Kajiro Kōgaku
Kajiro Kōgaku Kenkyūjo (上代光学研究所, Kajiro Optical Laboratory) is a Japanese optical company that was founded in 1939 by Kajiro Hitoshi (上代斉), who was previously an employee of Miyoshi Kōgaku.[1] The initials K.O.L. (for Kajiro Optical Laboratory) were adopted as the brand name of the lenses. K.O.L. is engraved in the lenses in handwritten style.
The company became Gojō Kōki Seisakusho (五城光機製作所) in 1941, but at the end of the same year, the plant and brand names were transfered to Kokusaku Seikō, a camera maker which was already buying lenses for its Auto Keef model.[2]
After the war, the company was revived as Sun Kōki.[3]
Lenses
K.O.L. range
It is said that the first lens, mounted on the Mamiya Six in 1940, was the K.O.L. Trio, soon followed by the K.O.L. Special. Both are three element lenses.[4] However the Semi Kreis, a 4.5×6 folder, had these lenses mounted in the reverse order: the original model had the K.O.L. Special and the Semi Kreis II and III had the K.O.L. Trio.
An advertisement for the K.O.L. lenses, mentioning both Gojō and Kokusaku, listed the following lenses:[5]
- K.O.L. Anastigmat f/4.5 (75mm);
- K.O.L. Anastigmat f/3.5 (60mm, 75mm);
- K.O.L. Sola (four elements) f/3.5 (50mm, 75mm);
- K.O.L. Goka[6] (four elements) f/2.8 (60mm, 75mm, 80mm);
- K.O.L. Xebec (six elements) f/2 (50mm).
The K.O.L. Xebec is a collapsible lens in Leica screw mount.
Other K.O.L. lenses are as follows:
- K.O.L. Elmo 75mm f/3.5 (three elements)[7]
- K.O.L. Keef 60mm f/3.5 (three elements)[8]
- K.O.L. Nōman Trio 75mm f/3.5 (three elements)[9]
- K.O.L. Trio 75mm f/3.5 (three elements)[10]
Others
It is probable that the Hitonar 75mm f/3.5 and 75mm f/4.5 were made by the company too.
Cameras equipped
The following list is incomplete. That a particular model is listed should not be taken to mean that all examples were fitted with lenses made by Kajiro or Gojō.
- Elmoflex
- Gaica II (K.O.L. Gaica)
- Auto Keef (K.O.L. Keef 60/3.5)
- Semi Kinka (Kadera 75/3.5)
- Semi Konter (Hitonar 75/3.5 and 75/4.5)
- Semi Kreis (K.O.L. Special and K.O.L. Trio)
- Semi Kreis II and III (K.O.L. Trio)
- Lark (6×6) (K.O.L. Trio)
- Mamiya Six
- Semi Miss (Hitonar 75/3.5 and 75/4.5)
- Nōman Flex (K.O.L. Nōman Trio)
- Rollekonter (Hitonar 75/3.5 and 75/4.5 and U Hitonar 75/3.5)
- Semi Rosen III (Keef 75/4.5)
- Taroflex (perhaps K.O.L. Taro)
- Weha Chrome Six III New (K.O.L. Gojo, one example reported only)
Notes
- ↑ Inoue, p. 131.
- ↑ Inoue, p. 132.
- ↑ Inoue, p. 132.
- ↑ Inoue, p. 132.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Inoue, p. 132.
- ↑ Inferred from the katakana ゴーカ.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lb29, attributed to Kokusaku.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lb29, attributed to Tōa Kokusaku.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lb30, attributed to Gojō.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lb7, attributed to Kokusaku.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lb32, attributed to Kokusaku.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item Lb10, attributed to Gojō.
Bibliography
- Inoue, Mitsuo (井上光朗). "Shashin renzu no yoake. Renzu-ya Funsenki" (写真レンズの夜明け・レンズ屋奮戦記, Dawn of the photographic lens – Fierce war tales between lens shops). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.14, October 1989. No ISBN number. Rikō kamera no subete (リコーカメラのすべて, special issue on Ricoh). Pp 128–132.
- "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7.
Links
In Japanese:
- Kōgaku Seiki's Nippon camera, a page by Akiyama Michio at the Nikon Kenkyukai Tokyo website, with information about the K.O.L. Xebec and Sun Xebec
