Ricohflex (original)
The Ricohflex A is a Japanese 6×6 TLR sold by Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō around 1940. It is a rebadged version of the Rollekonter, certainly made by Mori Seisakusho.[1] The camera was only called Ricohflex (理光フレックス) at the time it was sold, and it seems that the name "Ricohflex A" was carved by collectors after the Ricohflex B.
Advertisements and other documents
The Ricohflex was listed in an advertisement dated February 1939 for ¥320, a price that was very elevated.[2] It was advertised again by Ueno Shōten in early 1940.[3] It was also listed in the Template:Kakaku1940 short, compiled on October 25, 1940 and published in January 1941, for ¥252.[4]
Actual example
The only actual example of the Ricohflex observed so far is similar to the Rollekonter III.[5] The only visible differences are the Ricohflex nameplate and the silver casing inscribed RIKEN KOHGAKU KOGYO CO.,LTD. The shutter has T, B, 1–300 speeds[6] and the taking and viewing lenses are Ricoh Anastigmat 75mm f/3.5.
The Rollekonter III only appeared in 1943, so it is very probable that this example of the Ricohflex is a late model, and that the models advertised in 1939 and 1940 correspond to earlier versions of the Rollekonter.
Notes
- ↑ Attribution of the Rollekonter to Mori: Tanaka, p. 19 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no. 14.
- ↑ Advertisement published in Sunday Mainichi (26 February 1939), reproduced in the Gochamaze website.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 343, lists advertisements dated February and March 1940 in Asahi Camera.
- ↑ Template:Kakaku1940 short, type 7, section 1.
- ↑ Example pictured in Tanaka, p. 19 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no. 14 (picture reproduced in this page of the Ricoh website), compared with the example of the Rollekonter pictured Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 437, certainly corresponding to a Rollekonter III.
- ↑ Tanaka, p. 19 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no. 14.
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. Item 310.
- Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). "Rikō kamera no nagare" (リコーカメラの流れ, Evolution of the Ricoh cameras). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.14, October 1989. No ISBN number. Rikō kamera no subete (リコーカメラのすべて, special issue on Ricoh). Pp. 8–11.
- Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). "Senzen no kamera 3: Nigan-refu kamera" (戦前のカメラ3・二眼レフカメラ, Prewar cameras 3: TLR cameras). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.14, October 1989. No ISBN number. Rikō kamera no subete (リコーカメラのすべて, special issue on Ricoh). Pp. 19–20.
- Watakushi no ni-gan-refu kamera-ten (私の二眼レフカメラ展, Exhibition of twin lens reflex cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P. 21.
Links
In Japanese:
- Ricohflex A in the camera list of the Ricoh official website
- Advertisement for the Riken camera range (on the left) published in the 26 February 1939 issue of Sunday Mainichi, reproduced in the camera company page of the Gochamaze website
| Asahi Bussan and Riken prewar and wartime cameras () | ||
|---|---|---|
| rigid or collapsible | ||
| Vest Adler | Gokoku | Semi Kinsi | Letix | Olympic | New Olympic | Regal Olympic | Semi Olympic | Super Olympic | Vest Olympic | Riken No.1 | Ricohl | Roico | Seica | Zessan | ||
| folders | pseudo TLR | TLR |
| Semi Adler | Adler III | Adler A | Adler B | Adler C | Adler Four | Adler Six | Gaica | Heil | Kinsi | Chukon Ref | Ricohflex | Ricohflex B |
