Tsubasa Spring

Japanese Vest (4×5 and 4×6.5) (edit)

folding
4×4.5	Orient
4×5	Minion
4×6.5	Clover Vest \| Dianette \| Eagle \| Friend \| Kooa \| National \| New Vest \| Nifcarette \| Pearlette \| B Pearlette \| Special Pearlette \| Pionette \| Pocket Prince \| Sirius Bebe \| Speed Pocket \| Tsubasa Spring \| Victory
rigid or collapsible
4×5	Alfax \| Olympus Standard \| Sakura (bakelite) \| Well Standard
4×6.5	Vest Adler \| Vest Alex \| Kowa Kid \| Light \| Light Super \| Baby Minolta \| Minolta Vest \| Regal Olympic \| Vest Olympic \| Tsubasa Chrome \| Zen-99
box
4×6.5	Baby Clover \| Sakura (box) \| Spirit
unknown
4×5	Vesten
4×6.5	Victor Vest
unknown	Meiro
Japanese 3×4 and 4×4, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->

The Tsubasa Spring is a vertically folding camera taking 4×6.5 and 3×4 pictures on 127 film. It was made by the Japanese company Optochrom.

It is advertised in 1938 first as the Tsubasa Spring A^[1], then as the Tsubasa Spring (ツバサスプリング)^[2] or Tsubasa Spring Camera (ツバサ・スプリング・カメラ)^[3]. In 1939 it is advertised first under the latter name^[4] then as the Tsubasa A Chrome (ツバサＡ型クローム)^[5].

These various names all designate the same camera. The viewfinder is enclosed in a small top housing with an accessory shoe, and two vertical lines delineate the 3×4 exposure frame. The lens is a Lucomar f:4.5 and no focusing control is visible, focus may be fixed. The shutter is a Tsubasa with T, B, 25–100 speeds and a body release. The shutter plate is marked NEW GOLD at the bottom, and maybe TSUBASA SHUTTER at the top. In the advertisements observed, the price varies between ¥34 and ¥38 — case for ¥6 extra. It is systematically offered with a Tsubasa accessory rangefinder, at a price between ¥14 and ¥16, that is even pictured mounted on the camera in the June 1938 advertisement cited above.

Notes

↑ Mentioned by Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 145.
↑ Advertisement for the Tsubasa Super Semi, Tsubasa Chrome and Tsubasa Spring, published in the June 1938 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 146.
↑ Template:Gochamaze
↑ Advertisement for the Tsubasa Super Semi, Tsubasa Chrome New, Tsubasa Spring Camera and Baby Chrome, published in the Feb 1939 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 144. This advertisement looks the same as the one dated September 1938 cited above, but there are some detail differences.
↑ Advertisement for the Tsubasa Super Semi, Tsubasa A Chrome, Tsubasa Chrome and Baby Chrome, published in the Apr 1939 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 147.

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 144–6.