Semi Lester
The Semi Lester (セミレスター) is a Japanese 4.5×6 folding camera, made by the company Motodori Shashin Kikai Kōgyō-sho[1].
Description
The Semi Lester is a Baldax copy, with the front leather embossed Lester in handwritten style. When held vertically by the photographer, the advance knob is at the top right and the folding optical finder is at the center left. There is no body release. Film advance is controlled by two red windows in the back, protected by a common sliding cover.
Evolution
The Semi Lester is advertised in the April 1937 issue of Camera Club[2] in four variants, all of them equipped with a version of the Rulex shutter by Neumann & Heilemann:
- Lester Anastigmat f:4.5 lens and Rulex B shutter (¥55);
- Lester Anastigmat f:4.5 lens and Rulex A shutter (¥60);
- Lester Anastigmat f:3.5 lens and Rulex B shutter (¥70);
- Lester Anastigmat f:3.5 lens and Rulex A shutter (¥75).
In other advertisements dated April 1937[3] and July 1937[4], the following variant is added, sometimes called popular edition (大衆版):
- Lester Anastigmat f:4.5 lens and Rulex D shutter (¥48).
It is also reported that a variant with a Radionar f:3.5 lens and Rulex A shutter appears in the May 1937 issue of Asahi Camera, and that a variant with a Lester f:2.9 lens appears in the June issue of the same magazine.[5]
Notes
- ↑ It is attributed by McKeown, p. 701, to Motojima Camera Works, certainly because somebody confused 本鳥 (Motodori) with 本島 (Motoshima).
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 104.
- ↑ Advertisement published in the April 21, 1937 issue of Asahi Graph, reproduced in the 120 film camera page of the Gochamaze website.
- ↑ Advertisement published in the July 25, 1937 issue of Sunday Mainichi, reproduced in the 120 film camera page of the Gochamaze website.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 343.
Printed 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. Item 318. (See also the advertisement for the item 164.)
- 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. 701.
Links
- Advertisements reproduced in the 120 film camera page of the Gochamaze website:
- Advertisement for the Semi Lester published in the April 21, 1937 issue of Asahi Graph
- Advertisement for the Semi Lester published in the July 25, 1937 issue of Sunday Mainichi
