Semi Prince
Work in progress
The Semi Prince (セミプリンス) was a Japanese 4.5×6 folding camera. It was probably made by Fujimoto from 1934, as stated at Fujimoto's company page. But some sources attribute the Semi Prince to a company named Prince Camera Works (プリンスカメラワークス). Indeed a 1937 ad (see here, ad in 14/7/1937 issue of Asahi Graph) shows a P.C.W. logo and the name of the distributor Fukada Shōkai. To confuse things even more, a Semi Prince case has been observed with K.S.U. embossed in the back. See also the discussion at the Prince page.
The Semi Prince was essentially a copy of the Ikonta 520 by Zeiss Ikon. It was embossed Semi Prince in the leather cover, on the front and on the back. The name Semi Prince was also engraved on the folding struts. There was a folding optical finder, and a key underside for winding and two red windows to control the advance.
The 1937 ad mentioned earlier presented a Semi Prince "enhanced model" (改良型, offered with three lens/shutter combinations:
- Schneider Xenar F4.5 & Compur-Rapid (¥113)
- Schneider Isco F4.5 & Compur (¥89)
- Schneider Isco F4.5 & Prontor (¥75)
The Compur-Rapid version was pictured in the ad, with no body release.
Two variations have been observed:
- no body release, no red window cover
- Neumann & Heilemann Radionar 7.5cm/4.5 & Neumann & Heilemann Perfekt 5-250-B-T
- unknown lens & Vario 25-50-100-B-T (seen at a Yahoo Japan auction)
- Isco Anastigmat (not marked Schneider) 7.5cm/4.5 & Pronto T-B-100-50-25 w/selftimer (seen at a Yahoo Japan auction)
- Schneider-Isco 7.5cm/4.5 & Prontor 125-100-50-25-B-T (seen at a Yahoo Japan auction)
- Schneider-Isco 7.5cm/4.5 & Prontor II 175-100-50-25-10-5-2-1-B-T (see here, also at a Yahoo Japan auction)
- body release, sliding red window cover (maybe it corresponds to the Semi Prince II mentioned on some Japanese websites)
- unknown 7.5cm/4.5 lens & Prontor 125-100-50-25-B-T (seen at a Yahoo Japan auction)
- Schneider-Isco 7.5cm/4.5 & Compur T-B-1-300 (seen at a Yahoo Japan auction)
- unknown lens & Compur-Rapid, probably to 1/500 (see here, some strange part at the location of the body release)
Isco was written Jsco, using an old form of the capital I.
A variant with a Laack Regulyt 75/4.5 lens and a Vario B, T, 25-50-100 shutter has been offered in an eBay auction, no picture observed.
Notes
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 225–8. (See also the advertisements for items 155 and 230–1.)
Links
In Japanese and English:
- Schneider-Jsco lens of a Semi Prince at ksmt.com, with a link to a Semi Prince picture
In Japanese:
- Tomo ni shita kamera, a page with a picture of a Semi Prince (it is the camera that looks like an Ikonta!)
- A table and another table at the All Japan Classic Camera Club website, listing variants of the Semi Prince
- History page at the Fujimoto official website
- Template:Gochamaze
