Difference between revisions of "Weha plate folders"

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== Wooden body ==
 
== Wooden body ==
The early models have a wooden body. Two surviving examples have been observed so far, recognized by the name ''WEHA'' embossed in the leather handle, but they have a different body.
+
The early models have a wooden body. Two surviving examples have been observed so far. They are identified by the name ''WEHA'' embossed in the leather handle, but they have a different body.
  
The presumably earliest one has split folding struts, vertical and horizontal movement ability, a small focusing wheel on the photographer's right, a folding brilliant finder and a wireframe finder attached on two points.<REF> Example observed in an online auction. </REF> It has an [[Ibsor]] shutter (1–125, T, B) and a [[Heliostar]] Anastigmat München 130mm f/4.5 lens. The focal length probably indicates that it takes {{tefuda}} (8×10.5cm) plates.
+
The presumably earliest one has split folding struts, vertical and horizontal movement ability, a small focusing wheel on the photographer's right, a folding brilliant finder and a wireframe finder attached on two points.<REF> Example observed in an online auction. </REF> It has an [[Ibsor]] shutter (1–125, T, B) and a [[Heliostar]] Anastigmat München 130mm f/4.5 lens (no.75791). The focal length probably indicates that it takes {{tefuda}} (8×10.5cm) plates.
  
 
The presumably later one is in 6.5×9cm format.<REF> Example pictured in {{Sugiyama}}, item 1264. </REF> It has plain folding struts (similar to those of the [[Kokka]]), no movement ability, a focusing wheel on the right, a rigid brilliant finder and a different wireframe finder attached on one point. It might have the same handle lugs as the previous example. This particular example has a rim-set [[Compur]] shutter (T, B, 1–250) and an Anastigmat Trioplan 10.5cm f/4.5.<REF> Shutter speed and lens name reported in {{Sugiyama}}, item 1264. </REF>
 
The presumably later one is in 6.5×9cm format.<REF> Example pictured in {{Sugiyama}}, item 1264. </REF> It has plain folding struts (similar to those of the [[Kokka]]), no movement ability, a focusing wheel on the right, a rigid brilliant finder and a different wireframe finder attached on one point. It might have the same handle lugs as the previous example. This particular example has a rim-set [[Compur]] shutter (T, B, 1–250) and an Anastigmat Trioplan 10.5cm f/4.5.<REF> Shutter speed and lens name reported in {{Sugiyama}}, item 1264. </REF>

Revision as of 14:51, 12 April 2008

Japanese plate cameras
Monocular cameras (edit)
No.0 (4×5cm) Secrette
atom (4.5×6cm) New Argus | Egorette | Secrette
Box cameras (edit)
No.0 (4×5cm) Adam | Hayatori Renshūyō
atom (4.5×6cm) Atom Hayatori Shashinki
meishi (5.5×8cm) Cherry
tefuda (8×10.5cm) Champion | Cherry | Sakura Army | Sakura Honor | Sakura Navy
nimaigake (8×12cm) Sakura Honor
kabine (12×16.5cm) Sakura Honor
Folding bed cameras (edit)
No.0 (4×5cm) Alpha | Sweet | Pony Sweet | Taishō-shiki
atom (4.5×6cm) Monarch | Need | Palma
meishi (5.5×8cm) Eagle | Idea A | Idea B | Idea Snap | Idea No.1 | Iris | Lily (horizontal) | Pearl No.3 | Special Camera | Venis | X
daimeishi (6.5×9cm) Apollo | Arcadia | Crite | Special East | Eaton | Elliotte | First | First Etui | Gold | Happy | Hope | Idea No.1 | Idea (metal) | Kinka | Kokka | Lily (horizontal) | Lily (metal) | Tropical Lily | Lloyd | Lomax | Masnette | Mikuni | Need | Nifca Klapp | Nifca Sport | Ohca | Palma | Peter | Prince | Prince Peerless | Proud | Romax | Rosen | Rubies | Sirius | Sun | Super | Tokiwa | Venus | Weha Idea | Weha Light
tefuda (8×10.5cm) Eagle | Idea A | Idea B | Idea No.1 | Idea (metal) | Iris | Lily (original) | Lily (horizontal) | Lily (metal) | Palma | Pearl No.3, No.4 | Minimum Pearl | Special Pearl | Sakura Palace | Sakura Pocket Prano | Star | Tokiwa | Weha
nimaigake (8×12cm) Eagle | Idea | Idea Binocular | Sakura Prano | Sakura Binocular Prano | Star Premo
hagaki (8×14cm) Eagle | Noble | Pearl No.3, No.4 | Star
kabine (12×16.5cm) Idea | Noble | Sakura Prano | Star Premo
Strut-folding cameras (edit)
No.0 (4×5cm) CH
atom (4.5×6cm) Idea Spring
meishi (5.5×8cm) Minimum Idea | Korok
daimeishi (6.5×9cm) Idea Spring | Minolta | Auto Minolta | Auto Press Minolta | Nifca-Dox | Vester Klapp
tefuda (8×10.5cm) Focal Happy | Idea Spring | Idea Telephoto
10×15cm Kongo Press
kabine (12×16.5cm) Idea Spring | Idea Telephoto
SLR cameras (edit)
atom (4.5×6cm) Simplex Reflex | Speed Reflex
meishi (5.5×8cm) Speed Reflex
daimeishi (6.5×9cm) Convex Reflex | Hogo Reflex | Idea Reflex (1932) | Neat Reflex | Simplex Reflex | Speed Reflex
tefuda (8×10.5cm) Idea Reflex (1910 and 1911) | Idea Reflex (1932) | Neat Reflex | Photo Deluxe Reflex | Speed Reflex
nimaigake (8×12cm) Idea Reflex (1910 and 1911) | Sakura Reflex Prano
kabine (12×16.5cm) Idea Reflex (1910 and 1911)
daikabine (13×18cm) Guaranteed Reflex
unknown Hardflex | Leinflex | Photoman Special Reflex
Stereo cameras
3.7×5cm Tokioscope
4×5in Idea Binocular | Sakura Binocular Prano
Japanese 3×4 and 4×4, 4×5 and 4×6.5, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->

The Weha (ウエハー) plate folders were distributed in the early 1930s by Yamamoto Shashinki-ten, owner of the Weha brand. Yamamoto later distributed the Weha Chrome Six and Weha Six made by Ehira, but the plate folders were probably not made by the same company.[1]

See also the Weha Idea, a rebadged version of the Idea by Konishiroku.

Wooden body

The early models have a wooden body. Two surviving examples have been observed so far. They are identified by the name WEHA embossed in the leather handle, but they have a different body.

The presumably earliest one has split folding struts, vertical and horizontal movement ability, a small focusing wheel on the photographer's right, a folding brilliant finder and a wireframe finder attached on two points.[2] It has an Ibsor shutter (1–125, T, B) and a Heliostar Anastigmat München 130mm f/4.5 lens (no.75791). The focal length probably indicates that it takes tefuda (8×10.5cm) plates.

The presumably later one is in 6.5×9cm format.[3] It has plain folding struts (similar to those of the Kokka), no movement ability, a focusing wheel on the right, a rigid brilliant finder and a different wireframe finder attached on one point. It might have the same handle lugs as the previous example. This particular example has a rim-set Compur shutter (T, B, 1–250) and an Anastigmat Trioplan 10.5cm f/4.5.[4]

Metal body

The later models have a metal body.

Original advertisement

An advertisement dated April 1933 presents the metal Weha Light B (ウエハーライトカメラB型) in daimeishi size (6.5×9cm), with double extension bellows.[5] The folding struts have a peculiar shape, roughly similar to that found on most Kinka plate folders. The picture shows a brilliant finder and wireframe finder, and perhaps a focusing wormscrew, but no bubble level. The camera was supplied with three plate holders and one film pack holder. The following options are listed, all with a Heliostar lens:

The same advertisement also presents the Weha Idea (ウエハーアイデヤカメラ), a single extension daimeishi model manufactured by Rokuoh-sha, certainly corresponding to a rebadged Idea.

Actual examples

Two surviving examples have been observed in 6.5×9cm size, with the same folding struts as the Weha Light B and single extension bellows. They have no visible focus control, and are perhaps focused by pulling the front standard back and forth manually via the two cylindrical pins at the bottom. Both have a plain rectangular eyepiece for the wireframe finder, and a bubble level on the side of the brilliant finder, and none has any visible movement ability. One of these has a Vario shutter (25, 50, 100, B, T) and a lens reported as a Weha-Aplanat 105/6.8.[6] The other has a Neuheil shutter made by Neumann & Heilemann and a Heliostar Anastigmat München 105mm f/6.3 lens (no.48086), and reportedly has the word "WEHA" printed on the top handle.[7]

A third camera, reported as a Weha, has a small focusing wheel on the photographer's right.[8] It reportedly has double extension bellows but this is unsure. Its pulling tabs at the bottom of the front standard differ from those of the above cameras. It has a wireframe finder and a bubble level attached to the brilliant finder, and has no visible movement ability. Its shutter is a Lidex (T, B, 5–200) by Molta and its lens is a Heliostar Anastigmat München 105mm f/4.5.

A fourth example has been observed in 8×10.5cm size.[9] It has a different thicker body, certainly made of diecast alloy, and different folding struts. Its double extension bellows is driven by a wheel on the photographer's right. Its front standard allows vertical movements controlled by a knob atop the right-hand branch, and horizontal movements locked by a screw at the bottom. Its pivoting brilliant finder has no bubble level. It has the name WEHA printed on the top handle. Its shutter is a Neuheil by Neumann & Heilemann and its lens is a Heliostar Anastigmat München 130mm f/4.5 (no.78237).

Another lens and shutter unit has been reported as coming from a Weha Light.[10] It consists of an Anastigmat Wekar 10.5cm f/4.5 lens made by Kenngott mounted on a Pronto (25, 50, 100, B, T) shutter.

McKeown lists a "Light" plate folder, which is not attributed to any particular company.[11] It is reported as a copy of the Maximar, with a Heliostar 105/4.5 lens and a Neuheil shutter (25–150), and it certainly corresponds to the Weha Light.

Notes

  1. McKeown, p.255, attributes the "Weha Light" to Ehira, but this is implausible.
  2. Example observed in an online auction.
  3. Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1264.
  4. Shutter speed and lens name reported in Sugiyama, item 1264.
  5. Advertisement published in the April 1st, 1933 issue of Ōsaka Shashin Shinbun, reproduced in Tanimura, p.97 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.12.
  6. Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1265.
  7. Example observed in an online auction.
  8. Example pictured in this page at Asacame.
  9. Example observed in an online auction.
  10. See this page at ksmt.com.
  11. McKeown, p.622.

Bibliography

Links

In Japanese: