Okada and Daiichi

Daiichi was a Japanese camera maker. It made the Primo 4.5×6 folders during the war. After the war, it made the Zenobia series of 4.5×6 folders and the Zenobiaflex 6×6 TLR. It also made a preseries of Leica copies, called Ichicon or Ichicon 35 depending on the source. According to a page by Nekosan, they were related to the Honor, were only made at preseries level and some were called Zenobia 35. The same source indicates that Daiichi went bankrupt soon after.

Some sources say that Daiichi is related to Okada, and most sources attribute the postwar Waltax models to Daiichi.

An ad for the Primo, in the 23/12/1942 issue of Asahi Graph (visible in this page), shows the full name Daiichi Kikō K.K. (第一機工株式会社), together with the distributor's name Ōsawa Shōkai (大澤商會), who later distributed the Primoflex and Primo Junior TLRs.

An ad for the Zenobia and Zenobiaflex, dating from 1954, shows the full name Daiichi Kōgaku K.K. (第一光学株式会社), side by side with the distributor's name Hattori Tokei-ten (服部時計店, Hattori Watch Shop). (The ad was posted in this page on 2005/4/15 and shows pictures of the production steps, but does not give any version or price.)

Daiichi simply means "first" or "first place" in Japanese and is a fairly common ingredient of company names; it is thus not completely certain that Daiichi Kikō and Daiichi Kōgaku are the same company.

120 film

4.5×6 folders

• Primo I and II
• Zenobia
• Zenobia R, with uncoupled rangefinder

6×6 TLR

• Zenobiaflex

35mm film

• Ichicon or Ichicon 35 or Zenobia 35

Links

In French:

• Daiichi page at Mario Groleau's site

In Japanese:

• A page about the Honor, somewhat explaining the Ichicon and Zenobia 35 story, at the Nekosan's website
• Japanese prewar and wartime ads, including the Primo
• Japanese postwar ads, mostly from 1954, including one for the Zenobia and Zenobiaflex