Minolta Uniomat

Uniomat II of 1961 picture by David Broglin

In 1960 Chiyoda launched its Minolta Uniomat series of rangefinder cameras with coupled match-needle selenium meter. The fast leaf shutter was possible by Chiyoda's strategy to allow just certain aperture/shutter-speed combinations. Thus the shutter doesn't need to be opened fully when a fast speed is set.

Three different models were marketed from 1960 to 1965 :

• Uniomat I without chrome trim around the meter window and black plastic around the viewer and rangefinder windows on front (1960-1961)
• Uniomat II with chrome trim around the meter window and white plastic around the viewer and rangefinder windows on front (1961-1963)
• Uniomat III with circular around-the-lense meter -1963-1965)

Versions of this camera were also sold in the United States as the Ansco Anscoset.

specifications

• Type: rangefinder camera
• Manufacturer: Chiyoda Kogaku
• Year of launch: 1960
• Film: 35mm with speeds 6 to 1600 ASA
• Lens: Rokkor 1:2.8/45mm, 4 elements
• Shutter: leaf shutter with speeds from 1/8 sec. to 1/1000 sec., X and M flash synchronization, "program shutter"
• Meter: coupled selenium meter, instrument's match-needle window on top, helps to set manually a combination of aperture and speed
• Viewfinder: bright frame finder with superimposed coupled rangefinder
• Film advance: advance lever in camera back
• Dimensions: 137×80×73mm
• Weight: 710 g

Links

In French:

• Uniomat on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand