Difference between revisions of "National (4×6.5)"

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The first version of the National has a '''folding frame finder''', with two bars in the front frame to indicate the 3&times;4 image size. {{Kokusan}} says that the Elka shutter is dial-set in the very first advertisement dated July 1936, while it is rim-set in all the later ones.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;338. </REF>
 
The first version of the National has a '''folding frame finder''', with two bars in the front frame to indicate the 3&times;4 image size. {{Kokusan}} says that the Elka shutter is dial-set in the very first advertisement dated July 1936, while it is rim-set in all the later ones.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;338. </REF>
  
In an advertisement dated March 1937<REF> Published in ''Asahi Camera'', reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;80. </REF>, the National is offered in three lens versions:
+
In an advertisement dated March 1937,<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Asahi Camera]],'' reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;80. </REF> the National was offered in three lens versions:
 
* Torioner f/6.8 ({{yen|17|1937}});
 
* Torioner f/6.8 ({{yen|17|1937}});
 
* Heliostar<REF> Inferred from the ''katakana'' ヘリオスター. </REF> f/6.3 ({{yen|25|1937}});
 
* Heliostar<REF> Inferred from the ''katakana'' ヘリオスター. </REF> f/6.3 ({{yen|25|1937}});
 
* Venner<REF> The adverisement reads ベンナー in ''katakana'', probably designating the Venner lens made by [[Ginrei|Ginrei Kōki]]. </REF> f/4.5 ({{yen|35|1937}}).
 
* Venner<REF> The adverisement reads ベンナー in ''katakana'', probably designating the Venner lens made by [[Ginrei|Ginrei Kōki]]. </REF> f/4.5 ({{yen|35|1937}}).
 
+
The camera pictured in the advertisement is of the f/4.5 version. It has incurved folding struts and the lens standard is hinged to the foot of these struts in the usual way. The folding bed release is placed to the right of the viewfinder and intentionally looks like a body release. It seems that the lens is front-cell focusing. The front leather is embossed ''National''.
The advertisement shows a picture of the f/4.5 version. It has incurved folding struts and the lens standard is hinged to the foot of these struts in the usual way. The folding bed release is placed to the right of the viewfinder and intentionally looks like a body release. It seems that the lens is front-cell focusing. The front leather is embossed ''National''.
 
  
 
The only surviving example observed so far is pictured in {{Sugiyama}} and has a [[fixed focus]] 70mm f/6.8 lens marked ''TORIONER''.<REF> Sugiyama item 1209. </REF> It has some differences with the camera pictured in the advertisements: the folding struts are straight except for a small triangular hump and the lens standard is hinged to about the middle of these struts. The front leather has no markings but it is perhaps not original. It is not known if these features correspond to a version made at a different date or to the f/6.8 version only.
 
The only surviving example observed so far is pictured in {{Sugiyama}} and has a [[fixed focus]] 70mm f/6.8 lens marked ''TORIONER''.<REF> Sugiyama item 1209. </REF> It has some differences with the camera pictured in the advertisements: the folding struts are straight except for a small triangular hump and the lens standard is hinged to about the middle of these struts. The front leather has no markings but it is perhaps not original. It is not known if these features correspond to a version made at a different date or to the f/6.8 version only.
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The second version has a rigid '''tubular finder''', again with two bars in the front frame for 3&times;4 pictures.
 
The second version has a rigid '''tubular finder''', again with two bars in the front frame for 3&times;4 pictures.
  
An advertisement dated April 1937<REF> Published in ''Asahi Camera'', reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;72. </REF> offers the same lenses as the previous month, for the same prices, except that the Heliostar lens name is written Hemiostar.<REF> Inferred from the ''katakana'' ヘミオスター. </REF> It is presumed that one of these two names was a typo.
+
An advertisement dated April 1937<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Asahi Camera]],'' reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;72. </REF> offered the same lenses as the previous month, for the same prices, except that the Heliostar lens name was written Hemiostar.<REF> Inferred from the ''katakana'' ヘミオスター. </REF> It is presumed that one of these two names was a typo.
  
In an advertisement dated June 1938<REF> Advertisement published in ''Asahi Camera'', reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;81. </REF>, all the lenses are called Torioner or perhaps Trionar: this name is written トリオナー in ''katakana'' and the spelling Torioner is found on the example pictured in {{Sugiyama}} and cited above, but a Trionar f/4.5 lens is reported on the [[Collex]], a contemporary model also distributed by [[Eikōdō]].<REF> Trionar f/4.5 lens: Sugiyama, item 1209, and McKeown, p.&nbsp;261. </REF> The prices have raised slightly:
+
In an advertisement dated June 1938,<REF> Advertisement published in ''[[Asahi Camera]],'' reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;81. </REF> all the lenses were called Torioner or perhaps Trionar (トリオナー).<REF> The spelling Torioner is found on the example pictured in {{Sugiyama}}, item 1209, but a Trionar f/4.5 lens is reported in Sugiyama, item 1209, and McKeown, p.&nbsp;261, on the [[Collex]], a contemporary camera also distributed by [[Eikōdō]]. </REF> The prices have raised slightly:
 
* Trionar/Torioner f/6.8 ({{yen|19.50|1938}});
 
* Trionar/Torioner f/6.8 ({{yen|19.50|1938}});
 
* Trionar/Torioner f/6.3 ({{yen|30|1938}});
 
* Trionar/Torioner f/6.3 ({{yen|30|1938}});

Revision as of 21:56, 19 March 2007

Japanese Vest (4×5 and 4×6.5) (edit)
folding
4×4.5 Orient
4×5 Minion
4×6.5 Clover Vest | Dianette | Eagle | Friend | Kooa | National | New Vest | Nifcarette | Pearlette | B Pearlette | Special Pearlette | Pionette | Pocket Prince | Sirius Bebe | Speed Pocket | Tsubasa Spring | Victory
rigid or collapsible
4×5 Alfax | Olympus Standard | Sakura (bakelite) | Well Standard
4×6.5 Vest Adler | Vest Alex | Kowa Kid | Light | Light Super | Baby Minolta | Minolta Vest | Regal Olympic | Vest Olympic | Tsubasa Chrome | Zen-99
box
4×6.5 Baby Clover | Sakura (box) | Spirit
unknown
4×5 Vesten
4×6.5 Victor Vest
unknown Meiro
Japanese 3×4 and 4×4, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->

For the National 4.5×6 and 6×6 folders, see National and Ugein.

The National (ナショナル) is a Japanese folding camera, taking both 4×6.5 and 3×4 pictures on 127 film and distributed by Eikōdō from 1936 to 1938.[1] The actual maker is unknown.

General description

The camera is a vertical folder. As seen by a photographer holding the camera vertically, the advance knob is on the top right and the finder is on the middle left. All the versions have an Elka[2] shutter giving 25, 50, 100, B speeds.

First version: frame finder

The first version of the National has a folding frame finder, with two bars in the front frame to indicate the 3×4 image size. Kokusan kamera no rekishi says that the Elka shutter is dial-set in the very first advertisement dated July 1936, while it is rim-set in all the later ones.[3]

In an advertisement dated March 1937,[4] the National was offered in three lens versions:

The camera pictured in the advertisement is of the f/4.5 version. It has incurved folding struts and the lens standard is hinged to the foot of these struts in the usual way. The folding bed release is placed to the right of the viewfinder and intentionally looks like a body release. It seems that the lens is front-cell focusing. The front leather is embossed National.

The only surviving example observed so far is pictured in Sugiyama and has a fixed focus 70mm f/6.8 lens marked TORIONER.[7] It has some differences with the camera pictured in the advertisements: the folding struts are straight except for a small triangular hump and the lens standard is hinged to about the middle of these struts. The front leather has no markings but it is perhaps not original. It is not known if these features correspond to a version made at a different date or to the f/6.8 version only.

Second version: tubular finder

The second version has a rigid tubular finder, again with two bars in the front frame for 3×4 pictures.

An advertisement dated April 1937[8] offered the same lenses as the previous month, for the same prices, except that the Heliostar lens name was written Hemiostar.[9] It is presumed that one of these two names was a typo.

In an advertisement dated June 1938,[10] all the lenses were called Torioner or perhaps Trionar (トリオナー).[11] The prices have raised slightly:

  • Trionar/Torioner f/6.8 (¥19.50);
  • Trionar/Torioner f/6.3 (¥30);
  • Trionar/Torioner f/4.5 (¥38).

This version has not yet been observed.

Notes

  1. Dates: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 338.
  2. Inferred from the katakana エルカ and also reported in Sugiyama, item 1209, and McKeown, p. 261. (The pictures are illegible.) A dial-set Elka shutter is pictured on a Kinka plate folder in Lewis, p. 47.
  3. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 338.
  4. Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 80.
  5. Inferred from the katakana ヘリオスター.
  6. The adverisement reads ベンナー in katakana, probably designating the Venner lens made by Ginrei Kōki.
  7. Sugiyama item 1209.
  8. Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 72.
  9. Inferred from the katakana ヘミオスター.
  10. Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 81.
  11. The spelling Torioner is found on the example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1209, but a Trionar f/4.5 lens is reported in Sugiyama, item 1209, and McKeown, p. 261, on the Collex, a contemporary camera also distributed by Eikōdō.

Bibliography