Sankyō Kōki
Sankyō Kōki K.K. (三協光機㈱) was a Japanese optical company which used the brand name Komura.
Sankyo Kohki Komura for Bronica image by ijajac (Image rights) |
See also Sankyō Kōgaku for a similarly named Japanese lens maker.
Contents
- 1 History
- 2 Lenses
- 2.1 Chibanon / E-Chibanon lenses
- 2.2 Komura T mount and fixed-mount lenses
- 2.3 Komura 39mm Leica/Canon RF mount lenses
- 2.4 Komura Unidapter preset lenses
- 2.5 Super-Komura Auto Unidapter lenses
- 2.6 Komura Auto Fixed-Mount lenses
- 2.7 Komura lenses for Bronica C and S-2
- 2.8 Super-Komura lenses for Bronica C and S-2
- 2.9 Komura lenses for 4x5 Cameras
- 2.10 Komura lenses for 4x5 and 6x9 Cameras
- 2.11 Komura lenses for 6x9 Cameras
- 2.12 Other Komura Lenses
- 2.13 Komuranon lenses
- 2.14 Telemore lenses
- 3 Other products
- 4 Notes
- 5 Bibliography
- 6 Links
History
Sankyō Kōki K.K. (三協光機㈱) was a Japanese optical company, which used the brand name Komura for a variety of lenses. The company's name usually appeared as Sankyo Kohki on English language product branding such as lens badges. However in English language trademark filings, the more conventional spelling of Sankyo Koki Co., Ltd. was often used.
The company was already active in the early 1950s. Before the use of the Komura brand, it used the brand name Chibanon or Chibanone, notably supplying lenses to the Tōsei Kōki company. The Chibanon brand was retained for some time on enlarging lenses and projection lenses.[1]
In 1962 the company registered Komura as a US Trademark. The filing indicates that Komura was first used as a brand name in 1953.[2] At the time of this filing the company's address is listed as:
Sankyo Koki Co., Ltd. 69 Kita-Inaricho Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan
In the 1970s, the company developed the Komura Unidapter System that allowed their 35mm interchangeable lenses to mount to "practically all Japanese-made and a number of European-made reflexes - as well as 16mm cine cameras with C mount"[3] Komura Unidapter adapters known to exist include Canon FL, Exakta, M42 (Pentax/Practica), Miranda Sensorex, Nikon F, Minolta, Ricoh Singlex, Petri, and Topcon D-1.
By the mid 1970s, the company changed it's name to Komura Lens Manufacturing, Ltd. In 1975 the company registered Telemore as a trademark. The filing indicates that Telemore was first used in commerce in 1969.[4] In 1976 they registered Komuranon as a trademark. The filing indicates Komuranon was first used in commerce in 1973.[5] At the time of the US trademark filings, the company's address is listed as:
Komura Lens Mfg., Ltd. 17-3, Kasuga 2-chome Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
The Komura company became insolvent in 1980 and in 1981 was reported to be in acquisition talks with a "large binocular manufacturer".[6] The outcome is unknown, however, all trademarks owned by the company subsequently expired, suggesting the company did not survive.
Lenses
Chibanon / E-Chibanon lenses
Advertisement by Sankyō Kōki in Asahi Camera, January to April 1955. image by rebollo_fr (Image rights) |
Chibanon or E-Chibanon[7] lenses for enlargement or general photography:
- 50mm f/3.5, three or four elements, 1954–5[8][9][10]
- 50mm f/2.8, five elements, 1954–5[8][9]
- 75mm f/3.5, three or four elements, 1954–5[8][9]
- 80mm f/3.5, three or four elements, 1954–5[8][9]
- 80mm f/2.8, four elements, announced in 1955[8]
- 105mm f/3.5, manufactured on demand, 1955[8]
Cameras equipped with early lenses by Sankyō Kōki:
- some examples of the Semi Frank have an E. Chibanone lens (an early spelling variant);
- Chibanon or Chibanone (チバノン) lenses were advertised on the Copenflex and Sanon Six;
- another lens perhaps called Chibar (チバー) was advertised on the Sanon Six II.
Komura T mount and fixed-mount lenses
Sankyo Kōki Komura 200mm f/3.5 image by Ladenla (Image rights) |
- 85mm f/1.4 preset T mount
- 85mm f/1.4 preset Nikon mount
- 100mm f/1.8 preset T mount
- 105mm f/2.0 preset T mount (ex sn: 3352534)
- 200mm f/3.5 preset T mount
- 200mm f/4.5
Komura 39mm Leica/Canon RF mount lenses
Komura 135mm f/3.5 RF lens image by uwekulick (Image rights) |
- 28mm f/3.5, 48mm filter size, RF-coupled
- 35mm f/2.8, 43mm filter size, RF-coupled
- 36mm f/1.8
- 105mm f/2.0, 58mm filter size, RF-coupled
- 105mm f/2.5, 48mm filter size, RF-coupled
- 135mm f/2.8, 55mm filter size, RF-coupled
- 135mm f/3.5, 48mm filter size, RF-coupled (ex sn: 211256)
- 200mm f/3.5, 62mm filter size
- 200mm f/4.5, 55mm filter size, RF-coupled
- 300mm f/5.0, 62mm filter size
- 400mm f/6.3, 67mm filter size
- 500mm f/7.0, 77mm filter size
Komura Unidapter preset lenses
Komura 135mm f/2.3 Unidapter image by Nesster (Image rights) |
- 28mm f/3.5, 55mm filter size
- 35mm f/2.5, 55mm filter size
- 85mm f/1.4, 67mm filter size
- 100mm f/1.8, 62mm filter size (ex sn: 65508)
- 105mm f/2.0, 58mm filter size (ex sn: 68317)
- 105mm f/2.5, 48mm filter size
- 135mm f/2.0, 72mm filter size (ex sn: 67053)
- 135mm f/2.3, 62mm filter size (ex sn: 3252460)
- 135mm f/2.8, 55mm filter size
- 135mm f/3.5, 48mm filter size
- 200mm f/3.5, 62mm filter size
- 300mm f/5.0, 62mm filter size
- 400mm f/6.3, 67mm filter size
- 500mm f/7.0, 77mm filter size
Super-Komura Auto Unidapter lenses
Super-Komura ad image by Nesster (Image rights) |
- 24mm f/3.5, filter size 52mm
- 28mm f/3.5, filter size 52mm
- 35mm f/2.5, filter size 55mm
- 100mm f/2.5, filter size 55mm
- 135mm f/2.8, filter size 55mm
- 200mm f/3.5, filter size 62mm
- 300mm f/5.0, filter size 62mm (ex sn: 338100)
- 75-150mm f/4.5 Zoom, filter size 58mm
- 90-250mm f/4.5 Zoom, filter size 62mm
Komura Auto Fixed-Mount lenses
- 135mm f/2.8, filter size 55mm
- 200mm f/3.5, filter size 62mm
- 300mm f/5.0, filter size 62mm
- 75-150mm f/4.5 Zoom, filter size 58mm
Komura lenses for Bronica C and S-2
- 135mm f/2.3, preset, filter size 72mm
- 200mm f/3.5, preset, filter size 67mm
- 300mm f/5.0, preset, filter size 67mm
- 400mm f/6.3, preset, filter size 67mm
- 500mm f/7.0, preset, filter size 77mm
Super-Komura lenses for Bronica C and S-2
Super-Komura 50mm f/3.5 for Bronica S-2 image by joanseda (Image rights) |
- 50mm f/3.5, auto, filter size 77mm
- 135mm f/2.3, auto, filter size 72mm
- 100mm f/2.8, auto, filter size 62mm
- 150mm f/3.5, auto, filter size 67mm
- 200mm f/3.5, auto, filter size 67mm
Komura lenses for 4x5 Cameras
- 75mm f/6.3, filter size 72mm
- 152mm f/2.8, filter size 77mm
- 300mm f/5.0, filter size 67mm
- 400mm f/6.3, filter size 67mm
- 500mm f/7.0, filter size 77mm
Komura lenses for 4x5 and 6x9 Cameras
- 152mm f/3.5, filter size 67mm
- 300mm f/6.3, filter size 67mm
- 400mm f/8.0, filter size 67mm
Komura lenses for 6x9 Cameras
- 47mm f/6.3, filter size 67mm
Other Komura Lenses
- Super-W-Komura 90mm f/6.3 (ex sn: 537573), badged Komura Lens Mfg. Ltd
- see also Komura lenses in 39mm screw mount
- see also Komura lenses in 42mm screw mount
- see also Komura lenses in Bronica mounts
- see also Komura lenses in Contax rangefinder mount
- see also Komura lenses in Exakta mount
Komuranon lenses
Komuranon 35-70mm Zoom image by Cletus Awreetus (Image rights) |
- KMC Komuranon 28mm f/2.5
- KMC Komuranon 135mm f/2.5
- KMC Komuranon 200mm f/3.5
- KMC Komuranon 300mm f/4.5
- KMC Komuranon 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 Zoom (ex sn: 8085587)
- KMC Komuranon 75-150mm f/4.5 Macro Zoom
Telemore lenses
- Sankyo Kohki Komura Telemore 2x Tele-converter for Nikon
- Sankyo Kohki Komura Telemore 2x Tele-converter for Canon
- Telemore 95 2x Tele-converter for Mamiya RB67
- Telemore 95 Hasselblad 6x6 2x Tele-converter
- Komura Telemore 95 II 7KMO 2x Tele-converter for Minolta SR
- Komura Telemore 95 II 7KMO 2x Tele-converter for Minolta XD
- Komura Telemore 95 II 7KMO 2x Tele-converter for Olympus OM
- Komura Telemore 95 II 7KMO 2x Tele-converter for 2XE for Hasselblad
- Komura Telemore 95 KMC 2x Tele-converter for Bronica S2
- Komura Telemore 95 2x Tele-converter for Asahi Pentax 6x7
Other products
Sankyō Kōki ad in Asahi Camera November 1953. (see also October 1953). image by rebollo_fr (Image rights) |
- Permanent cable release, 1953:[11]
- standard model, ¥150
- for Leica, ¥200
Notes
- ↑ Projection lenses: example observed in an online auction.
- ↑ US Trademark filing for Komura
- ↑ [International Federation of Photographic Art, Issues 7-12, p 68]
- ↑ US Trademark filing for Telemore
- ↑ US Trademark filing for Komuranon
- ↑ [British Journal of Photography, 1981, Vol 128, p. 464]
- ↑ The Roman spelling "Chivanon" found in original advertisements has not been observed on actual products, and was certainly mistaken.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Advertisement in Asahi Camera January 1955, p.234, February 1955, p.167, March 1955, p.213, and April 1955, p.224.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Advertisement dated 1954 reproduced at Shashin-Bako.
- ↑ E-Chibanon 50mm f/3.5 lens observed in an online auction, black and chrome barrel with knurled aperture ring.
- ↑ Advertisements in Asahi Camera October 1953, p.222, and November 1953, p.198.
Bibliography
- Asahi Camera. Advertisements by Sankyō Kōki:
- October 1953, p.222;
- November 1953, p.198;
- January 1955, p.234;
- February 1955, p.167;
- March 1955, p.213;
- April 1955, p.224.
Links
In Japanese:
- Pages of Terasaki Haruhisa's website:
- Tōsei Kōki and Sankyō Kōki
- Tōsei Kōki, with early lenses by Sankyō Kōki
- Advertisement by Sankyō Kōki dated 1954, reproduced in Shashin-Bako
- Komura 80mm f/3.5 for Leica at Kamera to Shashin to Neko to