Zessan
The Zessan is a Japanese camera taking 3×4cm pictures on 127 film, sold and probably made by Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō (the predecessor of Ricoh) around 1941.
Description
The Zessan has a metal body with a telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly. The advance knob is at the top right. The tubular optical finder is offset to the left and a small part extends further to the left, as a step above the top plate supporting the accessory shoe. The film loading is probably through the top plate (like on the Picny and Gelto cameras, to which the Zessan is directly comparable). A small knob is visible between the finder and the advance knob, perhaps used to lock the top plate in closed position.
The shutter is an everset Licht by Seikōsha and the lens is a front-cell focusing one, whose name is unknown.
Advertising and name
The Zessan was pictured in an advertisement dated February 1941 but no detail was given.[1] The Japanese word zessan means "praise" when written 絶賛 or 絶讃. Riken used many such names in the prewar and wartime period. The name has not yet been observed on any original document and the actual writing used by the company is not known.
Notes
- ↑ Advertisement published in Gakusei no Kagaku, reproduced in the Gochamaze website.
Bibliography
- Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). "Ricoh kamera no nagare" (リコーカメラの流れ, Evolution of the Ricoh cameras). In Ricoh kamera no subete (リコーカメラのすべて, "All that of Ricoh cameras"), issue no. 14 (1 October 1989) of Classic Camera Senka (クラシックカメラ専科). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama. Pp. 8–11. (The Zessan is only briefly mentioned twice on pp. 8–9 of this magazine issue, otherwise displaying most of the cameras made by Riken and Ricoh. It is not present in the camera list of the Ricoh official website, mostly based on this source.)
Links
In Japanese:
- Japanese prewar 127 film cameras, including the Zessan, at Nekosan's website
- Advertisement for the Riken cameras picturing the Zessan (first camera from the top), published in the February 1941 issue of Gakusei no Kagaku, reproduced in the camera company page of the Gochamaze website
Asahi Bussan and Riken prewar and wartime cameras ( ) | ||
---|---|---|
rigid or collapsible | ||
Vest Adler | Gokoku | Semi Kinsi | Letix | Olympic | New Olympic | Regal Olympic | Semi Olympic | Super Olympic | Vest Olympic | Riken No.1 | Ricohl | Roico | Seica | Zessan | ||
folders | pseudo TLR | TLR |
Semi Adler | Adler III | Adler A | Adler B | Adler C | Adler Four | Adler Six | Gaica | Heil | Kinsi | Chukon Ref | Ricohflex | Ricohflex B |