reminder, respectively reading 1357, 2468 or 1'3'5'7' from right to left, marked on a metal plate covering most part of the back. This complex advance pattern was needed because the paperback of 120 film was not yet marked for 6×6cm format at the time the camera was sold.

Metal knob, flat top and leather top.
(Image rights)

The advance knob is made of metal. On the earliest examples, it has an uncovered flat top. On later examples, it has a recessed top, normally covered by a leather piece that is often missing today.

The original model exists in three versions:

• f/5.6 lens, Crown C shutter, T, B, 25, 50, 100, 150 speeds;
• f/4.5 lens, Crown B shutter, T, B, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 speeds;
• f/4.5 lens, Crown S shutter, T, B, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 speeds, self-timer.

From left to right: Coronar f/5.6 in Crown C, Coronar f/4.5 in Crown B and Coronar f/4.5 in Crown S with self-timer.
Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

All three versions were announced in an advertisement dated December 1936, unusually showing a sketch of the camera instead of a picture or detailed drawing. The same range appeared in advertisements dated August 1937 (for ¥40, ¥53 and ¥60), January 1938 (for ¥46, ¥60 and ¥70) and January 1940 (for the same prices). There is no way to distinguish between this early model and the later model with a single red window.

Single red window

Left and middle: Minolta Six n°13608, f/5.6 lens, one red window. Top right: Minolta Six n°14781, f/4.5 lens, one red window. Bottom right: Minolta Six n°11158, f/4.5 lens, self-timer, one red window. Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

Back of Minolta Six n°11158.
The three holes for the red windows
are visible under the back leather. (Image rights)

The camera's back was modified at some point to have a single red window in the middle, protected by a horizontally sliding cover. This change occurred after the films were sold with 6×6 numbers, probably not later than 1937.

At least one transitional example is known with the holes of the three original red windows covered by the back leather.

Minolta Six n°14872, f/3.5 lens, self-timer, one red window.
Pictures courtesy of Scott at www.collectiblecameras.com. (Image rights)

One example, pictured in this page, is known with a Coronar Anastigmat Nippon 75mm f/3.5 lens mounted on a Crown S shutter, but it is not known if this equipment is original.

Bakelite knob

Minolta Six n°19324, f/5.6 lens, bakelite knob.
Picture courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

Bakelite knob. (Image rights)

The late Minolta Six have a bakelite advance knob. The metal knob still appears in the January 1940 advertisement cited above, thus the change occurred at a later date. Examples with a bakelite knob are known to exist with both lens types, but none has yet been observed with a self-timer.

Case

Top: case for the Minolta Six, old type. Down: case for the Minolta Six, new type. Pictures courtesy of eBayer hbpartner. (Image rights)

At least two types of cases are known. They are embossed Minolta Six. The old type has a rectangular window on the rear to show the back plate, whereas the new type has smaller openings for the single red window and its sliding cover.

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 278. (See also the advertisements for item 272.)
• Francesch, Dominique and Jean-Paul. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Minolta de 1929 à 1985. Paris: Dessain et Tolra, 1985. ISBN 2-249-27685-4.
• 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). Pp. 53 and 182.
• 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. 673.
• Scheibel, Anni Rita and Joseph. 70 Jahre Minolta Kameratechnik — Von der Nifcalette bis zur Dynax 9. Stuttgart: Lindemanns Verlag, 3rd edition, 1999. ISBN 3-89506-191-3. Pp. 20–1.
• 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. Items 1193–4.
• Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minolta I-gata to II-gata." (セミミノルタⅠ型とⅡ型, "Semi Minolta I and II") In Camera Collectors' News no. 116 (February 1987). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.
• Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minolta I-gata to II-gata (sono 2)." (セミミノルタⅠ型とⅡ型(その2), "Semi Minolta I and II (part 2)") In Camera Collectors' News no. 118 (April 1987). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha.

Links

In English:

• Minolta folding cameras in the Manual Minolta website

In Japanese:

• Minolta Six at Madam's Ichirizuka website
• Minolta Six at Japan Family Camera
• Minolta Six in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology
• Minolta Six in the Kitamura camera site
• Minolta Six in the Map Camera Museum