Walcon Semi
The Walcon Semi
The Walcon or Walcon Semi is a 4.5×6 folding camera sold by Walz in 1954 and 1955. It is advertised in 1954[1] and 1955[2], presented as a camera for ladies. It is offered with a Kominar 75/3.5 front-cell focusing lens and a Copal B, 1–300 synchronized shutter with a self-timer and PC socket, for ¥11,000 case included.
The camera pictured is indistinguishable from the contemporary Zenobia C except for the lens and shutter. It is a vertical folding camera with a body based on the Ikonta 4.5×6, an optical finder enclosed in a top housing, an accessory shoe and a body release. It is embossed WALCON in the front leather.
The Walcon 6
The Walcon 6, advertised in 1955[3] for ¥13,000, is a 6×6 horizontal folding camera with an uncoupled rangefinder. The rangefinder eyepiece is separate from the viewfinder, and there are three windows in front of the top housing. There is an auto-stop film advance with an exposure counter and double exposure prevention. There is one red window in the back, protected by a sliding cover, and Kokusan kamera no rekishi suggests that it was used to take 4.5×6 pictures.
The lens and shutter are the same as the Walcon Semi: a front-cell focusing Kominar 7.5cm f:3.5 and a Copal with B, 1&ndash300 speeds, a self-timer and F synchronization via a PC socket.
Notes
- ↑ Advertisement for the Walcon and Wagoflex, published in the Aug 1954 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 1058. — Advertisement for the Wagoflex and Walcon Semi, published in the Nov 1954 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 1057.
- ↑ Advertisement for the Walcon 6, Wagoflex and Walcon Semi, published in the Mar 1955 issue of Camera Mainichi, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, item 1059.
- ↑ March 1955 advertisement cited above.
Printed 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 1057–9.
Web bibliography
- Advertisement for the Walcon and Wagoflex, originally published in the Aug 1954 issue of Asahi Camera, reproduced in a page of Japanese ads mostly dating from the same year
Links
In Japanese:
- Walcon 6 repair notes at Kan's Room, with sample pictures