Rollekonter

The Rollekonter (ロールコンター) is a Japanese 6×6 TLR made from early 1938 to 1944. The name is an obvious rip-off of Rolleiflex and Ikonta (イコンター in Japanese). The camera was reportedly made by Mori.. It was distributed by Ōsawa, Yamashita and Seibidō, then by Mizuno and Hakkōdō.

Regular models

General description

The Rollekonter was inspired by the 1936 Rolleicord models. All the models share the same body casting; it is said that this part was re-used after the war on various other TLR cameras, perhaps because the dies survived and were used by some sub-contractor supplying parts to other manufacturers.

The focusing is done by moving the front plate back and forth. The focusing and film advance knobs are on the photographer's right. The film advance is semi-automatic and there is a round exposure counter window at the top of the right-hand side plate. The focusing knob is inscribed Rolle Konter Work, a mere dummy name (see Camera Works). It is surrounded by a metal plate, looking like a depth-of-field scale but simply written Rolle Konter. There is a magnifying glass on the back of the viewing hood, used for eye-level reflex viewing in conjunction with a mirror, released by a lever on the right-hand side of the hood.

The back is hinged to the top and has an exposure table written in English. This table is exactly identical to that of the First Reflex, and it seems that these cameras share other parts too. There is a red window under the camera, on the left-hand side next to the tripod screw. It is protected by a sliding cover and is certainly used to set the position of the first exposure.

There is a logo in the middle of the viewing hood, reading K&T. This logo is read from behind when the viewing hood is closed, and it appears upside down when the hood is open.

All the models have a 75mm lens called Hitonar Anastigmat or U Hitonar Anastigmat. The U Hitonar 75/3.5 has three elements and was made by Kokusaku, and the other lenses were probably made by the same company. The name Hitonar (ヒトナー) probably refers to Hitler (written ヒトラー in Japanese).

The case is made of brown leather and is embossed Rollekonter or Rolle  Konter at the front.

The original Rollekonter

Description

The original Rollekonter is easily recognized by its small nameplate, only inscribed Rolle konter in two words. It has the first type of advance unlock lever, in front of the wind knob. The lens is a Hitonar Anastigmat 75/3.5. The shutter, advertised as a Tokyo Compur (トーキョーコンパー), provides T, B, 1–300 speeds. This is not a genuine Compur but a Japanese copy made by Bikōdō. The shutter plate has an MB logo and a nameplate inscribed Rolle konter, attached by two screws. The release lever is directly mounted under the shutter casing.

Documents and actual examples

The original Rollekonter was released in early 1938: it was first advertised in the January issue of Asahi Camera and was featured in the new products column of the February issue of the same magazine.

In the June 1938 advertisement in Asahi Camera, the camera is merely called "Rollekonter" and is offered for ¥210. Three authorized dealers are mentioned: Ōsawa Shōkai, Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten and Seibidō, but no other company name is given.

At least two surviving examples of the original Rollekonter are known, including one pictured in McKeown.

The Rollekonter I

Rollekonter I, late nameplate, "Compur-Rapid" shutter, U Hitonar Anastigmat 75mm f/3.5 taking lens no.7575. Pictures courtesy of eBayer tuiteka. (Image rights)

The original model was renamed Rollekonter I after the introduction of the Rollekonter II. The Rollekonter I is certainly recognized by its larger nameplate, shaped like that of the Rolleicord, marked Rollekonter and MADE IN TOKYO with no mention of a model number. It still has the first type of advance unlock lever. It was advertised until April 1941.

Various surviving examples are known with the "Tokyo Compur" shutter (1–300), including that pictured in this page; some reportedly have a Hitonar lens whereas others have a U Hitonar.

An isolated camera has a shutter going to 1/500, engraved COMPUR–RAPID in the speed rim, certainly a copy of the Compur-Rapid as described below for the Rollekonter II. It has a KODAK shutter plate, either because the part was replaced at some time, or a further attempt by the manufacturer to ape famous foreign names.

The Rollekonter II

Description and variations

The Rollekonter II is recognized by its large nameplate, similar to that of the model I but marked Rollekonter II and MADE IN TOKYO. It is said that the auto-stop mechanism was improved, and minor changes are visible in the advance unlock mechanism.

Early cameras have a second type of advance unlock lever, slightly different from that of the model I (see the December 1940 advertisement below). Intermediate examples have a third type of advance unlock lever, with a shorter stroke. Late cameras have a small sliding button placed behind the focusing knob and replacing the lever of the previous cameras.

The shutter is either the Tokyo Compur (1–300), sometimes called New Compur, or a Rapid-Compur (1–500), also made by Bikōdō. Both have the same front plate, with the MB logo and Rolle konter nameplate; the faster type is engraved COMPUR–RAPID on the rim.

The lens is called "U Hitonar" on all the examples of the Rollekonter II observed so far, but early advertisements give the lens name as "Hitonar" only (see below).

Documents

The Rollekonter II was first advertised in the May 1940 issue of Asahi Camera. The camera appears in the official list of set prices compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941, along with the Rollekonter B and a "Rollekonter III". Curiously, all three models share the same set price of ¥252, perhaps by mistake. The "Rollekonter III" listed in that document is certainly not the same as the model III released in 1943, and perhaps corresponds to the Rollekonter II with shutter to 1/500.

In an advertisement by Mizuno Shashinki-ten dated December 1940, the Rollekonter II is offered with the two shutter options, along with the Rollekonter I with the cheaper shutter. The lens listed for all the models is the Hitonar f/3.5, and no price is given. The picture shows the second type of advance unlock lever.

In some advertisements by Hakkōdō, including that in Asahi Camera February 1942, the pictured camera has a smaller nameplate with stepped sides (as on the Rolleicord IIb), a feature which has not been observed on any actual example so far. It also has no visible unlock lever, and perhaps has a sliding button behind the focusing knob instead, as on the late Rollekonter II. In the February 1942 advertisement, the model number is not specified and the two shutter options are listed, priced at ¥260 and ¥278.

The model name "Rollekonter II" appears again in an advertisement by Mizuno dated c.1942, where the camera is listed as the "Rollekonter II" with the U Hitonar lens and the same shutter options, at an unchanged price. In the document, the picture shows an intermediate example, with the regular nameplate and the third type of advance unlock lever.

The Rollekonter B

The Rollekonter B is recognized by its nameplate, similar to that of the Rollekonter I and II, but marked Rollekonter B and MADE IN TOKYO. This model is a less expensive version of the Rollekonter II, with a Hitonar Anastigmat f/4.5 lens. The shutter is reported by some sources as a Light but the speed range is unclear. The shutter plate is marked Patent Pending at the top. One source says that there is no auto-stop mechanism and that the film advance is manually controlled by watching the frame counter, but this is unsure.

The Rollekonter B was first advertised in the February 1941 issue of Asahi Camera, and soon replaced the model I. In an advertisement by Mizuno dated April 1942, the Rollekonter B is listed for ¥178, together with the cheaper version of the Rollekonter II for ¥260. The advertising picture shows a Rollekonter B, externally similar to the intermediate Rollekonter II except for the nameplate.

Expensive models

The Rollekonter A

The Rollekonter A was introduced in late 1942 at the top of the range. It has a large housing around the taking and viewing lenses. When viewed from the front, this casing has an aperture index, moving on an aperture scale on the right of the taking lens, and a round window on the left, certainly displaying the selected speed. There is a plate engraved Rolle konter between the taking and viewing lenses. Two levers protrude from the casing, one underneath and the other to the right of the photographer. The bottom lever certainly selects the shutter speed and the side lever certainly winds the shutter.

A number of other controls are visible: the side plate on the left of the photographer has an additional knob and two sliding buttons. It is said that the bottom one is the shutter release. The knob placed behind perhaps sets the self-timer, whose delay is said to be adjustable between 8 and 15 seconds, and which is perhaps engaged by the other sliding button. On the other side of the body, there is another sliding button between the advance and focus knobs. It is probably the advance unlock lever, similar to the button of the late Rollekonter II.

In advertisements dated March and July 1943, the pictures show a Rollekonter A with a nameplate similar to that of the Rollekonter II or Rollekonter B, inscribed Rollekonter A and MADE IN TOKYO. The sliding button at the bottom left is not visible in the picture dated March 1943, which was perhaps retouched. The actual examples observed have a different thicker nameplate with stepped sides, only inscribed Rollekonter and MADE IN TOKYO with no indication of the model name.

The Rollekonter III

The Rollekonter III was released in mid-1943 as the successor of the Rollekonter II with Rapid-Compur shutter. (It is certainly not the same as the "Rollekonter III" mentioned in the late 1940 official price list.) It has a rounded shutter casing around the taking lens, with three protruding levers. There is a black plate screwed between the two lenses, inscribed ROLLE KONTER WORK. The nameplate is written Rollekonter and MADE IN TOKYO. The only actual example observed does not have the K&T logo on the viewing hood and has a U Hitonar taking lens and a Ricoh Anastigmat viewing lens. The Rollekonter III was also sold as the Ricohflex A and this probably explains the lens mismatch.

Late wartime range

The government inquiry listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943, only mentions the Rollekonter A and the Rollekonter II. The manufacturer's name is unfortunately missing from the document.

An advertisement by Mizuno dated March 1943 and advertisements by Hakkōdō dated July 1943 and September 1944 show the following price evolution:

Date	March 1943	July 1943	September 1944
Model
Rollekonter A	¥379	¥437.90	¥578
Rollekonter III	_	¥321.94	¥379.90
Rollekonter II	¥260	¥300.02	¥354.04
Rollekonter B	¥178	_	_

The September 1944 advertisement blatantly said that the Rollekonter II and III are copies of the Rolleicord II: "same as the Rolleicord II" ("ローライコードⅡ型ト同ジ").

The Rollekonter Automat, with crank advance

The Rollekonter Automat is only known from an advertisement dated February 1944. The picture is a plain front view. It shows a folded advance crank on the photographer's right and a focusing knob on the left. Two smaller knobs are visible below the focusing knob, certainly corresponding to the self-timer winding knob and the bottom film flange. The nameplate is similar to that of the late Rollekonter A, with stepped sides and no mention of the model name. The lenses are surrounded by a casing, shaped the same as on the Rollekonter A. There are two wheels at the front of this casing, between the two lenses, certainly controlling the speed and aperture. It seems that the settings are directly engraved on these wheels, and cannot be viewed from the top. The front of the casing is silver-coloured, and the name Rollekonter Auto or perhaps Rollekonter Automat is inscribed on it, below the taking lens. The shutter winding lever is protruding to the photographer's right, the same as on the Rollekonter A. On the pictured camera, the taking and viewing lenses are U Hitonar Anastigmat 75mm f/2.8. The advertisement says that the camera was available with f/3.5 or f/2.8 lenses, but no price is given. No example of the Rollekonter Automat has surfaced so far, and the camera perhaps remained a prototype.

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 334–8. (See also the picture on p.437 and the interview of Tanimura Yoshihiko on pp.439–40.)
• "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7. Items 117–8.
• "Kokusan shashinki no kōtei kakaku" (国産写真機の公定価格, Set prices of the Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of October 25, 1940 and setting the retail prices from December 10, 1940. Published in Asahi Camera January 1941 and reproduced in 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. Pp.108—9. Type 7, section 1.
• McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). P.849.
• Nihon Shashin Kōgyō Tsūshin (日本写真興業通信). Hyaku-gō goto jūkai no kiroku (百号ごと十回の記録, Ten records, every hundred issues). Tokyo: Nihon Shashin Kōgyō Tsūshin Sha (日本写真興業通信社), 1967. No ISBN number. Advertisement on p.77, corresponding to the third cover of the February 15, 1944 issue.
• Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Items 2021–3.
• 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.

Links

General links

In English:

• Page with Japanese TLR cameras at the TLR Cameras Website, including a Rollekonter I (late)

In Japanese:

• Pages at D-Grade Camera World by Matsu:
  • Rollekonter A, front picture and description of use
  • Rollekonter B and description of use
  • Rollekonter II
• Rollekonter I (late), with other pictures here and here
• Rollekonter I (late) at Wakamiya's site
• Rollekonter II at Galerie Y
• Rollekonter in a page of the AJCC website

Original documents

In Japanese:

• Advertisements reproduced in Nostalgic Camera by Toshio Inamura:
  • Advertisement for the Rollekonter dated 1941
  • Advertisement for the Rollekonter dated between 1942 and 1945
• Advertisement for the Rollekonter published in Asahi Camera February 1942, visible in this page about old camera magazines of Xylocopal's photolog
• Advertisement for the Rollekonter published in Shashin Kagaku September 1944, reproduced in the Japanese camera page of the Gochamaze website