Semi Minolta (I) and II
The Semi Minolta (セミ・ミノルタ) is a series of Japanese 4.5×6 folders made by Molta then by Chiyoda Kōgaku (the predecessors of Minolta). Their body is inspired by the Ikonta A or Nettar, but they are not plain copies. The prewar models were distributed by Asanuma Shōkai.
Contents
The Semi Minolta
The original model[1] has a folding finder, no body release and no cover for the red windows[2]. The finder is offset to the left and there is an accessory shoe, very slightly offset to the right. It is said to be the first 4.5×6 camera with an accessory shoe.[3] The film is wound by a key, situated at the bottom right (when holding the camera to take portrait pictures). The camera is embossed Minolta in the front leather, and there is an MTS logo (the logo of the Molta company) engraved in the folding struts.
This model is announced at the end of 1934: it is mentioned in the photo notes column of the December 1934 issue of Asahi Camera[4] as soon to be sold. It is advertised in Japanese magazines from 1935 to 1938.[5]
The camera first has a folding frame finder, with the front frame folding over the rear one. (It appears in advertisements dated January[6] and July[7] 1936.) It is later equipped with a folding optical finder, having a reversed folding sequence. (It appears in an advertisement dated August 1937[8].) The price in 1937 was ¥65, with an accessory rangefinder sold for ¥15 extra.
All the variants have a front-cell focusing Coronar 75/4.5 lens. It is said that it was manufactured by Asahi Kōgaku (the later Pentax).[9] The shutter is an everset Crown, giving first T, B, 5–100 then T, B, 5–200 speeds. It is substituted from the end of 1936[10] by an everset Crown E, equipped with a small disc acting as an exposure counter, advancing each time the shutter is released. This disc is engraved only from 1 to 8[11], and its precise operating sequence is unknown. The aperture scale is at the bottom of the shutter plate. The latter is engraved Patents-Nippon at the top, CROWN at the bottom and has the MTS logo on the right.
The Semi Minolta II
Early version
The Semi Minolta II (called simply "Semi Minolta" in some advertisements)[12] adds a body release and a cover for the red windows. The finder and the accessory shoe are moved very slightly to the right, to leave space for the body release. The two knobs at the ends of the top plate are higher.
The Semi Minolta II is introduced at the end of 1937 and advertised from 1938 to 1943 (all versions included)[13]. An advertisement in the January 1938 issue of Shashin Shinpō[14] offers it with a Prontor II shutter (175–1, B, T) and what seems to be an f/3.5 lens, for ¥105. The accessory rangefinder is still offered, for ¥18. The following year, an advertisement in the January 1939 issue of the same magazine[15] offers two lens options:
- Coronar 75/4.5 lens and Crown B shutter (¥100)[16];
- Coronar 75/3.5 lens and Crown B shutter (¥120)[17].
Curiously, the camera pictured seems to have a Prontor II shutter. Some accessories are listed too:
- accessory rangefinder (¥18);
- hood for 25mm filters, for the f/4.5 lens (¥1.50);
- hood for 30mm filters, for the f/3.5 lens (¥1.70);
- small ever ready case, for the camera only (¥5.00);
- big ever ready case, for the camera with the rangefinder (¥5.50).
Late version
The Semi Minolta II evolved during its production. The major modification occurred when the body was changed from a pressed sheet metal construction to die cast alloy. The new version is recognizable by the slightly differing body shape. It seems to have leatherette covering instead of leather. Some examples have black paint on the body edges while others have a metal finish. It is this version with die cast body that is called "Semi Minolta II" by some sources[18], while the earlier version is incorrectly called "Semi Minolta I".
Other modifications occurred, not necessarily at the same time.[19] The back opening was modified and the holding strap disappeared. The lens marking was changed from Coronar Anastigmat Nippon to Coronar Nippon. The number of red windows was reduced to one, centred at the bottom of the back, protected by a vertically sliding cover. The finder opening button became coupled to the bed opening button.[20]
Apparently some important modification was announced in the June 1940 issue of Asahi Camera. Kokusan kamera no rekishi seems to imply that it was the disparition of the strap (presumably together with the modification of the back opening), the connection of the finder and bed opening and a modification of the spool loading parts.[21] The date of the switch to a die cast body is unknown.
An advertisement in the March 1941 issue of Shashin Bunka[22] offers two lens choices, both with a Crown B shutter (T, B, 5&dnash;200):
The accessory rangefinder is still offered for ¥18.
Later versions, from 1942, have a Crown A shutter (T, B, 1–200).
The Auto Semi Minolta
Description
The Auto Semi Minolta is a coupled rangefinder model, released in 1937 and offered at least until 1942. It has a different body, largely copied from the Welta Weltur, in particular the folding struts and the focusing system are identical. The focusing is controlled by a small knob placed on the right of the folding bed, moving the whole lens and shutter assembly (unit focusing).
There is a top housing, whose shape is again inspired by the Weltur. It contains the range and the viewfinder, both sharing the same eyepiece at the right end of the camera. The shutter release is on the left, above the hinge of the folding bed. There are two windows, a rectangular one for the viewfinder and a round one for the rangefinder, with the name Minolta engraved between both. The same Minolta engraving is present on a small metal plate inside the folding bed, covering the focusing mechanism. Above the top housing there is an Auto Semi engraving, the serial number and an accessory shoe. The camera is also embossed Minolta in the front leather.
The Auto Semi Minolta has an automatic film advance device inspired by Plaubel products like the Roll-Op folder or the rollfilm backs of the Makina. It is placed under the right hand side of the camera, below the viewfinder. There is a big advance knob and a larger and flatter exposure counter disc, graduated from 1 to 16. The tripod screw is at the opposite end. The back is hinged to the left, with a red window protected by a vertically sliding cover, probably used to set the first exposure.
Evolution
The Auto Semi Minolta somewhat evolved during its production run. All the cameras have a Promar 75/3.5 lens. Like for the Semi Minolta II, the full lens name was changed at some time from Promar Anastigmat Nippon to Promar Nippon.
The back opening was also modified and the holding strap disappeared at some time. This change occurred between July 1940 and March 1942.[25]
The shutter equipment evolved as follows:
- first a Compur S with T, B, 1–250 speeds and a self-timer (appears in advertisements dated November 1937[26] and March 1938[27]);
- next a Crown II with T, B, 1–400 speeds and a self-timer (appears in advertisements dated January 1939[28], November 1939[29], April[30] and July[31] 1940);
- last a Crown RS with T, B, 1–400 speeds and a self-timer, that looks undistinguishable from the previous one (appears in advertisements dated March 1942[32] and later[33]).
The aperture scale is always at the bottom of the shutter plate. The Compur shutters are engraved as usual Deckel-München at the top of the shutter plate and COMPUR at the bottom, with an FD logo (for Friedrich Deckel) on the right. The Crown shutters fitting the Auto Semi Minolta are externally very similar to the Compur, with the same shape and location of the cocking lever and self-timer. They are engraved CROWN-RAPID on the speed rim and CROWNII-TIYOKO at the top of the shutter plate, even when advertised as Crown RS. Tiyoko is an alternate writing for Chiyoko, itself an abbreviation of the company name Chiyoda Kōgaku. One example has been observed[34] without the CROWNII and TIYOKO markings, with only the intermediate hyphen, but it also seems to have an incomplete lens marking and it is maybe a mere fabrication problem.
It is said[35] that the Auto Semi Minolta is synchronized and that a magnesic flash was sold as an accessory. This is possible but unlikely: no mention of this has been seen in the advertisements, and no synch connector has been clearly identified in any picture of the camera. However the purpose of some parts in the exposure counter area is unclear.
The price was ¥195 in 1937, ¥210 in early 1939, ¥255 in late 1939 and in 1940, ¥290 in 1942. The Auto Semi Minolta was among the most expensive Japanese cameras (see Japanese prices).
The Semi Minolta III
The Semi Minolta III is a postwar version of the I and II. It exists in three variants called A, B and C, with very little difference between the three.
The Semi Minolta P
The Semi Minolta P is a version with a tubular finder, released in 1951 at a time when the folding finders were beginning to be old-fashioned. It was the last folding camera made by Chiyoda.
Notes
- ↑ It is retrospectively called "Semi Minolta I" by the collectors, but advertised at the time as "Semi Minolta".
- ↑ This is not what is said in Francesch (p. 74) nor in McKeown (p. 672), but both seem to make a mistake.
- ↑ According to this page of the Manual Minolta website.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
- ↑ Published in Ars Camera and reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 96.
- ↑ Published in Shashin Shinpō and reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
- ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
- ↑ According to this page of the Manual Minolta website.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
- ↑ As observed in the example presented in Supuringu kamera de ikō, p. 76.
- ↑ The early version is identified as a "Semi Minolta I" by Francesch (p. 74) and as a "Semi Minolta I (1935 type)" by McKeown (p. 672), but at least one advertisement shows "Semi Minolta II".
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
- ↑ Reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
- ↑ Reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
- ↑ It is the model pictured by McKeown as a Semi Minolta I (p. 672).
- ↑ It is the model pictured by Francesch as a Semi Minolta I (p. 74).
- ↑ Including Francesch (p. 80) and McKeown (p. 672).
- ↑ According to this page of Mediajoy's Guide to Classic Cameras.
- ↑ The last version, with all the changes, is called "Semi Minolta II8" by this page of Mediajoy's Guide to Classic Cameras, it is unknown if this is a name officially used by the company or created by collectors (presumably with a recension of versions 1–7).
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342.
- ↑ Reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
- ↑ It is the model pictured by McKeown as a Semi Minolta II (p. 672).
- ↑ It is the model pictured by Francesch as a Semi Minolta II (p. 80).
- ↑ According to the advertisements cited below.
- ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 97.
- ↑ Template:Gochamaze The shutter type is faintly recognizable.
- ↑ Template:Gochamaze The shutter type is faintly recognizable.
- ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 98.
- ↑ Template:Gochamaze
- ↑ Template:Gochamaze
- ↑ Published in Hōdō Shashin, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 98.
- ↑ Template:Inasan99nd
- ↑ In an eBay auction.
- ↑ Francesch, p. 81.
Printed bibliography
In Japanese:
- 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 272–5 and 916–20. (See also the picture of the Auto Semi Minolta p. 11.)
- Kawamata Masataku (川又正卓). Semi Minolta. 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: The use of and actual examples from 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp. 76–7.
In French:
- Francesch, Dominique and Jean-Paul. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Minolta de 1929 à 1985. Paris: Dessain et Tolra, 1985. ISBN 2-249-27685-4.
In English:
- 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. 672–3.
- 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).
Links
In English:
- Semi Minolta II in Mediajoy's Guide to Classic Cameras. Follow the "Next" links at the bottom of the page to have an illustrated sequence of operations.
- Minolta folding cameras at the Manual Minolta website
- Semi Minolta II in Cameracatalogus
In Japanese:
