Difference between revisions of "Pearl (for plates and rollfilm)"

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The original '''Pearl''' (パール), released by Konishi Honten in 1909, was a copy of the No.3 Folding Pocket Kodak, but for {{tefuda}} (3¼×4¼ in.) format plates as well as 118 film. Most versions were called the '''Pearl Portable''' (パール手提暗函)<ref> "Pearl Portable" is an arbitrary translation of ''Pāru tesage anbako'' (パール手提暗函), which could also be rendered as "Portable Pearl" or "Pearl Hand Camera".</ref> and have only a [[brilliant finder]] perched on the front of the lens. Various lenses and shutters were available for it; for example, the no.3 Pearl had a Rapid Rectilinear lens and Simplex shutter, and the no.4 Pearl had a Zeiss Protar lens and an Automatic shutter, or a IIB Tessar lens and Compound shutter. Meanwhile, the '''Special Pearl''' (スペシャルパール) added a folding viewfinder, and had a Deltas f/6.8 or Velostigmat Series IV f/6.3 lens in {{tefuda}} format or a Velostigmat Series IV f/6.3 or f/7.5 lens for 4×5 in. format.<ref> ''Japanese Historical Camera,'' p.6; Lewis, ed., ''History of the Japanese Camera,'' p.33; ''Konika-Minoruta-ten,'' p.5. </ref>
 
The original '''Pearl''' (パール), released by Konishi Honten in 1909, was a copy of the No.3 Folding Pocket Kodak, but for {{tefuda}} (3¼×4¼ in.) format plates as well as 118 film. Most versions were called the '''Pearl Portable''' (パール手提暗函)<ref> "Pearl Portable" is an arbitrary translation of ''Pāru tesage anbako'' (パール手提暗函), which could also be rendered as "Portable Pearl" or "Pearl Hand Camera".</ref> and have only a [[brilliant finder]] perched on the front of the lens. Various lenses and shutters were available for it; for example, the no.3 Pearl had a Rapid Rectilinear lens and Simplex shutter, and the no.4 Pearl had a Zeiss Protar lens and an Automatic shutter, or a IIB Tessar lens and Compound shutter. Meanwhile, the '''Special Pearl''' (スペシャルパール) added a folding viewfinder, and had a Deltas f/6.8 or Velostigmat Series IV f/6.3 lens in {{tefuda}} format or a Velostigmat Series IV f/6.3 or f/7.5 lens for 4×5 in. format.<ref> ''Japanese Historical Camera,'' p.6; Lewis, ed., ''History of the Japanese Camera,'' p.33; ''Konika-Minoruta-ten,'' p.5. </ref>
  
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== The Pearl No.2, roll film camera ==
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== Notes ==
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''See the main article [[Pearl No.2]].''
 
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== The Year-Eight Pearl, "spring camera" ==
 
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The '''Year-Eight Pearl''' (8年型パール, April 1933)<ref> "Year-Eight Pearl" is an arbitrary translation of ''hachinen-gata Pāru'' (8年型パール) named after year 8 of Shōwa, i.e. 1933. </ref> is a folder with a self-erecting lens: the bellows open and the lens board springs forward when the front is opened. It thus appears to be a copy of the Zeiss Ikonta of 1929; however, focusing moves the entire lens assembly, mounted on a helical, and not merely the frontmost element. There is a folding frame finder on the body and a brilliant finder on the shutter housing. The lens is an f/6.3 or f/4.5 10.5 cm Zion triplet (swiftly replaced by or renamed as Optor), designed by Konishiroku and manufactured by [[Pentax|Asahi Kōgaku]]. There was a choice between two Konishiroku shutters, both with two blades and having a dial under the brilliant finder: an Apus shutter (copy of the German Vario; T, B, 25, 50, 100) or a ゼウス <!-- maybe Zeus --> shutter (copy of the German Ibsor; T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 125),<ref>Hagiya, "Kokusan-hatsu no supuringu kamera," p.40; ''Japanese Historical Camera,'' p.18; ''Konika-Minoruta-ten,'' p.6; Tanaka, p.58.</ref> but the camera has also been observed with a Durax shutter (T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 125).<REF> Durax shutter: ''Omoide no supuringu-kamera-ten'', p.17. </REF>
 
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The Year-Eight Pearl was the first Japanese folding camera whose lens would ''spring'' to the ready when the body was opened. This innovation very quickly became as ubiquitous among Japanese as among other folding cameras, to the point where "spring camera" (''supuringu kamera'') became the standard Japanese term for a folding camera. Japanese accounts of domestically produced "spring cameras" of course start with the Year-Eight Pearl, which thus has rather more historical significance within Japan than someone not speaking Japanese might guess.
 
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== The Year-Eleven Pearl and further innovations ==
 
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| colspan="1" | ''Year-Eleven Pearl, Hexar Ser.1 10.5cm f/4.5 no.3149, Durax shutter. {{with permission}}''
 
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In November 1936 was announced an additional option: a Pearl with an f/4.5 11.5 cm Hexar lens, the '''Year-Eleven Pearl''' (11年型パール).<ref> "Year-Eleven Pearl" is a translation of ''jūichi-nen-gata Pāru'' (11年型パール) named after year 11 of Shōwa, i.e. 1936. </ref> This camera would come in several variations, which together can be differentiated from the Year-Eight Pearl in having a single slider on the back to cover both red windows. It has a two-part folding finder on the top of the body: some examples have two glassless frames; others have glass in a large rectangular frame at the front and a smaller circle behind. The Hexar lens, a Tessar-based design by Konishiroku with four elements in three groups, had earlier appeared on the [[Lily (metal)|Tropical Lily]]. The 11.5cm focal length was later supplemented by 10.5cm and 12cm. On the model with the 12cm lens, the folding frame finder is at the far left (as seen by the photographer), above the hinge, thereby making space for a separate, horizontal rangefinder, attached via an accessory shoe. For each focal length, a metal plate showing depth of field is attached to the back.
 
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The "Sakura" brand rangefinder supplied is a device of high quality, with a baselength of 60mm (and calibrated in metres). It is black and inscribed with a stylized cherry blossom (''sakura'') leaf in the centre of which is a stylized character 六: the ''roku'' (literally "six") of both Konishiroku and Rokuoh-sha. As well as being part of a set with the Year-Eleven Pearl, the rangefinder (in both metre and foot versions) was sold separately, for ¥12. It came with a free accessory shoe, thus encouraging the owner of another camera to have its standard viewfinder offset and the accessory finder attached.<ref> Hagiya, pp.42–3. Tanaka (p.58) claims that early examples had Optor lenses, and the choice of an Apus or a Durax shutter. Perhaps this is true, perhaps it is a confusion with conversions of earlier cameras. </ref>
 
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The '''High-Grade Pearl''' (高級パール)<ref> "High-Grade Pearl" is a translation of ''Kōkyū Pāru'' (高級パール). </ref> came out in November of 1937. It has a folding albada finder on the top, sometimes central, sometimes offset for an accessory shoe and rangefinder. There is a variety of lens/shutter combinations, each f/4.5 10.5cm, with a shutter in the rim: earlier, a Hexar lens with either Compur Rapid (B, 1–400) or Durax shutter; later a f/4.5 Simlar lens (from [[Tōkyō Kōgaku]]) and Seiko Leo shutter (B, 1–250).<ref> Tanaka, pp.58–9; Hagiya, pp.42–3. </ref>
 
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== Demise of the big Pearl ==
 
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The Pearl does not seem to have been developed further. Stocks of parts were still assembled into whole cameras after the war, when its lack of a body shutter release and its consumption of film would have made it seem seem old-fashioned and extravagant. Its 1946 retail price was fixed at ¥2320, less than a [[Pearl (4.5×6)|Semi Pearl B]] (¥3050) but as much as an [[Olympus Six]].<ref>''Japanese Historical Camera,'' p.60.</ref> From 1949, Konishiroku would skip the qualifier "Semi" and would use the name "Pearl" for 4.5×6 folders.
 
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==Notes==
 
 
<references />
 
<references />
  

Revision as of 15:33, 7 July 2008

342695521_7041656b00_m_d.jpg
Picture courtesy of eBayer stan7623. (Image rights)
Japanese plate cameras, folding bed (edit)
No.0 (4×5cm) Alpha | Sweet | Pony Sweet | Taishō-shiki
atom (4.5×6cm) Monarch | Need | Palma
meishi (5.5×8cm) Eagle | Idea A | Idea B | Idea Snap | Idea No.1 | Iris | Lily (horizontal) | Pearl No.3 | Special Camera | Venis | X
daimeishi (6.5×9cm) Apollo | Arcadia | Crite | Special East | Eaton | Elliotte | First | First Etui | Gold | Happy | Hope | Idea No.1 | Idea (metal) | Kinka | Kokka | Lily (horizontal) | Lily (metal) | Tropical Lily | Lloyd | Lomax | Masnette | Mikuni | Need | Nifca Klapp | Nifca Sport | Ohca | Palma | Peter | Prince | Prince Peerless | Proud | Romax | Rosen | Rubies | Sirius | Sun | Super | Tokiwa | Venus | Weha Idea | Weha Light
tefuda (8×10.5cm) Eagle | Idea A | Idea B | Idea No.1 | Idea (metal) | Iris | Lily (original) | Lily (horizontal) | Lily (metal) | Palma | Pearl No.3, No.4 | Minimum Pearl | Special Pearl | Sakura Palace | Sakura Pocket Prano | Star | Tokiwa | Weha
nimaigake (8×12cm) Eagle | Idea | Idea Binocular | Sakura Prano | Sakura Binocular Prano | Star Premo
hagaki (8×14cm) Eagle | Noble | Pearl No.3, No.4 | Star
kabine (12×16.5cm) Idea | Noble | Sakura Prano | Star Premo
Japanese plate film: monocular, box, strut-folding and SLR ->
3×4 and 4×4, 4×5 and 4×6.5, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->
Japanese older 6×9 (edit)
folding First Center | First Roll | Kinka Roll | Lyra (6×9) | Pearl No.3 | Pearl No.2 | Year-Eight Pearl | Reex | Royal Junior
box Dox | Sakura (box)
3×4 and 4×4, 4×5 and 4×6.5, 4.5×6, 6×6 and plate ->
Modern 6×9 RF and SLR ->
This is a work in progress.

The name Pearl (パール) was given by Konishi Honten and Konishiroku Honten (the later Konica) to many models of rollfilm folders.[1] This article deals with 6×9 and larger folders: see also Pearl (4.5×6); and, for 127 film, Baby Pearl and Pearlette.

The first Pearl

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342689718_e1f41122d7_t_d.jpg 342689721_fee9a103eb_t_d.jpg 342689725_e7adb4a91b_t_d.jpg 342695518_5f72eeb4c5_t_d.jpg
Pictures courtesy of eBayer stan7623. (Image rights)

The original Pearl (パール), released by Konishi Honten in 1909, was a copy of the No.3 Folding Pocket Kodak, but for tefuda (3¼×4¼ in.) format plates as well as 118 film. Most versions were called the Pearl Portable (パール手提暗函)[2] and have only a brilliant finder perched on the front of the lens. Various lenses and shutters were available for it; for example, the no.3 Pearl had a Rapid Rectilinear lens and Simplex shutter, and the no.4 Pearl had a Zeiss Protar lens and an Automatic shutter, or a IIB Tessar lens and Compound shutter. Meanwhile, the Special Pearl (スペシャルパール) added a folding viewfinder, and had a Deltas f/6.8 or Velostigmat Series IV f/6.3 lens in tefuda format or a Velostigmat Series IV f/6.3 or f/7.5 lens for 4×5 in. format.[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Pearl" is written in roman script on most or all of these models. In Japanese, the line was and is called Pāru (i.e. the English word "Pearl" within Japanese phonology): the Japanese word for "pearl" is shinju (真珠), but this does not seem ever to have been applied to the camera. None of the cameras dealt with in this article was exported, and it is unlikely that any was either labeled or advertised with any roman script other than "Pearl". Thus the choice of names within this article is sometimes difficult.
  2. ↑ "Pearl Portable" is an arbitrary translation of Pāru tesage anbako (パール手提暗函), which could also be rendered as "Portable Pearl" or "Pearl Hand Camera".
  3. ↑ Japanese Historical Camera, p.6; Lewis, ed., History of the Japanese Camera, p.33; Konika-Minoruta-ten, p.5.

Sources and further reading

Links

In Japanese:


Konishiroku prewar and wartime cameras (edit)
plate hand cameras stereo hand cameras strut folders box telephoto SLR
Idea (original) | Idea A | Idea B | Idea Snap | Idea No.1 | Idea (metal) | Lily (original) | Lily (horizontal) | Lily (metal) | Tropical Lily | Noble | Ohca | Sakura Palace | Sakura Pocket Prano | Sakura Prano Idea Binocular | Sakura Binocular Prano Minimum Idea | Idea Spring | Korok Champion | Cherry | Sakura Army | Sakura Honor | Sakura Navy Idea Telephoto Idea Reflex (1910 and 1911) | Idea Reflex (1932) | Neat Reflex | Sakura Reflex Prano
rollfilm folders box or collapsible TLR
Pearlette | Special Pearlette | B Pearlette | Pearl (for plates and rollfilm) | Pearl No.2 | Pearl (Year 8) | Baby Pearl | Semi Pearl | Sakura Palace Record | Sakura (box) | Sakura (bakelite) Sakura-flex
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