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Japanese Semi (4.5×6)
Postwar models (edit)
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Prewar and wartime models ->
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The Super Semi Plum is a Japanese 4.5×6 coupled-rangefinder camera, said to be made by Omori and about which little is known.

Description[]

The Super Semi Plum has a rigid body. The advance knob is at the top right, as seen by the photographer. There is a smaller diameter knob at the top left, made to look like the rewind knob of a 35mm camera. It can be pulled out to make film loading easier.[1] The back is removed together with the bottom plate for film loading, and is reportedly locked by two keys.[1]

The viewfinder and rangefinder are contained in a casing between the two knobs, and share a common eyepiece offset to the left. The viewfinder window is rectangular and the second image window is round. There is an accessory shoe behind the rangefinder window.

The camera has a focal-plane shutter. The speed dial is above the right part of the finder housing, next to the release button. It is said that the speeds are B, 20–500.[2][1][3] The shutter is wound by turning the advance knob, during the first part of its course.[3]

The lens is interchangeable via a 52mm diameter screw mount.[3] The standard lens is a collapsible Plum 7.5cm f/3.5 — it is not known if others were made. The focusing ring, at the base of the lens, is driven by a tab and has what looks like an infinity lock; the distance scale goes from ∞ to 1.5m. The diaphragm is controlled by an index at the front of the lens, around the black inner bezel. The aperture scale, from 3.5 to 25, is inscribed on the outer rim, together with the name Plum Semi and an unknown logo.

Variations[]

The only actual example observed so far has lens number 1049.[4] Its release button is to the rear of the top casing, and no auto-stop advance device is visible.

Another version is described in 300 Leica Copies.[1] It has auto-stop advance and a frame counter window next to the advance knob, and its release button is towards the front of the top casing. No picture of this version has yet been observed.

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Pont / Princelle, p.245.
  2. Sugiyama, item 3071.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Awano, p.59 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.37.
  4. Example pictured in Sugiyama, item 3071, and in Awano, p.59 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.37 (owned by Awano). The drawing in Pont / Princelle, p.245, is based on the picture in Sugiyama, and the text mentions the camera as a "variation".

Bibliography[]

This camera is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi.

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