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. According to Nekosan, it also made a preseries of Leica copies, called Ichicon and Zenobia 35.
Some sources say that Daiichi is related to Okada, and attribute some of the Waltax models to Daiichi.
120 film
4.5×6 folders
6×6 TLR
- Zenobiaflex
35mm film
- Ichicon
- Zenobia 35
An ad in the 23/12/1942 issue of Asahi Graph (visible in this page) for the Primo 4.5×6 folder shows the company 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). Two variants were advertised, the Primo I (プリモⅠ型) with f:4.5 lens for ¥136 and the Primo II (プリモⅡ型) with f:3.5 lens for ¥160, both with body release.
A 1954 ad (visible in this page, posted 2005/4/15) for the Zenobia and Zenobiaflex shows Daiichi's 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). This ad shows pictures of the production steps, but does not give any price or version name.
Links
In Japanese:
- A page by Nekosan about the Honor explains the Ichicon and Zenobia 35 story
- Zenobia R page at La Chambre Claire
- Japanese prewar and wartime ads, including the Primo
- Japanese postwar ads, mostly from 1954
