Difference between revisions of "Roll Light Ref"

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The advertising picture seems to show the cheaper variant. The shutter plate is marked ''GENIRA&ndash;SHUTTER'' at the top and ''OKS'' at the bottom (like the markings of the most expensive version of the [[Baby Light]]). "OKS" probably stands for <U>O</U>hashi <U>K</U>oki <U>S</U>eisakusho.
 
The advertising picture seems to show the cheaper variant. The shutter plate is marked ''GENIRA&ndash;SHUTTER'' at the top and ''OKS'' at the bottom (like the markings of the most expensive version of the [[Baby Light]]). "OKS" probably stands for <U>O</U>hashi <U>K</U>oki <U>S</U>eisakusho.
  
The Roll Light Ref is also reported with a Gelmer Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens mounted on a Gelmer T, B, 25&ndash;150 shutter.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;342, says that this combination appears in the book ''Kamera Zukan'', by Sugiyama and Naoi. McKeown, p.&nbsp;743, also mentions this variant, probably after Sugiyama. </REF>
+
The Roll Light Ref is also reported with a Gelmer<REF> There are Gelmer filters sold by [[Eikō-Dō]], and the name is perhaps related. </REF> Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens mounted on a Gelmer T, B, 25&ndash;150 shutter.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;342, says that this combination appears in the book ''Kamera Zukan'', by Sugiyama and Naoi. McKeown, p.&nbsp;743, also mentions this variant, probably after Sugiyama. </REF>
  
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==

Revision as of 18:28, 22 October 2006

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The Roll Light Ref (ロールライトレフ) is a Japanese 4.5×6 TLR, made by Ōhashi Kōki Seisakusho in 1937.[1] It is called Roll Light Ref in advertising documents but the camera itself is only marked "Roll Light".

Description

The Roll Light Ref has a metal body, with a large hexagonal front standard, meant to look like the first model of the Ikoflex, that moves front and back for focusing. This movement is controlled by a lever protruding from this plate and actioned by the user's left hand. The taking lens and shutter assembly is attached to this plate. It seems that the viewing lens is attached too and that the camera is a true TLR, because the focusing control would not be possible otherwise given that no distance scale is visible. Some sources disagree, saying that the viewing lens does not move for focusing (thus making the camera a pseudo TLR), and that the taking lens is front-cell focusing, but this seems to be a mistake.[2]

There is an advance knob on the top right of the body and three other knobs holding the film spools on both ends. On some examples[3], the nameplate is written Roll Light and is partly hidden by the front standard, while others[4] have a nameplate marked ROLL LIGHT in capital letters such that the marking is always visible.

Lens and shutter variants

In an advertisement dated April 1937[5], the Roll Light Ref is offered in three variants:

  • Genira Special f/6.3 lens, Genira shutter, 25, 50, 100, B speeds (¥25);
  • Genira Anastigmat f/4.5 lens, Light C shutter, 25, 50, 100, T, B speeds (¥43);
  • Genira Anastigmat f/4.5 lens, Light B shutter, 5–250, T, B speeds (¥49).

The advertising picture seems to show the cheaper variant. The shutter plate is marked GENIRA–SHUTTER at the top and OKS at the bottom (like the markings of the most expensive version of the Baby Light). "OKS" probably stands for Ohashi Koki Seisakusho.

The Roll Light Ref is also reported with a Gelmer[6] Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens mounted on a Gelmer T, B, 25–150 shutter.[7]

Notes

  1. Date: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
  2. McKeown, p. 743, says this both for the f/6.3 and the f/4.5 versions.
  3. Example pictured in the advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 100, and other example pictured for sale by a Japanese dealer.
  4. Example pictured in this page of the JCII collection.
  5. Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 100.
  6. There are Gelmer filters sold by Eikō-Dō, and the name is perhaps related.
  7. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342, says that this combination appears in the book Kamera Zukan, by Sugiyama and Naoi. McKeown, p. 743, also mentions this variant, probably after Sugiyama.

Bibliography

Links