Minolta and Auto Minolta
The Minolta (ミノルタ) and Auto Minolta are strut-folding cameras taking 6.5×9cm plates or film sheets, made by Molta and later Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō (predecessors of Minolta).
Contents
Description
The Minolta and Auto Minolta were much inspired by the Plaubel Makina, but have a reversed configuration, with the viewfinder on the photographer's left.
The rectangular front plate is mounted on scissor struts. The spring-loaded main struts, at the top and bottom, are attached to a shaft on the right. They are complemented by smaller struts on the left-hand side. The viewfinder consists of a glass element at the front, retractable in a small casing attached to the front plate, and an eyepiece hinged to the main body, at the rear. It does not provide parallax correction, unlike that of the Makina. The main body has a handle on the photographer's right, and two tripod threads, at the bottom and on the left.
The camera is focused by varying the angle of the main struts via a small knob at the right end of the front plate. The distance is indicated by an index rotating inside a circular scale, under the viewfinder casing. A button is visible between the lens and the focusing wheel, used to unlock the scissor struts to open or close the camera.
The name Minolta and the body serial number are engraved on the viewfinder's front casing, and the round MTS logo of the Molta company is embossed at the top of the front plate, above the opening button.
Original Minolta
Registration of the Minolta trademark (1933). Downloaded from the IPDL, in accordance to the IPDL policies. |
The original Minolta[1] (ミノルタ) has no rangefinder. It was certainly the first camera to use the name "Minolta".[2] The release date is given as 1933 in early historical accounts by the Minolta company or its predecessors, including a chronology published in 1958 and the fifty-year history book (1978) — the latter specifies June.[3] This release year is repeated in many later sources, but some say 1934 instead.[4] The year 1933 is made plausible by the date of registration of the "Minolta" trademark, which was applied for on Jan. 18, 1933, published on June 1st and finally registered on Sep. 20.[5]
Extract of a leaflet for the Minolta and Happy range dating c.1935. Scan courtesy of Andrea Apra. (Image rights) |
Auto Minolta
Leaflet for the Auto Minolta dated about 1935: "Auto-focus Minolta camera". Scan courtesy of Andrea Apra. (Image rights) |
Notes
- ↑ This model is sometimes called "Minolta I", for example in Francesch, p.75. This name does not appear in the original documents and was certainly crafted by collectors for easier identification.
- ↑ Some sources say that the Semi Minolta was released earlier but they are mistaken. See Semi Minolta.
- ↑ Chronology: "Hensen kamera ichiran-pyō", p.295 of Shashin Kōgyō no.77 (September 1958), also reproduced in Tanimura, p.7 of Camera Collectors' News no.116. Fifty-year history: Minolta 50-nen no ayumi, pp.5 and 65. In the latter, the release month was perhaps inferred from the date of publication of the "Minolta" trademark (see below).
- ↑ 1933: Francesch, pp.21 and 75, Scheibel, p.17, McKeown, p.673, Eimukku 735 Minolta, pp.131–2. 1934: Awano, p.15 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.12.
- ↑ Trademark publication (商標広告) no.S08-004434 for the name "MINOLTA" (ミノルタ) available in the IPDL trademark database.
Bibliography
Original documents
- Leaflet for the Auto Minolta, dating c.1935. Ōto-fōkasu Minoruta kamera (オートフォカスミノルタカメラ, Auto-focus Minolta camera). Document owned by Andrea Apra and reproduced in this Flickr album by Rebollo_fr.
- Leaflet for the Minolta and Happy range, dating c.1935. Asanuma Shōkai hatsubai no kokusan kamera Minoruta Happī (浅沼商会発売の国産カメラミノルタ・ハッピー, Japan-made Minolta and Happy cameras distributed by Asanuma Shōkai). Document owned by Andrea Apra and reproduced in this Flickr album by Rebollo_fr.
- Trademark publication for the name "MINOLTA" (ミノルタ). The trademark was applied for (商標出現) on 18 January 1933 (no.S08-000723), published (商標広告) on 1 June 1933 (no.S08-004434) and registered (商標登録) on 20 September 1933 (no.0246579). Available in the IPDL trademark database.
Older historical accounts
- Minolta Camera. Minolta 50-nen no ayumi (Minolta・50年のあゆみ, Minolta 50-year history). November 1978. Pp.5 and 65.
- Shashin Kōgyō no.77 (September 1958). "Hensen kamera ichiran-pyō" (変遷カメラ一らん表, Table of camera evolution.) P.295. (This is a chronology of Minolta cameras from the Nifcarette onwards. This document is also reproduced in Tanimura, p.7 of Camera Collectors' News no.116.)
- Taniguchi Masao (谷口匡男), from the commercial department (営業部) of Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō. "Minoruta kamera no sakujitsu, konnichi" (ミノルタ・カメラの昨日、今日, Minolta cameras, yesterday and today). In Shashin Kōgyō no.77 (September 1958). Pp.275–9. (The two first pages of this document, on pre-1937 cameras, are also reproduced in Tanimura, p.8 of Camera Collectors' News no.116.)
Collectors' sources
- 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 270. (See also the advertisements for item 272.)
- Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Senzen no Minoruta kamera" (戦前のミノルタカメラ, "Prewar Minolta cameras"). 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.13–7.
- 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. Pp.21–2, 75 and 78–9.
- Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Kōkoku ni miru Minoruta kamera no rekishi" (広告に見るミノルタカメラの歴史, "Minolta camera history seen through the advertisements"). 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.9–12.
- 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.48 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.16–7 and 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 1195–7.
- Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Supuringu kamera <Semi Minoruta>" (スプリングカメラ<セミミノルタ>, "'Semi Minolta' self-erecting camera"). 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.19–24. (Contains a reproduction of an advertisement showing the Minolta and Auto Minolta, and no other information on the strut folders.)
- Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minoruta 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. (Contains a reproduction of the articles in Shashin Kōgyō no.77, a discussion of the release dates and no other information on the strut folders.)
- Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minoruta 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. (Contains a reproduction of two advertisements showing the Auto Minolta, and no other information on the strut folders.)
Links
In English:
- Minolta and Auto Minolta in the 70th anniversary Minolta poster, reproduced at Photoclub Alpha
- Minolta and Auto Minolta among Minolta folding cameras in the Manual Minolta website
In Japanese:
- Minolta and Auto Minolta in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology
- Auto Minolta at Nagoya's Camera Club
- Auto Minolta and more pictures in Miyazawa Noriyuki's camera site
- Minolta and Auto Minolta in the Map Camera Museum
- Minolta and Auto Minolta in the Kitamura Camera Museum
Nifca, Molta and Chiyoda prewar and wartime cameras ( ) | |
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folding plate cameras | |
Nifcaklapp | Nifcasport | Sirius | Arcadia | Lomax | Eaton | Happy | |
folding rollfilm cameras | telescopic bakelite cameras |
Nifcarette | Sirius Bebe | Semi Minolta | Auto Semi Minolta | Minolta Vest | Baby Minolta | Minolta Six |
strut-folding cameras | TLR cameras |
Nifca-Dox | Minolta | Auto Minolta | Auto Press Minolta | Minoltaflex | Minoltaflex Automat | Minoltaflex military prototype |