Riken Gokoku №1

The Gokoku №1 is a very rare Japanese medium format camera for 3×4cm exposures on 127 rollfilm, made by Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō (the predecessor of Ricoh), with non-interchangeable, collapsible Gokoku Anastigmat 3.5/50mm lens with focusing helix driven by a tab, from infinity down to 0.5 meter.

Originally announced in 1938 as the Riken №1, Gokoku has a focal plane shutter and reminiscent a Leica Barnack without a rangefinder.

The word gokoku (written 護国) means "protector of the country", it is an example of the Bushido – Bushidō (武士道, "the way of the warrior") moral code names often used by Riken around WWII.

The Gokoku №1 camera has a metal body with leather covering and chrome-plated brass top and bottom plates.

The name GOKOKU №1 is engraved above the finder (with a stylized G) together with the R.K.K initials of Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō. The shutter speed dial has Z, 20, 30, 40, 60, 100, 200, 500 settings. The serial number №1649 is engraved in front of the accessory shoe.

The film advance knob is at the right end, it turns in the counter-clockwise direction and is surrounded by the exposure counter. The film is advanced and the shutter is wound in the same movement. There is a cosmetic rewind knob at the left end of the top plate: the camera does not need rewind and it is only there to mimic the Leica.

The back is removable together with the bottom plate for film loading. It is locked by keys at both ends, and the bottom plate also has a tripod thread. There is a single red window at the left end of the back, used to set the position of the first exposure. It is protected by a cover that is retracted by a thumb wheel surrounding the red window.

Photo credit: © Leitz Photographica Auction