The Orient folder is a Japanese folding camera using 127 film, made by an unknown company.
Description[]
The Orient is a folding camera that is not self-erecting: the lens standard has to be manually pulled out of the body and slides on two rails. There is a folding frame finder in the middle of the top plate — as seen by the photographer holding the camera horizontally — and an advance knob at the bottom right. The standing leg is marked ORIENT or Orient.[1] The name Orient is sometimes embossed in the leather covering at the front of the camera.[2]
The picture format is said to be 4×4.4cm.[3] This is probably the exact measurement and the camera was probably advertised for a larger nominal size, for example 4×4.5cm or 4×5cm.
The back is hinged to the left and the back latch is covered by a handle. The back contains two red windows, marked A and B, and a table that describes how to obtain 11 exposures with the paperback numbers.
On all the cameras seen so far, the shutter gives B and 1/25 settings, the lens is a fixed-focus New Best 80mm f/8, and the aperture scale is at the bottom right (as seen from the front).
The Below camera 'New Type"
New Type No-Need-Darkroom type of Folding camera in 4x6cm sized negative. Not a roll film camera! Unknown maker, believed late 1920's? Don@Eastwestphoto
Front close up of the New Type Folder, Need-No-Darkroom Camera. Don@Eastwestphoto
MAY be a early Orient model "No-Need-Darkroom", Type camera; as it does have a plate type FILM Sheath insert in its back for removing & inserting , for a single shot 4x6cm sized negative. See "N0-Need-Darkroom" also on this site! These are also referred to as "Yen-Kame" type cameras on this site also. The build quality and designing is very similar between Orient folders and this Unknown Folder that is obviously earlier in build. I would guessimate a 1929 build folder design by Orient or it's Predecessor making this a possible Unknown model of Orient?
Variations[]
Pictures of three examples have been observed so far. Two of them have a shutter plate marked Orient at the top, JAPAN. O.K.S. at the bottom left, 80MM 1:8 under the lens , and NEW BEST and ANASTIGMAT on the sides. One of these has a K logo on the side,[4] and the other perhaps has a different logo.[5] The third camera has a different shutter plate marked KUJAKU at the top.[6]
Notes[]
- ↑ ORIENT: examples pictured in Sugiyama, items 1218–9. Orient: example pictured in this page of the AJCC.
- ↑ Example pictured in this page of the AJCC.
- ↑ Sugiyama, items 1218–9, repeated in McKeown, p.450.
- ↑ Example pictured in this page of the AJCC.
- ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1218.
- ↑ Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 1219.
Bibliography[]
- McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). P.450.
- Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Items 1218–9.
The Orient folder is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi.
Links[]
In Japanese:
- Orient in a page of the AJCC website