Konica
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese manufacturer of, among other products, film
, film camera
s, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopier
s, fax machines and laser printer
s.
Rokusaburo Sugiura began selling photographic materials at his store in Konishiya Rokubē, the biggest pharmacy trader in Tokyo
at that time.
In 1878, Rokusaburō succeeded to his family and renamed Rokuemon VI (Rokudaime Rokuemon). He gave the original shop to his younger brother and launched a new shop, Konishi Honten (Konishi Main Shop) in the Nihonbashi
district of Tokyo.
In 1882, Konishi launched a project to produce photography related materials in Japan: those products were imported at that time. In 1902, Konishi began to sell the "Cherry Portable Camera" (チェリー手提用暗函), the first Japanese produced end-user oriented camera. New products were released respectively, and Konishi Main Shop became the leading camera company in Japan. In 1921, old Konishi had his elder son succeed to the family and thus company head with the name, and in this occasion Konishi Honten was turned into a company Konishiroku Honten. The name Konishiroku was taken from the abbreviation of their names, Konishi Rokuemon.
Konishiroku released their "Konica I" type camera in 1948, after which they would name their own company in 1987.
On August 5, 2003, Konica merged with Minolta
to form Konica Minolta
. In March 2006, the merged company closed down its photo imaging division, which produced color film, color paper, photo chemicals and digital minilab
machines. Its digital SLR
camera section was transferred to Sony
. Dai Nippon purchased Konica's Odawara
factory site and continues to produce paper under its own brand, while Seapac acquired the Konica chemical factory.
In 2006, Konica Minolta Holdings decided to exit the photography business.
" meaning Cherry Blossom in English.
In the mid 1980s, Konica launched its SR range of film, then SR-V (1987), SR-G (1989), Super SR (1991), Super XG (1993), VX and finally "Centuria" in 1999.
s used the Konica F lens mount
, named after the first camera to use it. This was a bayonet mount, and is not compatible with later Konica lens mounts. The flange focal distance
of the F-mount was 40.5 mm, one of the smallest ever used for a 35 mm SLR. The diameter was 40 mm.
It is not identical to Nikon F-Mount
, which has a much longer flange focal distance of 46.5 mm.
. This line came to an end in 1987 when Konica abandoned the SLR market.
Konica's AR lens mount kept the same flange-film distance that the earlier Konica F lens mount had (40.5 mm), but it has a larger diameter of 47 mm.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese manufacturer of, among other products, film
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
, film camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopier
Photocopier
A photocopier is a machine that makes paper copies of documents and other visual images quickly and cheaply. Most current photocopiers use a technology called xerography, a dry process using heat...
s, fax machines and laser printer
Laser printer
A laser printer is a common type of computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. As with digital photocopiers and multifunction printers , laser printers employ a xerographic printing process, but differ from analog photocopiers in that the image is produced...
s.
History
The company traces its history back to 1873 (pre-dating Kodak in the photography business) when pharmacistPharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
Rokusaburo Sugiura began selling photographic materials at his store in Konishiya Rokubē, the biggest pharmacy trader in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
at that time.
In 1878, Rokusaburō succeeded to his family and renamed Rokuemon VI (Rokudaime Rokuemon). He gave the original shop to his younger brother and launched a new shop, Konishi Honten (Konishi Main Shop) in the Nihonbashi
Nihonbashi
, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...
district of Tokyo.
In 1882, Konishi launched a project to produce photography related materials in Japan: those products were imported at that time. In 1902, Konishi began to sell the "Cherry Portable Camera" (チェリー手提用暗函), the first Japanese produced end-user oriented camera. New products were released respectively, and Konishi Main Shop became the leading camera company in Japan. In 1921, old Konishi had his elder son succeed to the family and thus company head with the name, and in this occasion Konishi Honten was turned into a company Konishiroku Honten. The name Konishiroku was taken from the abbreviation of their names, Konishi Rokuemon.
Konishiroku released their "Konica I" type camera in 1948, after which they would name their own company in 1987.
On August 5, 2003, Konica merged with Minolta
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
to form Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
. In March 2006, the merged company closed down its photo imaging division, which produced color film, color paper, photo chemicals and digital minilab
Minilab
A minilab is a small photographic developing and printing system, as opposed to large centralized photo developing labs. Many retail stores use minilabs to provide on-site photo finishing services....
machines. Its digital SLR
Digital single-lens reflex camera
Most digital single-lens reflex cameras are digital cameras that use a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera....
camera section was transferred to Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
. Dai Nippon purchased Konica's Odawara
Odawara, Kanagawa
is a city located in western Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 198,466 with a population density of 1,740 persons per km² . The total area was .-Geography:...
factory site and continues to produce paper under its own brand, while Seapac acquired the Konica chemical factory.
In 2006, Konica Minolta Holdings decided to exit the photography business.
Film
Konica was a major producer of 35mm film and related products, including film development processors and printing technology. While never equal to giants like Kodak or Fuji, Konica film was generally acknowledged to be of excellent quality. Originally Konica film and paper was sold under the brand name of "SakuraSakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
" meaning Cherry Blossom in English.
In the mid 1980s, Konica launched its SR range of film, then SR-V (1987), SR-G (1989), Super SR (1991), Super XG (1993), VX and finally "Centuria" in 1999.
35mm Rangefinder & Viewfinder Cameras
- Rubikon (1936?) Prototype of Konica I, development stopped by WWII, a few made after war
- RubiconRubiconThe Rubicon is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, about 80 kilometres long, running from the Apennine Mountains to the Adriatic Sea through the southern Emilia-Romagna region, between the towns of Rimini and Cesena. The Latin word rubico comes from the adjective "rubeus", meaning "red"...
(1936?) An X-ray camera that uses 35mm X-ray film, same chassis as Rubikon/Konica I - Konica "I" (1946) Konishiroku's first 35mm cameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
to see full production. Several variants (lenses, shutters, viewfinder, flash mount). - Konica II (1950)
- Konica IIB (1955) (Variants with f3.5 and f2.8 lenses)
- Konica IIB-m (1956)
- Konica IIA (1956) First model to use the superb 48mm f2 Hexanon lens.
- Konica III (1956) Variants with Konirapid-S & Seikosha MXL shutters, most with 48/2 lens, rarer version w/48mm f2.4 Hexanon
- Konica IIIA (1958) Variants with 48/2 & 50/1.8 Hexanons
- Konica IIIM (1959) Variants with Copal MXV & Seikosha SLV shutters, all with 50/1.8 Hexanon. Built-in meter, 1st Konica w/hot shoe (non-standard)
- Konilette 35 (1959) Inexpensive 35mm with scale focus, Konitor 45/3.5 lens.
- Konica S (1959) with exposureExposure (photography)In photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph. Exposure is measured in lux seconds, and can be computed from exposure value and scene luminance over a specified area.In photographic jargon, an exposure...
meter. Lens variants: 45/2.8 Hexar, Hexanon 48/2, 48/1.8 - Konica L (1960) Hexar 45/2.8 lens, Seikosha L shutter, interesting fold down film door.
- Konica S II (1961) only offered with Hexanon 48/2
- Konica S III (1963) new chassis, similar to Auto S, also uses 47/1.9 Hexanon same as Auto S
- Konica EE-Matic (1963) AE only, selenium metering cell (no battery). Also sold as Wards xp500/500a.
- Konica Auto S (1963) First CdS-metered, auto exposure camera. Also sold as Wards am450/am550, Revue Auto S.
- Konica EYE (1964) Half frame camera. Also sold as Wards EYE.
- Konica Auto S2 (1965) Also sold as Wards am551.
- Konica EE-Matic S (1965) Downgrade of orig. EE-Matic, no rangefinder. Also sold as Wards xp400.
- Konica EE-Matic 260 (196?) A version of EE-Matic using 126 film. Also sold as Wards cp301 & Wards 260.
- Konica EE-Matic Deluxe (1965) Primary upgrade, wider ASA range for meter, improved lens. Wards xp501.
- Konica EE-Matic Deluxe "New" (1965) Improved film take-up spindle, easier loading. Wards xp501a.
- Konica Auto SE (1966) Wind-up "motorized" film advance. Great lens! Wards ep504, Revue Auto SE. First Konica with a standard hot shoe.
- Konica Auto S1.6 (1967) Faster f1.6 lens. Hot shoe.
- Konica EE-Matic Deluxe 2 (1967) Sold also as Wards rf450.
- Konica Auto S 261 (1967) A 126 film version of Auto S line, CdS metered. Wards cp302, Wards 261.
- Konica C35 (chrome version) (1968) best seller compact camera. "Journey" nickname, for small size, portability.
- Konica Electron (1969)
- Konica C35 (black version) (1969)
- Konica C35 Flashmatic (Japan) (1971) "C35 Automatic" (export). Chrome & black versions.
- Konica C35 E&L (Japan) (1971) C35 economical model. No rangefinder. "C35 V" (export)
- Konica Auto S3 (export) (1975) Great little camera based upon the C35 line. Fast lens. AE only. "C35 FD" in Japan. Auto S3 produced in black only. C35 FD produced in chrome, too.
- Konica C35 EF (1976) first model with built in flash. "Pikkari"
- Konica C35 AFKonica C35 AFThe Konica C35 AF was the first mass-produced autofocus camera, released in November 1977. It featured a fixed-aperture Hexanon 38 mm f/2.8 lens, a built-in electronic flash, and an automatic exposure system to select the appropriate shutter speed. The C35 employed a leaf shutter with three speeds,...
(1977) First autofocusAutofocusAn autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
cameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
, "Jasupin", 1,000,000 sold. - Konica C35 EF "New" Self-timer added.
- Konica C35 EFP (1977)
- Konica C35 EF3 (1981) "Color Pikkari"
- Konica C35 AF2 (198?)
- Konica C35 EFJ (Japan) (1982) "Konica POP" (export markets)
- Konica C35 MF (1982) Auto focus. "Jasupin Super". C35 MD-D, version with date back.
- Konica C35 AF3 (1983) Auto focus. Last "C35"
- Konica MG (1983) Also MG-D variant with date back.
- Konica EFP2 (1984)
- Konica MR70 (1985)
- Konica AA-35/Recorder (1985) Half frame, various colors. Recorder: Japan. AA-35: Export markets.
- Konica MT-7, MT-9, MT-ll (1986) "Multi" 7, 8 & 9 in Japan.
- Konica EFP3
- Konica MR70 LX
- Konica Off Road/Genba Kantoku/MS-40
- Konica Z-Up 70 & Z-Up 70 VP
- Konica Z-Up 80 & Z-Up 80 RC
- Konica Tomato
- Konica Kanpai Voice activated camera.
- Konica Big Mini
- Konica Z-Up 28W
- Konica MT-100
- Konica Jump Auto
- Konica Aiborg
- Konica Big Mini Neo
- Konica Off Road 28WB Wide & 28HG
- Konica Big Mini Nou 135
- Konica Big Mini BM S-100
- Konica Big Mini F
- Konica Z-Up 60
- Konica Z-Up 90
- Konica Z-Up 110
- Konica Z-Up 120
- Konica Z-Up 130
- Konica Z-Up 135
- Konica Z-Up 140
- Konica Z-Up 150
- Konica HexarKonica HexarThe Konica Hexar is a 35 mm fixed-lens,fixed focal length autofocus camera which was produced through the 1990s. It was introduced to the market in 1993...
(1991)(autofocusAutofocusAn autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
) - Konica Hexar RFHexar RFThe Konica Hexar RF was a 35 mm rangefinder camera sold by Konica. Itwas introduced to the market on 13 October 1999. and subsequently discontinued some time before the end of 2003...
(2001)
F-mount SLRs
The first series of Konica single-lens reflex cameraSingle-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
s used the Konica F lens mount
Lens mount
A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is confined to cameras where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the single lens reflex type or any movie camera of 16 mm or higher gauge...
, named after the first camera to use it. This was a bayonet mount, and is not compatible with later Konica lens mounts. The flange focal distance
Flange focal distance
For an interchangeable lens camera, the flange focal distance of a lens mount system is the distance from the mounting flange to the...
of the F-mount was 40.5 mm, one of the smallest ever used for a 35 mm SLR. The diameter was 40 mm.
It is not identical to Nikon F-Mount
Nikon F-mount
The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
, which has a much longer flange focal distance of 46.5 mm.
- Konica FKonica FThe Konica F was the first 35 mm SLR camera produced by Konishiroku, released in February, 1960. It featured a built-in light metering system to set the correct exposure. The meter utilized a large selenium cell panel on the front of the viewfinder prism to detect light levels...
(1960-?) - Konica FS (1962–1964)
- Konica FSW (1962-?
- Konica FP (1963-?)
- Konica FM (1965-?)
AR-mount SLRs
Konica's second series of SLR cameras began with 1965's Auto-ReflexKonica Autoreflex
The Auto-Reflex and Autoreflex is a series of 35mm SLR cameras made by Konica from 1965. All these models have the Konica AR bayonet.-Konica Auto-Reflex, Autorex, and Revue Auto-Reflex:...
. This line came to an end in 1987 when Konica abandoned the SLR market.
Konica's AR lens mount kept the same flange-film distance that the earlier Konica F lens mount had (40.5 mm), but it has a larger diameter of 47 mm.
- Konica Auto-ReflexKonica AutoreflexThe Auto-Reflex and Autoreflex is a series of 35mm SLR cameras made by Konica from 1965. All these models have the Konica AR bayonet.-Konica Auto-Reflex, Autorex, and Revue Auto-Reflex:...
(1965–1968) Known as the Autorex in Japan. - Konica Auto-Reflex P (1966–1968) Known as the Autorex P in Japan.
- Konica Autoreflex T (1968–1970)
- Konica Autoreflex A (1968–1971)
- Konica Autoreflex T2 (1970–1973)
- Konica Autoreflex A2 (1971–1972)
- Konica Autoreflex A1000 (1972–1973)
- Konica Autoreflex T3 (1973–1975)
- Konica Autoreflex A3 (1973-?)
- Konica Autoreflex T3N (1975–1978)
- Konica Autoreflex TC (1976–1982)
- Konica Autoreflex T4 (1978–1979)
- Konica FS-1 (1979–1983)
- Konica FC-1 (1980–1983)
- Konica FP-1 (1981–1983)
- Konica FT-1Konica FT-1The Konica FT-1 was the last SLR to be built both under the Konica name and by Konica themselves. The FT-1 was introduced as an improvement on the earlier FS-1, changes included a different meter type , improved quality of electronics, and a faster winder speed.Various controls were moved around on...
(1983–1987) - Konica TC-X (1985–1987) Built by CosinaCosinais a designer and manufacturer of cameras and lenses, and a glassmaker, based in Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.-History:Cosina is the successor to Nikō , a company set up as a manufacturer oflenses in 1959...
.
Lenses
Konica SLR interchangeable lenses were named Hexanon. The optical quality of most Hexanon lenses is regarded as truly superb, particularly the older fixed-focal length (prime) lenses. Many camera manufacturers of interchangeable lenses produce a few great lenses among their line, but Konica managed to achieve near excellent quality over a broad range of focal lengths in lens tests conducted by several photographic publications over the years. Hexanon lenses were used by the Japanese government as the standard against which all other lenses were measured.See also
- FotomatFotomatFotomat was a once-widespread retail chain of photo development drive-thru kiosks located in shopping center parking lots. Fotomat Corporation was founded by Preston Fleet in San Diego, California, in the 1960s, , and became a public company in 1971 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1977...
- acquired by Konica in 1982. - List of photographic equipment makers
External links
- The Konica SLR system 1960–1987
- Konica C35, C35A and C35V
- Koni-Omega pages Rokuoh-sha pages (on the earlier cameras; well illustrated)
- Konica (Camerapedia)
- Hexanon lenses (mflenses.com)
- Konica instruction manuals (from www.orphancameras.com)