Sakura Reflex Prano and Idea Reflex
The Sakura Reflex Prano (さくらレフレックスプラノ)[1] was the first Japanese SLR, made from 1907 by Rokuoh-sha, the manufacturing branch of Konishi (predecessor of Konica), and by various subcontractors.[2] It was succeeded by the similar Idea Reflex (アイデアレフレックス) in 1910, then by a different Idea Reflex model in 1911.
Contents
The Sakura Reflex Prano and Idea Reflex (1910)
The only picture of the Sakura Reflex Prano observed so far is a drawing taken from an original catalogue.[3] It shows an exact copy of the Rochester Premo Reflecting Camera, with a box-shaped wooden body. There is a folding bed at the front; the lens standard is mounted on bellows and slides out of the main box. There is a large viewing hood at the top, further lengthened by trellis struts. A lever is visible on the right-hand side of the body, perhaps used to raise the mirror and trip the shutter.
The camera is said to have a focal plane shutter, initially giving 1/75 to 1/1200 speeds.[4] Other speed ranges are reported, with 1/1000 top speed.[5] The cameras were certainly hand-made one at a time, and these small variations are not surprising.
The Sakura Reflex Prano was reportedly released in April 1907.[6] Most sources say that it was only available in 4×5in format, called nimaigake (二枚掛) in Japan at the time, but at least one source mentions tefuda-size (8×10.5cm) instead, perhaps by mistake.[7] It was offered with various lenses from Carl Zeiss or Goerz.[8] It was also available without a lens, reportedly for ¥135.[9]
The camera was renamed Idea Reflex in 1910, and some sources specify September.[10] It seems that the catalogue entry for this model was illustrated with the exact same drawing as for the Sakura Reflex Prano.[11] It is said that tefuda (8×10.5cm) and kabine (12×16.5cm) models were introduced, and top speed is reported as 1/1200.[12]
The Idea Reflex (1911)
The Idea Reflex was heavily modified in 1911.[13] The new model is mainly known from an entry in the December 1911 catalogue of Konishi Honten,[14] where it is called "Idea" Reflex Hand Camera (アイデヤ、レフレックス手提暗函). Two versions are listed: the Idea Reflex No.1 (壹號) in tefuda size (8×10.5cm) and the Idea Reflex No.2 (貳號), in nimaigake (4×5in) and kabine (12×16.5cm) size.[15] The text says that No.2 has a revolving back, which is implicitly absent from No.1.
The pictures show box-shaped SLR cameras with bellows and a large viewing hood. It seems that No.1 has no folding bed but large rack-and-pinion struts driven by a wheel on the photographer's right. No.2 has a folding bed and a front standard sliding on rails with a smaller rack-and-pinion device. Various shutter controls are visible on the right-hand side plate, including a winding key at the top. The picture of No.1 shows more controls on the right, and a table of shutter speeds. The picture of No.2 shows a leather handle on the right, less controls and no shutter speed table.
The cameras were available with or without a lens. The listed lenses are featured in further pages of the same catalogue, showing the Carl Zeiss lenses imported by Konishi.[16] The prices are summarized in the following table.
body version | No.1 (tefuda) | No.2 (nimaigake) | No.2 (kabine) |
lens option | |||
body only | ¥95 | ¥135 | ¥175 |
Carl Zeiss Tessar Series Ic | 150/4.8, ¥176 | 180/4.5, ¥235 | 210/4.5, ¥300 |
Carl Zeiss Tessar Series IIb | 135/6.3, ¥155 | 180/6.3, ¥198 | 210/6.3, ¥281 |
Notes
- ↑ The name "Prano" is sometimes written "Plano" by mistake. The two spellings would be pronounced the same in Japanese, but "Prano" is confirmed by an advertisement reproduced in this page at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
- ↑ Lewis, p.20, however says that the Sakura Reflex Prano "so closely resembled the Western originals there is some question whether they were really Japanese copies, or whether they were imported cameras sold under the Sakura name".
- ↑ Illustration reproduced in Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, in this page of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology, and in this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website.
- ↑ Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website.
- ↑ Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and this page of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology.
- ↑ Chronology from the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10. The date is simply given as 1907 in Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, in this page of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology, and in the chronology at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
- ↑ 4×5in: Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, Lewis, p.19, and this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. 8×10.5cm: chronology from the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10.
- ↑ Lists are given in Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and in this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. They disagree on the focal length, the former saying 12.8cm, 15cm and 15.5cm, and the latter saying 21cm.
- ↑ Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10.
- ↑ Kikuoka, p.28 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and chronology from the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10. The date is simply given as 1910 in the chronology at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
- ↑ Compare the drawings reproduced in Sakai, p.18 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and in Kikuoka, p.28 of the same magazine.
- ↑ Kikuoka, p.28 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, mentions 1/1200 top speed and 8×10.5cm and 12×16.5cm formats, but does not mention 4×5in. The chronology from the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, says that the camera was made in 8×10.5cm and 4×5in formats.
- ↑ The date is given as January 1911 in Kikuoka, p.28 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, and as August 1911 in the chronology from the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10. It is simply given as 1911 in the chronology at R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha.
- ↑ Reprint of the December 1911 catalogue of Konishi Honten, p.14. The page is also reproduced in this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website.
- ↑ The chronology from the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.10, only mentions kabine-size but this is an omission.
- ↑ Reprint of the December 1911 catalogue of Konishi Honten, pp.39–40.
Bibliography
- Kikuoka Sei (菊岡清). "Konica history 3. Meiji 41-nen – Taishō 12-nen." (Konica history 3. 明治41年–大正12年. From Meiji year 41 (1908) to Taishō year 12 (1923).) 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.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.24–32.
- Konishi Honten. Saishin Shashin Kikai Mokuroku (最新写真器械目録, Latest catalogue of photographic apparatus). Published on December 18, 1911. Recent reprint.
- Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). Pp.19–20.
- Sakai Shūichi (酒井修一). "Konica history 2. Meiji 36-nen – 40-nen." (Konica history 2. 明治36年–40年. From Meiji year 36 (1903) to Meiji year 40 (1907).). 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.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.16–23.
- Tanaka Yoshirō (田中芳郎). "Meiji–Taishō jidai no Konishi Honten no kamera wo shiru tame no hon" (明治・大正時代の小西本店のカメラを知るための本, Books about the Konishi Honten cameras of the Meiji and Taishō eras). 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.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.92–4.
Links
In Japanese:
- Sakura Reflex Prano in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology
- Pages of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website:
Konishiroku prewar and wartime cameras ( ) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plate | hand cameras | stereo hand cameras | strut folders | box | telephoto | SLR |
Idea (original) | Idea A | Idea B | Idea Snap | Idea No.1 | Idea (metal) | Lily (original) | Lily (horizontal) | Lily (metal) | Tropical Lily | Noble | Ohca | Sakura Palace | Sakura Pocket Prano | Sakura Prano | Idea Binocular | Sakura Binocular Prano | Minimum Idea | Idea Spring | Korok | Champion | Cherry | Sakura Army | Sakura Honor | Sakura Navy | Idea Telephoto | Idea Reflex (1910 and 1911) | Idea Reflex (1932) | Neat Reflex | Sakura Reflex Prano | |
rollfilm | folders | box or collapsible | TLR | |||
Pearlette | Special Pearlette | B Pearlette | Pearl (for plates and rollfilm) | Pearl No.2 | Pearl (Year 8) | Baby Pearl | Semi Pearl | Sakura Palace | Record | Sakura (box) | Sakura (bakelite) | Sakura-flex |