Proud postwar folders

This is a work in progress.

The Proud postwar folders are Japanese 4.5×6 and 6×6 cameras made by Sumida, certainly a successor of the prewar Proud company. All are horizontal folders with straight diagonal struts, and all seem to share the same basic body, maybe made a little longer for the 6×6 models.

The 4.5×6 models

The Semi Proud

The Semi Proud (セミプラウド) is a 4.5×6 model. It has a simple viewfinder enclosed in a top housing quite similar to the Apollo and Mikado cameras by the same company. On the top plate, we find the advance knob on the right end, near the body release and a small hole that is perhaps a double exposure prevention indicator. On the left end there is a decorative knob, while the accessory shoe and folding bed release button are to the left of the viewfinder. The viewfinder window itself is surrounded by a metal plate attached by two screws. The back is hinged to the left and has a single red window near the bottom, protected by a cover horizontally sliding under a metal plate. Some examples have a long metal plate engraved SUMIDA OPTICAL WORKS, exactly similar to the same part on the last Apollo and Mikado cameras, while other ones have a shorter plate with no engraving.

Some examples of the Semi Proud have a brilliant finder above the shutter housing, while others don't.

The examples of the Semi Proud observed so far are engraved Proud and Model. 50 above the viewfinder, but examples are reported with "Model 51" instead, obviously for the years 1950 and 1951. The camera is often called "Proud Model 50" for that reason. The back leather is embossed Semi Proud and the leather of the folding bed is embossed with a KSK logo, perhaps for Kabushiki Kaisha Sumida Kōki.

The Semi Proud is advertised in the April 1950 issue of Ars Camera with the brilliant finder, a Pioter 75/3.5 coated lens and a shutter giving B, 1ndash;200 speeds. The advertisement indicates that the camera was "suitable for export" (輸出適格品). Here are the lens and shutter combinations observed so far:

• Pioter Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5 lens, B, 1–200 shutter reported to be an NKS (with brilliant finder);
• Wester Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5 lens, B, 1–200 shutter with speed rim engraved PROUD (with brilliant finder and short plate in the back);
• Wester Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5 lens, B, 1–200 shutter with speed rim engraved KSK, top of the shutter plate marked PROUD (no brilliant finder).

All these cameras are synchronized via a pin protruding from the bottom right of the shutter housing.

The Semi Proud is advertised in Japanese magazines until 1951.

A camera called Proud 120 was announced in the May 1950 issue of Ars Camera with a Wester 75/3.5 lens and an NKS shutter, but it is probably the Semi Proud called by another same.

The Million Proud

The Million Proud (ミリオンプラウド) is a simplified version of the Semi Proud, with a grey plastic top housing and no brilliant finder. It is advertised in the November 1950 issue of Ars Camera, offered for ¥4,300 with a Pioter 75/3.5 lens and a Million shutter, synchronized and giving B, 25, 50, 100, 150 speeds. In the advertising picture, the top plate has two symmetrically placed knobs, the right one must be the advance knob and the left one a fake.

The Million Proud II (ミリオンプラウドⅡ型) is the same camera with an accessory shoe replacing the knob at the left end of the top plate. It is advertised in the May 1951 issue of Asahi Camera with a ミリオナー 75/3.5 coated lens and a choice of two shutters:

• Proud 2, giving B, 5–200 speeds, with self-timer and synchronization;
• Proud 1, giving B, 25, 50, 100, 150 speeds, with synchronization.

An example of the Million Proud II has been observed with a Proud Special 75/3.5 lens and a KSK shutter giving B, 25, 50, 100, 200 speeds and synchronized via a pin at the bottom right of the shutter plate. The speed rim is engraved KSK and the shutter plate is marked PROUD at the top and maybe SUMIDA OPTICAL WORKS at the bottom. The top plate is only engraved MILLION.

The Million Proud was replaced in 1953 by a new model with the same name (ミリオンプラウド). The top housing is much lower, with a tubular finder protruding in the middle. The accessory shoe is on the left, close to the finder, and the advance knob is on the right end. The camera is advertised in January 1953 for ¥5,200 with a Millionar 75/4.5 coated lens and a synchronized shutter giving B, 25, 50, 100 speeds.

The 6×6 models

The Proud Chrome Six

The Proud Chrome Six (プラウドクロームシックス) is a dual format version of the Semi Proud, taking 6×6 and 4.5×6 pictures and made in 1951. The main change is in the back, that has two red windows, one above the other, protected by a sliding cover. There is a small lever, switchable from the 6X6 to the 6X4.5 position, moving another cover that blocks the red window that is not in use. This device is contained under a metal plate engraved PAT. PEND. and it is advertised as an innovative feature. The top housing is exactly like the Semi Proud, except the format of the viewfinder and the CHROME SIX marking replacing Model. 50. The brilliant finder above the shutter housing is also similar to the Semi Proud. The leather on the folding bed is embossed with the KSK logo.

In an advertisement dated October 1951, the Proud Chrome Six is offered with a front-cell focusing coated Bio-Congo 75/3.5 lens and a KSK shutter with self-timer. The Bio-Congo lens is made by Yamasaki. Here are the lens and shutter combinations observed so far:

• Proud Special 75/3.5 lens, unknown B, 1–200 shutter with self-timer;
• Proud Special 75/3.5 lens, KSK shutter, B, 1n‐200 speeds;
• KSK Opton Hocter 7.5cm f/3.5 lens, Synchront B, 1–200 shutter with self-timer;
• Bio-Congo 75/3.5 lens, Synchront B, 1–200 shutter with self-timer.

The same advertisement said that a Proud S Six (S型シックス) would appear soon. It is completely unknown if this camera corresponds to the Proud Chrome Six II, to the Proud Super Six or to another ill-fated project. Here is the list of lenses announced:

• Opton Hocter 75/3.5;
• Bio Congo 75/3.5;
• Nitto Kominar 75/3.5.

The Proud Chrome Six II

The Proud Chrome Six II (プラウドクロームシックスⅡ型) is the next model, released in 1952 with a modified top housing. The finder is slightly offset to the right and it is said that there is a film indicator above one of the two knobs, certainly the left one like in the later Chrome Six III. The Proud Chrome Six II appears in an advertisement dated January 1952, equipped with a Bio-Congo 75/3.5 lens by Yamasaki and a Synchront shutter giving B, 1–200 speeds, synchronized and selftimer-equipped. This model is also mentioned with a Nitto Kominar 75/3.5 lens. No example of the Proud Chrome Six II has been observed yet, except the small and blurry advertising picture. This camera was advertised for only one month, even if it appeared in Japanese magazine articles throughout the year 1952. It is not certain that it was actually sold.

The Proud Chrome Six III and IIIA

The Proud Chrome Six III (プラウドクロームシックスⅢ型) adds an uncoupled rangefinder, set by a wheel falling under the left thumb. The rangefinder's window is situated under the accessory shoe. The viewfinder's window is surrounded by a metal frame attached by two screws, with four small pins indicating the 4.5×6 field of view. The advance knob is larger and flatter than on the original Chrome Six, and there is a film indicator in the left knob, with only three settings: PANCHRO and CHROME in black and COLOR in red. The folding bed release is situated on the bed itself rather than on the top plate. The top housing itself is marked Proud III CHROME SIX above the finder and the serial number is engraved in front of the accessory shoe.

The Proud Chrome Six III has a front-cell focusing S-Congo 7.5cm f/3.5 lens by Yamasaki (engraved K.Yamasaki S-CONGO 1:3.5 F=7.5cm No.XXXXX, with the "S" in red). The shutter is a Synchront giving B, 1–200 speeds, synchonized and equipped with a self-timer. The aperture scale is on top of the shutter housing. The shutter plate is marked PROUD at the top and SUMIDA OPTICAL WORKS at the bottom, and the speed rim is engraved SYNCHRONT.

The early examples of the Proud Chrome Six III have a brilliant finder above the shutter housing like the original Chrome Six, but the part sustaining this finder is different. The later examples lack this brilliant finder but still have a metal part above the shutter housing, whose purpose is unknown. At a later time, the original synch pin situated at the bottom right of the shutter housing (as seen from the front) was replaced by an ASA bayonet post. Minor variations are noticeable in the aperture scale (black or chrome) and the aperture index too, but too few examples have been observed for a pattern to be detected.

Bibliography

• Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Items 766–75.

Links

• Proud Chrome Six at Mediajoy's Guide to Classic Cameras (misidentified as a Proud Chrome Six II), follow the "Next" link at the bottom of the page to have an illustrated sequence of operations
• Proud Chrome Six at Kosaka's website
• Proud Chrome Six III at Madam's Ichirizuka site
• Proud Chrome Six III at Pleasure Classic Lenses