Olympus Six

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943337025_0a814c9fe2_m.jpg
Picture courtesy of M. Walters. (Image rights)
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The Olympus Six (オリンパス・シックス) is a dual-format folder, taking 6×6cm and 4.5×6cm pictures, released in 1940 by Takachiho (later Olympus).[1]

Description

The Olympus Six is a horizontal folder, and its folding struts are similar to that of the Semi Olympus II. There is a folding optical finder in the middle of the top plate. Two hairlines are engraved in the front glass, indicating the field of view for 4.5×6cm exposures. The folding bed release is immediately to the left of the viewfinder, as seen by the photographer. There is a body release at the right of the top plate, next to the right-hand film flange. The advance knob is at the left end, it has the serial number and an arrow engraved, as on the Semi Olympus II. There are strap lugs at both ends of the top plate, replacing the leather handle of the previous model, and there is no accessory shoe.

The back is hinged to the right and the back latch consists of a long sliding bar. There are two red windows in the back, one for each format, with a sliding cover accordingly marked 6X6 or 4.5X6. The bottom plate has two film flanges at the ends, and a 3/8″ tripod thread in the middle.

The OLYMPUS TOKYO logo is embossed in the leather of the folding bed, and the name OLYMPUS–SIX or SUPER–OLYMPUS is embossed in the back, under the red windows.

Early lens and shutter

The first lenses mounted on the Olympus Six are the Zuiko 75/4.5 (same as on the Semi Olympus and Semi Olympus II) and the new Zuiko 75/3.5. They are engraved Zuiko 1:4,5 f=7.5cm Takatiho Tokyo No.xxxx and Zuiko 1:4,5 f=7.5cm Takatiho Tokyo No.xxxx.

The shutter originally mounted on the camera is a newer version of the Koho, giving 1–200, B, T speeds and adapted to the body release linkage. It still has a self-timer but does not have a thread for a distant release. Other shutters were mounted towards the end of the production, see below.

Whatever the shutter and lens model, the camera has a black depth-of-field scale around the lens, marked OLYMPUS at the bottom. The aperture scale consists of a metal plate placed above the shutter housing, and it is combined with a second scale of shutter speeds, readable from the above.

Announced as the Semi Olympus III

The camera was first announced as the Semi Olympus III (セミオリンパスⅢ型), quite a strange name for a 6×6 camera. It was featured under that name in the July 1940 issue of Asahi Camera and was advertised as such in the June and July 1940 issues of the same magazine.[2] In the June advertisement,[3] the camera is announced as a new model (愈々新型発売) in dual format (6×6 and 4.5×6), and the body release and depth-of-field scale are emphasized. The shutter is mentioned as a Koho II (コーホーⅡ), giving 1–200, B, T speeds, with a self-timer. Two versions are presented, one has a Zuiko (ズイコー) 7.5cm f/4.5 lens and is priced at ¥190, the other has a Zuiko 7.5cm f/3.5 lens and is priced at ¥235. A lens hood is also listed for ¥3. The company names given in the advertisement are the maker Takachiho Seisakusho and the distributor Ataka Shōkai. The pictured camera is indistinguishable from the Olympus Six with f/3.5 lens, there was probably no difference other than the name embossing in the back. No surviving example has been observed so far with markings other than OLYMPUS–SIX or SUPER–OLYMPUS, and the name Semi Olympus III was probably dropped before the camera entered serial production.

The Olympus Six in wartime documents

The Olympus Six was first advertised under that name in the December 1940 issue of Asahi Camera, and it was featured in the April 1941 issue of the same magazine.[4] The advertisements dated December 1940 and April 1941 in Asahi Camera[5] mention the f/3.5 and f/4.5 lens options, and say that the lenses have four elements. The shutter is called New Koho III (新コーホーⅢ) but has the same features (1–200, B, T, self-timer) as the shutter called Koho II in the advertisement for the Semi Olympus III. The distributor is still Ataka Shōkai.

The December 1940 advertisement only mentions 6×6cm format only (more precisely "6×6m/m", with a typo), whereas the April 1941 advertisement again mentions the dual-format capability. This has been interpreted by some sources as an indication that the Olympus Six was sold for some time in a single-format version,[6] but this probably only reflects a negligence in the advertisement. All the cameras observed so far have two red windows in the back and are dual format.

The picture is the same in the two advertisements, and shows an Olympus Six with f/4.5 lens, recognized by the double lens rim already present on the Semi Olympus II. One source says that the the lens bezel and lens rim differ between the Semi Olympus III and the Olympus Six,[7] but this apparent difference is only caused by the various lens types (f/3.5 and f/4.5) pictured in the advertisements.

In a brochure for the Olympus Six,[8] the shutter is called Koho III. Model names and officially set prices are given for The two versions are listed, with their exact model name and the officially set price: the Olympus Six I (オリンパス・シックスⅠ) with the f/4.5 lens, for ¥128, and the Olympus Six II (オリンパス・シックスⅡ), with the f/3.5 lens, for ¥160. A lens hood is mentioned, fitting both the f/4.5 and f/3.5 lens, and a filter holder (フィルター枠), to fit 30mm diameter filters on the f/4.5 lens.

The Olympus Six I and II were mentioned in the official list of set prices published in January 1941 and already cited above.[9] The prices were the same as in the brochure cited above, which is thus probably dated late 1940 or early 1941.

The Olympus Six was advertised in Asahi Camera until the last wartime issue dated April 1942, and it was advertised in Hōdō Shashin from December 1941 to May 1943.[10] The shutter is reportedly called Koho II in the advertisements published in Hōdō Shashin.[11] Some confusion seemed to reign about the exact model name of this shutter at the time.

Early surviving examples

The oldest lens numbers observed on the Olympus Six are on the cameras pictured in the brochure cited above: no.697x for the f/4.5 lens and no.7242 for the f/3.5 lens, both mounted on a Koho shutter to 1/200. (However, the f/3.5 lens no.7182 is known with a Koho shutter on what is said to be a prototype of the Olympus Chrome Six, see below.)

Some early examples have a specific aperture index with two ears, whereas others have a simple pin. The two-ear index appears in the brochure and in all the advertisements, and it has been observed on actual examples with f/4.5 lens no.7157 and f/3.5 lens no.7382 and 10626.[12] The simple pin has been observed on examples with f/3.5 lens no.7601 and 10727.[13]

Five-element lenses

943337025_0a814c9fe2_m.jpg 943337029_ef525f9313_m.jpg
Super Olympus I no.12112, Koho shutter, Zuiko-S 7.5cm f/4.5 lens no.12507.
Pictures courtesy of M. Walters. (Image rights)
943444611_ad43569ae9_m.jpg
Zuiko-S 7.5cm f/4.5 lens no.12507. (Image rights)

The government inquiry listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943 has four models: the Olympus Six I and II, with the Koho shutter to 1/200 and the four-element Zuiko f/4.5 and f/3.5 lens, and the Super Olympus I (スーパーオリンパスⅠ) and Super Olympus II (スーパーオリンパスⅡ), with the same shutter and a five-element Zuiko S lens, respectively 75/4.5 and 75/3.5.[14]

Some sources say that the imports of Schott glass from Germany were stopped because of the war, and that the company had to make the Zuiko lenses from all-Japanese optical glass, causing a redesign of the Zuiko lens into a five-element scheme called Zuiko-S, with the rear doublet of the Tessar design was replaced by a group of three cemented elements.[15] The Zuiko-S lenses are known in f/4.5 aperture (no.12507 and 13501) and in f/3.5 aperture (no.12126).[16]

One source says that the Super Olympus was released in May 1943 and cost ¥208 with f/4.5 lens and ¥248.80 with f/3.5 lens, but no original document has been observed so far to confirm this.[17]

Production resumed after the war

The production of the camera was resumed in early 1946, and the production details are given month by month in Lewis: 77 cameras in January 1946, 89 in February, 202 in March, 198 in April, 160 in May, 250 in June and 129 in July.[18] The supply of shutters was certainly the main problem encountered by Takachiho. (Its own shutter plant was destroyed by aerial bombing in spring 1945.)[19] This may have led the company to use any shutter it could find, hence the variety of shutters found on the surviving Olympus Six bodies described below. It is said that Mamiya sold some Koho shutters back to Takachiho, from a lot bought during the war for the Mamiya Six, exchanging them for new Zuiko lenses.[20]

The Olympus Six was advertised in Ars Camera from January to March 1948. The January advertisement[21] mentions a Zuiko f/3.5 lens and a Koho shutter (1–200, B, T). The pictured camera has a Koho shutter and a two-ear aperture index, as in the wartime advertisements.

Late observed examples

Immediately after the Zuiko-S lenses no.12126, 125xx and 13501, the earliest lens numbers observed on an Olympus Six are no.20016, 20224, 20309 and 20727 (all with Koho shutter), mounted on bodies in the 12xxx and 13xxx range.[22] The earliest two have the SUPER–OLYMPUS embossing on the back, the third has OLYMPUS–SIX, as well as all subsequent cameras.

The gap between lens no.13501 and 20016, as well as the sudden offset between the body number and lens number, perhaps indicates that the serial number sequence was reset at 20000. If the story about the Zuiko-S being made because of the shortage of imported optical glass is true, the production of the regular Zuiko lens was logically not resumed before 1945. This would mean that any lens number after 20000 is an indication of a postwar camera. The first postwar lenses were certainly mounted on bodies available in the stocks, including some that were already finished except for the lens and shutter assembly, hence the markings identifying the earliest ones as Super Olympus.

Other postwar examples with the Koho shutter have lens no.22610 (body no.13610), lens no.23504 (body no.14210) and lens no.25625 (body no.15013).[23]

An Olympus Six has been observed with a no-name shutter giving T, B, 1–250 speeds, and lens no.24961.[24] Three examples of the Olympus Six have been observed with a different no-name shutter giving 1–300, B, T speeds, and lens no.24964, 25718 and 25754.[25]

The very late examples of the Olympus Six (with lens number above 30000) have no strap lugs. Four examples have been observed, each having a different shutter type. One example has lens no.30387 and an unmarked shutter giving 1–200, B, T speeds.[26] (This shutter is not a Koho: the cocking lever is placed differently.) The most well-known example, belonging to the Olympus company, has lens no.30780 and a Copal shutter giving 1–200, B, T speeds, the same as on the later Olympus Chrome Six.[27] The third example is the latest known with a Koho shutter: it has lens no.31665 and body no.17328.[28] The last example has a Wester shutter giving 1–200, B, T speeds, made by Nishida and engraved WESTER. N.S.D. at the base of the speed rim.[29] The lens number is 32707 and the body number is 18020; these are the latest numbers observed on an Olympus Six, and the lens number is even slightly later than no.32603, known on an example of the Olympus Chrome Six.[30]

The offset between the lens and body numbers has widened, certainly because Zuiko lenses were sold to other companies, such as Mamiya for the Mamiya Six. Admitting that the postwar examples have lens numbers above 20000 and body numbers after about 13000, this would make a total of about 5,000 Olympus Six cameras and 12,000 Zuiko lenses made between early 1946 and the release of the Olympus Chrome Six in 1948. This is quite consistent with the total of 1,015 cameras for the period between January and July 1946.

Production estimate

From the above data, a rough estimate gives more than 6,000 prewar and wartime Olympus Six, with close lens and body numbers, comprised between c.7000 and c.13500, and about 5,000 postwar cameras, with body numbers between c.13000 and c.18000 and lens numbers between 20000 and c.33000.

Hybrid advertisements

The last advertisements for the Olympus Six are in the May to July 1948 issues of Ars Camera.[31] The text of the May advertisement[32] is similar to the one dated January: the camera is called Olympus Six, the lens is the Zuiko f/3.5 and the shutter is the Koho (1–200, B, T). However at first glance, the picture shows a hybrid between the Olympus Six and the Olympus Chrome Six. Upon closer inspection, only the bottom part of the illustration is an original picture, showing an Olympus Six, whereas the top part is a drawing of the top plate of the future Olympus Chrome Six.

Notes

  1. ↑ Date: see the documents presented below. This date is also given in this page of the Olympus official website. Some sources say that the Olympus Six was released in 1939 but this is a mistake.
  2. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.335.
  3. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.62, and in Hibi, p.63 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8.
  4. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.335.
  5. ↑ Advertisements reproduced in Hibi, p.63 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8. The December 1940 advertisement is also reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.63. See also this advertisement dated 1942 or later, reproduced in Nostalgic Camera by Toshio Inamura.
  6. ↑ Hibi, p.64 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8. See also this page and this page of the Olympus Photo Club website, certainly after Hibi.
  7. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.335.
  8. ↑ Brochure for the Olympus Six available in pdf format in this page of the Zuiko Club website.
  9. ↑ Template:Kakaku1940 short, type 4, sections 5B and 6B.
  10. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.335.
  11. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.335.
  12. ↑ Lens no.7157 and lens no.7382: examples observed in online auctions. Lens no.10626: example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1216.
  13. ↑ Lens no.7601: example pictured in Hibi, p.65 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8. Lens no.10727: example pictured in Francesch, p.60, in McKeown, p.747 and in this page of the Olympus official website.
  14. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), items 29–30 and 86–7, lens items Lb40, Lb41, Lc29 and Lc30, shutter item 24-P-4.
  15. ↑ Hagiya, p.15 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.20. Francesch, p.60, says that all the 75/3.5 have five elements but this is a mistake.
  16. ↑ Lens no.12126 and 13501: examples pictured in Hagiya, p.15 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.20. Lens no.12507: example reported by M. Walters (body no.12112).
  17. ↑ Hibi, p.64 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8.
  18. ↑ Lewis, p.60.
  19. ↑ Francesch, p.28.
  20. ↑ Lewis, p.64. Same information in Sakai, p.7 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.20, not explicitly mentioning Mamiya.
  21. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.125, and in Hibi, p.64 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8.
  22. ↑ Lens no.20016, body no.12936: example observed in an online auction. Lens no.20224: example pictured in Fujishima, p.23 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.8. Lens no.20309: example pictured in a website which is currently dead. Lens no.20727, body no.13501: example observed for sale by a French dealer at the Bièvres fair (2006 and 2007).
  23. ↑ Examples observed in online auctions.
  24. ↑ Example observed in this page of a Chinese website.
  25. ↑ Lens no.24964 and 25718: examples observed in online auctions. Lens no.25754: example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1216. Some sources say that this is a version of the Olympus Six sold in 1940 but this is certainly a mistake.
  26. ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1370.
  27. ↑ Example pictured in Francesch, p.61, in McKeown, p.748, in Sugiyama, item 1371, in Hagiya, p.15 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.20, in this page and this page of the Olympus Photo Club website.
  28. ↑ Example observed in an online auction.
  29. ↑ Example observed in an online auction.
  30. ↑ Example pictured in Francesch, p.62 and in McKeown, p.748, in this page of the Olympus official website and in this page of the Olympus Photo Club website.
  31. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.348.
  32. ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.125.

Bibliography

Links

General links

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  • Olympus Six with an unknown shutter (T, B, 1–250), you can enlarge the picture by clicking on it.

Literature and advertisements

In Japanese:


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