MINOLTA SEMI mod.IIIC
1948

Serial Nr.30015
Minolta Code 64-233

Characteristics and functions
The Minolta Semi are folding cameras that use Roll-film 120 film and provide 16
images of 4.5x6cm. The Semi-Minolta IIIC is the only camera produced by Minolta,
with a circulation of about 8000 copies, throughout 1948. The shutter is an S-Konan
Rapid with speeds between 1/500" to 1" and bulb.
The lens is a Rokkor 1:3.5 f = 75mm.
The camera is completely covered in black leather except for the top cap which is insatin metal. The lines are taut and the camera is angular; the part that covers thebellows with the lens is slightly shaped and equipped with a practical foldable chrome
foot to support the camera in the working position when it is placed on a surface. The
rear part is completely occupied by the film compartment door, hinged to the left withan opening system along the right side. To release the door, lower it by 6-7mm. thechrome tab located at the lower end; to close the back, bring the parts together andreturn the chromed tab to its primary position. The back door has a circular window
with red glass for viewing the laying number on the film which is covered by aninternal lid controlled by a cursor positioned just above the window itself.
All the controls are collected on the top cover: from left to right we find the accessory
shoe, the shutter button, the viewfinder with folding frame, the black writing - on twolines - "Minolta No.30015", the window of the additive frame counter (1-16), thebutton for the simultaneous opening of the bellows and the viewfinder and, on the farright, the large knurled pawl for the advancement of the film (to be rotated according
to the direction of the large black and curved arrow that is engraved above). On thefront of the upper cap there is a small striped lever that moves in a horizontal slot: it
is used to unlock the film advance pawl after each shot. On the rear part of the uppercasing we find a chromed tab which, if pressed fully, serves to reset the frame
counter. Two mobile knurled pawls are placed on the back, which serve to facilitate
the introduction of the film reels (with film on the left and empty - receiving - on theright), while in the center there is a chromed frame with thread for attachment to thecase or to the tripod that bears the inscription MADE IN OCCUPED JAPAN (Theperiod of American occupation ends on April 28, 1952) engraved between threefixing screws.
The foldable black leather bellows supports the shutter/lens assembly and is joined
to the front door by means of a black swivel mount and held in place by two foldable
chrome levers (one upper and one lower). One part of the frame, the one closest tothe bellows, is painted in black and has a satin-finish metal sheet engraved with thediaphragms (3.5 - 4 - 5.6 - 8 - 11 - 16 - 22) and a movable cursor with arrowreference used to set the working aperture. In the lower part there is the socket for
the flash on a curved sheet in satin metal. A striped circular crown shows in theupper part the shutter speed values (500 - 250 - 100 - 50 - 25 - 10 - 5 - 2 - 1 - B)
which refer to an arrow ∆ engraved between the words KONAN and RAPID shownon the fixed satin part, while in the lower part it is engraved: S-KONAN-RAPID. Thefront frame that contains the first objective lens is movable and is used to adjust
shooting distances ranging from just under 3ft. infinity (3ft. - 3.5 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 10 - 12 - 15 - 20 - 30 - 50 - 100 - ∞) with reference that also acts as a block helical.
The lever for cocking the bolt is placed on the right side, slightly lower, and must beraised by about 1 centimeter. To close the bellows it is necessary to act on the twochromed and foldable levers, closing the door until it clicks.
Weight 520g.
Length 122mm., Height 100mm., Depth 39mm. with closed bellows and 98mm. withopen bellows.