Nishida shutters

Nishida made a number of leaf shutters from the late 1930s to the late 1950s, sold to other camera makers or used on its own cameras.

Wester, #0 size

The original Wester shutter was released around 1938, in #0 size. The speeds are engraved in the order 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, B, T. The shutter plate is normally black, with three metal stripes on each side, the aperture scale at the bottom and the name WESTER~MODEL–I or WESTER~MODEL–II at the top. The Model-II has a self-timer, and the Model-I has not. Some examples have the name WESTER. N.S.D. at the base of the speed rim.

Incomplete list of cameras having a Wester Model-I or Model-II (at least on some versions):

• Semi First and First Six
• Baby Semi First
• Auto Semi First
• Weha Six
• National and Ugein
• Olympus Six (postwar)
• Olympus Chrome Six (very early)

Northter, #00 size

The Northter is the sister model of the Wester, in #00 size. The speeds are engraved in the order T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200. The shutter plate normally has NORTHTER at the top and MODEL–I or MODEL–II at the bottom; again the Model-II has a self-timer, and the Model-I has not. Some examples have the name WESTER N.S.D. at the bottom of the speed rim, where the initials "N.S.D." plausibly correspond to the three syllables Ni-shi-da.

The Northter was made during the war, and it is not known if the examples found on postwar cameras were taken from wartime stocks or are a sign that the production resumed after 1945.

Incomplete list of cameras having a Northter Model-I or Model-II (at least on some versions):

• Semi Makinet
• BB Kuri
• National and Ugein
• Wester (wartime 4.5×6)
• Semi Leotax, early postwar
• Gelto, early postwar model
• Apollo and Mikado

NKK Wester, #00 size

The company made a newer Wester shutter after the war, this time in #00 size. The speeds are engraved in the order B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200. The base of the speed rim normally has the initials N.K.K., clearly for Nishida Kōgaku Kōgyō. The name WESTER is either at the top or at the bottom of the front plate.

Incomplete list of cameras having an NKK Wester (at least on some versions):

• Semi Leotax
• Semi Leotax DL and R
• Semi Masmy
• Apollo and Mikado
• Semi Proud (postwar)
• Ruvinal and Ruvikon
• Aires Reflex

NKK, #00 size

The NKK Wester shutter was improved by the switch from 1/200 to 1/300 top speed and from an ASA synch post to a PC socket. This version does not display the name "Wester" any more, and was mounted on the late Wester Chrome Six R and on the Super Wester. An upgraded model, with both 1/200 and 1/400 settings, was mounted on the Wester Autorol, and a no-name downgraded model, with just B, 10, 25, 50, 100, 300 settings and no self-timer, was mounted on the Wester S2.

NKK-MXV

The NKK-MXV (B, 1–500) was made specifically for the Auto West 35mm rangefinder camera.

Bibliography

• "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7.
• Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Wester Six". 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.11, March 1988. No ISBN number. Shirarezaru kamera (知られざるカメラ, special issue on unknown cameras). Pp.25–7.