The Masmirar is an auxiliary reflex finder made in the mid-1950s by Masmy. It is made of a small mirror box, with a two-element[1] lens and a viewing hood. The name MASMIRAR is inscribed in front of the hood, above the lens. The whole device clips on the camera's accessory shoe, and can rotate for horizontal and vertical pictures.[1] It is said to have parallax indications, presumably on the viewing screen.[1]
It is said that two versions were made, for 35mm cameras and for 4.5×6cm or 6×6cm cameras.[1] The price in 1955 was ¥980 (apparently the same for the two versions).[1][2][3] The device was supplied with a case and another accessory shoe.[1]
The similar devices available in Japan at the same time were the more expensive Septonflex and the yet more sophisticated View-Arco, with automatic parallax correction.
Notes
Bibliography
- Photo Art rinji zōkan: Kamera akusesarī zensho (フォトアート臨時増刊・カメラアクセサリー全書, Photo Art special issue: All the camera accessories). June 1955, no.80 of the magazine.
- "Zukai: Akusesarī no mekanikku. 8: Akusesarī kurippu ue de mochiiru fuzokuhin. Masumirā." (図解・アクセサリーのメカニック・8・アクセサリー・クリップ上で用いる付属品・マスミラー. Drawings: accessory mechanisms. 8: Devices used on the accessory shoe. Masmirar.) P.43.
- Advertisement by Masmy Kōki Seisaku on p.125.
- Photo Art rinji zōkan: Kamera no chishiki (フォトアート臨時増刊・カメラの知識, Photo Art special issue: Knowledge of cameras). October 1955, no.87 of the magazine.
- "Kakubu no kikō to sono sōsa. 14: Kamera ni toritsukeru akusesarī no chishiki. Akusesarī kurippu ni. c: Faindā." (各部の機構とその操作・14・カメラに取付けるアクセサリーの知識・アクセサリークリップに・c・ファインダー. Mechanism and operation of all the parts. On the accessory shoe. 14: Knowledge of the accessories attached to the camera. c: Finders.) P.45.
- Advertisement by Masmy Kōki Seisaku on p.158.
