Molby

The Molby (コメット) is a Japanese rangefinder camera taking 3×4cm exposures on 127 film, said to be sold at the end of 1941 by Minagawa Shōten.

Description of the body

The Molby is probably based on the Roico. It has a rounded metal body, extremely similar to the body of the Roico. The advance knob and exposure counter mechanism at the top right are externally similar too. The exposure counter was probably adapted to the 3×4 format (the Roico takes 4×4cm pictures).

The rest of the top plate is occupied by a housing containing the viewfinder and an uncoupled rangefinder. The distance wheel is above this housing on the right, and the name MOLBY is engraved above the viewfinder. Three windows are visible at the front, a rectangular one in the middle for the viewfinder and two round ones for the rangefinder.

The telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a focusing helical that is different from the helical of the Roico.

Lens and shutter equipment

The only known surviving example is pictured in Sugiyama. It has a Rotte Anastigmat 60mm f/4.5 lens and an NKS shutter giving T, B, 1–200 speeds. The shutter plate is marked MOLBY and the shutter rim is engraved NKS. Kokusan kamera no rekishi mentions a Rotte 60/3.5 lens on a Rotte shutter giving the same speeds, probably quoting an original source.

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 285. (The book presents no reproduction of an advertisement and only shows a small version of the picture published in Sugiyama.)
• 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 3035.