Kyocera

Kyocera, originally a ceramics manufacturer, was founded in 1959 as Kyoto Ceramics (京都セラミツク株式会社). It changed its name to Kyocera (京セラ株式会社) in 1982, and became involved in camera production in October 1983, when it acquired Yashica Company Ltd. Initially, the company continued to produce evolutionary camera designs under the Yashica and Contax brands, such as the Yashica FX-3 and Contax 159MM. The manual-focus (MF) FX-103 Program, introduced in 1985, continued the ‘pairing’ tradition of Yashica SLR models with those of Contax (Contax 159mm), and featured TTL flash and full programmed exposure capabilities. Both brands continued to feature the same C/Y bayonet lens mount, allowing owners of less expensive Yashica cameras to use all of the Yashica / Contax lenses, including the premium Contax Zeiss T* lenses.

However, the 1985 introduction of Minolta's Maxxum/Dynax 7000 autofocus (AF) camera was a huge success, and all camera makers scrambled to catch up. Kyocera decided to reposition the entire Yashica manual-focus SLR line as a ‘value-priced’ choice for entry-level photographers. Kyocera also began to offer various cameras with the Kyocera nameplate for buyers in Japan, while subsuming the old Yashica into its new corporate identity. The company also decided to manufacture an AF 35mm SLR camera and a new series of AF lenses to compete with Minolta's revolutionary Maxxuum/Dynax.

In December 1986, Kyocera introduced its new line of autofocus 35mm SLR cameras and lenses, all but one carrying the Yashica name for the international market. Unfortunately, the new Yashica AF cameras were introduced rather late and faced difficulty in competing with more established competition, who also had a larger selection of compatible lenses. Furthermore, the attractive range of Contax' Carl Zeiss T* lenses was no longer an option, as there were no new Contax lenses in the new Yashica autofocus mount. Kyocera attempted to encourage existing owners of Yashica manual-focus SLR cameras to make the transition to autofocus by offering a 1.6x tele-converter adapter to mount Yashica or Contax MF lenses to the autofocus cameras, without much success. The Yashica autofocus SLR cameras continued until 1994 in a progressively cheapened series of models, at which time the entire autofocus line was discontinued, reportedly after significant losses.

Kyocera also made a number of fairly successful autofocus point-and-shoot cameras for the consumer market, culminating in 1992 with the Yashica T-4. This compact camera was equipped with a high-quality Carl Zeiss T* lens along with improved weather sealing, and proved very popular as a rugged travel camera. Kyocera had also continued the process of repositioning Yashica SLR cameras, offshoring assembly to China and Hong Kong to reduce costs. Kyocera's last series of 35mm Yashica SLRs, the 107/108/109MP line, were not a commercial success, though the old Yashica FX-3 (now in Super 2000 form) sold well until its discontinuance in 2002.

Kyocera continued to make point-and-shoot film cameras under its own name and that of Yashica, as well as premium rangefinder and SLR film cameras under the Contax label. The company also entered the digital camera field in 1997 with Kyocera, Yashica, and Contax branded models.

In 2005, Kyocera announced it would cease production of all Yashica, Kyocera, and Contax cameras.

Digital Cameras

• Kyocera Finecam L4v
• Kyocera Finecam S4

Links

• Yashica SLR Pages
• Contax SLR Pages
• Kyocera's official history page in English and in Japanese