Kenko
Kenko Co., Ltd. or K.K. Kenkō (株式会社ケンコー) is a Japanese company that currently (2007) sells (and perhaps makes) digital cameras and camcorders as well as all sorts of camera accessories, including tripods, filters, conversion lenses, etc. The company also distributes in Japan the products of Cosina (including the Voigtländer brand), Tokina, Slik, Daiwa, Cokin, Lee and Tamrac.
The Kenko brand exists since before World War II: an advertisement dated 1941[1] already mentions Kenko products, distributed by Murakami Shōkai.
In 1949, the name Kenko was used for the Kenko 35, a camera announced by Murakami Shōkai and taking both 127 film and 35mm film.
In an advertisement dated 1954, the company name was given as Kenkō Shashin Yōhin K.K. (ケンコー写真用品㈱).[2] The main address was Minato-ku Shibashinbashi (港区芝新橋) 1–6 in Tokyo, and there was a branch in Osaka. The Kenko products were made by various companies: according to the advertisement, the tripods were made by Eikensha (映研社) of Setagaya (Tokyo) and the filters were made by Tōyō Kōgaku Bōeki K.K. (東洋光学貿易㈱) of Ōmori (Tokyo).
Notes
- ↑ Advertisement for the Semi Kreis, published in the March 1941 issue of Shashin Bunka, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 68.
- ↑ Advertisement for Kenko products dated 1954, reproduced in Shashin-Bako.
Bibliography
- Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7.
Links
In English:
- Kenko official English website in English (the Japanese website is more complete)
In Japanese:
- Advertisement for Kenko products dated 1954, reproduced in Shashin-Bako
