Japan 1959 – Compact – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Pentax H2 (or S2), produced in 1959, was launched two years after the original Pentax and is by no means a rare camera. It is the direct descendent of the Asahi Asahiflex, the first Japanese SLR using 35 mm film (launched in 1952). The Pentax … Read moreAsahi
Pentax H2 – 67/99
Japan 1948 – Spy Camera – Custom film – Very rare. The Petal is an incredible device. It was the smallest subminiature camera in the world, produced by Sakura Seiki in Japan in 1948. It has a round (or octagonal) main body the size of a coin and was intended for inconspicuous photography as it … Read moreSakura Seiki
Petal – 65/99
Private eye camera
Japan 1964 – Panoramic – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Widelux F6 is a fully mechanical swing-lens panoramic camera. It was first developed in Japan in 1958 by Panon Camera Shoko and production ended in 2000. The Widelux uses a unique process to create almost 130 degree panoramic exposures on standard 35 mm or … Read morePanon
Widelux F6 – 62/99
Early panoramic
Japan 1988 – Panoramic – 35 mm – Rare. The Widelux F8 is a fully mechanical swing-lens panoramic camera. It was first developed in Japan in 1958 by Panon Camera Shoko and production ended in 2000. The Widelux uses a unique process to create almost 130 degree panoramic exposures on standard 35 mm or medium … Read morePanon
Widelux F8 – 62/99
Japan 1947 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. Produced in Japan by Tōa Kōki Seisakusho (Far-East Optical Works, usually called Toakoki) for about 15 years from 1936, the Gelto DIII was a desirable camera that definitely stood out on the shelves of the camera shops. The Gelto is indeed a striking device with very … Read moreToakoki
Gelto DIII – 59/99
Jewel camera
Japan 1959 – Subminiature – 16 mm – Infrequent. The Mamiya Super 16 was manufactured by Mamiya Camera Company of Tokyo in the early 1950s. Mamiya was well known for the Mamiya Six, a 6×6 foldable they had been producing since 1940. Starting 1949, they made a successful series of 16 mm cameras that lasted until … Read moreMamiya
Super 16 (Mod.III) – 55/99
Japan 1954 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Kyoei-Sha Company was founded in 1938 in Tokyo and was renamed Showa as a reference to the reign of the current Emperor Hirohito. After Canon, Showa was the oldest to start produce 35 mm cameras in Japan. They produced very nice copies of German cameras … Read moreShowa Kogaku
Leotax (Mod. F) – 54/99
Japan 1952 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Minolta-35 was launched in the spring of 1947. At the time, Minolta had to recover from the war with only three factories left. Photographic film was rare, reserved primarily for medical radiography. The 120 format being prohibited by the authorities, camera manufacturers turned to the … Read moreMinolta
Minolta 35 F – 51/99
Japan 1950 – Reflex TLR – Bolta film – Rare. The Tanzer was produced in the early 50s in Japan by the Nomura optical company. Not much is known about the Nomura company, which apparently only produced this camera in two versions (with and without flash synchronisation) and did not leave a notable mark. The … Read moreNomura
Tanzer “smile” – 47/99
Japan 1978 – Subminiature – 110 film – Infrequent. Launched in 1978, the Pentax Auto 110 was a very exciting camera, causing quite a stir among photography fans. It was indeed a (super cute) miniature version of a 35 mm interchangeable lens reflex. Pentax engineers were the first to release a 110 reflex, equipping it with … Read morePentax
Auto 110 – 46/99
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