Kobayashi Seiki
Kobayashi Seiki Seisakusho (小林精機製作所, meaning Kobayashi Precision Works) was a Japanese company, which made cine cameras, bellows and accessories sold under the Kopil brand.[1] It sometimes used a K.S.S logo.[2]
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| Kopil Bellowscope in Leica screw mount. Picture by David Murphy. (Image rights) |
A company called Kobayashi Seiki still exists today (2009), founded as "Kobayashi Seiki Seisakusho" (小林精機製作所) in October 1953 in the city of Morioka.[3] It is probably not the same as that described above, which was certainly already active before 1953.
Contents
Products
Bellows units
- Kopil Folding Bellowscope, single folding rail, in various mounts (shows patent number 472839)
- name variants of the Kopil Folding Bellowscope:
- Alpex Bellox Jr, in various mounts
- Miranda Bellox Jr, in Miranda bayonet mount
- Asahi Bellowscope, in 42mm screw mount
- Asahi Bellows Unit, in 42mm screw mount
- Asahi Pentax Bellows Unit, in 42mm screw mount
- Minolta Extension Bellows Model 1, in Minolta SR mount
- Kopil Bellowsmat, single rail, with movements, in various mounts
- Kopil Duo-Track Bellowscope, dual rail, in various mounts
Rangefinders
- Kopil Mod.III rangefinder (c.1955)[4]
 
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| Kopil Mod.III rangefinder. Pictures by Hans Kerensky. (Image rights) |
Exposure meters
- Kopil CdS TTL meter, in various mounts
- Kopil shoe-mounted exposure meter
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| Kopil CdS TTL meter, 42mm screw mount. Picture courtesy of Pacific Rim Camera. (Image rights) | Kopil shoe-mounted exposure meter. Picture by Keith Rock. (Image rights) |
Other camera accessories
 
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| Kopil self-timer, with K.S.S logo images by Marc Belanger (Image rights) |
Other
- Kopil cine cameras
Notes
- ↑ Fujishima, p.122 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.38; Takeda, p.110 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.53; This page and this page at Shisantei.
- ↑ Kopil self-timer pictured here by Marcfoto, and Kopil bellows observed in online auctions.
- ↑ Official company history of the current Kobayashi Seiki.
- ↑ Date: Fujishima, p.122 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.38.
- ↑ Takeda, pp.110–1 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.53.
Bibliography
- Fujishima Kōichi (藤島広一). "Kyorikei 2 - Nihon-sei" (距離計・２・日本製, Rangefinders 2: Made in Japan). 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.38, June 1996. ISBN 4-257-13003-2. Purakuchika maunto (プラクチカマウント, special issue on the Praktica mount). Pp.118–23. (On the Kopil No.III rangefinder.)
- Takeda Shigeru (武田茂). "Serufutaimā korekushon" (セルフタイマーコレクション, Self-timer collection). 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.53, December 1999. ISBN 4-257-13026-1. Tokushū: 50-nin no korekutā ni kiku watakushi no ichi-dai (特集:50人のコレクターに聞く私の1題, 50 stories told by camera collectors). Pp.110–1. (On the Kopil self-timer.)
Links
In English:
- Zoom 8 EE cine camera at Stefan's Camera Collection
- Kopil CdS TTL meter in James Ollinger's exposure meter collection
- Kopil CdS TTL meter among Exakta close-up equipment in Captain Jack's Exakta Pages
In German:
- Kopil Bellowsmat and Folding Bellowscope among Exakta bellows at Photobutmore
In Japanese:
- Bellows units and close-up accessories at Shisantei (mentions the Kopil as made by Kobayashi Seiki Seisakusho)
- Profile and history in the Kobayashi Seiki official website
