Fujica Six (1948–)

Name: Fujica Six
Brand: Fujica

The Fujica Six was Fuji Photo Film's first 6×6 folding camera, introduced in 1948 as Japan's camera industry was restarting after the war. Few cameras were available and demand was enormous, so the Six filled the gap as a cheap alternative to more expensive fixed-lens cameras. Some sources describe it as a clone of the K.W. Pilot 6, and the lineage is easy to see - a simple bellows folder with a brilliant (reflecting) viewfinder and a three-speed shutter.

The basic specification is well corroborated across sources: a Fuji 75mm f/3.5 lens and shutter speeds up to 1/400th second. The manufacturer's plate marks the focusing mechanism as a "FocA" type, though little else about that system is documented. Owners describe it as a good-value entry-level vintage camera, not at all rare. One user notes that the basic nature of the camera may actually be a benefit, though the viewfinder is dim. HiFI-Stereo (May 1963, p.70) ran an advertisement describing the Six as a "New Easy-to-Use Fully Automatic Camera," though the ad copy appears to refer to the broader Fujica line rather than this specific folding model.

The record gets murkier with the model family. The "Fujica Six series" includes later variants - the Six I (produced in 1957), Six II, and Six III - and the series is described as the predecessor of Fuji's later 6×6 and 6×4.5 cameras. The sources conflict on what the "Fujica Six" name covers. One collector source treats the "Six I" as a distinct 1957 model, while others apply "Fujica Six" to the 1948 original. Prices reflect the confusion: the later Six I has been listed on eBay around £55 - £60, while the earlier model is valued at roughly $20-40. The "1948" origin is the more solid claim, since it appears in multiple sources and fits the post-war production context.

Known specs: