Minoltacord
The Minoltacord was Chiyoko's first TLR with rapid-focusing lever. The film is wound by a lever and the Minoltacord has an automatic frame counter. Winding the film does not cock the shutter and there is no double exposure prevention mechnism. These two features were added later in the improved Minoltacord Automat camera. The Minoltacord had a slightly faster viewing lens, f/3.2 compared to f/3.5 for the taking lens. The lenses were taking lens Chiyoko Promar SIII 1:3.5 75mm and viewing lens Chiyoko View Promar 1:3.2 75mm. It was available with a Seikosha shutter which offered speeds from 1 sec. to 1/500 sec, and also with a slower Citizen shutter with speeds from 1 sec. up to 1/300 sec., which had a self timer. Unlike later Chiyoko TLRs, this model did not have a bayonet mount, but instead had a 36mm thread on both lenses. The camera weighed 1 kg.
Links
In English:
- Minoltacord in the 70th anniversary Minolta poster, reproduced at Photoclub Alpha
In Japanese:
image by Masaaki Morikawa (Image rights) |