The Oplen Junior (オプレンジュニア) is a Japanese 6×6 camera, only known from Kokusan kamera no rekishi, where it is attributed to the distributor Goyō Shōkai.[1] The Roman spelling is not known for sure, but other cameras called Oplenflex have been observed, and "Oplen" is the most plausible.[2]
The camera was featured in the new products column of the September 1955 issue of Sankei Camera.[3] It is described as a box camera made of bakelite. The film apparently runs horizontally, and its advance is controlled by red window. The viewfinder is a large brilliant finder, making the camera a pseudo TLR. The lens is an f/6.3 meniscus and the shutter has B and I (Bulb and Instant) settings. It is synchronized for a dedicated cordless flash unit, directly attached to the camera.
No surviving example and no picture has been found yet. The description might fit the Palma Brilliant and Rosko Brilliant, which are attributed to Goyō by other sources.[4]
Notes[]
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.348.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.348, gives the spelling "Opulen", but this source is not very reliable for Roman names.
- ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.348.
- ↑ Sugiyama, items 4164 and 4171; McKeown, p.365.
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. Item 438.
The Oplen Junior is not listed in Sugiyama.