Tougodo 4×4 TLR

From Camera-wiki.org
Revision as of 16:45, 23 April 2009 by Rebollo fr (talk | contribs) (1959 Sears catalogue)
Jump to: navigation, search
[ 2811796124_0f5692fc7d_m_d.jpg
Picture courtesy of Robert Furnari @ frendakfurnari. (Image rights)]
Japanese 4×4 TLR (edit)
4×4cm Cordlef | Olympus Eye 44 | Haco-44 | Halma 44 | Kino-44 | Laqon-44 | Minolta Miniflex | Primo Jr | Prinz 44 | Ricohmatic 44 | Ricoh Super 44 | Sawyer's Mark IV | Tower 44 | Tower 44B | Toyoca-44 | Walz Automat 44 | Yashica-44, 44A, 44LM
Other TLR, pseudo TLR and medium format SLR ->
Other Japanese 6×6, 4.5×6, 3×4 and 4×4 ->

The Toyoca-44 is a Japanese 4×4 TLR made by Tougodo at the end of the 1950s, during the brief 4×4 camera boom. Different versions exist, notably with manual or semi-automatic film advance. The camera was also sold as Haco-44, Kino-44, Laqon-44 and Tower 44.

General description

All the Tougodo 4×4 TLR models have the same basic body, with a classical TLR shape. They have a predominantly black finish, except for the Haco-44 and some Kino-44. The front standard moves back and forth for focusing. The focus knob is on the photographer's left and has depth-of-field indications; the advance knob is on the opposite side. The viewing hood contains a sports finder, and the nameplate has an oval shape. The back is hinged at the top and locked by a black knob under the camera, with O and C indications. The taking lens is a Kinokkor 6cm f/3.5 and the viewing lens is a View Kinokkor 6cm f/3.5, again except for the Haco-44.

Manual Kino-44

The simplest model has manual film advance, controlled by a red window. The shutter release is a simple button placed below the taking lens.

The shutter gives B, 25–300 speeds,[1] the shutter plate is black and is simply marked SYNCHRONIZED at the top. The PC synch socket is buried in the front standard, between the two lenses. The manual model has no accessory shoe. The shutter is manually wound by a small lever.

The manual model was only sold as the Kino-44. The main body is black finished and has the KINO–44 nameplate. The leatherette covering is black on most examples, but also exists in gray.[2]

Regular Toyoca-44 and Haco-44

The regular model has semi-automatic film advance, with an exposure counter on the photographer's right. It still has a red window at the left of the back, protected by a vertically sliding cover, certainly to set the position of the first exposure. The right side plate also has a small sliding button, certainly to engage the exposure counter mechanism, and an accessory shoe.

The shutter release and the synch socket are placed the same as on the manual model. There are bayonet attachments on both lenses. The shutter reportedly gives B, 1–300 speeds and has a self-timer.[3]

2811796128_f967c5e25e_m_d.jpg 2811796136_fbb5249830_m_d.jpg 2811796140_bdda50ae25_m_d.jpg
2811796132_47191a0ae5_m_d.jpg 2811796152_8134220b5c_m_d.jpg
Regular Toyoca-44, Kinokkor 6cm f/3.5 taking lens no.62429, View Kinokkor 6cm f/3.5 viewing lens.
Pictures courtesy of Robert Furnari @ frendakfurnari. (Image rights)

The regular model exists in black as the Toyoca-44, with Kinokkor and View Kinokkor lenses, and a Toyoca–44 nameplate.[4] It was also sold as the Haco-44, certainly a distributor's brand, with Hacor 6cm f/3.5 lenses, a HACO–44 nameplate, a film reminder on the focus knob and gray leatherette covering. This Haco-44 exists with gray paint or black paint.[5]

1990022442_3738ed3f50_m_d.jpg 1990022468_10a9b006a8_m_d.jpg 1990022640_d4df1724c5_m_d.jpg 1990022664_5614c992ec_m_d.jpg
Gray-painted Haco-44, Hacor 6cm f/3.5 lenses (taking lens no.63578, viewing lens no.63613).
Pictures courtesy of eBayer tuiteka. (Image rights)

Deluxe model

The so-called deluxe model[6] is similar to the regular model but for the Citizen-MV shutter (B, 1–400, self-timer), enclosed in a larger casing with a protruding part at the bottom, containing the release button, the synch socket and an M/X selector with a yellow dot. Variations are known in the shape of the sliding button engaging the exposure counter mechanism: on some examples, the button is contained in a large round cup and slides towards the bottom in a visible slit; on others, the surrounding cup is smaller and no slit is visible, as on the regular model.[7] The position of the round red window is the same as on the regular model.[8]

3464687329_9d7b84198a_m_d.jpg
Deluxe Tower 44 in the 1959 Sears catalogue. (Image rights)

The deluxe model was sold as the Toyoca-44 by Tougodo, as the Tower 44 by Sears, and as the Kino-44 or Laqon-44 by unknown distributors. They only differ by the nameplate, respectively reading Toyoca–44, TOWER 44, KINO–44 and LAQON–44, the latter being the most uncommon.[9]

Commercial life

The Kino-44 was featured in the October 1958 issue of Sankei Camera, among other cameras specifically made for export, and again in the December 1960 issue of Shashin Kōgyō.[10] These are the only occurrences reported in Japanese camera magazines.

It is probable that none of the Tougodo 4×4 TLR cameras were sold in Japan, except maybe the Toyoca-44, directly sold by Tougodo. The Tower 44 name variant was sold by Sears, and appears in the 1959 catalogue by the company.[11] The Haco-44 is sometimes attributed to Haking, perhaps by mistake.[12] The distributors of the Kino-44 and Laqon-44 are unknown.

Notes

  1. ↑ Speed range: Sugiyama, item 2133, and McKeown, p.929, about the Kino-44.
  2. ↑ Black covering: examples pictured in Sugiyama, item 2133, here and here at Asacame, and observed for sale at a dealer. Gray covering: example observed in a past auction by Auction Team Breker.
  3. ↑ Speed range: McKeown, p.929, about the Haco-44.
  4. ↑ Toyoca-44: examples pictured in McKeown, p.932, in this page of the 44 Club, observed for sale at a dealer and at a past auction by Auction Team Breker.
  5. ↑ Gray paint: examples pictured in this page, in McKeown, p.929, and here as lot no.717 of Westlicht Auction no.3. Black paint: example pictured here at onetwoseven.org.uk.
  6. ↑ The name "Deluxe" is used in Sugiyama, item 2134, in McKeown, p.929, about the Kino-44, and in this page and this page at Asacame. It is not confirmed by any original document found so far.
  7. ↑ Compare the deluxe Kino-44 pictured as lot no.695 of Westlicht auction no.8 (large cup) and the deluxe Tower 44 pictured here at tlr-cameras.com (small cup).
  8. ↑ An isolated example observed has been observed in an online auction with a different back, which does not fit the camera correctly and is covered with gray leatherette, certainly taken from some other 4×4cm TLR.
  9. ↑ Kino-44: examples pictured in Sugiyama, item 2134, here and here at Asacame, here at Nana-chōme no tabe and here in Dirapon's website, and examples observed for sale at a dealer and in online auctions. Laqon-44: example pictured in Sugiyama, item 2143, and example observed for sale at a dealer. Tower 44: examples pictured in McKeown, p.878, and here at www.tlr-cameras.com, and examples observed for sale at a dealer and in online auctions. Toyoca-44: examples pictured here at Fotomuseet i Osby and here at www.tlr-cameras.com.
  10. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.382.
  11. ↑ 1959 catalogue by Sears, partly reproduced in this Flickr set by Mario Groleau.
  12. ↑ Haco by Haking: this page at onetwoseven.org.uk, this page at photographica-world.

Bibliography

Links

In English:

In French:

In Swedish:

In Japanese:

In Chinese:

Retrieved from "http://camera-wiki.org/index.php?title=Tougodo_4×4_TLR&oldid=73381"