Difference between revisions of "Semi Lyra"
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== The Semi Lyra F == | == The Semi Lyra F == | ||
| − | The '''Semi Lyra F''' (セミライラＦ型), released at the end of 1940<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p. 342, says that it was featured in the new products column of the October 1940 issue of ''Asahi Camera''. </REF>, has the new Fujikō F shutter giving 1–200 speeds and a Terionar lens. It always has the new type of back latch with no handle. | + | The '''Semi Lyra F''' (セミライラＦ型), released at the end of 1940<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p. 342, says that it was featured in the new products column of the October 1940 issue of ''Asahi Camera''. </REF>, has the new Fujikō F shutter giving T, B, 1–200 speeds and a Terionar lens. It always has the new type of back latch with no handle. |
The shutter plate is yellowish with black markings. These markings are almost the same as on the previous shutters, except that ''FUJIKō'' at the top is written in two parts: ''FUJ'' and ''IKō'', with a black arrow between both. | The shutter plate is yellowish with black markings. These markings are almost the same as on the previous shutters, except that ''FUJIKō'' at the top is written in two parts: ''FUJ'' and ''IKō'', with a black arrow between both. | ||
Revision as of 15:27, 3 December 2006
The Semi Lyra are Japanese 4.5×6 folders. There are two distinct generations: this page describes the models made before and during the war by Fuji Kōgaku.
The models made in the 1950s by Katsuma Kōgaku are described in the page Semi Lyra (postwar).
Contents
General description
The prewar and wartime Semi Lyra (セミライラ) was made by Fuji Kōgaku. It is a vertical folder, copy of the Ikonta, with a folding optical finder and a key at the bottom right to advance the film. The back is hinged to the left and contains two red windows, protected by a common horizontally sliding cover.
The camera is simply embossed LYRA in the front leather, a FUJI KŌGAKU logo is embossed in the back leather and FUJI KOGAKU logos are engraved in the folding struts.
The Semi Lyra is not uncommon, at least in Japan, and it is not renowned for its quality of construction, a hint of this being that many examples are found today with torn bellows.
The original Semi Lyra
The original model (sometimes called "Semi Lyra I"), introduced in mid-1936[1], has no body release and has a leather handle over the back latch.
In an advertisement dated September 1937[2], four variants are listed:
- Pionar f/6.3 lens, Picco shutter (¥35);[3]
- Terionar f/4.5 lens, Noblo shutter (¥43);[4]
- Terionar f/3.5 lens, Noblo shutter (¥58);[5]
- Goldar[6] f/3.5 lens, Noblo shutter (¥70).[7]
The three first variants were already advertised in December 1936 by the distributor Yamamoto Shashinki-ten, at the same price.[8]
The Goldar lens added in the 1937 advertisement probably has four elements, and a Goldar 75/3.5 lens is advertised as such with the original Lyra Flex.[9]
Both the Picco and the Noblo shutters are everset. The Picco gives T, B, 25, 50, 100 speeds and also equips the Baby Lyra. The Noblo gives T, B, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 speeds. The aperture scale is at the bottom of the shutter plate. The shutter plate is also written NOBLO or Picco in handwritten style at the top, and on the right there is a logo with Fk in a circle (surely for Fuji Kōgaku), meant to look like the FD logo of the Compur shutter.
The original model is still mentioned in an advertisement dated September 1938[10] as a cheaper alternative to the newer model, with f/4.5 lens (¥52) or f/3.5 lens (¥62). At least one example has been observed with the newer Fujikō B shutter.[11]
The New Semi Lyra
The New Semi Lyra (新型セミライラ, sometimes called "Semi Lyra II")[12] is the same model with a body release, to the left of the viewfinder. It was released at the end of 1937.[13] Two new shutter types were introduced, the Fujikō B (T, B, 5–250) and the Fujikō A (T, B, 1–300). The shutter plates are black, marked FUJIKō at the top and FUJIKŌGAKU at the bottom. The aperture scale is placed above the shutter housing.
An advertisement dated December 1937[14] offers the two following combinations:
The September 1938 advertisement already mentioned above lists these two combinations at the same price and adds two variants with the Fujikō A shutter:
At some later point, the back latch was modified and became a long sliding bar with no leather handle. The camera was advertised until 1940.[15]
Kokusan kamera no rekishi mentions other lens and shutter combinations:
- Pionar f/6.3 lens, Picco shutter;
- Terionar f/4.5 lens, Picco shutter;
- Goldar f/4.5 lens, Fujikō B shutter.[16]
The actual examples observed so far all have the Fujikō B shutter and Terionar lens, and no picture of the other variants has yet been found.
The Semi Lyra F
The Semi Lyra F (セミライラＦ型), released at the end of 1940[17], has the new Fujikō F shutter giving T, B, 1–200 speeds and a Terionar lens. It always has the new type of back latch with no handle. The shutter plate is yellowish with black markings. These markings are almost the same as on the previous shutters, except that FUJIKō at the top is written in two parts: FUJ and IKō, with a black arrow between both.
Two variants were offered:
- Terionar f/4.5 lens (¥88 in 1941, ¥101 in 1942);
- Terionar f/3.5 lens (¥98 in 1941, ¥112 in 1942).[18]
The camera was advertised until 1943.[19] After the war, a different camera called Semi Lyra was made by Katsuma Kōgaku, see Semi Lyra (postwar).
Notes
- ↑ The first advertisement mentioned by Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342, is dated June 1936. The same source says that the camera was featured in the new products column of the August 1936 issue of Asahi Camera.
- ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi in two parts, p. 100.
- ↑ Variant not yet observed.
- ↑ Variant pictured in Omoide no supuringu-kamera-ten, p. 15, and observed in online auctions.
- ↑ Variant observed in online auctions.
- ↑ Inferred from the katakana ゴールダー.
- ↑ Variant not yet observed.
- ↑ Advertisement published in the December 13, 1936 issue of Sunday Mainichi, reproduced in the Gochamaze website.
- ↑ Advertisement for the Lyra Flex published in the March 1938 issue of Ars Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.&nbp;101.
- ↑ Advertisement for the Lyra range, published in the September 1938 issue of Asahi Camera.
- ↑ Observed in a Yahoo Japan auction.
- ↑ This model is called "Semi Lyra II" by Kokusan kamera no rekishi, but the advertisement reproduced is only written 新型セミライラ, whose translation is "New Semi Lyra".
- ↑ The first advertisement mentioned by Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342, is dated November 1937. The same source says that the camera was featured in the new products column of the December 1937 issue of Asahi Camera.
- ↑ Published in Ars Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 100.
- ↑ Date: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342, says that it was featured in the new products column of the October 1940 issue of Asahi Camera.
- ↑ The 1941 prices come from an advertisement for the Lyra range, published in the May 1941 issue of Shashin Bunka, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 100. — The 1942 prices come from an advertisement for the Lyra range, published in the July 29, 1942 issue of Asahi Graph, reproduced in the Gochamaze website.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
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 292–4. (See also the advertisement for 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). Pp. 328.
- Omoide no supuringu-kamera-ten (思い出のスプリングカメラ展, Exhibition of beloved self-erecting cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P. 15.
Links
In Japanese:
- Semi Lyra and other folders at Puppy's Island
- Advertisements reproduced in the Japanese camera page, the 120 film camera page and the camera company page of the Gochamaze website:
- Advertisement for the Semi Lyra and Baby Lyra, published in the December 13, 1936 issue of Sunday Mainichi
- Advertisement for the Semi Lyra, published in the July 29, 1942 issue of Asahi Graph
- A sample picture taken by a Semi Lyra at the AJCC website
- Restoration of a Semi Lyra F and sample pictures at Shiroto shashinki shūri kōbō
