Japanese Semi and Six models

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Japanese Semi and Six models

The 120 format was popular worldwide from the 1930s onwards. A size that is small enough for compact, portable cameras, and large enough for contact printing. Came the war, which had ended with a large GI contingent in Japan. Buying power was there, but little to apply it for. To fill the need, a whole cottage industry was established in Japan, offering cameras of this format. Bodies were fairly similar, and glass and shutters were taken from established manufacturers (to a varying degree). The other mas produced format was the Hit type camera, not much of a camera, more of a novelty.

Making cameras takes only talent, know-how, manufacturing ability, and an enterprising spirit. Problems came with naming. Here, as well as at the Hit models, manufacturers brewed what looks as a random combination taken from an alphabet soup. Here is a list of these models.

ModelBrandYearMore
Chrome Six IOlympus1948 More
Chrome Six IIOlympus1948 More
Chrome Six IIIOlympus1950 More
Chrome Six IVOlympus1954 More
Chrome Six RIOlympus1954 More
Chrome Six RIIOlympus1955 More
Chrome Six VaOlympus1955 More
Semi IOlympus1936 More
Semi IIOlympus1938 More
SixOlympus1940 More
Chrome Six VbOlympus1955 More
Six I BSFuji1948 More
Six II BSFuji1940 More
Six II CRFuji1962 More
Six II CSFuji1952 More
Super Six MFuji1956 More
Six I AFuji More
Six K 2Mamiya1956 More
Six IMamiya1940 More
Six IaMamiya1941 More
Six IIMamiya1943 More
Six IIIMamiya1942 More
Six AutomatMamiya1955 More
Six Automat IIMamiya1958 More
Six IVMamiya1947 More
Six IV bMamiya1955 More
Six IV sMamiya1957 More
Six KMamiya1954 More
Six III aMamiya1943 More
Six VIMamiya1947 More
Six VMamiya1953 More
Six PMamiya1957 More
Six NSMamiya1950 More
Adler SemiRicoh1938 More
SixRicoh1952 More
Semi HeilRicoh1941 More
Kinsi SemiRicoh1941 More
Semi AceAko Shokai More
Semi AkoAko Shokai More
Semi MetaxAko Shokai More
Aram SixAram1953 More
Atom Six IAtom1951 More
Atom Six IIAtom1952 More
Atom Six IibAtom1951 More
Baron-SixBaron1954 More
SixBeauty1953 More
Semi CondorCondor Camera1939 More
Condor SixCondor Camera More
Semi Condor IICondor Camera More
New Semi Condor IIICondor Camera More
Elbow SixCosmo More
Semi CrystarCrystar1953 More
Semi Crystar UCrystar More
Sister SixCrystar1954 More
SixCrystar1954 More
Six IIIACrystar1956 More
Grace SixDaitoh1950 More
Centre SixDoris More
Doris Six IIDoris1954 More
Doris SixDoris More
Doris Semi PDoris1952 More
Semi LesterDoris1937 More
Semi RocketDoris More
Semi VictorDoris More
Victor SixDoris More
Ehira Chrome SixEhira1941 More
Astoria Super Six IIIBEhira1950 More
Ehira SixEhira1948 More
Enon Six IIIEhira More
Weha Chrome Six IEhira1937 More
Weha Chrome Six IIEhira1938 More
Weha Chrome Six IIIEhira1940 More
National SemiEikodo1940 More
National SixEikodo1940 More
Rocky SemiEndo More
Semi FrankEndo1954 More
Semi BlondEndo More
Lyra SixFuji Kogaku1937 More
Lyra Six FFuji Kogaku1939 More
Lyra Six IIFuji Kogaku1937 More
Lyra Six IIIFuji Kogaku1938 More
Lyra Six JFuji Kogaku1939 More
Semi Lyra IFuji Kogaku1936 More
Semi Lyra IIFuji Kogaku1937 More
Semi Lyra FFuji Kogaku1940 More
Semi Golder IIFuji Kogaku1950 More
Semi Lyra SRFuji Kogaku More
Lyra Six LFuji Kogaku More
Semi GolderFuji Kogaku More
Semi Prince IIFujimoto1935 More
Semi Sport IFujimoto1941 More
Semi LuckFujimoto1950 More
Semi PrinceFujimoto1935 More
Oscar Six IaFujiwara1953 More
Oscar SixFujiwara1953 More
Renown SixFujiwara1953 More
Renown Six IiaFujiwara1954 More
Renown Six IaFujiwara1953 More
Futami SixFutami Koki More
Futami SemiFutami Koki More
Seves SemiGinrei Kogi1935 More
Vesta SixGinrei Kogi1937 More
Semi CloverGinrei Kogi More
Clover SixGinrei Kogi1937 More
Vester SixGinrei Kogi1940 More
Semi CloverHagi1941 More
Clover-SixHagi1940 More
Clover-Six BHagi1940 More
HasemiflexHasegawa1931 More
Hasemi FieldHasegawa More
Kiko SemiKigawa1940 More
Poppy Six IIKigawa1948 More
Semi SixteenthKigawa1939 More
Tsubasa SemiKigawa1952 More
Tsubasa Semi Chrome Model BKigawa1939 More
Tsubasa Super SemiKigawa1938 More
Carl Six IKigawa1952 More
Carl Six IIKigawa1952 More
New Carl SixKigawa1952 More
Tsubasa Semi FKigawa More
Poppy SixKigawa1990 More
Semi KeefKokusaku More
Pearl SemiKonica1938 More
Pearl Semi IIKonica More
Kowa SixKowa1972 More
Kowa Six IIKowa1972 More
Kowa Six MMKowa1972 More
Semi-TexKyokuto1937 More
Flex SixKyoto Seiki1940 More
Flora Six IIKyowa1953 More
Flora Six R IIIKyowa1953 More
Kyowa Six R IIKyowa More
Semi Leotax DLLeotax1951 More
Semi Leotax ILeotax1941 More
Semi Leotax JLeotax More
Semi Leotax RLeotax1952 More
Semi Leotax VILeotax More
Semi Leotax 645Leotax More
First Six ITokiwa Seiki1952 More
First Six IIITokiwa Seiki1952 More
First Six IVTokiwa Seiki1954 More
First Six NewTokiwa Seiki1954 More
Dorima SixTokyo Koken More
Semi RenkyRengo1938 More
New Semi RenkyRengo1940 More
Semi GermaTokyo Shashin Kogaku More
SixMinolta1935 More
Semi AutoMinolta1937 More
Semi IMinolta1932 More
Semi IIMinolta1940 More
Semi IIIAMinolta1946 More
Semi IIIBMinolta1947 More
Semi IIICMinolta1950 More
Semi PMinolta1951 More
Semi ProudMiyoshi More
Super Semi ProudMiyoshi More
Semi PruxMiyoshi1938 More
Semi NationalMiyoshi More
Flex SixMiyoshi More
National SixMiyoshi More
Mizuho SixMizuho Koki1951 More
Mizuho Six II BMizuho Koki1952 More
Mizuho Six Super NMizuho Koki1954 More
Mizuho Six V aMizuho Koki1952 More
Mizuho Six V bMizuho Koki1952 More
Mizuho Six V cMizuho Koki1952 More
Semi DymosMori More
Hansa Semi RolletteMori1936 More
Semi RosenMori1937 More
Semi KonterMori More
Konter SixMori1940 More
Miyako SixNakamura Pate Shokai More
Calm SixNippon Koki1955 More
Calm Six Deluxe IINippon Koki1956 More
Calm Six SNippon Koki1955 More
Silver Super SixNippon Koki1953 More
Super Calm SixNippon Koki1955 More
AtlasixNishida1954 More
FodorsixNishida1955 More
Semi WesterNishida1951 More
Wester SixNishida1955 More
Wester Six RNishida1953 More
Wester Six S-2Nishida1955 More
Apollo Semi IINishida1951 More
Apollo Six LNishida More
Center SixNissan Kogaku1951 More
Victor SixNissan Kogaku More
Semi VictorNissan Kogaku More
Semi CondorNissan Kogaku1940 More
Ofuna Six Coupled RFOfuna1956 More
Ofuna Six Uncoupled RFOfuna1953 More
Oko Six I 6×6Oki More
Oko Six II 6×6Oki More
Oko Semi 4.5×6Oki1940 More
Bonny Six I 6×6Omiya1941 More
Hansa Semi Rollette 4.5×6Omiya1936 More
Bonny Six IIOmiya1941 More
Super Semi PlumOmori More
Auto Semi FirstPetri1940 More
Baby Semi FirstPetri1937 More
Semi First Model UPetri More
Semi First Model VPetri More
First SixPetri1936 More
Semi IPetri1948 More
Semi IIPetri1948 More
Semi IIIPetri1948 More
Semi FirstPetri1935 More
Semi First APetri More
Semi First BPetri More
Semi First BBPetri1940 More
Semi First BB DeluxePetri1940 More
Semi RottePetri More
First Six VPetri More
Semi Proud IIIProud1938 More
Semi Proud IIProud1938 More
Semi PruxProud1938 More
Rosen SemiProud1936 More
Semi ProudProud1935 More
Rosen Semi UProud More
Super Semi Proud IIProud1935 More
Super Semi ProudProud1937 More
Semi LuckyProud1937 More
Aram SixRokuwa1956 More
Semi MissSanwa More
Semi RodyShibayama1940 More
Mihama Six Model IIIaSuruga1954 More
Mihama Six Model IISuruga1953 More
Mihama Six Model ISuruga1953 More
Mihama SemiSuruga1952 More
Mihama Semi IISuruga More
Mihama Semi IIISuruga More
Mihama Six RSuruga More
Mihama Six DSuruga More
Mihama Six S2Suruga More
Mihama Six SSuruga1955 More
Mihama Six XSuruga1952 More
Mihama Rhyme SixSuruga More
Pilott SixTachibana More
Mine SixTakane1954 More
Mine Six IIFTakane1955 More
Mine Six IIISTakane1955 More
Mine Six Super 66Takane1957 More
Windsor SixTakane More
Balm SixTakane1954 More
Sanon Six ITakasago1950 More
Sanon Six IITakasago1950 More
Sanon Six IIITakasago1950 More
Semi FrankTosei More
Liner SixTosei1953 More
Frank Six JTosei1953 More
Frank Six IVTosei1953 More
Frank SixTosei1951 More
Frank Six ITosei1951 More
Frank Six I BSTosei1948 More
Semi HobixTougodo1953 More
Semi Hobix SH IITougodo More
Toyoca SixTougodo More
Super Makinet SixUmemoto1936 More
Semi MakinetUmemoto1941 More
Rocky SemiUmemoto1953 More
Neure SixUmemoto1936 More
Union SemiUnion Kogaku More
Union Semi C IIUnion Kogaku1953 More
Walcon Semi 4.5×6Walz More
Walcon Six IWalz More
Walcon Six IIWalz More
Semi OsconYamagata1955 More
Semi KinkaYamamoto Shashinki Kosakusho1938 More
Bonny SixYamato More
Minon Six IIYamato1950 More
Minon Six IIIYamato1952 More
Minon Six IYamato1950 More
Semi PrimoZenobia1941 More
Semi Primo IIZenobia1941 More
Gelto Semi IToa1939 More
Gelto Semi IIToa1940 More
Welmy SixTaisai Koki More
Welmy Six ETaisai Koki1952 More
Welmy Six ESTaisai Koki More
Welmy Six LTaisai Koki1953 More
Mount SixTaisai Koki1953 More
Welmy Six WTaisai Koki More
Daido Six Model IDaido Seici1953 More
Daido Six Model IIDaido Seici1954 More
Semi MulberMulber1939 More
Semi Mulber IIMulber1940 More
Rittreck SixMusashino Koki More
Semi Elega 4.5×6Nitto Seiko More
Semi OlympicOlympic Camera1937 More
Pluto SixShichiyo Kogaku1954 More
Pluto Six FShichiyo Kogaku More
Pluto Six LShichiyo Kogaku1954 More
Pluto Six L DXShichiyo Kogaku1954 More
Pluto Six PShichiyo Kogaku1954 More
Apollo SemiSumida1951 More
Mikado SemiSumida More
Proud Chrome Six IISumida1951 More
Proud Chrome Six IIISumida1951 More
Semi Proud 50Sumida More
Proud Chrome Six ISumida More
Proud Chrome Six IIIaSumida More
Proud Super SixSumida More
Semi Masmy ITakagawa Optic More
Semi Masmy IIITakagawa Optic More
Rubina Sixteen Model IITokyo Koki1951 More
Star Semi IIIUyeda Camera1941 More
Star Semi IIUyeda Camera1941 More
Star Semi IUyeda Camera1941 More
Semi OsamoYama-Ko Optical1940 More
UnknownAngel Six Model-1 More
UnknownArti-Six Model XIX1950 More
UnknownPlease Six More
UnknownToho Six More

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