Semi Solon
The Semi Solon (セミソロン) is a Japanese 4.5×6 folding camera, distributed from 1940 by Ueda Shashinki-ten.[1]
Description
The Semi Solon is a copy of the Nettar 4.5×6, with the same straight folding struts. There is a folding optical finder in the middle of the top plate and a body release on the left (as seen by a photographer holding the camera horizontally). The advance key or advance knob is at the bottom. The back is hinged to the left. The name SOLON is embossed in the front leather.
Advertisements and other documents
In advertisements by Ueda Shashinki-ten dated December 1940 and January 1941,[2] the Semi Solon was offered with a Solon Anastigmat f/4.5 lens and two shutter options:
The list of set prices compiled on October 25, 1940 and published in January 1941, listed a "Semi Solon IA" for ¥88 and a "Semi Solon IB" for ¥74, obviously corresponding to the two advertised versions.[4]
The Semi Solon IB was still mentioned in the "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), listing the Japanese camera production as of April 1943.[5] In this document, the maker's name is unfortunately missing but the lens is mentioned as a three-element Solon 75/4.5 made by Takahashi and the shutter as a Star Alpha (スターアルファー) giving T, B, 1–300 speeds and made by Takahashi too.[6] It is possible that the body was made by the same Takahashi company, which was also cited as the maker of the Star Semi 4.5×6 folder distributed by Ueda too.
Notes
- ↑ Date: advertisements listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 337.
- ↑ Advertisements published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp. 72 and 77.
- ↑ The top speed is not given in the advertisements but Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 337, says 1/200. The prices are given in the December 1940 advertisement only.
- ↑ Template:Kakaku1940 short, type 3, sections 4A and 6A.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), item 60.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lc13 and shutter item 18-Q-1.
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 136. (See also the advertisement for item 108.)
- "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 60.
- Template:Kakaku1940 Type 3, sections 4A and 6A.
The Semi Solon is not listed in Sugiyama.
