[stevebrot]

It is interesting that Pentax was the only camera company - that I am aware of, that did not make a rangefinder.

I know that Exakta never made one and am pretty sure that KW, Praktica, and Hasselblad also avoided such; all off of the top of my head, of course.


Steve

[TwoUptons]

I know that Exakta never made one and am pretty sure that KW, Praktica, and Hasselblad also avoided such; all off of the top of my head, of course.


Steve

Though Hasselblad did made a not-SLR zone focuser in the super-wides...
And there was the X-pan, but I guess someone (Fuji?) made that for them...

And they had that wacky view-camera thing... do they still make it?

-Eric

[g026r]

I know that Exakta never made one and am pretty sure that KW, Praktica, and Hasselblad also avoided such; all off of the top of my head, of course.

KW definitely didn't. Except for a brief period with a viewfinder camera in the '50s, every camera they introduced from 1933 onward was an SLR. They were very dedicated to it as a camera type.

(And you could probably argue about the viewfinder camera. Though KW were the ones who ultimately produced it after the East German government merged VEB Zeiss-Ikon into them, it was the latter company that had designed it.)

[redrockcoulee]

Planar 100 is my favourite lens

[tonyzoc]

I know that Exakta never made one and am pretty sure that KW, Praktica, and Hasselblad also avoided such; all off of the top of my head, of course.


Steve

I feel like I saw an Exakta badged rangefinder shaped camera ...made in japan by whoever bought the name long after the west german Exakta folded. But definitely nothing made by Exakta. I could be wrong. I don't know of any praktica, but VEB Penticon had the Pentina I and Ii. I'm not sure if they were technically rangefinders...maybe zone focus...with leaf shutters.

[stevebrot]

And they had that wacky view-camera thing... do they still make it?

I dunno. I have a friend who has an ArcBody, but she won't sell it to me.


Steve

[LesDMess]

I know that Exakta never made one and am pretty sure that KW, Praktica, and Hasselblad also avoided such; all off of the top of my head, of course.


Steve

My lack of non-Japanese cameras clearly has me in the dark of those other brands. Thanks for pointing that out . . .

[g026r]

I don't know of any praktica, but VEB Penticon had the Pentina I and Ii. I'm not sure if they were technically rangefinders...maybe zone focus...with leaf shutters.

The Pentina line of cameras are SLRs, though they really don't look like they are. (I had assumed they were viewfinder cameras for the longest time until I finally handled one.)

[fs999]

It is interesting that Pentax was the only camera company - that I am aware of, that did not make a rangefinder.

But they (Asahi Kogaku) did a lens for a rangefinder Suzuki Optical Co. Press Van, perhaps they were more involved in it...

[tonyzoc]

The Pentina line of cameras are SLRs, though they really don't look like they are. (I had assumed they were viewfinder cameras for the longest time until I finally handled one.)

Oh I didn't realize that...I did own one for a short time. I think I picked it up for $5 in a junk bin. It never was working though.

[TwoUptons]

But they (Asahi Kogaku) did a lens for a rangefinder Suzuki Optical Co. Press Van, perhaps they were more involved in it...

I’ve heard that in addition to the Press Van and the Takane Mine Six, Asahi was OEM for a number of other companies’ lower-end lenses.

I think there were some Minolta or Olympus folding camera lenses that were by Asahi, though they were labeled as something generic...

So I think they may have just done the lenses...

-Eric

[LesDMess]

But they (Asahi Kogaku) did a lens for a rangefinder Suzuki Optical Co. Press Van, perhaps they were more involved in it...

I think you have them confused with a motorcycle company . . .

Suzuki Optical is not specifically identified here -> A brief history of the Asahi Optical Corporation
Maybe too brief or perhaps a name change over the years?
It does identify Molta Camera Company that became Minolta, Konishiroku that became Konica as well as Canon and Nikon.

[stevebrot]

So I think they may have just done the lenses...

Such was not unusual in the post-WWI period, even for camera makers that also had lens works. My Mamiya Six (model IVB, ca. 1955) has an Olympus D. Zuiko FC 7.5cm f/3.5. Mamiya also sourced lenses from Chiyoda (later Minolta) and several other houses even while establishing their own lens works (later known as Sekor).


Steve

[fs999]

Suzuki Optical is not specifically identified here

I have the proof :

[LesDMess]

I have the proof :

Looks in good shape too!