Rollekonter

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The Rollekonter (ロールコンター) is a Japanese 6×6 TLR made from early 1938 to 1944.[1] The name is an obvious rip-off of Rolleiflex and Ikonta (イコンター in Japanese). The camera was distributed by Mizuno and Hakkōdō, and it is said to have been made by Mori.[2]

General description

The Rollekonter is inspired by the 1936 Rolleicord models. 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. 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,[3] 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).

Evolution

The original Rollekonter

The original Rollekonter was released in early 1938.[4] There is a lever in front of the wind knob, certainly used to unlock the film advance. The shutter release is directly mounted under the shutter casing. The early examples are recognized by their smaller nameplate, only inscribed Roll konter in two words.

The lens is a Hitonar Anastigmat 75/3.5 and the shutter, advertised as a Tokyo Compur (トーキョーコンパー), provides T, B, 1–300 speeds. This shutter is not a genuine Compur but a Japanese copy made by Bikōdō.[5] The shutter plate has an MB logo and a nameplate inscribed Rolle konter, attached by two screws. The release lever protrudes from the bottom of the shutter casing.

This model was offered for ¥210 in an advertisement dated June 1938, where it was simply called "Rollekonter".[6] Three authorized dealers were mentioned: Ōsawa Shōkai, Yamashita Yūjirō Shōten and Seibidō, but no other company name was given.

One actual example of the original Rollekonter, with the early nameplate, is pictured in McKeown.[7]

After the introduction of the Rollekonter II, the original model was renamed Rollekonter I. It certainly adopted the larger nameplate of the new model, but only marked Rollekonter and MADE IN TOKYO with no mention of the model number. The example presented in Sugiyama as a "Rollekonter II" has such a nameplate and has the old type of unlock lever, it is probably a late Rollekonter I.[8] Another similar example is known with a shutter going to 1/500, engraved COMPUR–RAPID in the speed rim, certainly the same as the copy of the Compur-Rapid described below for the Rollekonter II.[9]

The Rollekonter II

The Rollekonter II was released in mid-1940.[10] The model II introduced a larger nameplate, shaped like that of the Rolleicord, marked Rollekonter II and MADE IN TOKYO. There are minor changes in the advance unlock mechanism, and it is said that the auto-stop mechanism was improved.[11]

The Rollekonter II exists with the Tokyo Compur shutter (1–300), sometimes called New Compur, and with a Rapid-Compur shutter giving 1–500 speeds. The Rapid-Compur was also made by Bikōdō.[12] It has the same shutter plate as described before, with the MB logo and the Rolle konter nameplate. The speed rim is engraved COMPUR–RAPID.

The list of set prices compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941, has a "Rollekonter II", "Rollekonter III" and "Rollekonter B".[13] Curiously, all three models share the same set price of ¥252. The "Rollekonter III" perhaps corresponds to the Rollekonter II with shutter to 1/500, and is certainly not the same as the model III released in 1943.

All the examples of the Rollekonter II observed so far have the U Hitonar lens, but it was first advertised with the Hitonar. In an advertisement by Mizuno Shashinki-ten dated December 1940,[14] the Rollekonter II was offered with both shutter options, along with the Rollekonter I with the cheapest shutter. All the cameras had the Hitonar f/3.5 lens and no price was given. The advertising picture shows an advance unlock lever, slightly different from the lever of the model I.

In some advertisements by Hakkōdō, dated 1941 and February 1942,[15] the pictured camera has no visible unlock lever and has a smaller nameplate with stepped sides, which has never been observed on any actual example. The same two shutter options were offered and the prices in February 1942 were ¥260 and ¥278.

In another advertisement by Mizuno dated about 1942,[16] the Rollekonter II was listed with the U Hitonar lens and the same shutter options, priced at ¥260 and ¥278. The Rollekonter I was no longer offered. In the advertising picture, the advance unlock lever is again slightly different. One example is known with this type of lever and the U Hitonar lenses.[17]

The late examples of the Rollekonter II have a small sliding button placed behind the focusing knob and replacing the lever of the early cameras.[18]

The Rollekonter B

The Rollekonter B was first advertised in early 1941.[19] It is a less expensive version of the Rollekonter II, with a Hitonar Anastigmat f/4.5 lens. The nameplate is inscribed Rollekonter B and MADE IN TOKYO. The shutter is reported by some sources as a Light but the speed range is unclear.[20] The shutter plate is marked Patent Pending at the top. It is said that the film advance only relies on the exposure counter and that there is no auto-stop mechanism, but this is dubious.[21]

In an advertisement by Mizuno dated April 1942, the Rollekonter B was offered for ¥178, together with the cheaper version of the Rollekonter II for ¥260.[22] The advertising picture shows a Rollekonter B, externally similar to the model II with an advance unlock lever.

The Rollekonter A

The Rollekonter A was introduced in late 1942 at the top of the range.[23] 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.[24] 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.[25] 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.

The nameplate is inscribed Rollekonter or Rollekonter A and MADE IN TOKYO.

Some actual examples have been observed.[26] All of them simply have Rollekonter on the nameplate whereas the advertising pictures have Rollekonter A.

The Rollekonter III

The Rollekonter III was released in mid-1943 as the successor of the Rollekonter II with Rapid-Compur shutter.[27] (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.[28] The Rollekonter III was also sold as the Ricohflex A and this probably explains the lens mismatch.

Late range

The government inquiry listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943, only mentions the Rollekonter A and the Rollekonter II.[29] 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:[30]

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 _ _

In the March 1943 picture of the Rollekonter A, the sliding button at the bottom left is not visible, perhaps because the picture was retouched. 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").

Notes

  1. ↑ Dates: advertisements and articles listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp. 343–4.
  2. ↑ Attribution to Mori: Tanaka, p. 19 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no. 14, says that the Rollekonter was made by Mori Seisakusho. Sugiyama, items 2021–3, says "Seibi-do Co. (Mori Manufacturing)", but the attribution to Seibidō is not confirmed by any other document. McKeown, p. 849, attributes the Rollekonter to "Rolle Konter Work" but this was certainly a dummy name inscribed on the cameras. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 336, attributes the similarly named Semi Konter to Mori Seisakusho.
  3. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lb32.
  4. ↑ According to Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 343, the earliest advertisement was in the January 1938 issue of Asahi Camera and the camera was featured in the new products column of the February 1938 issue of the same magazine.
  5. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), shutter item 18-Q-4.
  6. ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 105.
  7. ↑ McKeown, p. 849. Another example has been observed in an online auction.
  8. ↑ Sugiyama, item 2021. The example pictured in this page at Wakamiya's site is probably of the same version.
  9. ↑ Example is pictured in this page at tlr-cameras.com with a KODAK shutter plate, certainly because the part was replaced at some time.
  10. ↑ According to Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 343, the earliest advertisement was in the May 1940 issue of Asahi Camera.
  11. ↑ Improved auto-stop mechanism: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 343.
  12. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), shutter item 18-R-9.
  13. ↑ Template:Kakaku1940 short, type 7, section 1.
  14. ↑ Advertisement published in Kōga Gekkan, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 105.
  15. ↑ Illegible advertisement dated 1941 reproduced in Nostalgic Camera by Toshio Inamura, and advertisement published in Asahi Camera February 1942, visible in this page of Xylocopal's photolog.
  16. ↑ Advertisement published in an unknown Japanese magazine around 1942, reproduced in Nostalgic Camera by Toshio Inamura.
  17. ↑ Example pictured in this page of D-Grade Camera World.
  18. ↑ Example pictured in this page at Galerie Y.
  19. ↑ According to Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 344, the earliest advertisement was in the February 1941 issue of Asahi Camera.
  20. ↑ Sugiyama, item 2023, and McKeown, p. 849, both report T, B, 5–100 speeds. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 344, says T, B, 5–200. The pictures observed of actual examples have numerals that are barely legible but they probably show 5–200 or 5–250.
  21. ↑ This is said by Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 344, but the pictures show the same controls as on the Rollekonter II.
  22. ↑ Advertisement published in Hōdō Shashin, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 106.
  23. ↑ According to Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 344, the earliest advertisement was in the August 1942 issue of Shashin Bunka. The Rollekonter A is called "Rollekonter A-II" in Sugiyama, item 2022, certainly by mistake.
  24. ↑ See this page at D-Grade Camera World.
  25. ↑ Adjustable self-timer: Sugiyama, item 2022 and this page at D-Grade Camera World. The latter source gives the 8–15s range.
  26. ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 2022; example observed in an online auction; example pictured in this page and this page of D-Grade Camera World.
  27. ↑ According to Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 344, the earliest advertisement was in the July 1943 issue of Shashin Bunka.
  28. ↑ Example pictured in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 437, certainly corresponding to a Rollekonter III.
  29. ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), items 117–8.
  30. ↑ March 1943: advertisement published in Hōdō Shashin, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 106. July 1943: advertisement published in Shashin Bunka, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 106. September 1944: advertisement published in Hōdō Shashin, reproduced in the Gochamaze website.

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