Elbow Six
From Camerapedia.org
The Elbow Six (エルボーシックス) is a Japanese folding camera taking 6×6cm and 4.5×6cm exposures, distributed by Elbow Shōkai and made by Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku, later Cosmo Camera Seisakusho.
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Description
The Elbow Six is a horizontal folder, with folding struts inspired by the Ikonta. Its top housing contains a combined range- and viewfinder, with the common eyepiece on the left as seen by the photographer. The rangefinder is uncoupled but the position of the distance setting wheel is unknown. Two knobs are visible above the camera, one on each end, the one on the photographer's left is probably the film advance. The accessory shoe is buried in the top housing and the name Elbow–six is engraved above the camera. The back is hinged to the right and the folding bed release is on the folding bed itself.
Versions
Japanese advertisements for the Elbow Six were placed in magazines dated April to September 1955.[1]
The Elbow Six I-A has a Correct 75/3.5 lens and a TSK shutter, with B, 1–200 speeds, a self-timer and a PC synch post. It was advertised as a new model in the April 1955 issue of Camera Mainichi.[2] Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku was specified as the manufacturer and Elbow Shōkai as the distributor. It was offered for ¥9,500 in advertisements dated September, naming Cosmo Camera Seisakusho (Kosumo Kamera Seisakusho) as the manufacturer, Elbow Shōkai without specifying its role (presumably distributor), Zentsū and sometimes Nittō Shashin Yōhin as authorized dealers.[3]
The Elbow Six I-AII or I-A2 is the same as the I-A other than for its S. Correct 75/3.2 lens. It was offered for ¥11,000 in the advertisements dated September 1955 cited above.
The camera pictured in April and in September have detail differences in the shape of the top housing. It is not known if these distinguish the I-A and I-A2 or if they correspond to early and late examples of the Elbow Six in general. The April example has the accessory shoe offset to the right, and the Elbow–six marking offset to the left. The September example has the accessory shoe in the middle and the camera name engraved in front of it. It also has a slightly larger viewfinder window.
No surviving example of the Elbow Six has been observed so far.
Notes
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 347.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 121.
- ↑ Advertisements published in Camera Mainichi (with Nittō) and in Sankei Camera (without Nittō), reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp. 121 and 136.
Bibliography
- Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Items 409–10. (See also the advertisement for item 511.)
The Elbow Six is not listed in Sugiyama.