[LeDave]

Hey you guys, I decided to do a informative speech on the History of Pentax SLR camera's. It has to be 10 minutes long, no more and no less. So far I have a couple of things down.

Pentax was born in 1919.

(Need information on this gap, what was Pentax doing before 1952?).

Pentax is the first to come out with the SLR in 1952, influencing the design of the DSLR today.

Pentax's first SLR was the Asahiflex in 1952, their first DSLR is the istD in 2003.

Pentax came from Pentaprism + Contax, they bought the Pentax name from Zeiss.

Pentax's latest DSLR's are the Pentax K-7 which came out in mid-2009 and the K-x that came out in late 2009.

It can't be biased because otherwise I'll make it into a persuasive speech and my teacher doesn't want me to do a persuasive speech so I can only throw information with minimal to no opinions.

I need some more help on information, what I really want to know is Pentax's inventions.

I really want to add some lenses to the talk bout the thing is I can only talk about one aspect of the subject so I can't do history of the lenses or anything, I decide to do the history of the body alone.

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Last edited by LeDave; 02-03-2010 at 12:47 PM.

[jeffkrol]

Probably everything you need here:
AOHC website
History
Although Asahi Optical Co. Ltd is noted for producing Pentax cameras and lenses, it did not, in fact produce a camera of its own until some thirty-two years after it was founded. The company was originally called ‘Asahi Kogaku Goshi Kaisha’, and it was established in November 1919, by Kumao Kajiwara, at shop premises in a suburb of Tokyo, called Toshima, in order to produce spectacle lenses, which it still does to this very day.

In 1923 the company began to manufacture lenses for cine projectors for another maker. The following years saw further development of the lens making side of the business and, in 1932, Asahi commenced to make lenses for the Molta Camera Company, now Minolta, for a 6.5cms x 9cms folding plate camera, called the ‘Arcadia’. The following year, 1933, they began to supply Konishiroku, now Konica, with a range of single element and anastigmat lenses for their Pearl and Pearlette series of cameras.

In 1938 the old company changed its name to Asahi Optical Company Limited. At that time it undertook government contracts to produce optical instruments, which it continued to do so up until the end of World War II. ect.........

[LeDave]

Thanks Jeffkol. I fixed up some errors from the first facts that I had. I also found out some more inventions by Pentax. I am only going to give my practice on Friday, which is the introduction. I'm not giving my full 10 minute speech until the 22nd. So far this is what I have to say when I am up to talk, I have to memorize many of the lines so I won't look at my notecards too much and focus mainly on the audience.

Ask the two Questions.
(Who here owns a camera? I assume everybody in this room have taken photos and owned a camera before am if I have not mistaken).
(Canon, Nikon, Konica Minolta, Fujifilm, and Olympus; who here knows which Japanese company were the first to create an SLR? Does anybody know? With so many corporations with a rich history of making cameras, I thought not.)

It was Pentax who were the first to release a Japanese 35mm film SLR or Single lens reflex in 1952, influencing the design of the DSLR today. In fact Pentax did not exist when they released their first SLR, the company was actually called Asahi Optical Co. and they produced optical lenses for other cameras since 1919. So Asahi Optical Co. did not release the Asahiflex until 32 years after it’s birthdate.and which later lead to the name Pentax in 1957, making it one of the oldest companies today to still exist to produce cameras and lenses.

Their first DSLR is the istD in 2003. Pentax's latest DSLR's are the Pentax K-7 which came out in mid-2009 and the K-x that came out in late 2009. Pentax has greatly influenced the way cameras are made today with revolutionary innovations, and whether you know it or not, the cameras you use today traces back to Pentax. I am going to tell you the history of the inventions throughout Pentax's SLRs that lead to and influenced the designs of the DSLR and your point and shoots.

Then whenever I am ready for my full speech, I have these information down. I'm going to bring in my K-7 as a visual aid, although not a SLR, it still has a mirror and AE I can show them which I am going to speak about.

In 1954, Pentax released the Asahiflex II, the world’s first instant return mirror system in SLR’s.
-Explain rangefinders, the SLR now the format of choice.
-Explain and show mirror slap, problem with mirror blackout.

In 1964, Pentax released the Spotmatic, the world’s first TTL or Through-the-lens exposure metering system.
-Explain and show TTL.
-TTL influence in 35mm until today.

In 1971, Pentax released the ES, the world’s first SLR camera with Aperture-priority control through the use of TTL.
-Explain and show AE with TTL.
-TTL influence in 35mm and today.

During the same year, Pentax created the SMC or Super Multi Coating for their lenses.
-Explain the breakthrough coating for ghosting and flares.
-Explain ghosting and flares.
-Influence in 35mm until today.

In 1976, Pentax released the ME, the first camera to eliminate manual shutter speed control.

In 1981, Pentax released the ME F, the first auto-focus 35mm SLR.
-Explain and show AF and MF differences.

In 2002, Asahi Optical Co. changed their name to Pentax Corporation after the success of their product. In 2007, Pentax Corporation merged with the world’s leading optical company, Hoya Corporation.

Because of Pentax, millions of 35mm SLR's from nearly every company you can name have followed Pentax and it's SLR designs, and even the hundreds of DSLR's of today are greatly influenced by the innovations throughout the history of Pentax. Aside from cameras, today Pentax produces not just camera’s, but high-end photographic equipment, lenses, binoculars, spotting scopes, telescopes, medical fiberscopes, and endoscopes.

I also want to know information about the newer technological advancements from Pentax today, was the K-7 the first DSLR to have the horizontal leveling meter? What about the horizontal metering where the sensor automatically moves to adjust itself for that?

Also was it Pentax or Minolta that were the first to introduce in-body SR for their DSLR?

I need more invention on Pentax DSLR and not just about their SLR. Anything would be great, thanks.

One way to unbias it would be to include into your speech the influence Pentax has had on the film camera industry. That puts what you are saying into a neutral context but at the same time it's positive about Pentax.

[Parallax]

Also was it Pentax or Minolta that were the first to introduce in-body SR for their DSLR?

I don't know who was first, but another way to keep it neutral when you bring that up is to mention the advantages/disadvantages of in-body-vs lens based SR.

[Ben_Edict]

Pentax was sure the first DSLR maker that included an HDR-automatism into its cameras. Also, they are (to my knowledge) the first to use the SR principle to include sensor shift for fine tuning the field of view.

But that is all that comes to my mind about Pentax DSLRs as innovative. I think, their strength is, to combine emerging technologies into one useable and comparatively affordable product, whereas other manufactureres tend to use innovative technologies in in their top tier products mostly (with the according price tag).

Ben

[landscaped1]

About PENTAX - Company History and Timeline

The Pentax website has a really nice timeline that might be of use.

[LeDave]

Thanks you guys! Thanks landscaped for the link also.

And also I'm still wondering whether Pentax was the first to release in-body SR, and any other inventions on the DSLR. The timeline link didn't give any DSLR inventions. However I am going to add that Pentax was the first to to allow horizon correction using the SR's sensor shift. Thanks.

[Reportage]

Its not the speech but how the speech is presented...if you dont believe in it, no one will.

in my experience there have been few types that i use often for presentations...

The El Presidente, The Winston Churchill and The General Patton.

Once you know how your speech will be conveyed, the words usually come naturally.

[Arpe]

You could mention Pentax binoculars, medical equipment, surveying equipment, just as a filler if you need.