Difference between revisions of "Allied Impex"
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==Soligor Lens Codes== | ==Soligor Lens Codes== | ||
| − | Soligor sometimes changed manufacturers for the same make and model lens multiple times and did not always indicate the manufacturer through any easily discernible means such as the serial number. It's often difficult to know what company manufactured a given lens. However, lens enthusiasts at the MFlenses forum are working to reverse engineer any information available through the lens coding system used by Soligor. You can help by contributing your lens make, model, and serial number.<ref>http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-12-8-f28mm-21and-versions-t30866,highlight,soligor++28mm.html</ref> | + | Soligor sometimes changed manufacturers for the same make and model lens multiple times and did not always indicate the manufacturer through any easily discernible means such as the serial number. It's often difficult to know what company manufactured a given lens. However, lens enthusiasts at the MFlenses forum are working to reverse engineer any information available through the lens coding system used by Soligor. You can help by contributing your lens make, model, and serial number.<ref>[http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-12-8-f28mm-21and-versions-t30866,highlight,soligor++28mm.html MFlenses forum: Soligor lens manufacturer codes]</ref> |
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
Revision as of 23:23, 31 March 2011
Allied Impex Corporation[1] was an American distributor. From 1956, it used the brand name Soligor for cameras, lenses and accessories imported from Japan.[2] It imported the Miranda cameras and took control of the Miranda company at some time in the 1960s.[3]
The company founded a German sub-company called A.I.C. Phototechnik GmbH in 1968, that became Soligor GmbH in 1993.[4] This German company is the only one still active today (2009).[5] It is known for its rich product range of camera accessories.
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| 1956 advertisement in US Camera. Scan by Jeffrey Felton. (Image rights) |
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| Soligor Auto light meter image by A*J*P on Flickr (Image rights) |
Contents
Distributed cameras
35mm film
- Soligor 35 (SLR)
- Soligor 45 (viewfinder)
- Soligor TM (SLR)
120 film
- Soligor Reflex (TLR)
- Soligor Reflex II (TLR)
- Soligor Semi-Auto (TLR)
- Soligor 66 (SLR)
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| 28mm f/2.8 with 42mm screw mount image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights) |
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| K-mount MC Soligor 75-205mm 1:3,8-4,8 image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights) |
Distributed lenses
Soligor distributed lenses in many different camera mounts, including nearly every 35mm SLR mount. It competed with Vivitar, and both sold the T and T4 mount lenses with interchangeable mounts. Vivitar also sold TX mount lenses, but Soligor did not. Soligor C/D lenses were intended to be higher-quality, much like Canon L lenses or Vivitar's Series 1 lenses. The C/D moniker was said to stand for "Computer Designed".
- Soligor lenses for 39mm screw mount
- Soligor lenses for 42mm screw mount
- Soligor lenses for Nikon rangefinder mount
- Elitar Soligor cine lenses
K Mount Lenses
- MC Soligor 75-205mm f3.8-4.5
- Soligor C/D Zoom/Macro 70-160mm f3.5
- Soligor Tele-Auto 250mm f4.5
T/T2 Mount Lenses
- Soligor 28mm f2.8
- Soligor 35mm f3.5
- Soligor 400mm f6.3
- Soligor C/D 500mm mirror
T4 Mount Lenses
- Soligor Wide-Auto 21mm f3.8
- Soligor 24mm f2.8
- Soligor 35mm f2.8
Lenses for Argus Cameras
- Soligor 35mm f3.5 for Argus C3
- Soligor 135mm f4.5 (black) for Argus C3
- Soligor Elephoto 135mm f4.5 (silver) for Argus C3
Soligor Lens Codes
Soligor sometimes changed manufacturers for the same make and model lens multiple times and did not always indicate the manufacturer through any easily discernible means such as the serial number. It's often difficult to know what company manufactured a given lens. However, lens enthusiasts at the MFlenses forum are working to reverse engineer any information available through the lens coding system used by Soligor. You can help by contributing your lens make, model, and serial number.[6]
Notes
- ↑ "Impex" is probably the contraction of "Import Export".
- ↑ Date: filing dated 1998 at Edgar Online.
- ↑ The FAQ of the Miranda Camera site says 1963, but the main page of the Miranda Society Japan says that it bought the shares in 1968 and took complete control in 1969.
- ↑ See this page of the Soligor GmbH official website.
- ↑ It seems that in 1997, the company Allied Impex Corporation was an empty structure based in the USA, owning the German company Soligor GmbH and itself owned by AIC International, Inc., another empty structure. Source: filing dated 1998 at Edgar Online.
- ↑ MFlenses forum: Soligor lens manufacturer codes
Links
In English:
- Story of AIC by Lee Mannheimer in Bill's Miranda Camera Page
- FAQ of the Miranda Camera site
- Presentation at the Soligor GmbH official website
- Soligor and Vivitar T4 lenses at The Casual Collector
- Soligor 135mm f/4.5 for Argus C3 at whitemetal.com
In Japanese:
- Main page of the Miranda Society Japan
