View source for Daehan

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|image_text= KOBICA 35 BC-1
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'''Daehan Optical''' or '''Korea Optical''' &mdash; in Korean '''대한광학, 大韓光學''' &mdash; was a Korean manufacturer of a number of 35mm film cameras. Cameras were sold under the name '''KOBICA''' and '''VERIX'''.

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== History ==

Daehan Optical was the first company in Korea to manufacture mass-produced cameras.

The company was founded on September 8, 1966.<ref>[https://www.nl.go.kr/NL/contents/search.do?isMobile=false&innerYn=false#viewKey=CNTS-00113822986&viewType=C (취약경공업제품 수출증대방안조사) 카메라 輸出戰略] (Camera Export Strategy; Investigation on Measures to Increase Export of Vulnerable Light Industrial Products) 1981, p.115. from National Library of Korea.</ref> In establishing this company, Sang-gil Kim (김상길, 金相吉), who was involved in the establishment of [[Aires]] in Japan,<ref>{{Template:KKS022}} p.9</ref> was invited as the president. The company also introduced technology from [[Mamiya]] in Japan.

In 1969, the company released its first camera, the VERIX A-I,<ref>[https://newslibrary.naver.com/search/searchByDate.naver#%7B%22mode%22%3A3%2C%22trans%22%3A1%2C%22pageSize%22%3A20%2C%22date%22%3A%221981-08-25%22%2C%22page%22%3A1%2C%22officeId%22%3A%2200032%22%2C%22fevt%22%3A3837%2C%22publishType%22%3A%2200020%22%7D 大韓光學(대한광학) 코비카-三星(삼성) 미놀타 불붙은 카메라販賣戰(판매전)](Daehan Optical KOBICA and Samsung minolta ignite camera sales war) Kyunghyang Shinmun August 25, 1981, p.5 from Naver News Library.</ref> which was based on the Mamiya 35mm leaf shutter camera. 

They manufactured cameras based on Mamiya's leaf shutter cameras, but withdrew once in 1973 to only manufacture binoculars<ref>Weekly Camera Times (週刊カメラタイムズ) August 7, 1973, p.41. "Overseas Report: Camera Situation in Korea (4)" (海外レポート 韓国のカメラ事情 (4)).</ref>.

In 1976, they released the [[KOBICA 35 BC-1]], which is considered the first original camera made in Korea.<ref name="much_go_kr">[https://www.much.go.kr/L/HRF8zl4T61.do 대한민국역사박물관 | KOBICA 35BC 카메라] (National Museum of Korean Contemporary History)</ref>

The main products of Daehan Optical were cameras and binoculars. The brand name '''KOBICA''' is said to be a combination of Korea, Binoculars and Camera.<ref name="much_go_kr" />

The company then launched the KOBICA BC-7, a leaf shutter camera with manual exposure, followed by the KOBICA AE-F, a camera with a built-in flash like the Konica C35EF.

However, in 1983, the company ran into financial difficulties and went bankrupt.<ref name="chosun_19860918">[https://newslibrary.chosun.com/view/article_view.html?id=2014219860918m1028&set_date=19860918 아남(亞南),대한(大韓)광학 인수] (Anam to acquire Daehang Optical) The Chosun Ilbo September 18, 1986, p.2</ref>
From the latter half of the 1970s, [[Samsung]] and other companies in Korea began joint ventures with Japanese camera manufacturers to manufacture cameras, accelerating competition in sales.

After the company went bankrupt and was controlled by a bank. The company received a takeover bid from [[Anam]] Precision (아남정밀, 亞南精密)<ref name="chosun_19860918" /> and was eventually acquired by Anam Industries (아남산업, 亞南産業, Parent company of Anam Precision) in 1987.<ref>[https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1987051400099205012&editNo=1&printCount=1&publishDate=1987-05-14&officeId=00009&pageNo=5&printNo=6520&publishType=00020 大韓光學까지 인수 카메라 전문업체인 亞南精密이 大韓光學을 인수하려다가 오히려 亞南産業에 인수되어 업계에 화제](Even Daehan Optical was acquired; A camera specialist, Anam Precision, tried to acquire Daehan Optical, but was acquired by Anam Industry, causing a stir in the industry) Maeil Business Newspaper 14, May, 1987, p.5</ref>

== Products ==

=== 35mm rangefinder, fixed lens ===

* VERIX A-I (1969, Selenium meter)
* VERIX A-II ([[Rank Aldis Ranger 35]])(CdS meter)
* [[KOBICA 35 BC-1|KOBICA 35 BC / KOBICA 35 BC-1]] (1976)<ref>[http://www.kvm.or.kr/technote6/board.php?board=filmcamera&search=%C4%DA%BA%F1%C4%AB&shwhere=subject&command=body&no=119 코비카 35 BC] KOREA VIDEO MUSEUM, Daegu Metropolitan City (in Korean)</ref><ref>[http://www.kvm.or.kr/technote6/board.php?board=filmcamera&search=%C4%DA%BA%F1%C4%AB&shwhere=subject&command=body&no=117 코비카 35 BC-1] KOREA VIDEO MUSEUM, Daegu Metropolitan City (in Korean)</ref>

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{{Flickr_image
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|image= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8191/8115786747_bb047bb263.jpg
|image_align= left
|image_text= Rank Aldis Ranger 35
|image_by= OZBOX
|image_rights= wp
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{{Flickr_image
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/192225468@N05/51885779015/in/pool-camerawiki/
|image= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/65535/51885779015_cee0ddcab6.jpg
|image_align= left
|image_text= KOBICA 35 BC-1
|image_by= KazumaK
|image_rights= wp
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=== 35mm viewfinder, fixed lens ===

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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/192225468@N05/51884221842/in/pool-camerawiki/
|image= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/65535/51884221842_992ff571a7_z.jpg
|image_align= right
|image_text= Advertisement from the Chosun Ilbo September 11, 1979<ref>[https://newslibrary.chosun.com/view/article_view.html?id=1797619790911m10728&set_date=19790911 조선 뉴스 라이브러리 100 - 조선닷컴] The Chosun Ilbo September 11, 1979, p.7</ref>
|image_by= KazumaK
|image_rights= wp
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* KOBICA 35 BC-7
* KOBICA 35 BC-7A<ref>[http://www.kvm.or.kr/technote6/board.php?board=filmcamera&search=%C4%DA%BA%F1%C4%AB&shwhere=subject&command=body&no=122 코비카 35 BC7 A] KOREA VIDEO MUSEUM, Daegu Metropolitan City (in Korean)</ref>
* KOBICA 35 BC-10
* KOBICA AE-F (1981, Built-in electric flash)<ref>[https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1981011500099207004&editNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1981-01-15&officeId=00009&pageNo=7&printNo=4572&publishType=00020 實用카메라 開發 市販 大韓光學, 자동노출・플래시內藏](Development and sales of practical cameras, Daehan Optical, automatic exposure, built-in flash) Maeil Business Newspaper 15, January, 1981, p.7</ref><ref>[https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1981051100099207019&editNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1981-05-11&officeId=00009&pageNo=7&printNo=4669&publishType=00020 大韓光學 小型카메라 개발 市販 電子셔터·플래시 內藏](Daehan Optical Science development and marketing of compact cameras; Built-in electronic shutter and flash) Maeil Business Newspaper 11, May, 1981, p.7</ref>

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=== 35mm manual focus SLR, fixed lens ===

* VERIX HQ 528 TL (based on the [[Mamiya 528TL]])<ref>[http://www.kvm.or.kr/technote6/board.php?board=filmcamera&page=8&command=body&no=106 베릭스 HQ 528 TL] KOREA VIDEO MUSEUM, Daegu Metropolitan City (in Korean)</ref>

=== 35mm manual focus SLR, interchangeable lens ===

* KOBICA PX-1 (Possibly not released)

== Notes ==
<references />

== Links ==

In Korean:
* [https://www.much.go.kr/L/HRF8zl4T61.do 대한민국역사박물관 | KOBICA 35BC 카메라] (National Museum of Korean Contemporary History)
* [http://cmkpsd.blogspot.com/2009/06/verix-35-aii.html Happyblog: 대한광학 VERIX 35-AII] (Images of VERIX 35 A-II)
* [http://egloos.zum.com/blast01/v/1007226 수동카메라라라라] (Images of KOBICA BC-7)
* [https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.naver?isHttpsRedirect=true&blogId=hcsuk&logNo=140064087449 (66) 한국 최초의 카메라 코비카] (Images of KOBICA 35 BC-10 and KOBICA AE-F etc.)

In Japanese:
* [https://ob-scura.com/2021/12/06/korean-camera-history/ 韓国カメラ史年表（暫定） 韓国製フィルムカメラの歴史 &#8211; 御部スクラ バーチャルYoutuber] (Chronology of Korean Camera History)

[[Category: Camera makers]]
[[Category: South Korea]]