Flora (NMK)
From Camerapedia.org
The Flora is a Japanese 6×6 camera made at the end of the 1940s. It is said that it was never sold, and the only prototype observed so far is pictured in Sugiyama.[1]
Description
The Flora is a rigid camera taking 6×6cm pictures. It has a large focusing helical, supporting the lens and shutter assembly. This helical is coupled to a small lens whose window is visible at the bottom of the body, on the camera's left side. The position of the eyepiece is unknown. This lens is certainly a small monocular, used for focusing.
The viewfinder is offset to the left and contained in a short top housing. There are knobs at both ends of the camera, it seems that the right one is used for film advance (an arrow is engraved above) and the other is a mere film flange. Two additional knobs are visible above the top housing, to the right of the viewfinder; one of them is perhaps an exposure counter. There is no body release. The back is hinged to the right and there are strap lugs at both ends of the body.
A marking is visible above the viewfinder, certainly the name Flora. The initials N.M.K. are engraved next to the viewfinder window, they certainly correspond to the company name. The letter A and the serial number are engraved at the front of the top housing. It seems that the prototype pictured in Sugiyama has no. 00023.
The lens is a Nissei Anastigmat 7.5cm f/4.5 and has a three-digit serial number. The shutter is engraved NISSEI on the speed rim, it is reported to give T, B, 1–500 speeds.[2] (Nissei shutters are found on other Japanese cameras.)
Notes
Bibliography
- 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. Item 3247.
This camera is not listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi.
