Speed Reflex
The Speed Reflex (スピードレフレックス) is a Japanese SLR made in the 1920s by Kuribayashi, and distributed by Saneidō and Sone Shunsuidō.[1]
Contents
Description
|
| Speed Reflex (February 1927). (Image rights) |
The Speed Reflex has a boxy shape, inspired by English models such as the Thornton-Pickard Ruby Reflex, the Marion Soho Reflex or the Houghton Ensign Reflex. The front standard is mounted on a rack-and-pinion device with double extension bellows, driven by a knob on the photographer's left.[2] The removable lensboard is attached to a plate sliding vertically in the front standard, allowing vertical movements and locked in position by a wheel.
The main body has a large viewing hood, hinged to the front or to the rear, and strap lugs on both sides. There is a self-capping focal plane shutter, wound and set by a knob on the photographer's right.[3] The mirror is raised and the shutter is tripped by a lever placed on the same side. The camera has a revolving back, allowing to take vertical and horizontal pictures.[4]
Evolution in the advertisements
Many sources say that the Speed Reflex was introduced in 1919.[5] However an advertisement in Asahi Camera March 1928 says that the camera was introduced three years before.[6] Some sources try to distinguish the tefuda-size Speed Reflex and the meishi-size Speed Reflex Junior, but this is not confirmed by the original advertisements found so far.[7]
The advertisement by Saneidō in Asahi Camera September 1925 presents the camera as the "Speed Reflex, renaming of the Junior" (ジュニオル改称スピードレフレックス).[8] It is listed in both tefuda and meishi formats; however it is unclear if the cameras advertised as meishi size are 5.5×8cm or 6.5×9cm. In the picture, the viewing hood is hinged to the rear. The shutter is said to give 1/10 to 1/1000 speeds. The camera was supplied with three plate holders and one film pack holder. The following versions are listed:
| body size | meishi | tefuda |
| lens | ||
| Royal | ¥90 | ¥100 |
| body only | ¥70 | ¥80 |
The same advertisement also mentions a Photoman Special Reflex for ¥125, about which nothing is known.
|
| Advertisement in Ars Camera February 1927. (Image rights) |
In the advertisement by Saneidō in Ars Camera February 1927, the camera is simply called Speed Reflex. Three models are available, in tefuda (8×10.5cm), meishi (5.5×8cm or 6.5×9cm) and atom (4.5×6cm) formats. The pictured camera is certainly the larger tefuda model. The lensboard is covered by a flap and a small SPEED REFLEX nameplate is attached immediately above. The following versions are listed:
| body size | atom | meishi | tefuda |
| lens | |||
| Carl Zeiss Tessar f/4.5 | ¥175 | ||
| Dallmeyer Speed f/4.5 | ¥135 | ||
| body only | ¥85 | ¥75 | ¥80 |
|
| Advertisement in Asahi Camera March 1928. (Image rights) |
In the advertisement by Saneidō in Asahi Camera March 1928, the camera is said to be a commercial success.[9] It is said that many points were unsatisfactory when the camera was released three years before, and that they were corrected thanks to the unremitting support of the public.[10] The same three formats are offered, and the pictured camera is perhaps the middle meishi model. The following versions are listed:
|
| Speed Reflex (March 1928 and May 1929). (Image rights) |
| body size | atom | meishi | tefuda |
| lens | |||
| Tessar f/3.5 | ¥185 | ||
| Tessar f/4.5 | ¥158 | ¥180 | |
| Krauss Tessar f/4.5 | ¥155 | ||
| Xenar f/4.5 | ¥130 | ||
| Ernoplast f/4.5 | ¥120 | ¥125 | |
| Kenngott f/4.5 | ¥110 | ¥115 | |
| Royal f/4.5 | ¥88 | ¥93 | |
| body only | ¥85 | ¥80 |
|
| Advertisement in Asahi Camera May 1929. (Image rights) |
In the advertisement by Saneidō in Asahi Camera May 1929, it is said that the camera received the First Prize at the Fair commemorating the Imperial Coronation, held in the Ueno Park in Tokyo.[11] No other detail is given and the illustration is the same as in March 1928.
|
| Advertisement in Asahi Camera September 1929. (Image rights) |
|
| Speed Reflex (September 1929). (Image rights) |
The advertisement for the Speed Reflex in Asahi Camera September 1929 does not show any company name. The stylish illustration shows some changes in the camera body. The viewing hood is now hinged to the front and has an ES logo. It seems that the small SPEED REFLEX nameplate has moved to the main body, just below the viewing hood. The range of shutter speeds is given as 1/15 to 1/10000, obviously a typo for 1/15 to 1/1000.[12] The following versions are listed:
| body size | atom | meishi | tefuda |
| lens | |||
| Carl Zeiss Tessar f/2.7 | ¥270 | ¥320 | |
| Ernotar f/2.7 | ¥170 | ||
| Carl Zeiss Tessar f/4.5 | ¥140 | ¥152 | |
| Xenar Anastigmat f/3.5 | ¥150 | ||
| Xenar Anastigmat f/4.5 | ¥115 | ¥120 | |
| Kenngott Anastigmat f/4.5 | ¥107 | ¥115 | |
| body only | ¥58 | ¥75 | ¥80 |
Surviving examples
Baird reports that five surviving examples are known to exist.[13] The two better known examples are pictured in Sugiyama and in McKeown.[14] Both are reported as daimeishi size (6.5×9cm).[15] The two examples have the viewing hood hinged to the front, with an ES logo embossed, and have a small SPEED REFLEX nameplate attached to the front of the main body, the same as in the September 1929 advertisement, but none has a lens cover. The two examples only differ by the lensboard attachment and by the finish. The presumably earlier example has black fittings and T, 15–1000 speeds.[16] It is missing the locking wheel for the vertical movements of the front standard. The lens is a Cooke Anastigmat 5″ f/3.9, which is perhaps not original.[17] The presumably later example has chrome fittings, T, 10–1000 speeds and a Yamasaki Congo 13.5cm f/4.5 lens which is probably not original either.[18]
Notes
- ↑ Made by Kuribayashi: Lewis, p.36, Sugiyama, items 2028–9, Baird, pp.13 and 39–42, McKeown, p.575. (No original document has been found so far to confirm this.) Distributed by Saneidō and Sone Shunsuidō: Lewis, p.36, Baird, p.42. Advertisements by Saneidō are reproduced in this page.
- ↑ Double extension bellows: advertisement reproduced in Baird, p.40.
- ↑ Self-capping: advertisement reproduced in Baird, p.40.
- ↑ Revolving back: advertisement reproduced in Baird, p.40.
- ↑ Release date: Lewis, p.36, Sugiyama, items 2028–9, Baird, pp.13 and 39–42, McKeown, p.575. No original document has been found so far to confirm this.
- ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera March 1928, p.A21.
- ↑ Baird, p.41, says that the Junior has no lens cover and has the viewing hood hinged to the front. However all the original illustrations found so far show a hinged lens cover, and the distinction between front and rear-hinged viewing hoods does not seem to be related to the format.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Baird, p.40.
- ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera March 1928, p.A21: ヨクウレルスピードレフレックス.
- ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera March 1928, p.A21. The same thing is repeated in an undated advertisement reproduced in Morishita, p.70 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.22.
- ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera May 1929, p.A31: 於御大礼記念東京博覧会第一位優良国産賞受領. The same sentence is found in an undated advertisement reproduced in Morishita, p.70 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.22. Exhibition held in the Ueno Park: see this page. Baird, p.13, mentions "the Peace Exposition held at Ueno Tokyo" from an unknown source.
- ↑ Advertisement in Asahi Camera May 1929, p.A31: シャッター一五分ヨリ一〇〇〇〇迄.
- ↑ Baird, p.42.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 2028–9; McKeown, p.575. One of these is pictured in Baird, p.39.
- ↑ Format: Sugiyama, items 2028–9.
- ↑ Speeds: Sugiyama, item 2028.
- ↑ Lens: Sugiyama, item 2028.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 2029.
Bibliography
- Ars Camera. Advertisement in February 1927. No page number.
- Asahi Camera. Advertisements in March 1928 (p.A21), May 1929 (p.A31) and September 1929 (p.A30).
- Baird, John R. Collectors guide to Kuribayashi-Petri Cameras. Grantsburg, WI (USA): Centennial Photo Service, 1991. ISBN 0-931838-16-9. Pp.13 and 39–42.
- 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). P.36.
- 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.575.
- Morishita Hajime (森下肇). "Atomu-han kamera no subete" (アトム判カメラのすべて, All of Atom-size cameras). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.22, September 1992. No ISBN number. Airesu no subete (アイレスのすべて, special issue on Aires). Pp.55–70.
- Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Items 2028–9.
| Kuribayashi prewar and wartime cameras () | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rollfilm folders | ||||
| Eagle | Speed Pocket | First Roll | First Center | Semi First | First Six | Baby Semi First | Semi Rotte | Hokoku | Mizuho | ||||
| plate folders | rigid | SLR | TLR | unknown |
| Mikuni | First | First Etui | Kokka | Romax | Tokiwa | Molby | Speed Reflex | First Reflex | Baby First |
