Miranda T and TII
The Miranda T was the first Miranda 35mm SLR camera, released in 1955. The prototype was introduced in 1954 as the Phoenix, but the name was changed due to a trademark conflict before production commenced.
The early cameras were manufactured by Orion Seiki, and are engraved Orion Camera Co. above the lens mount. In 1957, after just two years of production, the company name was changed to Miranda Camera, and the cameras were accordingly marked Miranda Camera Co. The early cameras are often called "Miranda Orion" today, but the correct name would be "Orion Miranda": Orion was the manufacturer's name and Miranda was the product's brand name.
The Miranda T was an advanced camera at the time of introduction. It was the first camera made by this manufacturer, which previously made the Mirax reflex housing for rangefinder cameras. It was the first Japanese SLR equipped with a pentaprism, a few years after the Contax S, Rectaflex and Exakta Varex. It was equipped with an interchangeble pentaprism finder from the start, and a sturdy bayonet lens mount, supplemented by a huge 44mm screw mount for accessories. The camera was supplied with the rare Zunow 1:1.9 f=5cm standard lens. An even rarer Orion Supreme 1:2.8 f=10.5cm lens was among the early supplementary accessory for this camera.
The Miranda T Orion is among the most sought after 35mm SLRs by camera collectors today. The two first digits in the serial number indicates the two last digits in the year of manufacture.
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