Shiro S.K. ?

[Clay Turtle]

Anybody run across one of these before? I am wondering about it as I have been working on one & found some rather strange aspects in it's construction. The rear standard uses a geared platform which I found to have been broken then nailed (not glued) back together. I noted the tracks were of nylon type material which started me to thinking about possible date of manufacture then I found that it seems to be constructed as 2 ply . . . the inner is a very soft wood & the outer a hard with lacquer finish. Which is real puzzle as I found that the inner construct had a few nails which had been covered by the outer ply? The name plates are of the stick on kind which only adds to the question of origin.

[Ernest Purdum]

Nails? That's beyond strange, it's weird. I am guessing your camera was made about 1972, a period of very rapid transition in Japanese camera design. Shiro referred to it as a "portable studio camera". I say 1972, lbecause the 1970 version was closer to being a downsized version of the huge Japanese studio types, while later versions came with black lacquer finish and had a little more movement capability.

If you have any more specific questions, I'll be happy to try to answer them.

[Clay Turtle]

Thank You. I was wondering about this make of camera because of the strange configurations incorporated in its design. I had a feeling that someone had revised (rebuilt) portions . . . the extensive use of tongue & groove didn't go long with bright shiny nails being overlaid with lacquered wood?