Semi Kinka
The Semi Kinka (セミキンカ) is a Japanese 4.5×6 folder, sold from 1937 by Yamamoto Shashinki Kōsakusho.
Contents
Common features
The Semi Kinka is an Ikonta copy with a folding optical finder. The folding struts are engraved KINKA Y.C.W. (certainly for Yamamoto Camera Works). The advance key is at the bottom right, as seen by a photographer holding the camera horizontally. The back is hinged to the left. The name SEMI-KINKA is embossed in the front leather.
Original model
The original model has no body release. The back latch is covered by a leather handle. The name SEMI-KINKA is repeated in the back leather. There are two red windows, protected by horizontally sliding individual covers, marked A and B.
This model was advertised in November 1937 in three versions:[1]
- Ceronar Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens, Super Rapid shutter, 1–300 speeds with selftimer, chrome trim (¥70);
- Ceronar Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens, Felix shutter, 25–150 speeds, black trim (¥45);
- f/6.3 lens (¥35, available soon).
The layout of the red windows is emphasized in the advertisement, even if it does not differ much from the usual configurations.
The original model was also featured in the new products column of the January 1938 issue of Asahi Camera.[2]
Three surviving examples of this model have been observed so far. Two of them have the Ceronar and Felix combination and black body edges.[3] The shutter plate is inscribed FELIX at the top and Y.C. WORKS at the bottom, and it has a logo on the right, perhaps reading "YR". The speeds are engraved in the rim in the order T, B, 150, 100, 50, 25, and the aperture scale is at the bottom, from 4.5 to 25.
The third example has the Ceronar f/4.5 lens and Super Rapid shutter, and all its body edges are chrome finished.[4] The shutter plate is silver finished and has TOYO NEW–S at the top and SUPER RAPID at the bottom. The shutter has T, B, 1–300 speeds and a self-timer lever at the bottom, with a red dot.
   
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| Semi Kinka, original model, Ceronar Anastigmat 75/3.5 lens, Super Rapid shutter. Pictures courtesy of Jo Coffman. (Image rights) |
Models with body release
The Semi Kinka II has an added body release to the left of the viewfinder. It was advertised in the March 1939 issue of Asahi Camera with the Ceronar 75/4.5 and Super Rapid combination.[5]
The official list of set prices compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941 has a number of versions: "Semi Kinka I" (¥53), "Semi Kinka II" (¥62), "Semi Kinka III" (¥74), "Semi Kinka IV" (¥85), "Semi Kinka V" (¥88) and "Semi Kinka VI" (¥98), with no further details.[6] Except the Semi Kinka I, all these versions are also in a similar price list dated November 1941, where the camera is attributed to Yamamoto Kōsakusho. It is not known if these model names were actually used by Yamamoto.
The government inquiry compiled in April 1943 still mentions the Semi Kinka, with a Kadera 75/3.5 three-element lens made by Gojō (the former Kajiro Kōgaku) and an Orient A shutter (T, B, 1–200, self-timer) made by Tōyō Kōki.[7] Despite the Y.C.W. markings, Yamamoto is only cited as the distributor, and the maker of the camera is registered as Konishisha (小西写).[8] This is perhaps an abbreviated form for Konishi Shashin, a company which is otherwise unknown.
The Semi Kinka has been observed with a body release and the Kadera and Orient A combination.[9] The back latch is of a new type, consisting of a long sliding bar with no leather handle. The lens is engraved Kadera Anastigmat 1:3.5 F=75mm N°xxxx, the shutter plate is marked Orient A in fancy letters at the bottom and the 200–1, B, T speed settings are written on the shutte plate in that order. The aperture scale in above the shutter housing.
Notes
- ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 67.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi p. 335.
- ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1075, and example observed in an online auction.
- ↑ Example pictured in this page.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 335.
- ↑ Template:Kakaku1940 short, type 3, sections 2, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A and 7A.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), item 62, lens item Lb10, shutter item 18-P-23.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), item 62.
- ↑ Example pictured in this page at Dora's blog.
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 68–9.
- "Kamera no kōtei kakaku kanpō happyō" (カメラの公定価格官報発表, Official announcement of the set prices of the cameras), November 1941. Extract of a table listing Japanese camera production and setting the retail prices, reproduced in "Bebī Semi Fāsuto 'Kore ha bebī wo nanotta semi-ki da'" (ベビーセミファースト"これはベビーを名乗ったセミ機だ", Baby Semi First, 'this is a Semi camera called Baby'), an article by Furukawa Yasuo (古川保男) in Camera Collectors' News no. 277 (July 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. P. 27. Type 3, sections 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7B.
- "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. Item 62.
- Template:Kakaku1940 Type 3, sections 2, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A.
- 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. 1020.
- 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. Item 1075.
Links
In Japanese:
- Semi Kinka (body release, Kadera lens, Orient A shutter) at Dora's blog
